Of Poets and PestsThe story goes that Virgil had a pet housefly, and when the insect died, Virgil spent 800,000 sesterces—nearly all of his net worth—for an extravagant funeral. Celebrities swarmed ...

Italian officials including Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli and director if Italian museums Massimo Osanna on Thursday ...

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”.

Natalie Haynes considers the work of the Roman poet Virgil, ranging from his hints on bee-keeping to his great work The Aeneid. Dido is the classic wronged woman and the Aeneid contains the best ...