PUblius Virgilius Maro was (as antiquity testifies) born of mean parentage, especially on the fathers side, whose name was Maro, who, as some say, was by pro­fession a potter. He was (as many suppose) at first, servant to a certain wandring wizard or southsayer; and by his sedulous industrie in ru [...]ick affaires, husbandrie, keeping of catt [...]ll, working in woods, and tending of bees, raised up his ma­s [...]rs small means to a good estate, and afterwards marrying his daugh­ter, became his masters sonne in law. He was born the 15. day of October in a countrey village called Andes, neare Mantua, in the yeare of the consulship of Cneins Pompey the great, and Marcus Licinius Crastus, and was a citizen of Mantua, as saith Servius M [...]urus Honoratus, a learned Grammarian. His m [...]ther Ma [...]a, being great with childe of him, dreamed that she was delivered of a [...] branch, which being set in the ground, grew up immediately into a great spreading tree, fairely fraught with variety of fruit and fr [...]grant flowers: And the next day she and her husband walking in­to the next neighbouring countrey, she stepping aside, was delivered of him in a ditch. It is said, that being born, he never cried; but was of such a sweet and amiable countenance, that he gave great hope of a m [...]st flourishing future condition. His infancie, till the age of about seven yeares, was spent in Cremona. From Crem [...]na he went into Millain, and from th [...]nce shortly after passed over into Naples, where with great indu [...]rie and utilitie studying the Greek and Latine [...]ongues, he addicted himself principally and most seriously to the stu­die of Physick, and of the Mathematicks, and in both exceeded all others of his time, insomuch that he planted himself in Rome; where falling into f [...]miliaritie and acquaintance with the master of the horse to Augustus the emperour, he cured many of his horses disea­ses, who rewarded him with a dayly allowance of bread, as to the rest of the officers of his stable.

[Page]Afterward the Cretonians presented to the emperour a gallant colt, which in the opinion of all the beholders was like to prove a nagge of rare spirit and pace: but when Virgil saw him, he told the master of the horse that it was bred of a very faultie mare, and would prove neither quick spirited nor nimble paced: which after­ward fell out so indeed. Which the master of the horse relating to Augustus, he commanded that Virgils allowance of bread should be dayly doubled. Again, certain hounds being sent as a present out of Spain to the emperour, Virgil told both of what kinde they came, and how they would prove dogs of admirable use and swiftnes: which also being made known to Augustus Cesar, he again gave order that his allowance of bread should be re-doubled. Shortly after, Augustus growing doubtfull of himself whether Octavi [...]s were his father, and perswaded that Virgil, who so well knew the nature and kinde of hounds and horses, could also resolve this doubt, separating all other companie, and retiring into a private room, he taks Vir­gil with him, and askes him alone, whether he knew who he was, and what power h [...] had to make men honourable and happie. Where­unto he answered, I know that thou art Augustus Cesar, and that thou hast power almost equall to the immortall Gods, and that thou can [...]t happifie whomsoever thou pleasest. Surely, said Cesar, I have now a minde and purpose to make thee most happie and honourable, if th [...]u canst give a full answer to my request unto thee. Sir, sayes Virgil, I wish it were in my power to tell you the certainty of whatsoever your majesty could demaund of me. Some men (sayes Ce­sar) think that Octavius was my father, others think some body else: Whereunto Virgill with a smile, thus replied, Sacred sir, if I may freely and with [...]ut offence answer your majesties demaund, I am perswaded I shall easily resolve this doubt. Cesar hereupon assured him with an oath, that whatsoever he spake he would not take it amisse, and that withall, he would not leave him unrewarded. Now then Virgil fixing his eyes seriously on the emperours face, said; It is easie in other creatures (by rules of philosophie and the mathematicks) to discern the qualities and conditions of their prog [...] ­ [...]itours and parents, but in man it is not so easie a matter; yet as touch­ing your sacred majestie, I am able to make some probable conjecture what profession your father was of. Hereat Cesar began to li [...]ten the more attentively what he would say. Then sayes Virgil; So farre forth as I can collect and understand, thou wast a bakers sonne. The empe­rour hereat amazed, presently began to wonder within himself how [Page] that could be. But Virgil instantly interrupting his thoughts, said; Hearken sir, I beseech you, on what ground I build this my opinion: Your majestie knows, that when I formerly foretold diverse things which could not be seen into nor foreshown, but by men of great lear­ning and understanding, that your majestie the great monarch of the world again and again rewarded me with a lot and allowance of bread, which surely is the propertie eith [...]r of a baker or a bakers sonne. This facetious conceit pleased the emperour wondrous well: who thereupon said unto him, Thou shalt now be no more rewarded by a baker, but by a munifice [...]t and magnificent king: and ever after the emperour highly esteemed him and commended him to Pollio. He was big of body, and tall of stature, of a shallow complexion, hard favoured and of a sickly constitution, a moderate drinker, and of a spare diet. It is reported that he was given to the filthie and lu [...]full love of boyes, but the honestest sort of men of his dayes were perswa­ded he loved them no otherwise then as Socrates loved Alcibiades, and Plato his schollars: and that above all other he loved Cebetes and Alexander best, whom in the second Eclog of hi [...] Bucoiicks he termed Alexis, whom Asinius Pollio gave unto him. And it is reported also that he kept Plotia Hieria, but Asconius Pedianus affirms the contrarie from Virgils own s [...]rious d [...]niall thereof. In all other demeanours of his life he was both in speech and conversa­tion so honest and upright, that throughout all Naples he was called Virginity; and if at any time (as that was but seldome) he walked the streets of Rome, and observed himself to be noted and followed by any in the streets, he would retire himself immediately into the next house he came unto. He in his moderation of riches refused the goods and estate of a banished man, which Augustus Cesar profered to him; having a good competent estate of his own, and a house in Rome in the Exsquiliae neare Mecoenas his gardens. He used much, and most frequently, to retire himself into Campania and Sicil. In any request to Cesar he never had deniall. He was annually helpfull to his parents in great measure, who died when he was himself grown to a ripe age; his father being blinde ere he died. His two brethren Silo and Flaccus being dead, he bewailed under the name of Da­phnis. Melissus reports, that he was slow of tongue and sparing of speech, as if he hadbeen a very ignorant and illiterate man. When he fir [...]t addicted himself to poetry, he made this distich upon one Ba­lista a master of fence, who f [...]r report of robberies was covered with a heap of stones:

