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Virgil
(711 words)

[German Version]

(Publius Vergilius [later Virgilius] Maro; Oct 15, 70 bce, near Mantua – Sep 21, 19 ce, in Brundisium [Brindisi]; buried in Naples). Virgil was born in humble circumstances. The erudite but sickly poet, a friend of Horace (Carm. 1.3), was patronized by Asinius Pollio, Maecenas, and Augustus.

Virgil’s Eclogae (written between 39 and 37) are 10 bucolic (“lyric”) poems of classical perfection in language, composition, subject matter, and metrics. Faced with an acute threat in the fall of the Roman republic, shepherds, mythical figures, and real figures with much love an…

Cite this page
Cancik, Hubert, “Virgil”, in: Religion Past and Present. Consulted online on 28 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_SIM_125314>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004146662, 2006-2013



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