Publio
Virgilio Marone was born on 15th of October 70 B.C. at Andes, a small village near
Mantova, now denominated Pietole.
Belonging to a family of modest land owners he received a good education at Cremona, Milan
and finally Rome.
His shy and retiring nature prevented him from excelling in eloquence and oratory
art.Perhaps more than from the schools he attended, his poetry took advantage from his
first twelvw years he spend in the charming Mantuan countryside, where: The river Mincio flows in slow meanderings and covers the shores with soft reeds.
(Georgics III,14-15).
Certainly his great love for the land - we finf in all his works - comes from his
birth-places.
He was also influenced by the literaly current of Poetae Novi (Catullo) who left
the epics poems for lighter themes such as love and sentiments.
The third element that made Virgil the greatest poet, was the influence of Epicurean
philosophy inviting to love simple life, nature and leave ambitions, passions and the
troubles of frantic city life.
Virgil was so fascinated by it, that he move to the quiet Gulf of Naples to follow the
Epicurean Siro's school. Here he created his first great work: the Bucolics
followed by theGeorgics; and the Aeneid which was published after his death
in 19 B.C. at Brindisi.
Virgil was buried at Naples.
