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The Family of Vergil
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 September 2012
Extract
The quest of Vergil's birthplace has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, but the nationality and social origin of the poet are still curiously obscure. He may have been Etruscan, Celtic, Venetian, Ligurian or even Greek; and he is variously described in the ancient biographies as ‘parentibus infimis’ and ‘dignitate eques Romanus.’ To this it may be rejoined that these things matter little in any man, and not at all in the case of a great poet: stemmata quid faciunt? Yet the circumstances of his birth play their part, like the scenery of his early home, in determining the growth of a poet's mind; and for this reason it seems worth while to investigate them afresh, and to attempt a new quest after the elusive facts of Vergil's family.
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- Copyright © Mary L. Gordon 1934. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies
References
1 Rand, E. K., In Quest of Vergil's Birthplace (Harvard, 1930)CrossRefGoogle Scholar, and Nardi, B., The Youth of Vergil (Harvard, 1930)CrossRefGoogle Scholar, Appendix I.
2 Professor Braunholtz (‘The Nationality of Vergil,’ CR 1915, p. 104) inclines to the view that Vergil had an Etruscan father and a Celtic mother. In Macrobius (v, 2, 1) he is called, disparagingly, Venetus.
3 Brummer, J., Vitae Vergilianae, pp. 56 and 66Google Scholar.
4 Vit. Verg. (Donatus), p. 1 : ‘parentibus modicis ac praecipue patre.’
5 Vit. Verg. (Donatus), 1.
6 Donatus 25 and 49.
7 Donatus, 99.
8 Donatus, 21.
9 Philipp (P-W, s.v. ‘Mantua’), however, argues that Mantua was a Roman colony from 214 B.C. The unusual enrolment of the town in the (Etruscan) tribus Sabatina would suit the friendly circumstances of 49 B.C, when Caesar enfranchised the Transpadanes.
10 Donatus, 48.
11 Probus, Ecl. Praef.
12 Donatus, 40.
13 Probus says merely ‘patre Vergilio rustico, tenui facultate nutritus,’ which may be simply an inference from the Eclogues. Cf. Macrob. v, 2, 1, ‘rusticis parentibus natus inter silvas et frutices eductus.’
14 CQ xiv, p. 160.
15 Suet., Vesp. 4.
16 Vergil, a Biography, pp. 8–10.
17 JRS xxi, 1931, p. 70.
18 Tenney Frank, Economic History of Rome 2, chap. xx.
19 CIL v, 6107. Od. ix, 197. Cf. Clodius Maro, a libertus at Padua, CIL v, 2929.
20 e.g., Maro, Varronius, frumentarius of legio III at Salonae : CIL iii, 2063Google Scholar (ILS 2370).
21 e.g., CIL xiv, Suppl. 4569 (A.D. 198), three examples.
22 In CIL ix, 1880 (ILS 5170), Maro the alumnus of C. Calpurnius Lausus at Beneventum may have been named from Vergil himself.
23 CIL I2, 1127 (wrongly numbered in index), M. Orucule Maro.
24 JRS xxi, 1931, p. 69. Focas calls Vergil's father Maro : Vit. Verg., p. 50.
25 ‘aquilo colore,’ Donatus 25. The same adjective was used by Plautus of a negress.
26 A. Holder, Alt-celtischer Sprachschatz : Verco, Vercillus, Vercovicium (Housesteads), etc.
27 Cf. Mario, name of a Gaulish chieftain, CIL xii, 1231Google Scholar, 4 (Arausio), and Vergilius Mario, libertus, CIL ii, 593Google Scholar; (Carthago Nova). See Holder, maro, etc.
28 Schulze, W., Zur Geschichte lateinischer Eigennamen (Berlin, 1904), p. 360Google Scholar.
29 Marullus (diminutive of Maro or Marus) was the cognomen of the Eggii, a distinguished family of Aeclanum. (Groag in P-W, s.v. ‘Eggius’). Cf. also Marius Maro at Verona, ILS, 4389).
30 ‘Tuscorum trans Padum sola reliqua,’ Pliny NH iii, 19, 130Google Scholar. Cf. ‘Tusco de sanguine vires,’ Aen. x, 203. For Mantus see Ducati, P., Etruria antica, vol. i, p. 99Google Scholar; vol. ii, p. 13.
