Identifier: generalbiographyv5pt1aiki (find matches)
Title: General biography; or, Lives, critical and historical, of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions, arranged according to alphabetical order
Year: 1818 (1810s)
Authors: Aikin, John, 1747-1822 Enfield, William, 1741-1797
Subjects: Biography
Publisher: London : Smeeton
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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sium, a town in the confinesof Apulia and Lucania, in the consulsliip ofAurelius Cotta and Manlius Torquatus, B.C. 6^.His father was the son of a freedman, and fol-lowed the employment of a tax-gatherer -, butnotwithstanding the meanness of his origin,his sentiments were liberal and elevated. Re-solved to give his son every advantage of edu-cation within his reach, he took him early toRome, acted as his moral guardian, and causedhim to be instructed in all the branches ofknowledge which at that time were taught toyouth of condition. Horace himself has grate-fully recorded his obligations to this wise andaffectionate parent. At t!ie age of eighteen hewas sent to Athens, for that finishing of phi-losophy and Greek literature which was becomefashionable among the Romans. Whilst hewas in that city, M. Brutus, passing throughit in his wav to Macedonia, took with him se-veral of the Roman students, and Horaceamong the rest. What qualities that greatman discovered in him which induced him to
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(Htryc^o^ -^t!c^ccju ^I O R ( 263 ) II O R entrust a legion to his care, as mifitary tribune,we are not informed ; but the poet freely con-fesses a want of martial spirit, which may leadus to suspect that he had ingratiated himselfprincipally by his wit and companionable talents.The battle of Philippi, from which he escapedby a swift flight, unincumbered with hisshield, put an end to liis warfare. As he wasof the losing side, he incurred the forfeiture ofhis property, but obtained his pardon. He wasnow to depend upon his literary talents as a rc-sourse against indigence. He wrote verses,and so recommended himself to Virgil andVarius, that they generously spoke in his favourto Mecrenas. He proved so agreeable to thispatron of letters, that he made him his familiarcompanion ; in which capacity he accompaniedhim to Brundusium in that journey which hehas so agreeably described in verse. Mecasnasprocured from Augustus the restitution of Ho-races estate, and made him personally knownto that

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