Virgil Was Born On The Ides Of October, During The First Consulship Of Gnaeus Po

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Term Paper Title	Virgil Was Born On The Ides Of October, During The First Consulship Of Gnaeus Po
# of Words	1367
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	5.47

     Virgil was born on the ides of October, during the first consulship of Gnaeus Pompeius
the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus, in a region called Andes, not far from Mantua. While his
mother was pregnant with him, she dreamed that she gave birth to a laurel branch, which struck
root when it touched the earth and sprang up on the spot, so that it looked like a full-grown tree,
stuffed with diverse fruits and flowers. And the following day, while she was making for the
neighboring fields with her husband, she turned aside from the path, threw herself into a ditch, and
disburdened herself by delivering the child. In this manner they say that the child was born, and
did not cry, so mild was his countenance; that even then, he gave men no small reason to hope
that his birth would prove to be auspicious. Another presage was added to this, when the poplar
sprout that is immediately planted in the same place by women who have given birth actually grew
up so fast that it stood level with the poplars sown long before. It is called on that account the
"tree of Virgil," and prayers for childbirth and safe delivery are still offered with the greatest
reverence there by pregnant women and new mothers.
      He spent the first years of his life at Cremona, until the toga of a man, which he received
fifteen years after his birth, at which time those same two men were consuls; as it happened, the
poet Lucretius passed away that same day. But then, a short time afterward, Virgil made his way
from Cremona to the city of Milan.
     Virgil was large in person and stature, with a swarthy complexion, a peasant's brow, and
uneven health, for he commonly suffered from pain in his stomach, throat, and head; indeed, he
often spat up blood. He was sparing of food and wine. With regard to pleasure, he was partial to
boys. He loved Cebes and Alexandrus most of all. Alexandrus was a gift to him from Asinius
Pollio; the second poem of his Bucolics refers to him as "Alexis." Nor was the other one
unlearned; in fact, Cebes was a poet as well. It is also circulated that he lived together with Plotia
Hieria. But Asconius Pedianus maintains that she herself made a habit out of telling stories about
the older man; indeed, that although Varius invited him to be his companion, he refused
obstinately. For the rest, all are thoroughly agreed that his life was upright, both in word and
thought, with the result that he was commonly known as the "Virgin of Naples." And if perchance
someone should spot hi...

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