31 Vit. Verg. ‘genere Tusco’ (Vita Noricensis, 49) ‘Maeonii specimen vatis ’ (Focas, p. 50). Cf. Schulze, p. 312, note 6.
32 Rosenberg, A., Der Staat der alten Italiker, pp. 46, 67Google Scholar. Cf. CIL I2, 2565 (Caere) M. Campili M. f. mar.
33 Rosenberg, p. 61 ff.
34 Ducati, , Etruria antica, vol. i, p. 78Google Scholar.
35 Cortsen, S. P., Die etruskischen Standes- und Beamtentitel, 1925, pp. 121–4 and 114Google Scholar; see also Leifer, F.Studien zum antiken Ämterwesen, i, in Klio, Beiheft 23 (N.F. x), 1931, p. 302 ff.Google Scholar—a reference I owe to Prof. Adcock.
36 Ducati, vol. i, p. 139; Skutsch in P-W s.v., ‘Etrusker,’ col. 753.
37 Carcopino, J., Virgile et les origines d'Ostie) (Paris, 1919), p. 42Google Scholar. In CIL xiv, Suppl. 4641, an A. Egrilius Maro is apparently the patronus of a family which included one of these minor priests. CIL xi, 5390 (Assisi) enumerates six marones.
38 Thesaurus Linguae Latinae, Onomasticon.
39 Eigennamen, p. 189. Cf. CIL ii, 3685 (Balearic Is.) Maro Talassa.
40 CIL iii, 15030 (Dalmatia), L. Arruntius Maro; 14411 (Moesia), Piotius Maro (cf. Eigennamen, p. 211, Etr. piute, Piotius).
41 CIL ii, 4223 (Tarraco) = ILS 6932.
42 Tac. Ann. vi, 40Google Scholar.
43 CIL v, 3827, ‘in Ande Vergilii villa, quae nunc dicitur Pietole … sub altari maioris ecclesiae.’
44 Harvard Lectures on the Vergilian Age, ch. ii, p. 23. Cf. Rand, In Quest of Vergil's Birthplace, Ch.ix.
45 CIL V, 4057 (Mantua) = ILS 8230, speaks of a fine to be Paid into the arca pontificum; but as a Similar formula occur in CIL vi, 28567, the inscription may be really from Rome as Dessau suggests.
46 This would lend a certain appropriateness to ‘viridi in campo templum de marmore ponam,’ etc., Georg. iii, 13.
47 CIL ix, 2671 (Aesernia); x, 4862 (Venafrum) = ILS 2690; 1478 (Neapolis) = ILS 6454; 895 (Pompeii) = ILS 6394. Cf. CIL i2, 1675; xiv, 345 (Treba Augusta) and others.
48 Cic. Pro Planc. 40.
49 e.g. M. Vergilius, proconsul of Cyprus under Augustus, and Cn. Vergilius Capito, praefectus of Egypt in A.D. 47.
50 CIL xiv, Suppl. 4704: P. Vergilius M.f. Pontianus and Ti. Vergilius Ti. f. Rufus.
51 Walde, A., Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der indogermanischen Sprachen, vol. i, p. 289–290Google Scholar. Cf. Vit. Verg., p. 56 (Vita Monacensis, vi), ‘Vergilius a virga vel ut alii “vere gliscens.”’
52 Vit. Verg., p. 50.
53 Schulze, Eigennamen, pp. 100 and 319.
54 Schulze, Eigennamen, p. 185.
55 CIL xi, 3808 ( = ILS, 6582c), 3254.
56 CIL xi, 7227, 7228. Cf. 3844 (Veii) : Vergilia M.f. Romula.
57 CIL x, 4791. Cf. Schulze, Eigennamen, p. 568, Etr. felzna, etc.
58 CIL x, 895 (=ILS 6394). Cf. Schulze, Eigennamen, pp. 224 and 413, salina, etc.; p. 337, suffix -thur, -tor.
59 Schulze, Eigennamen, p. 365, Etr. panza; 326, Etr. leu, Leonia, etc.; pp. 88 and 91, Etr. prpris.
60 Weiss in P-W, s.v. ‘Ligurer.’
61 CIL ix, 1455 (A.D. 101).
62 CIL v, 7567, = ILS 6747.
63 CIL v, 7681. Another was named Sulla.
64 CIL v, 6483 (son of a liberta). Weiss, and Schulze, p. 519. Cf., however, Etr. vipi = vibius, P. 101.
65 For the cognomen Laurea, cf. Schulze, p. 181, Etr. laursti, etc., and CIL ix, 6078, 156 (tegulae in Picenum) Sutrius Laurea.