After this he wrote Moretum, Priapus, Epigrams, Dirae, Cu­lex, and other Poems, when he was but about sixteen yeares of age. He wrote Aetna also: and after that, writing of Romane af­fairs, yet misliking the sharpnes and rigidnes of the matter and names thereof, he fell upon his Bucolicks: especially to celebrate the names of Asinius Pollio, Alphenus Varius, and Cornelius Gallus his great friends. Afterward he wrote his Georgi [...]ks in honour of Me­coenas. Last of all, he t [...]ok these Aeneïds in hand, a work of a vari­ous and multifarious argument, and in a manner, resembling both Homers works. When he wrote the Georgicks, it is reported, that every morning he was accustomed to write a certain number of ver­ses, which he would all the day long overlook and so abridge, and re­fine them into a f [...]w, that it might not be unfitly said, that he brought forth verses ursino more, as the female-be [...]re doth her young, bringing them into due form by licking. This his work called the Aeneïds, he wrote first in twelve books in prose (as some think) and afterward digested it into verse; and some think, that had he lived he would have enlarged it unto twentie foure books, even unto the time of Augustus. Of his Aeneïds (scarcely yet begun) there was spread such a fame, that Sextus Propertius doubted not thus to write of them;

When Augustus Cesar, who by chance was absent from the Can­tabrick expedition, requested Virgil, partly by intreating, partly by merrily m [...]nacing letters, to send him, if it were but a very little, or (as his own words are) some one perfect sentence of his Aeneids, he refused it: but afterward, when it was fully perfected, he recited to him three of the books, namely the second, the fourth, and the sixth, and this especially for Octavia's sake, who being there present at the re­citall of those verses of her sonne, Tu Marcellus eris &c. Thou shalt Marcellus be, it is reported she fell into a swound with sorrow: and being with much adoe recovered, she commanded that Virgil [Page] should have to the value of five pound for every verse. He read his book also to diverse, but not often, and those places onely, whereof he made any scruple or doubt; thereby to heare mens judgements of them. He fully perused his Bucolicks and Georgicks: and when he was about 52 yeares old, with a desire to finish his Aeneids, he resolved to have withdrawn himself into Greece and Asia, and there to have spent three whole yeares in correcti [...]g and perusing it, that he might bestow the remainder of his dayes onely in the studie of Philoso­p [...]ie. But being in his journey, at Athens he met Augustus return­ing out of the East-countreys towards Rome; whereupon he purposed to have returned home again with the emperour: but travelling to Megara, a town neare Athens, onely to see it, he took a sicknesse there, which with continuall travell by sea so increased till he came to Brundusium, that within few dayes after he there died, on the 22 of Septemb. Cneius Plautius and Quin­tus Lucretus being Consuls. When he felt himself sick unto the death, he called often and very earnestly for his desk, that he might burn his Aeneids: which being denyed him, he notwithstanding▪ order­ed by his last will and testament, that it should be burned, as a work both faultie and imperf [...]ct. But Tucca and Varrus told him that Augustus would by no means suffer it. Whereupon he bequeathed that work and his other writings to Varius and Tucca, upon this condition, that they should set forth nothing but that which he would have set forth; and such verses as were imperfect, to leave so still. He desired that his bones should be translated to Naples, where he had lived long and merrily; which at Cesars command was accor­dingly performed, and he buried in the way to Puteoli. Vpon his tombe, at the second stone was engraven this distick, made by himself,

