15 Oct. 70-21 Sept. 19 B.C.E.
Poet

Last Request. Vergil (also spelled Virgil) was born on 15 October 70 B.C.E. in Andes near Mantua in northern Italy. His father sent him to Cremona and Milan to be educated. Later he went to Rome to study rhetoric. His attempt at representing someone in a lawsuit was a complete failure since he proved to be a clumsy speaker. Therefore, he went to Naples to study Epicurean philosophy. His family lost their farm in Octavian's land expropriations of 41 B.C.E. Vergil later received some reparations for it. By 38 he had been introduced to Maecenas, the famous patron of poets. Together with Horace, he accompanied Maecenas on a diplomatic mission to Brindisi in 37. Two years later he published his Bucolics, consisting of 10 Eclogues. The next ten years were spent writing the Georgics, which he read to Augustus...