Cornelius Gallus facts for kids

Gaius Cornelius Gallus (born around 70 BC – died 26 BC) was an important Roman figure. He was a talented poet, a skilled speaker (called an orator), a leader in government (a politician), and a military commander. At one point, the Emperor Augustus chose him to be the governor, or prefect, of Egypt.

Even though we only have a few lines of his poems today, other famous poets like Ovid thought he was one of the greatest Latin poets of his time.

Where Was Gallus Born?

It's not completely clear where Gallus was born. People often say his hometown was "Forum Iulii". But there were several Roman cities with that name!

For a long time, people have argued if he was from Fréjus in France or another city. Some experts think he might have been from a place called Forum Iulii Iriensium, which is now Voghera in Italy.

It's also possible that "Foroiuliensis" didn't mean his birthplace at all. It could have referred to a famous act he did, like setting up the Vatican obelisk in the Forum Iulium in Alexandria, Egypt.

Gallus's Life and Work

Gallus came from a simple family. He moved to Rome when he was young. There, he studied with the same teacher as the famous poet Virgil. Virgil was very grateful to Gallus for helping him get his property back. Because of this, Virgil even dedicated one of his poems (called an eclogue) to Gallus.

In his political life, Gallus strongly supported Octavian, who later became Emperor Augustus. As a reward for his help, Gallus was made the prefect (governor) of Egypt. In 30 BC, Gallus led a military campaign to stop a rebellion in Thebes. He even built a monument in Philae to celebrate his victories.

However, Gallus's actions later upset the emperor. A new governor was appointed, and Gallus lost his position. After this, Gallus ended his own life.

His Fame as a Poet

Gallus was highly respected by people who lived at the same time as him. They saw him as a very smart person. The poet Ovid even called him the first of Rome's elegiac poets. Elegiac poems are often about love or sadness.

Ovid listed Gallus among the most important Latin poets, alongside names like Virgil and Tibullus. Ovid wrote: "Gallus shall be known in the West and in the East; and with Gallus his Lycoris shall also be known."

Gallus wrote four books of elegies, mostly about his girlfriend, Lycoris. Lycoris was actually a famous actress named Cytheris. Gallus was a key figure in creating the style of Latin love poetry. He inspired other well-known poets like Propertius, Tibullus, and Ovid.

For a long time, people believed that Gallus's poetry was almost as good as Virgil's. This was because so little of his work had survived, but his reputation was so high. One expert even said in 1922 that he would trade many long poems for just a few pages of Gallus's work!

Then, in 1978, something amazing happened. Nine lines of Gallus's poetry were found at Qasr Ibrim in Egypt. This discovery confirmed his authorship, as one of the lines even mentioned Lycoris.

The Poetry We Still Have

Before 1978, almost none of Gallus's poetry was known. Only one line had survived, which talked about the Hypanis river: "with its single stream it divides two continents,"

But in 1978, a very old piece of paper, called a papyrus, was found at Qasr Ibrim in Egypt. This papyrus contained nine lines written by Gallus. It is probably the oldest surviving handwritten copy of Latin poetry!

The first clear line from this papyrus seems to be the end of a poem where Gallus is complaining about Lycoris: "sad because of your bad behaviour, Lycoris."

The next four lines seem to praise Julius Caesar shortly before he died in 44 BC. Caesar was planning a military campaign at the time: "I will count myself blessed by fortune, Caesar, when you become the greatest part of Roman history; and when, after your return, I admire the temples of many gods adorned and enriched with your spoils."

These lines show Gallus praising Caesar, which was common for poets at the time.

About the Book "Gallus or Roman Scenes of the time of Augustus"

Gallus is the main character in a book called Gallus, or Roman Scenes of the time of Augustus. This book was written by Professor Wilhelm Adolf Becker in 1838. It tells a fictional story about Gallus, but it's based on real facts about Roman life, customs, and manners during the time of Emperor Augustus.

The book uses the story of Gallus's fall from Augustus's favor as a way to teach readers a lot about daily life in Rome. It includes many quotes from ancient Roman writers like Suetonius, Martial, Pliny, and Ovid. It also has detailed notes and sections about topics like the Roman Family, Roman Houses, Books and Letters, Baths, Clothing, Banquets, and Burials.

Images for kids

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  Statue head possibly depicting Cornelius Gallus