THE LIFE OF VIRGIL. PUBLIUS VIRGILIUS MARO was born at a village called Andes, about three miles from the city of Mantua, on the 15th day of October, in the year of Rome 684, and 70 years before the Christian era. Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus were consuls. His parents were in humble circumstances. His father cultivated a small farm for the maintenance of his family. His mother, whose name was Maia, was related to Quintilius Varus, who rose to be proconsul of Syria, and afterwards was appointed to the command of the Roman army in Germany. The first seven years of his life were passed under his paternal roof: after which he was removed to Cremona, a town situated upon the banks of the Po, and not far from Mantua. While here, he distinguished himself in those studies suited to his age, and gave presage of his future eminence. In this pleasant retreat he passed ten years, till he assumed the Toga virilis, which, among the Romans, was at the age of 17. At an early period he showed himself to be a favorite of the Muses, and manifested a genius that one day was to rival the author of the Iliad. At this time Pompey and Crassus were in their second consulship. From Cremona he removed to Mediolanum, a town not far distant, and soon after to Naples. Here he devoted his time to the study of the Greek language, of which he soon became master. By this means he was enabled to read the Greek poets in the original, to enter fully into their spirit, and to discover their beauties and excellencies. This proved of essential service to him in his future labors. With a mind thus stored with literature, and a taste formed by the best models, he entered upon the study of medicine, mathematics, and philosophy. These last, more especially, were his pleasure and delight, as he has intimated in several parts of his works. He studied the Epicurean philosophy, then in much repute, under one Syro, an eminent teacher. He afterwards composed his Sixth Eclogue, with a view to compliment his preceptor, and to express a grateful remembrance of his instructions. Varus was a pupil with him at the same time. Here they contracted a friendship for each other, which continued during the remainder of their lives. Having finished his studies at Naples, which occupied several years, it is said, he visited Rome; but it is more probable that he returned to Mantua, and retired to his paternal inheritance. Here he acquired that prac tical information which so eminently qualified him for writing the Georgics. A person of Virgil's extensive attainments, and above all, of his poetic genius, could not long remain in obscurity. His fame reached the ears of Pollio, who was no less distinguished for his love of literature, and of the muse, than for his military achievements. He was a particular friend of Antony, and under hi commanded the troops in Cis-Alpine Gaul; in which Mantua was situated. Here he became acquainted with Virgil, who was introduced to him either by Varus or Gallus; both of whom our poet has mentioned in his Eclogues, in the most affectionate terms. After the battle of Philippi, which proved fatal to the republican party, Augustus divided the lands in the neighborhood of Mantua among his veteran troops, to whom he was indebted for that victory. Virgil was involved in the common calamity. This circumstance, in all human appearance to be lamented, and which to others proved a heavy calamity, to our poet was the commencement of an illustrious career, and the harbinger of an immortal day. Pollio, who entertained a sincere friendship for Virgil, and was well qualified to form a correct estimate of his talents and acquirements, becoming acquainted with his case, recommended him to Mæcenas, who was then at Rome, and held the highest place of honor and confidence with his prince. The friend of Pollio found also a friend in Mæcenas. He laid his case before Augustus, and by his influence with his prince, obtained the restoration of his estate. Virgil, at this time, probably was about 29 years of age. He immediately returned with the edict of the emperor for the restoration of his farm, which had fallen into the hands of one Areus, a centurion; but he was resisted and ill-treated by the new possessor, and forced to swim over the Mincius to save his life. This cruel treatment is the subject of the ninth Eclogue. He went a second time to Rome upon the subject. But it is probable he never after resided upon his estate. A wider field now opened before him; and he made the seat of the empire the place of his residence. Here his acquaintance and friendship were sought by the most distinguished men; and the favorite of the Muses became also the favorite of Augustus. With a view to compliment his prince, and to express the happy state of the empire under his administration, it is said, he composed the following distich, which, in a private manner, he affixed to the gate of the palace: Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula mane: Augustus was highly pleased with the compliment paid to him, and the deli cate manner in which it was expressed; and he desired to find out the author. Virgil's modesty and diffidence prevented him from making an avowal. - At length, one Bathyllus, a poet of inferior merit, had the hardihood to claim to be the author. The emperor richly rewarded him. This greatly mortified our poet, who wrote the same lines upon the gate of the palace, with the following one under them: Hos ego versiculos feci, tulit alter honores : together with the beginning of another line in these words, Sic vos non vobis, and as the surest Several attempts repeated three times. Augustus wished to find the author; way of doing it, demanded that the lines should be