66 CIL xi, 3248 (Sutrium), P. Vergilius P.f., apparently a magistrate; x, 1478 (Neapolis); xiv, 1748 and 4704 (Ostia).
67 Plin NH xxxv, 160–1Google Scholar: ‘retinent hanc nobilitatem et Arretmm in Italia et calicum tantum Surrentum, Asta, Pollentia.’ Pliny also mentions Tralles as a centre of this industry. Cf. CIL iii, 7147 (Tralles), Cn. Vergilius Cn. l. Nyrius, villicus of Thalamus.
68 Walters, H. B., History of Ancient Pottery, i, 71Google Scholar; ii, 477.
69 Focas, Vit. Verg., p. 50.
70 Schulze, Eigennamen, p. 503.
71 C. D. Buck, A Grammar of Oscan and Umbrian, § 176, 1.
72 Walde, , Wörterbuch, vol. ii, p. 257Google Scholar. Holder, Alt-celtischer Sprachschatz.
73 Schulze, Eigennamen, p. 184. CIL xi, 4293.
74 Cf. CIL xi, 7210 (Clusium) C. Macius C. f. Marc. n.
75 CIL x, 8224.
76 Buck, No. 21, magiium, = Magiorum.
77 Where Magiacus is used for Magianus: Schulze, Eigennamen, pp. 12 and 17.
78 Cic. Brut., 179. L. R. Furr, ‘The Nationality of Vergil,’ CJ 1929–30, p. 340, draws attention to another coincidence, that C. Vergilius was legatus of a Piso, and a certain Magius praefectus, perhaps of the same man.
79 Veil, ii, 16.
80 CIL ix, 1140 (=ILS 5318), 1125 (=ILS 1335).
81 CIL xii, 1694 (=ILS 5530). Cf. also CIL ix, 1649 (Beneventum) and 698 (Sipontum).
82 CIL iv, 3871 = ILS 6445b.
83 CIL i2, 388 = ILS 3814; CIL xiv, 246.
84 CIL v, p. 986, cretacea Perforata. Half a dozen of these curious objects were found at Calvatone, one with this stamp (8113, 11).
85 CIL v, 5869 = ILS 6730.
86 CIL xi, 6611.
87 CIL xiv, 256; v, 4990.
88 CIL v, 1813 (Gemona), 7679 (Augusta Bagiennorum) 5293.
89 Cic. Verr. i, 87.
90 CIL iii, 1420311; Hatzfeld, J., Les trafiquants italiens dam l'Orient hellénique, p. 88Google Scholar.
91 CIL x, 3971 = ILS 7641.
92 CIL v, 6036. Cf. CIL ix, 1227 (Aeclanum), where the wife of the blacksmith Babrius Lesbus is Vergilia.
93 CIL v, 5293. Cf. M. P. Charlesworth, Trade-routes and Commerce of the Roman Empire,2 p. 5.
94 CIL v, 4260; iii, 1791.
95 CIL xiv, 246; cf. CIL v, 4483, 5869 (=ILS, 6730). Intermarriage with the Vettii may also be noticed: CIL xi, 962 (Regium Lepidum); cf. v, 1336 (Aquileia).
