In October 70 BC, Publius Vergilius Maro, popularly known as Virgil was born near Mantua in Northern Italy. This child went on to become one of the greatest Roman poets of all time.
Virgil wrote ‘The Eclogues’, ‘The Georgics’, and ‘The Aeneid’ – three great Latin poems. ‘The Eclogues’, otherwise known as Bucolics, was believed to be published between 39 BC and 30 BC. Another work of Virgil titled ‘The Georgics’ was dedicated to Gaius Maecenas, who later became Virgil’s patron.
‘The Aeneid’ was Virgil’s final work. This epic poem focuses on Aeneas, the Trojan hero. His voyage to Italy and the battles he fought there form the subject of the poem. ‘The Aeneid’, created a lasting influence on Western literature.
Dante made Virgil a character in his magnum opus ‘Divine Comedy’, where Virgil guides Dante through hell and purgatory. Virgil is also believed to be the author of ‘Appendix Vergiliana’, a collection of minor poems.