I did not read Mr. Nettleship's valuable and original 'Suggestions Introductory to the Study of the Aeneid' until I had finished writing all I had to say about that poem. I have drawn attention in the text or in notes at the foot of the page to some places in which I modified what I had originally written after reading his 'Suggestions,' to others in which my own opinions are confirmed by his, and to one or two points of divergence in our views.
Since the third chapter was printed off, I have received what seems a confirmation of the opinion expressed there as to the probable situation of Virgil's early home, from a friend who recently visited the district, where I suppose it to have been. He writes of the country which he passed through--'The result of my observations perfectly confirms what you had already supposed. The country south of the Lago di Garda for a distance of at least twenty miles is of a gently undulating character, and is intersected by long ranges of hills which gradually sink down towards the lake and the Mincio. The loftiest of these hills may perhaps reach a height of 1000 feet above the lake-level, but that is a point on which I cannot say anything certain.'
The only material change which I have made in this edition is that I have added translations of the passages quoted, for the convenience of any readers, who, without much knowledge of Latin, may yet wish to learn something about Latin literature. In the translations from Virgil, I have sometimes made use of expressions which I found in Conington's prose Translation and in Mr. Papillon's recently published edition of Virgil. I have also availed myself of Sir Theodore Martin's Translation of the Odes of Horace. In correcting or supplementing some statements made in the first edition, I have occasionally profited by remarks made in criticisms on that edition which appeared shortly after its publication.
CHAPTER I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. PAGE I. Relation of the Augustan Age to other Literary Epochs 1-8 Relation of the Augustan poetry to that of the 1 preceding Age Parallel of the Augustan Age with other great literary 4 Epochs ---- especially with the Age of Louis XIV 5 Chief conditions modifying the poetry of the Augustan Age 7 II. Influence of the enthusiasm in favour of the Empire 8-21 General longing for peace 8 Revival of national sentiment and pride of Empire 10 Moral and religious reaction 13 Augustus the centre of the national enthusiasm 14 Deification of the Emperor in the poetry of the Age 15 ---- illustrated by other extant works of art 19 Direction given to national sentiment by Augustus 20 III. Influence of Patronage on the Augustan Poetry 21-31 Poetry employed in the interest of the Government 21 Patrons of literature--Augustus 22 Personal influence of Maecenas 23 Pollio, Messala, Agrippa, Cornelius Gallus 26 Causes of the connexion between literature and social 28 eminence Effects of this connexion on the tone of literature 29 IV. Influence of material conditions on Literature 31-37 Wealth and luxury of Rome in the Augustan Age 31 Liberality of Augustus and Maecenas to Virgil and Horace 33 Effects of this on the art of these poets 34 Reaction from the luxury of the Age apparent in literature 35 V. General condition of literary culture as affecting 37-54 the Augustan Poetry Intellectual character of the last years of the 37 Republic and earlier years of the Empire Distinction between the earlier and later periods 38 Appreciation of Greek art and literature in both 39 Alexandrine influences on the Augustan poetry 41 Characteristics of the Alexandrine poets 42 Their treatment of mythological subjects 43 Scientific and learned character of their poetry 44 Their treatment of the passion of love 45 Their treatment of external Nature 46 Pictorial art of the later Greeks 48 Superiority of the Augustan to the Alexandrine literature 49 Friendly relations among the poets of the Augustan Age 51 Influence of these relations on their art 52 Hostility of other literary coteries 53 VI. Causes of the special devotion to Poetry in the 54-58 Augustan Age Effect of the Monarchy on the great forms of prose 55 literature Poetry later in feeling the effects of Despotism 56 The Augustan literature the maturest development of 57 the national mind