Born on his father's
small estate near Mantua, Virgil studied Greek at Naples, and other
branches, probably, at Rome, where in time he became the friend of the
munificent patron of letters, M?cenas, with whom we have already seen
him on the noted journey to Brundusium. It was at the instigation of
M?cenas that Virgil wrote his most finished work, the agricultural poem
entitled _Georgica_, which was completed after the battle of Actium
(B.C. 31), when Augustus was in the East. It had been preceded by ten
brief poems called Bucolics (_Bucolica_, Greek, _boukolos_, a cowherd),
noteworthy for their smooth versification and many natural touches,
though they have only the form and coloring of the true pastoral poem.
The ?neid, which was begun about 30 B.C., occupied eleven years in
composition, and yet lacked the finishing touches when the poet was on
his death-bed. His death occurred September 22, B.C. 19, at Brundusium,
to which place he had come from Greece, where he had been in company
with Augustus, and he was buried between the first and second
milestones on the road from Naples to Puteoli, where a monument is
still shown as his.
Though always a sufferer from poor health, and therefore debarred from
entering upon an oratorical or a military career, Virgil was
exceptionally fortunate in his friendships and enjoyed extraordinary
patronage which enabled him to cultivate literature to the greatest
advantage.
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