finished. were made without effect. Bathyllus was not able to do it; which led to a suspicion of his imposture. At last Virgil finished them, and thus avowed himself the author of the previous distich. The lines are as follow: Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves; This detected the impostor, and covered him with ridicule and contempt. About this time, at the suggestion of Pollio, Virgil commenced writing his Eclogues; which occupied him three years. The frst was written to express his gratitude to his prince for the restoration of his lands. This he did in so delicate and modest a manner, that it raised him greatly in the estimation of his friends and countrymen and the poet conferred a greater favor upon Augustus, by immortalizing this act of his beneficence, than he did by restoring to him his lands. The others were written upon various occasions, and for various purposes. The Eclogues were extremely popular. So well were they received, that they were several times repeated upon the stage. Cicero, upon hearing then, was so much pleased, that he did not hesitate to say of the author: Magna spes altera Roma, which words the poet afterwards introduced into the twelfth book of the Æneid, applied to Iülus. Virgil may be considered the first who introduced pastorals among the Romans. It is a fact worthy of notice, that he was the introducer, and at the same time the perfector, of this kind of writing. All succeeding poets have taken him as their model, and found the surest way to success to be, to copy his beauties. It is true, he was much indebted to Theocritus, who was the first pastoral writer of eminence among the Greeks. but he followed him with judgment, and improved upon him so much in correctness of taste, in purity of thought, and delicacy of expression, that we lose sight of the original. So much was he esteemed, that all classes of persons crowded to see him, whenever he appeared in public; and on entering the theatre, the people rose up to do him reverence, no less than to Augustus himself. During the civil wars, agriculture had been much neglected: and so general had the distress become on that account, that serious apprehensions were entertained for the peace of Italy. All classes of people began to murmur, and to cast the blame upon Augustus, and his administration. In this state of things, it occurred to Mæcenas, that the most effectual method of averting the impending evils, and of restoring peace to the people, and confidence in the administration, was to revive the agricultural interests of the country. For this purpose, he desired Virgil to write a treatise upon agriculture. He well knew ro person was better qualified for a work of this kind. He possessed an extensive knowledge of the subject, a correct taste, and could enliven it with the charms of poetic numbers; and he already possessed the confidence and affections of his countrymen. After a short respite, he entered upon the work. That he might be less interrupted in its prosecution, he retired from Rome to Naples, a city more tranquil, and, at the same time, more healthy. In this pleasant retreat, removed from the bustle of the capital, the intrigue of courts, and the jarring interests of politics, he composed the Georgics-a poem, the most perfect and finished of any composition in the Latin language. He spent seven years in the work. The public expectation was raised high; but it was far surpassed: and Virgil conferred a greater blessing upon his country, than if, in the field, he had ob tained the most splendid victory over its enemies. The Georgics were every where well received, and Italy soon assumed a flourishing appearance. The people found themselves in the enjoyment of peace, plenty, and domestic happiness. The poet dedicated the work to his friend Mæcenas, a statesman distinguished equally for his love of literature and science, the correctness of his politics, and the wisdom of his councils. Virgil was now forty years of age. At this time, he found himself in the possession of a large estate, chiefly from the liberality of his prince. His fame was coextensive with the empire, and the lovers of the muse courted his society. Among the particular friends of Virgil, may be reckoned Horace, a distinguished XIV poet of that age, and a friend equally of Pollio and Mæcenas. Between these two favorites of the Muses there subsisted, during their lives, the most cordial friendship. How sincerely they esteemed each other, we may learn from an ode which Horace afterwards composed upon the occasion of Virgil's setting sail for Greece, on account of his health. Having completed the Georgics, our poet soon commenced the Eneid an epic or heroic poem. This is the noblest species of poetic composition requiring a correct judgment, a lively imagination, and an universal knowledge. Virgil possessed them all in a high degree. It is supposed that he had the subject in contemplation for several years previous, and that he alludes to it in the sixth Eclogue in these words: Cùm canerem reges et prælia, Cynthius aurem He probably had something of the kind in view; but whether it was, what the Aneid afterwards proved to be, is uncertain. The subject of the poem is the removal of a colony of Trojans from Asia Minor, under the conduct of Æneas, and their settlement in Italy. The Iliad and Odyssey undoubtedly suggested to Virgil the idea of the Æneid; and without the former we should not have had the latter. It has been supposed by some, that the Æneid was designed merely as an encomium upon Augustus, who was now raised to the highest temporal power. But if this had been his only object, the poet might have saved much time and labor, by composing short pieces, or brief panegyrics