treatment
of bees in _Georgic_ iv.)

His early years were spent at Cremona, whence in B.C. 55 he went to
Mediolanum and then to Rome for his higher education. He studied
philosophy, medicine, mathematics, and rhetoric; but his shyness
prevented his being a success at the bar, where, we are told, he
appeared only once.

Donatus, 'Initia aetatis Cremonae egit usque ad virilem togam, quam
xv. anno natali suo accepit isdem illis consulibus iterum duobus
quibus erat natus, evenitque ut eo ipso die Lucretius poeta decederet.
De Cremona Mediolanum et inde paulo post transiit in urbem ... Inter
cetera studia medicinae quoque ac maxime mathematicae[44] operam
dedit. Egit et causam apud iudices unam omnino nec amplius quam semel;
nam et in sermone tardissimum ac paene indocto similem fuisse Melissus
[a freedman of Maecenas] tradidit.'

The Berne MS. above referred to says: 'Ut primum se contulit Romam,
studuit apud Epidium oratorem cum Caesare Augusto.'[45] For his
studies under the Epicurean Siron cf. _Catal._ 7, 8,

'Nos ad beatos vela mittimus portus,
magni petentes docta dicta Sironis,
vitamque ab omni vindicabimus cura.'

Cf. also _Ecl._ 6, 31-40, where a brief sketch is given of the
Epicurean theory of creation.

For a few years we hear nothing of his life, but we may suppose that
he continued his studies in literature and philosophy, probably at his
farm, if we can draw any inference from the language of _Ecl._ 1,
especially l. 19 _sqq._ So far as is known, he took no part in the
civil wars. In B.C. 41, when lands were assigned to the troops of
Antonius, Virgil was dispossessed of his property. On the
recommendation of Asinius Pollio, who was _legatus_ of Gallia
Transpadana, he went to Rome and obtained from Octavian the
restitution of his land. The poet expresses his gratitude in _Ecl._ 1,
42,

'Hic illum vidi iuvenem, Meliboee, quotannis
bis senos cui nostra dies altaria fumant.
Hic mihi responsum primus dedit ille petenti:
"Pascite ut ante boves, pueri, submittite tauros."'

Cf. also ll. 70-3.

Donatus, 'Ad bucolica transiit maxime ut Asinium Pollionem, Alphenum
Varum, et Cornelium Gallum celebraret, quia in distributione agrorum
qui post Philippensem victoriam[46] veteranis triumvirorum iussu trans
Padum dividebantur, indemnem se praestitissent.'

Virgil was evicted a second time in the following year, after the
Bellum Perusinum, by the troops of Octavian. Conflicting accounts are
given