Robert Nikolai English II P2 March 11, 2013

Ovidius vs Vergilius Publis Vergilius Maro was born near Mantua in70 BC. Virgil had a wealthy family and his father owned a large amount of land. It is said that while in his mother's womb, she would dream that she had given birth to a branch of a laurel tree, and when this branch touched the earth, it took root and suddenly grew to become a full grown tree. One day while traveling with her husband the mother gave birth to her child a ditch. The newly-born did not cry at birth. This new parents say the as a good omen and planted a laurel branch at this spot. Legend says that it grew faster than any other tree and soon equaled the size of the trees planted before it. Publius Ovidius Naso was born in Sulmo, to an equestrian family. His father, being wealthy, sent Ovidius too many schools and had him study under many great rhetoricians. He wanted Ovidius to become a lawyer. Ovid didnt like the idea of being an official. He preferred things that had historical or imaginary circumstances. When he wrote is seemed like, poems without meter. These poets had fairly similar childhoods. They both were sent to study at an early age. They also both studied Rhetorics and Law before finally writing poetry. Now they are both cherished and adored for their poetic masterpieces. They are seen as national treasures. They are both roman and lived during the Augustan period. Since his family was wealthy they could afford to give a good education. Virgil lived in Mantua until he was seven years of age. Then he moved to Cremona. For ten years he stayed in Cremona, and next heads towards Naples. In Naples he studied Greek Latin and some other languages. Later, he started to study physics and mathematics. Although rhetoric and law were what Virgil originally wanted to study, he soon switched his focus to poetry. After Naples he journeyed to Rome. In Rome, Virgils poems impressed many prestigious men, who then introduced him to Augustus. Shortly after he enjoyed this new found fame, he returned to Naples. Here Virgil started his first masterpieces, The Eclogues. It is said that Virgil took three years to complete the book.

Ovid didnt have much of a childhood since his father was having him study. When Ovids brother died, Ovid quit studying law. He spent many years with different jobs. Around 29-25 BC he started writing poetry. In 8 AD Ovid was exiled by Emperor Augustus. He fled to the city of Tomis. Ovid recorded that he was exile because of, a poem and a mistake. The actual reason for his exile is unknown. It is believed that Ovid in on a conspiracy against the Emperor. A more likely reason for his exile would be because of the Julian Marriage Laws of 18 BC. This stated that all marriage had to be monogamous, as to increase the population's birth rate. Ovids writing in Ars Amatoria promote polygamy. The legislature of the emperor probably found this inappropriate and, because of his influence, had him exiled.

http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ovid-255.php http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/suet-vergil.asp http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/people/a/ovid.htm http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ni-Pe/Ovid.html Ovids most known work is the metamorphosis. It is classified as an epic with about 250 stories. Virgils most famous work is the Aeneid. It tells the legend of Aeneas, a Trojan general who traveled to present day Italy, and became the ancestor of the Romans. It is known as Romes national epic. Ovid wrote storys about fictional element. He loved Greek mythology and often used them in his stories. Virgil had no interest in these Greek fantasies. HE instead found human qualities in them. He changed the mythological personages of the Iliad and turned them into reality.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/metamorphoses/context.html http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_field_did_Ovid_and_Virgil_Make_their_ gratest_accomplishments