AD LIBRUM SUUM. Dulci libello nemo sodalium Forsan meorum carior extitit; De te merenti quid fidelis Officium domino rependes? Te Roma cautum territat ardua; Depone vanos invidiæ metus; Urbisque, fidens dignitati, Per plateas animosus audi. En quo furentes Eumenidum choros Disjecit almo fulmine Jupiter! Huic ara stabit, fama cantu Perpetuo celebranda crescet. According to Bentley, the works of Horace were written in the following chronological order:— Satires Book I. in his 26th, 27th, and 28th years. Satires “ II. “ 31st, 32d, and 33d years. Epodes “ 34th and 35th years. Odes “ I. “ 36th, 37th, and 38th years. Odes “ II. “ 40th and 41st years. Odes “ III. “ 42d and 43d years. Epistles “ I. “ 46th and 47th years. Odes “ IV. } “ 49th, 50th and 51st years. Secular Hymn } Epistle to the Pisos } uncertain. Epistles “ II. } CHAPTER VII. BIOGRAPHY OF MÆCENAS—HIS INTIMACY AND INFLUENCE WITH AUGUSTUS—HIS CHARACTER—VALGIUS RUFUS—VARIUS—CORNELIUS GALLUS—BIOGRAPHY OF TIBULLUS—HIS STYLE—CRITICISM OF MURETUS—PROPERTIUS—IMITATED THE ALEXANDRIAN POETS—ÆMILIUS MACER. C. CILNIUS MÆCENAS. In a literary history it is impossible to omit some account of one, who, although his attempts at poetry were very contemptible, exercised, by his good taste and munificence, a great influence upon literature, and to whom the literary men of Rome were much indebted for the use which he made of his confidential friendship with Augustus. C. Cilnius Mæcenas was a member of an equestrian family, which, though it derived its descent from the old Etruscan kings,[675] does not appear to have produced any distinguished individuals. His birth-year is unknown, but his birth-day was the ides (13th) of April.[676] We have no information respecting the origin of his intimacy with Augustus. Probably his cultivated taste, his extensive acquaintance with Greek and Roman literature, his imperturbable temper, and love of pleasure, first recommended him as an agreeable companion to Octavius.