The Washington herald., 1910-09-22
TO-DAY IN HISTORY.
The Death of Virgil-September %.

To-day. in 10 B. c.. Virgil. the greatest
among the poets OF ancient times. died
at Brundisium, a town on the Adriatic.
He was buried AT Naples, where his tomb
was long regarded with religious venera-
ton and visited as a temple. That ven
Grafton was a survival OF the feeling
with which he was held in his lifetime
and is greater than what we find attach
ed to the actual memory or any other
ancient poet. though the mystery con-
nected with the personality Of Homer ex-
cited a greater curiosity.
The secIusion Of VirgiTs life touched
the imagination OF his countTymen as the
finer qualities OF his nature touched the
hearts OF his friends The feeling which
his countrymen and contemporaries en-
tertained toward him seems justified by
the personal impression which he pro-
duces on modern readers.
The old tomb OF Virgil lies 10 the south
west Of the city OF Naples. The poet. as
ne himself informs US, here composed
his immortal works. the Georges and the
Aeneid. and he unquestionably possessed
villa on the Posilipo. and by his ex-
press wish was inferred here. Petrarch
is said 10 have visited this spot accom-
panied by King Robert, and 20 have
planted a laurel which. at the beginning
Of the nineteenth century, fell a prey 70
the knives OF relic hunters, and has since
been replaced. II is on record that in
1895 the tomb was in good STATE Of
preservation, and contained a marble
urn with nine small pillars. with an ap-
propriately inscribed frieze. No trace OF
this now remains.
VirgiTs fame as a poet rests on the
three acknowledged works of his early
and mature manhOod-the pastoral poems
or Eclogues, the Georges. and the Aeneid.
He was born on October y, 20 2. c. on
a farm on the banks Of the Mincio. in
the district Of Andes not far from the
town OF Mantua. The scenery familiar 10
his childhood. the green banks and slow
windlngs Of the Mincio, and the rich pas
lures in its neighhorhood. he recalls with
affection in several OF his most important
works. Like his friend and contempt
A4ul az ~ Siii bAl-E rum t--c N-'-s'T
Of yeomen whose state ne pronouuces the
happiest allotted 10 man and most con-
ducive 70 virtue and piety.
Virgil fortunately posSessru r. father
who spared no pains in nourishlng his
genius with the highest and richest cUl-
ture then obtainable in the world At
the age Of twelve he was taken for his
education 10 Cremona. whitner he was
accompanied by his father, and from
which place. four years later. he removed
10 Milan, and then 20 Rome. Here he
resided a number Of years studying
writing. until about middle life. when he
longed for his beloved Naples. TO which
he returned about 81 B. c., living chiefly
in that city, or in a country house in the
neighborhA5d OF Nola, up 20 the time
Of his death.
The year Of HIS death Virgil had set
out for Athens. intending to pass three
years IN Greece and Asia, and 10 devote
that time 10 perfecting the workmanship
OF the Aeneid While visiting Megara,
under burning sun, he was seized with
Illness. and. as he continued his voyage
without interruption, he grew rapidly
worse and died in his hfty-first year.
Virgirs life was a singularly quiet and