A Brief History of Publius Vergilius Maro (AKA Virgil)

This post is a snapshot of Virgil, the great Roman poet. There is little known about him, but his works speak for themselves as great pieces of Roman literature.

Publius Vergilius Maro, born in 70 BC, could best be described as a sickly introvert who just wanted some peace and quiet to work on his poetry. He was born in Andes, a small village in Northern Italy near Mantua. The original spelling of his name is Vergilius with an “e”, but it later changed and is now spelled Virgil with an “i”. He began his education in Milan, and finished it in Rome. Upon completing his education, he decided to go back North. He wrote his Eclogues, about pastoral life and love. Then he completed his Georgics, a work of didactic poetry concerning farming and nature. Eventually, he began working on his great Homeric epic poem, the Aeneid. He died in 19 BC while traveling home from Greece. Before he left on his trip, he requested that if he were to die, the twelve books of the Aeneid should be burned. However, the executors of his will instead decided to publish the Aeneid. While the world is grateful to still have this great work of Virgil, poor Virgil. His request was ignored.

History did not preserve much about Virgil’s life, though most accounts agree that he was incredibly shy, and suffered from poor health. What we do know is that he was a very gifted poet and his poems ought to be treasured.

Virgil wrote in Hexameter (six feet per line), using a combination of dactyls (stressed, unstressed, unstressed) and spondees (stressed, stressed). Reading them out loud in the original Latin makes the meter very apparent.

His works are very much focused on Roman life and embody the Roman spirit. In the Aeneid especially, Virgil evokes a passion for the Roman identity and inspires patriotism on a deep level.

Though there isn’t much known about Virgil, his works have been used for school and for pleasure for centuries. By reading his works, we can have a taste of what it meant to be a Roman and gain insight into Roman values and culture. For these reasons, Virgil should be read often and enjoyed by everyone.

Read a summary of Virgil's Aeneid beginning with Book 1

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