684, when Pompey and Craffus were Confuls (d). Year of It is agreed, that his mother's name was Maia: but Rome 684there is fome difpute about the very name and quality of his Father. Donatus, or the writer of Virgil's life under that name, fays it was Maro; and Servius and Probus affirm that it was Virgil. The latter feems to have been in the right: for, as Ruaeus juftly obferves, if the father's name had been Maro, the fon's would have been Publius Maro Virgilius, according to the cuftom of the Romans, inftead of Publius Virgilius Maro. Probus fays he was a countryman; Donatus tells us, that fome report him to have been a potter; though many are of opinion that he was at first a hired servant of one Magus or Magius, who gave him his daughter as a reward for his industry; and intrusted him with the care of his farm and flocks, and that he increafed his fmall fortune, by buying woods, and managing bees. Ruaeus thinks, and not without reafon, that if the daughter's name was Maia, as all agree, the father's name must have been Maius, and not Magus or Magius. He obferves farther, that this corruption of the name of Virgil's grandfather has given rife to a grofs mistake of fome later writers; that the old man was a Magician, and that he inftructed his grandfon in magical rites, which feems to be confirmed by the incantations mentioned in the feventh Eclogue. Servius affirms, that Virgil was a citizen of Mantua, which seems very pro Majae Mercurium creaftis Idus. Mart. Lib. XII. Ep. 67. (d) Ol. CLXXVII. 3. Virgilius Maro in pago, qui Andes dicitur, haud procul a Mantua nafcitur, Pompeio et Craffo Confulibus. Eufeb. Chron. Thus alfo most of the Grammarians. bable: 684. Year of bable and indeed, the politenefs of his manners, Rome and his intimacy with fome of the greatest men of that age, even in his younger days, feem to intimate, that his birth was not fo mean, as it is generally reprefented (e). 689. When Virgil was five years old, his intimate friend, and contemporary poet, Horace was born (f); 691. and two years afterwards (g), his great patron Au696. guftus. At the age of twelve years, he was fent to study at Cremona (b), where he continued till he put on his manly gown, which, according to the cuftom of the Romans, was in the feventeenth (e) Donatus tells us fome idle ftories of prodigies attend ing the birth of Virgil. His mother, when he was with child of him, dreamed the was delivered of a branch of a baytree, which no fooner touched the ground, than it took root, and grew up into a fair tree, adorned with flowers and fruits. One would have thought, that this denoted rather, that the child would become a great Conqueror. The grandeur of this omen feems however to be a little diminished; for the next day, as the good woman was trudging along the road with her husband, he was delivered of our Poet in a ditch. The child did not cry, and had -fo fweet a countenance, that it -was not doubted but he would come to good fortune. A twig of a poplar was ftuck immediately in the place, which foon outgrew all that were planted year at the fame time. We may conclude from the fudden, and great thriving of the poplar, that the ditch was not a dry one, and confequently not a very commodious lying-in chamber. This famous tree, it feems, was confecrated by the name of Virgil's tree, and the breeding women used to make vows under it for their fafe de livery. (ƒ) Ol. CLXXVIII. 4. Horatius Flaccus, Satyricus et Lyricus Poëta, libertino patre Venufi nafcitur. Eufeb. Chron. (g) Natus eft Augustus, M. Tullio Cicerone et Antonio Coff. ix. Cal. Octobr. paullo ante folis exortum. Sueton. Aug. c. 5. (b) Olymp. CLXXX. 3. Virgilius Cremonae ftudiis eruditur. Eufeb. Chron. Donatus fays, he studied at Cremona, till his feventh year; Initia aetatis, id eft, ufque " ad Rome 700. 701. year (i). Soon after he went to Milan (k), where Year of 86 66 "ad feptimum annum, Cre"monae egit." Jofeph Scaliger reads fedecimum inftead of Septimum; and takes the liberty to amend the whole paffage thus ; "Initia aetatis, id eft, xiii ufque ad fedecimum annum Cremonae egit, et "xvii anno virilem togam "fumpfit." But, as this Critick adds a xiii, to make Donatus agree with Eufebius, and changes feptimum into fedecimum, without the authority of any manufcript; it feems more reasonable to believe that this paffage, in the life of Virgil, afcribed to Donatus, is erroneous, like many others. (i) Donatus fays this was in the feventeenth year of Virgil's life, when the fame perfons were Confuls, under whom he was born. This cannot, poffibly be true; for Virgil could but enter his fixteenth year, about two months before the expiration of the fecond Confulfhip of Pompey and Craffus. Therefore either the age of Virgil, or the Confuls must be wrong: I believe the mistake lies in the Confuls, and. that the age is right, being according to the Roman custom. Probably he put on the gown at the completion of his feventeenth year, which was at the latter end of 700, and went at the beginning of the following year to Milan, which agrees with what Eufebius has faid. (k) Ol. CLXXXI. 