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1、HomerwasAGreekpoet,towhomareattributedthegreatepics,theIliad,thestoryofthesiegeofTroy,andtheOdyssey,thetaleofUlysses'swanderings.Theplaceofhisbirthisdoubtful,probablyaGreekcolonyonthecoastofAsiaMinor,andhisdate,onceputasfarbackas1200BC,fromthestyleofthepoemsattributedtohimisnowthoughttobemuchlater.
2、Argumentshavelongragedoverwhetherhisworksareinfactbythesamehand,orhavetheiroriginsinthelaysofHomerandhisfollowers(Homeridae),andthereseemslittledoubtthattheworkswereoriginallybasedoncurrentballadswhichweremuchmodifiedandextended.OfthetrueHomer,nothingispositivelyknown.Theso-calledHomerichymnsarecer
3、tainlyofalaterage. Virgil Virgil(70B.C-19B.C),regardedasthegreatestRomanpoet,knownforhisepic,theAeneid(writtenabout29B.C.E),whichhadtakenitsliterarymodelfromHomer'sepicpoemsIliadandOdyssey. VirgilwasbornonOctober15,70B.C.E.,inasmallvillagenearMantuainNorthernItaly.PubliusVergiliusMaro,orVirg
4、ilhasinfluencedWesternliteraturefortwomillennia,butlittleisknownaboutthemanhimself.Hisfatherwasaprosperouslandowner,describedvariouslyasa"potter"anda"courier",whocouldaffordthorougheducationforthefuturepoet.VirgilattendedschoolatCremonaandMilan,andthenwenttoRome,wherehestudiedmathematics,medicinean
5、drhetoric,andcompletedhisstudiesinNaples.Heenteredliterarycirclesasan"Alexandrian,"thenamegiventoagroupofpoetswhosoughtinspirationinthesophisticatedworkofthird-centuryGreekpoetsalsoknownasAlexandrians. AfterthebattleofPhilippiin42B.C.Virgil'spropertywasconfiscatedforveterans.Accordingtosomesource
6、sitwasafterwardsrestoredatthecommandofOctavian(laterstyledAugustus).InthefollowingyearsVirgilspentmostofhistimeinCampaniaandSicily,buthehadalsoahouseatRome. Between42and37B.C.E.VirgilcomposedpastoralpoemsknownasEcologues('rusticpoems'and'selections'),spentyearsontheGeorgics(literally,'pertainin
7、gtoagriculture'),adidacticworkonfarming,atownsman'sviewofthecountry.AugustusCaesarpressedVirgiltowriteofthegloryofRomeunderhissway.Thustheremainingtimeofhislife,from30to19B.C.,Virgildevotedtothecompositiono
