Recognizable quotes on the ancient Romans ... “I found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble.” The poet Virgil observed, “So vast a toil it was to found the State of Rome.” ...

Born a peasant, Virgil was raised on a farm before being educated in the Greek and Roman authors. His rural upbringing influenced all his poetry, especially his earlier work, like the “Eclogues”.

He adds that these verses in Purgatorio convey like no other the tragedy (from Dante’s point of view) of Virgil’s life. As great as he was, he missed the mark; he famously prophesied a virgin ...