to determine, at what time he returned to the place Year

other man.
Whom therefore
could he think so fit to resolve
the question as Virgil, who had
discovered so much skill in the
parentage of dogs and horses?
Accordingly he took him into
a private apartment, and or-
dering every one else to with-
draw, asked him if he knew
who he was, and what power
he had to make men happy.
Virgil answered, I know thee,
O Augustus Cæsar, and that thy
power is almost equal to that
of the immortal gods; so that
thou canst make happy whom-
soever thou pleasest.

Cæsar then told him, that he would make him happy, if he would give a true answer to what he should ask him. Some, says he, take me to be the son of Octavius, and others to be the son of another man. Virgil smiled, and told him he could easily answer that question, if he might do it with impunity. Cæsar gave him his oath, that he would not be offended at any thing he should say; and added, that he would not send him away unrewarded. Then Virgil, fixing his eyes steadily upon Augustus, said, The qualities of the parents of other animals may easily be discovered by mathematicians and philosophers, but in man it is impossible; but yet I can form a probable conjecture of the occupation of your father. Augustus listened with great attention to hear what he would say, when he proceeded thus; According to the best of my judgment, you must be the son of a baker. Cæsar was astonished, and was revolving in his mind how this could be, when Virgil

of Rome

interrupted him, saying, Hear 701.
how I came to form this con-
jecture, when I had delivered
some predictions, which could
be known only by men of the
greatest learning and abilities:
you, who are Prince of the
whole world, have given me no
other reward than bread over
and over again; which is the
part either of a baker or the son
of a baker. Cæsar was pleased
with his wit, and answered, that
for the future he should be re-
warded, not by a baker, but by
a magnanimous king; and con-
ceived a great esteem for him,
and recommended him to Pollio.

It is hardly possible for a tale
to be more absurd than this.
Would the ruler of the world
talk thus idly with one whom he
had sent for out of his stables?
Would Virgil, whom all allow
to have been a man of remark-
able modesty, and even bashful-
ness, have spoken in this manner
to his prince? Would any man
of sense, when his sovereign
asked him a question, which to
him appeared of the greatest
importance, have put him off
with a sorry jest? Or was Au-
gustus a master of no more wit
or understanding than to con-
ceive an affection for one of his
grooms, because he had an-
swered him impertinently? The
answer was still the more offen-
sive, because Anthony had been
used to reproach Augustus with
having a baker amongst his an-
cestors. But, if we enquire a
little into the chronology of
those times, we shall find that
there was not any one point of
time, when this story could
possibly be true. Both Eusebius

of

705.

Year of his nativity, and applied himself to the culture of Rome his lands. It might probably be in his twentysecond year, when the civil war between Cæsar and Pompey began, and the confusions at Rome were very great. It is reasonable to think, that he might at that time retire to his farm, in hopes of a quiet and peaceable life, when the flame of the civil war seemed to drive quite another way; and when his countrymen were so favoured by Cæsar, who had been their governor, as to be made freemen of Rome', to which he seems to allude in his Daphnis"; unless we will suppose the poet to mean that he was personally known to Cæsar, which is not impossible, considering he was a native of his favourite province. It may be thought no improbable conjecture, that Cæsar might see some of his juvenile poems whilst he studied at Cremona, and take notice of him as a promising genius. Donatus tells us, that he wrote several poems when he was but fifteen years of age: but Ruæus" has proved, by

and Donatus seem to agree, that
it was not long after Virgil went
to Milan, that he proceeded to
Rome: but it was at least ten
years after that time, before
Augustus had any power at all;
and it was full five and twenty
years, before he had the name
Augustus given him; and yet
Virgil in this discourse expressly
calls him Augustus Cæsar: and
therefore this conversation could
not happen before the year of
Rome 727, when the name of
Augustus was bestowed by the
senate on him, who, after the
death of Julius Cæsar, assumed
the name of Caius Julius Cæsar

of

705.

very solid arguments, that none of those pieces now Year extant under his name could be composed by Virgil. Rome Perhaps also Cæsar might see the Alexis; which seems to have been the most early of our poet's compositions now extant°: and we may very well suppose him capable of writing that Eclogue at the age of about twenty-five, which year of his life he 709. had completed, about half a year before Cæsar was murdered, which was on the fifteenth of March, in the year of Rome 710.

The Alexis is indeed a fine composition, in which the passion of love is described with great warmth and delicacy. It is much to be wished, that a person of the other sex had been the object of this passion. But Theocritus had given the example in his 'Egaσrès3, from which, and the Cyclops of the same author, Virgil has taken several passages in this Eclogue.

After the death of Julius Cæsar, the Roman affairs were in the greatest confusion imaginable. Many different parties were formed; and his friends were divided into factions, as well as his enemies. Many were for restoring the commonwealth, and many for setting up themselves, as sole governors, in the place of the deceased perpetual dictator, Caius Octavius Cæpias, who is better known in history by the name of Augustus, which he afterwards acquired, was the son of Caius Octavius, by Attia the daughter of Julius Cæsar's sister, This

• See the note on ver. 86. of the second Eclogue. the fifth Eclogue. Dio, lib. xlv.

P See the note on ver. 1. of

710.

of

710.

Year young man being left an orphan by his father, was Rome bred up under his mother, and her brother Lucius Philippus but as he grew up, his great uncle, perceiving marks of an extraordinary genius in him, and having no child himself, was pleased to take him as his own, and to design him for his successor. With this view, he omitted no opportunity of forming this young favourite's mind, and rendering him able to bear the great weight he was intended to support. Cæsar designed to make an expedition against the Parthians, the most formidable enemy of the Romans, whom they had most shamefully defeated, and slain Crassus their chief commander. Whilst he was making preparations for this great war, he sent his nephew before to wait for him at Apollonia, where he was pursuing his studies, when he heard the surprising news, that his uncle was murdered in the senate-house. The young Octavius was in great perplexity, being informed that his uncle's murder was approved at Rome, and not knowing that he had made him his heir. But as soon as he was informed of the contents of his will, and that the people had changed their minds, and were highly enraged against the murderers, he began to entertain hopes; and being well provided both with men and money, that had been sent beforehand by his uncle, he determined to assume the name of Cæsar, who had adopted him, and to lay claim to his inheritance. He went immediately to Rome, and entered the city in the habit of a private person, with very few attendants: and waiting upon Mark Anthony, the surviving consul, was received by him

of

710.

in a very cold manner; and when he spake about Year his uncle's will, was treated with great contempt. Rome Young Cæsar was not discouraged by the ill usage of the consul; but made it his business to ingratiate himself with the people, by performing several things in honour of his uncle's, or as he was now called his father's, memory. He now increased every day in the favour of the people, and many of the soldiers began to come over to him. This softened the mind of Anthony, who began to hearken to him; and at last a reconciliation was made between them. But new difficulties and new jealousies arising, soon broke asunder this ill cemented friendship. Anthony perceiving Cæsar's interest to increase, used all the arts he was master of to gain over the people to his party. He was very great in power; being consul himself, and having his brother Lucius tribune of the people, and another brother, Caius, prætor. This strong faction of the Antonii took upon them to depose several from their governments, and to substitute others in their room; and also to postpone others beyond the time that had been appointed. Accordingly the province of Macedonia, which had been allotted to Marcus Brutus, was given to Caius Anthony; and Mark was pleased to claim the Cisalpine Gaul, in which Mantua was situated, being the best supplied with men and money; though it had been already assigned to Decimus Brutus. The soldiers, whom Julius Cæsar had sent before him to Apollonia, being returned to Italy, Mark Anthony went to them, with hopes of engaging them in his service. Young Cæsar, at