96 CIL v, 4642.
97 CIL v, 781 = ILS 3119.
98 CIL xi, 962.
99 CIL xi, 2060 (Perusia) : P. Magius Verus, father of Justus; the other son, L. Magius, is of Verona.
100 Magius Valerius Surio of Brixia with a grandson Magirra appears to be Celtic. CIL v, 4483.
101 See Münzer, P-W, s.v. ‘Magius’ (9).
102 Cf. CIL v, 4641, Magius N.f.
103 Vit. Verg. (Donatus). 20 : ‘initia aetatis Cremone egit.’
104 See above, p. 8.
105 CIL v, 4126.
106 CIL v, 4046; cf. R. S. Conway, Harvard Lectures, p. 21.
107 Hor. Od. iv, 12Google Scholar.
108 CIL i2, 1203 = ILS 7460; cf. also 1410, = ILS 7471, lanius; CIL ii, 5934 (Carthago Nova) sutor.
109 CIL xiv, 2006, Suppl. 5309, 8 and 6; iii Suppl. ii 143369.
110 E.g., CIL xiv, 1748, Q. Vergilius P.f. Pansa and numerous liberti; Suppl. 5306, Caletyche, ornatrix of a Vergilia.
111 CIL iii, Suppl. i, 7277.
112 CIL xii, 2282.
113 B. Nardi, The Youth of Vergil, ch. iii, § 4.
114 Nardi, Appendix I; Rand, In Quest of Vergil's Birthplace, ch. vi.
115 vergil's maternal grandfather may have been nicknamed viator in connection with his trading activities. Or did viater arise, as one MS. suggests, from an early mutilation of negotiator ? Brummer, Vit. Verg. p. 20. Cf. the alteration to mercator in Donatus auctus, Diehl. Vit. Verg. p. 26.
116 Silo, ‘snub-nosed,’ like Flaccus, the name of the third son, is found among persons of high and low degree. It was a family cognomen, e.g., of the Marsian hero Pompaedius Silo, leader in the Social War. Cf. CIL ii, 5792 (Clunia) = ILS 6102 : C. Magius L. f. Silo, decurio in A.D. 40.
117 Vit. Verg. (Donatus), 40.
118 Cf. CIL iii, 7277 (Corinth), the Vergilii Capitones; the younger children of C. Vergilius Capito are T. Vergilius Proculus and Vergilia Procula.
119 CIL X, 4862 = ILS 2690.
120 Cic. Brut., 179.
121 Veil, ii, 76–1; the Velleii also came from Capua.
122 The praefectus fabrum of this date was a young man of birth who acted as adjutant to a Roman commander. The position afterwards became preparatory to the equestrian career. (Kornemann, P-W, s.v. ‘Fabri.’) M. Magius Antiquus, another praefectus fabrum, seems by his very unusual cognomen to claim descent from the family of Capua: ILS 8968.
123 Aen. ii, 241.
124 Kroll, P-W, s.v. ‘Magius :(7) L. Magius, Deklamator.’
125 M. P. Charlesworth, Trade-routes,2 p. 10.
126 Vit. Verg. (Donatus), 25.
127 Carcopino, Virgile et les originesd' Ostie, p. 592.
128 Saunders, C., Vergil's Primitive Italy, p. 93Google Scholar. Cf. Ducati, , Etruria antica, i, 46Google Scholar.
129 Stein in P-W, s.v. ‘Maecenas,“ coll. 208 and 211.
130 Ducati, P., Etruria antica, i, 105Google Scholar.
131 Ducati, i, 46. For the haruspex Volcasius, see Servius ad Ecl. ix. 47.
132 This paper was almost completed before my attention was drawn by Miss A. Woodward to an article on ‘The Nationality of Vergil,’ by L. R. Furr in CJ xxv, 340Google Scholar. Miss Furr disposes of the Celtic myth, and demonstrates the Samnite origin of the Magii, and their migration from the south into Cisalpine Gaul. She dismisses the Etruscan hypothesis, in my opinion too summarily, and gives inadequate attention to the cognomen Maro. The distribution of the Magii in Italy is not quite so localised as she suggests: instances occur in the extreme south, and north of Latium. A more serious criticism is that the juxtaposition of the Magii and Vergilii in the same towns throughout Italy and Cisalpine Gaul, on which she bases the Italian origin of the Vergilii, is by no means frequent and where it occurs may well be accidental. Out of forty-five inscriptions relating to Vergilii outside Rome and Ostia, I have found it in only nineteen cases (at Capua, Pompeii, Luceria, Aeclanum, Venafrum, Atina, Clusium, Aquileia, Verona and Cremona). It should also be noted that Vergihus does not occur in Oscan inscriptions.