upon his prince, as Horace did on several occasions. It is true, Virgil was very fond of compli menting the Cæsars, and in several parts of his works, he has done it in the most extravagant manner. The Æneid was undoubtedly designed for the benefit and instruction of the Roman people generally, who were now happily enjoying the blessings of peace, after having suffered, for a series of years, all the calamities of civil war. The poet wished these blessings to be perpetuated. He, therefore, endeavors to dissuade his countrymen from further attempts to restore the republic, and advises them to submit to the authority of a man who derived his origin from the gods, and under his auspices, to cultivate harmony, and the arts of civilized life. This is the moral of the poem, and an object worthy of the patriotism and benevolence of the poet. Virgil wrote with a wonderful degree of exactness. Every thing which he mentions is founded upon historical truth; and the voyage and adventures of his hero are given with geographical precision. He has also given us a full and perfect account of the religious rites and ceremonies of the age. The whole so artfully blended with the subject, and so skilfully interwoven into it, as to become an essential part of the poem. And while he is delighting the fancy with the harmony of his numbers, he informs the understanding, and enlarges, the bounds of our knowledge. As soon as it was known that Virgil had commenced the Æneid, the public expectation was raised very high; and so great was the general enthusiasm on the occasion, that Sextius Propertius did not hesitate to say: Codite, Romani scriptores, cedite Graii; Nescio quid majus nascitur Iliade. His delicate health caused considerable interruption in his labors; and he found himself under the necessity of travelling, to sustain his feeble constitution He visited Sicily, and several parts of Italy; but Naples was his favorite place of residence. He spent seven years in composing the first six books of the Æneid. Augustus wished to hear what he had written, and desired him to recite them to him. The poet complied with the request of his prince; and for this purpose, selected the second, fourth, and sixth books. Into this last, he had incorpo rated, with an ingenious hand, the funeral rites of Marcellus, who died a short time before, and whom Augustus designed for his successor in the empire. He was a very promising youth, the darling of his mother, Octavia, and the favor. ite of the people. When the poet came to this part, Octavia, who was present, was so much affected, that she fainted away and Augustus was so highly pleased with the compliment paid to his nephew, that he ordered ten sestertia to be given for every line of the eulogium. This amounted to a very large sum. The verse 165, had been left in an unfinished state, and in the heat of fancy, occasioned by the recital, it is said, the poet added the words, Martemque accendere cantu, which complete the measure. In four years afterwards, he finished the remaining six books, so that the poet spent eleven years in writing the Æneid. At this time, he was in the fiftyfirst year of his age, and his health considerably impaired. He had revised the Eclogues and the Georgics, and continued to improve them till the year before his death, as appears from some passages, particularly the closing verses of the last Georgic. Augustus was on the banks of the Euphrates, in the year of Rome 734. At this time Virgil was fifty years of age, and the Georgics had been published ten years. It was the intention of Virgil to revise the Æneid also, before it was published. And for this end he visited the classic soil of Greece, where he purposed to devote three years to the poem: and, this being done, to turn his attention to philosophy. This, from his earliest years, had been his darling study, as he informs us in the latter part of the second Georgic; and he wished to spend the remaining years of his life in contemplating the works of nature, and in elevating his mind to its divine Author. But soon after his arrival, his health became so delicate, and his strength so much exhausted, that he was obliged to relinquish it; and Augustus being on his return from Asia, Virgil thought proper to accompany him. At Megara, a town not far from Athens, he became seriously indisposed, and apprehensions were entertained of his recovery. He hastened his return to Italy, but continued to decline, and a few days after his arrival at Brundusium, a town in the eastern part of Italy, he expired, on the 22d day of September, being nearly 51 years of age. He died with that composure and resignation, which became so good and virtuous a man. He wished to be interred at Naples, the favorite place of his residence; and Augustus ordered his body to be removed thither, according to his desire; where it was buried with every testimony of respect and esteem. Just before his death, he wrote the following lines, as his epitaph: Mantua me genuit: Calabri rapuere: tenet nunc This was inscribed upon his tomb; and it is characteristic of the modesty of t great poet and distinguished philosopher. It is said his tomb is to be seen at the present day on the road from Naples to Puteoli, about two miles from the former place. Virgil left a will. By it, he directed the Eneid to be burned, as being imperfect and unfinished. But this was countermanded by Augustus, at whose desire, it is said, it was undertaken; and we are indebted to him for the preservation of one of the greatest efforts of human genius. The manuscript was put into the hands of Varus, Tucca, and Plotius, all friends of Virgil, and poets of some distinction, with direction to expunge whatever they deemed improper : |