Plotius Tucca after Virgils decease (as he had requested) at Ce­sars command, corrected the Aeneids; for no man judged them to be burnt; whereof these verses of Suspitius the Carthaginian, are extant.

There are extant also many other and most excellent verses written by Augustus Cesar himself, to the same effect: which begin thus;

And a little after;

Pedianus reporteth, that Virgil was very courteous, and a lover of all good and learned men, and so unspotted with the foot of envie, that if he heard or saw any thing wittily or worthily said or done by any others, he as much rejoyced therein, as if it had been his own: That he used not to dispraise any man, but ever praised good men; and that he was so courteous and affable, that there was none (except he were most rudely and barbarously inclined) but both much favoured, and most ardently affected him. He seemed utterly unglued from strict meum and tu [...]m; for his librarie stood still as open to the schollars, as to himself, and oftentimes used that old adage of Euripides, [...], Communia amicorum esse omnia, All things are common among friends. And therefore he so lovingly respected all the poëts of his time, that when they were emulously and enviously [Page] jarring and snarling at o [...]e another, yet they all with an unanime consent ever loved and reverenced him, as Tucca, Varius, Horace, Gallus, and Propertius.

He so much despised glorie, that when some had ascribed and arro­gated to themselves certain of his verses, and were therefore had in the greater reputation for their learning, he not onely shewed him­self no way discontented therewith, but much rejoyced at it. For when once he made a couple of v [...]rses containing the praise and pro­speritie of Cesars emperie, which were set upon the gates without name, (these were the verses;

Cesar having made enquirie for the authour of them, yet could not know him, at length Bathyllus a certain plain poët (when none would father them) took upon him to be the authour of them; and was therefore both well rewarded and much respected by Cesar. But Virgil not taking this very well, set upon the same gates, this begin­ing of his conceit fouretimes, Sic vos, non vobis, which Augustus Cesar would have had made up: but when many had fruitlessely e [...] ­deavoured it, Virgil himself rep [...]yed thus to the foresaid distich:

This thus known, Bathyllus was for a long time an occasion of jest and laughter to the whole citie of Rome. Once Virgil having in his hand the works of Ennius, and being demanded by one, what he did with them, he answered, that he gathered gold out of Ennius his dung: for that author expressed worthy sentences and matter under homely words and phrases. Augustus Cesar asking him how a citie might be best governed, he answered, If the wisest men were placed [Page] at the helm of government, and good men authorized to over-rule the bad; and that thus men of desert might have their due honour, and men of mean condition not oppressed w [...]th injurie. Mecoenas also asking him what it is that procures least loathsomenesse and tedious­nesse to a man, he answered, The multitude and similitude of all things offends every mans appetite and affection, except of understand­ing. Mecoenas asked him again, how a man might conserve from ruine a faire and flourishing estate? To whom Virgil answered, If he excell others as much in liberalitie and goodnesse, as in riches and in honour. He was accustomed to say, that none of all the vertues was more laudable or more profitable for a man then patience; and that no estate or fortune could be so terrible or untoothsome, but that a wise man by discreet sufferance might overcome it. Which he excel­ently urgeth in the fifth of his Aeneïds, thus;

There are many other worthy and memorable things written by this authour, of this our poet, and his other excellent works; which, partly to avoid prolixitie, partly also as not being peculiarly pertinent to this work, I have of purpose pretermitted, and referre the reader, for farther satisfaction (if he require it) to Donatus himself in Ser­vius his Commentarie upon that our Prince of Poëts, Virgil.