Famous Roman writers
Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 6:02 pm
Salvete,
Some people say that Latin writers almost only were describing battles and emperors. I will prove these people wrong.
My first example:
Publius Vergilius Maro
Vergilius was born on the 15th of October 70BC in a small village near Mantua. He spent his childhood years in the country, while in Rome a certain Pompeius was rising. Both parents of Vergilius died early; and he inhereted his weak health from them.
Vergilius went to secondary school in Cremona and Mediolanum. On his 15th birthday (15th of October 55BC) he receives his toga virilis, on the same day tha Lucretius commited suicide. A strong symbol, because Vergilius was always looked upon as the successor of Lucretius.
As most young man, Vergilius then goes to Rome. Instead of becoming advocate or politician he quickly develops a strong interest for philosophy (epicureanism) and poetics. While he was writing his first poems the civil war (49BC) breaks out.
In 44 BC (after the famous ides of March and the murder of Caesar) Vergilius retreats to the village where he was born. In 42BC, under the rule of Antonius, Lepidus and Octavianus (the later Augustus), Rome starts claiming land in the country to give it to its war veterans. Vergilius' land is also claimed and he goes to Rome to defend himself. He manages to keep his lands.
In the same year Asinius Pollio, his friend and 'Maecenas', encourages him for writing his first grand essay: the Bucolica, ten poems (Eclogae). The publishing of this work in 38BC is Vergilius' breakthrough.
Soon C. Cilnius Maecenas notices the new talent and grants him a home in Rome (how poetic , a new Vergilius is born ) and a 'ranch' in Napoli. From this moment Vergilius his thoughts were free to go to poems only.
From 37 to 28BC Vergilius writes his second grand essay: the Georgica, a poem about the life in the country. The emperor Augustus is impressed and orders an even greater work: a national epos that could be compared to the Ilias of Homerus.
Vergilius spends ten years writing the Aeneis. When he travels to Greece to check some details in his epos, Vergilius becomes ill. He immediately turns around and reaches Italy and soon dies in Brindisum. The aeneis is published post-mortem (and against his will) by friends. His remains are cremated and burried in Napoli. The epitaph says:
Mantua me genuit, Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc
Parthenope; cecini pascua, rura, duces.
"I was born out of Mantua, Calabria took my life, Parthenope owns me now; wolds, fields and leaders I have song about."
HE was born in Mantua and died in Brindisum (Calabria) and Burried in Napoli (=Parthenope). His most important essays, the Bucolica, the Georgica and the Aeneis were about the life of a sheep-herder (pascua), the life on the country (rura) and the adventures of Aeneis (duces).
Valete,
Locatus
Some people say that Latin writers almost only were describing battles and emperors. I will prove these people wrong.
My first example:
Publius Vergilius Maro
Vergilius was born on the 15th of October 70BC in a small village near Mantua. He spent his childhood years in the country, while in Rome a certain Pompeius was rising. Both parents of Vergilius died early; and he inhereted his weak health from them.
Vergilius went to secondary school in Cremona and Mediolanum. On his 15th birthday (15th of October 55BC) he receives his toga virilis, on the same day tha Lucretius commited suicide. A strong symbol, because Vergilius was always looked upon as the successor of Lucretius.
As most young man, Vergilius then goes to Rome. Instead of becoming advocate or politician he quickly develops a strong interest for philosophy (epicureanism) and poetics. While he was writing his first poems the civil war (49BC) breaks out.
In 44 BC (after the famous ides of March and the murder of Caesar) Vergilius retreats to the village where he was born. In 42BC, under the rule of Antonius, Lepidus and Octavianus (the later Augustus), Rome starts claiming land in the country to give it to its war veterans. Vergilius' land is also claimed and he goes to Rome to defend himself. He manages to keep his lands.
In the same year Asinius Pollio, his friend and 'Maecenas', encourages him for writing his first grand essay: the Bucolica, ten poems (Eclogae). The publishing of this work in 38BC is Vergilius' breakthrough.
Soon C. Cilnius Maecenas notices the new talent and grants him a home in Rome (how poetic , a new Vergilius is born ) and a 'ranch' in Napoli. From this moment Vergilius his thoughts were free to go to poems only.
From 37 to 28BC Vergilius writes his second grand essay: the Georgica, a poem about the life in the country. The emperor Augustus is impressed and orders an even greater work: a national epos that could be compared to the Ilias of Homerus.
Vergilius spends ten years writing the Aeneis. When he travels to Greece to check some details in his epos, Vergilius becomes ill. He immediately turns around and reaches Italy and soon dies in Brindisum. The aeneis is published post-mortem (and against his will) by friends. His remains are cremated and burried in Napoli. The epitaph says:
Mantua me genuit, Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc
Parthenope; cecini pascua, rura, duces.
"I was born out of Mantua, Calabria took my life, Parthenope owns me now; wolds, fields and leaders I have song about."
HE was born in Mantua and died in Brindisum (Calabria) and Burried in Napoli (=Parthenope). His most important essays, the Bucolica, the Georgica and the Aeneis were about the life of a sheep-herder (pascua), the life on the country (rura) and the adventures of Aeneis (duces).
Valete,
Locatus