Roman Poets Virgil and Ovid: Biography and Literary Achievements
Virgil: Life and Legacy
Publius Vergilius Maro was born near Mantua. At the age of 25, he moved to Rome where he perfected his studies in rhetoric. He gained the friendship of a patron (likely Maecenas/Augustus) and was admitted to a circle dedicated to poetry. He was devoted to the study of philosophy and the cultivation of poetry. He always kept a reserved profile and was never too comfortable in urban environments. He died after traveling to Greece to view the landscapes that appear in the Aeneid and to amend its defects.
Virgil’s Major Works
1. The Eclogues (Bucolics)
Ten short poems about pastoral life. The shepherds sing of their loves and misfortunes, sometimes engaging in poetic contests. Of these eclogues, the fourth has a special interest because it announces the return of the Golden Age. It notes that a child will be born, signaling the disappearance of the Iron Age, and ushering in a world of peace where the child participates in the life of the gods. The true Golden Age will arrive when the child is grown (often interpreted as a prophecy of Christ).
2. The Georgics
A didactic poem in four books on agriculture, commissioned by a patron (Maecenas) who planned an agrarian policy to revitalize Italy. This work is considered Virgil’s most polished:
- Book 1: Devoted to the general cultivation of fields.
- Book 2: Focuses on the cultivation of the vine, olive trees, and fruit trees, praising country life.
- Book 3: Discusses the breeding of cattle and domestic animals, including a dramatic episode about animal plagues.
- Book 4: Covers the life and raising of bees.
Virgil avoids stopping at technical details, varying the material with many digressions that break the monotony of a technical exposition. The work had two purposes: to create poetry and to encourage the return to agricultural life, thereby contributing to the policies of Augustus.
The Aeneid: Triple Inspiration
The epic poem The Aeneid draws inspiration from three main sources:
- Homeric Inspiration: The first six songs are inspired by the Odyssey, featuring tales of travel. The last six are inspired by the Iliad, detailing wars until Aeneas establishes himself as the leader of Latium. Virgil utilizes the technique of in medias res (starting in the middle of the action).
- Legendary Past Inspiration: Virgil searches for the origin of Rome and Augustus in a heroic family ancestor, the son of a Greek god (Aeneas). This historically justifies the divine origin of the Julian family, which includes the Emperor.
- Virgil’s Personality: The poem reflects Virgil’s love for nature and his evocative portrayal of characters who are pious, courageous, and faithful.
Ovid: Life, Works, and Exile
Publius Ovidius Naso was born into a wealthy equestrian family. He moved to Rome to study rhetoric, and later traveled to Greece. When he arrived in Rome, he dedicated himself entirely to poetry. He married and divorced twice; in his third marriage, he found the love of his life. He knew the best poets and soon became the preferred poet of Roman society. In 9 AD, he was forced to emigrate to the shores of the Black Sea (Tomis). The reason for this exile is unclear. He died in exile after writing poems begging forgiveness from Augustus and Tiberius.
Ovid’s Works
1. Early Works (Erotic Poetry)
- Amores: A sentimental story featuring a female pseudonym, Corinna. The work suggests the poet had many women as lovers.
- Heroides: Imaginary letters sent by famous women to their absent husbands or lovers. Ovid enjoyed making his heroines feel the atmosphere of Roman matrons.
- Ars Amandi (The Art of Love): Lessons on how to find a lover or keep one’s love. This work shocked many “sensible” Romans.
2. Mature Works (Didactic Poetry)
- Metamorphoses: Fifteen books recounting numerous transformations of historical and mythological characters into animals, plants, or constellations. The work highlights the many procedures used in the descriptions and the poetic language, which oscillates between surprise and monstrosity.
- Fasti: A chronological description of Roman events and rituals, following the order of the calendar.
3. Works of Exile (Poetry of Pain and Sadness)
- Tristes: Poems recounting his misadventures without expressing the recipient of the poems.
- Pontics (Epistulae ex Ponto): Dedicated to his wife Fabia and his friends, asking them to intercede with Augustus to forgive his punishment.