4. Virgilius, fumta toga, Mediolanum tranfgreditur: et poft breve tempus Romam pergit. Eufeb. Chron. Virgilius Cremona Mediolanum, et inde paullo poft Neapolim tranfiit. (1) Here Donatus fells a heap of moft improbable and filly ftories. Virgil, it seems, having fpent a confiderable time in his ftudies at Cremona, Milan, and Naples, and having acquired a confiderable knowledge in Phyfick and Philofophy, went to Rome, and fet up for a Horfe-doctor. He got himself recommended to the mafter of Auguftus's ftables, where Year of time he returned to the place of his nativity, and Rome applied himself to the culture of his lands. It might 701. where he cured a great variety of diseases incident to horfes; and received the reward of a loaf every day, with the ufual allowance to each of the grooms. The Crotoniates fent a prefent to Caefar of a beautiful colt, in which every body difcovered the marks of extraordinary fpirit and fwiftnefs: but Virgil gave his opinion, that he came from a fickly mare, and would prove good for nothing, which was verified by the event. This being reported to Auguftus by the mafter of the ftable, he was pleafed to order the allow ance of bread to be doubled. He fhewed no lefs fkill in judging of the parentage of dogs: whereupon Auguftus ordered his allowance of bread to be doubled again, Auguftus was in doubt, whether he was the font of Octavius, or of fome other man. Whom therefore could he think fo fit to refolve the queftion as Virgil, who had difcovered fo much fkill in the parentage of dogs and horfes? Accordingly he took him into a private apartment, and ordering every one else to withdraw, afked him if he knew who he was, and what power he had to make men happy. Virgil anfwered; I know thee, O Auguftus Caefar, and that thy power is almoft equal to that of the immortal gods: fo در 4 probably that thou canft make happy whomfoever thou pleasest. Cae far then told him, that he would make him happy, if he would give a true answer to what he should ask him. Some, fays he, take me to be the fon of Octavius, and others to be the fon of another man. Virgit fmiled, and told him, he could eafily anfwer that que ftion, if he might do it with impunity. Caefar gave him his oath, that he would not be offended at any thing he should fay; and added, that he would not fend him not fend him away unrewarded. Then Virgil, fixing his eyes fteadily upon Auguftus, faid; The qualities of the parents of other animals may cafily be dif covered by mathematicians and philofophers; but in man it is impoffible: but yet I can form a probable conjecture of the occupation of your father. Auguftus liftened with great attention, to hear what he would fay; when he proceeded thus ; According to the best of my judgment, you must be the fon of a Baker. Caefar was aftonished, and was revolving in his mind, how this could be, when Virgil interrupted him, faying; Hear how I came to form this conjecture when I had delivered fome predictions, which could be known only by men of the greatest learning probably be in his twenty-fecond year, when the Year of Civil war between Caefar and Pompey began, and Rome the confufions at Rome were very great. It is rea learning and abilities: you, who are Prince of the whole world, have given me no other reward, than bread over and over again; which is the part either of a baker or the fon of a baker. Caefar was pleafed with his wit, and anfwered, that for the future he should be rewarded, not by a baker, but by a magnanimous king; and conceived a great efteem for him, and recommended him to Pollio. It is hardly poffible for a tale to be more abfurd than this. Would the Ruler of the world talk thus idly, with one whom he had fent for out of his ftables? Would Virgil, whom all allow to have been a man of remarkable modefty, and even bafhfulness, have spoken in this manner to his Prince Would any y man of fenfe, when his Sovereign afked him a question, which to him appeared of the greatest importance, have put him off with a forry jeft? Or was Auguftus a mafter of no more wit or understanding, than to conceive an affection for one of his grooms, because he had anfwered him impertinently? The answer was still the more offenfive; becaufe Anthony had been used to reproach Auguftus, with having a baker amongst his ancestors. But, if we inquire a little into the Chronology of thofe times, we shall find that there was not any one point of time, when this ftory could poffibly be true. Both Eufebius and Donatus feem to agree, that it was not long after Virgil went to Milan, that he proceeded to Rome: but it was at least ten years af ter that time, before Auguftus had any power at all; and it was full five and twenty years, before he had the name Auguftus given him; and yet Virgil, in this difcourfe, exprefsly calls him Auguftus Caefar: and therefore this converfation could not happen before the year of Rome 727, when the name of Auguftus was bestowed by the Senate on him, who, after the death of Julius Caefar, affumed the name of Caius Julius Caefar Octavianus. could not happen after that time, becaufe the Bucolicks and Georgicks were already publifhed, and the Aeneis begun; fo that Virgil was then no ftranger to Auguftus; nor could there be any occafion for his being recommended to Pollio, who knew him fufficiently, by his Eclogues, at leaft twelve years before this happened." 4 It fonable, 705. |