due to a fever he had contracted in Greece. The Aeneid gained Virgil immense fame and a godlike persona after his death.Ī journey to Italy and Megara with the Emperor proved to be fatal for Virgil. His influence on the worlds literature has been immeasurable, and his works (along with those. Publius Vergilius Maro (October 15, 70 BC September 21, 19 BC), known in English as Virgil or Vergil, was a Roman poet, the author of the Eclogues, the Georgics and the Aeneid, the last being an epic poem of twelve books that became the Roman Empire's national epic. Unsatisfied with the manuscript, Virgil had wanted The Aeneid to be destroyed but Augustus did not let that happen and the poem was published posthumously. Vergil (or Virgil) was one of ancient Romes greatest poets. But we must know something more of the poets early surroundings, and something more of his personal traits. Virgil still remains a widely studied author across the world today. The modern element in Virgils poetry is the product of these two factorsthe fresh new life of Northern Italy and the all-encompassing grasp of the imperial city which had brought the whole world to its feet. His most famous book, the Aeneid, was commissioned by Emperor Augustus, who was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. Ironically, Virgil was never happy about writing the composition he felt it was a task imposed upon him which he was bound to do as a religious and political duty. The Roman poet Virgil was born in 70 BC near Mantua in Northern Italy, and was a successful poet in his own lifetime. Augustus insisted Virgil to write about the glory and magnificence of Rome. onwards, Virgil spent the rest of his life composing The Aeneid, which was pressed upon him by Augustus Caesar. Virgil spent the next four years composing pastoral poems, Ecologues and Georgics which was mostly about farming.ģ0 B.C. However, it was restored later on the command of Octavian. Although he had a house in Rome, Virgil spent most of his life in Campania and Sicily after his property was confiscated for veterans during the battle of Philippi in 42 B.C. A group of poets who wrote poems inspired from the work of third-century Greek poets were known as Alexandrians. He was at first known as an Alexandrian when he entered the literary circles. Whatever Virgil meant for Dante, it was the fact that he was a poet that seems to have meant. He famously wrote the legendary poem The Aeneid, which is now considered ancient Rome’s national epic. The medieval Virgil, a figure of legend, subject of tales of magic that pleased the popular imagination (as has been documented by Comparetti Comp.1872.1 ), is essentially missing from the highly literary focus of Dantes reading of Virgilian text. when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River. Bronze statue of poet Virgil, image courtesy of Wolfs Gallery, Ohio Of all the ancient Roman poets, Publius Vergilius Maro better known as Virgil is surely the best-known and most celebrated. Virgil studied with Epicurean philosopher Siro and began his career as a poet after fleeing to Naples due to the civil disturbances in 49 B.C.

Virgil poet