Varius Rufus, Lucius
A celebrated Roman poet whose poetical career began in the later days of the Republic. Like
his younger friend Vergil, he was much honoured and appreciated by Augustus and Maecenas, to
whom he also introduced his friend Horace. Vergil, at his death, in B.C. 19, left him and
Plotius Tucca his literary remains, and Augustus intrusted to them the revision and
publication. (See
Vergilius.) He died before
the year B.C. 12. At the opening of the Augustan era he was the most conspicuous of the Latin
epic poets; but he obtained his greatest reputation by his tragedy
Thyestes,
which, with the
Medea of Ovid, was considered the greatest effort of Roman
literature in this department. The work was brought out at the games held in honour of the
victory at Actium B.C. 29, and was rewarded by Augustus with an honorarium of a million
sesterces ($40,000). Of this, as of his epic poems (on the death of Caesar and panegyric on
Augustus), only a few verses survive.
