Virgil | |
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Born | Publius Vergilius Maro 15 October 70 BC Andes, Cisalpine Gaul, Roman Republic |
Died | 21 September 19 BC (aged 50) Brundisium, Italy, Roman Empire |
Occupation | Poet |
Nationality | Roman |
Genre | Epic poetry, didactic poetry, pastoral poetry |
Literary movement | Augustan poetry |
Notable works | Eclogues Georgics Aeneid |
Publius Vergilius Maro (Classical Latin: [ˈpuːbliʊs wɛrˈɡɪliʊs ˈmaroː]; traditional dates 15 October 70 BC – 21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil (/ˈvɜːrdʒɪl/ VUR-jil) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period.[1] He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: the Eclogues (or Bucolics), the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid. A number of minor poems, collected in the Appendix Vergiliana, were attributed to him in ancient times, but modern scholars consider his authorship of these poems to be dubious.[2]
Virgil's work has had great influence on Western literature, most notably Dante's Divine Comedy, in which Virgil appears as the author's guide through Hell and Purgatory.[3] Virgil has been traditionally ranked as one of Rome's greatest poets. Since its composition, his Aeneid has been considered the national epic of ancient Rome.[4]