Actual Facts About Vergil, According To Suetonius:

actual facts about Vergil, according to Suetonius:

he was dark skinned (”aquilo colore”; of dark color)

he was very tall and had a “rustic face” (whatever that means)

my poor boy had a terrible health and he suffered from headaches and stomach problems

he really, really liked boys (”libidinis in pueros pronioris”, “he was given to passions for boys” like me too son) and his faves were Cebes and Alexander, whom he calls Alexis in his second Bucolic

he was very socially awkward. once he became famous for his Bucolics, he hated going to Rome and if he absolutely had to, he “would take refuge in the nearest house, to avoid those who followed and pointed him out”

he worked as a lawyer only once and apparently he was terrible giving speeches, bless him

he had a very soft and beautiful voice, and he would get really excited while reading his poems. according to Suetonius, he was once reading the Aeneid (not yet finished) to Augustus and Octavia, and she was so affected by it that she fainted