Chapter I

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.
PAGE
I. Relation of the Augustan Age to other Literary Epochs 1-8
Relation of the Augustan poetry to that of the 1
preceding Age
Parallel of the Augustan Age with other great literary 4
Epochs
---- especially with the Age of Louis XIV 5
Chief conditions modifying the poetry of the Augustan Age 7
II. Influence of the enthusiasm in favour of the Empire 8-21
General longing for peace 8
Revival of national sentiment and pride of Empire 10
Moral and religious reaction 13
Augustus the centre of the national enthusiasm 14
Deification of the Emperor in the poetry of the Age 15
---- illustrated by other extant works of art 19
Direction given to national sentiment by Augustus 20
III. Influence of Patronage on the Augustan Poetry 21-31
Poetry employed in the interest of the Government 21
Patrons of literature--Augustus 22
Personal influence of Maecenas 23
Pollio, Messala, Agrippa, Cornelius Gallus 26
Causes of the connexion between literature and social 28
eminence
Effects of this connexion on the tone of literature 29
IV. Influence of material conditions on Literature 31-37
Wealth and luxury of Rome in the Augustan Age 31
Liberality of Augustus and Maecenas to Virgil and Horace 33
Effects of this on the art of these poets 34
Reaction from the luxury of the Age apparent in literature 35
V. General condition of literary culture as affecting 37-54
the Augustan Poetry
Intellectual character of the last years of the 37
Republic and earlier years of the Empire
Distinction between the earlier and later periods 38
Appreciation of Greek art and literature in both 39
Alexandrine influences on the Augustan poetry 41
Characteristics of the Alexandrine poets 42
Their treatment of mythological subjects 43
Scientific and learned character of their poetry 44
Their treatment of the passion of love 45
Their treatment of external Nature 46
Pictorial art of the later Greeks 48
Superiority of the Augustan to the Alexandrine literature 49
Friendly relations among the poets of the Augustan Age 51
Influence of these relations on their art 52
Hostility of other literary coteries 53
VI. Causes of the special devotion to Poetry in the 54-58
Augustan Age
Effect of the Monarchy on the great forms of prose 55
literature
Poetry later in feeling the effects of Despotism 56
The Augustan literature the maturest development of 57
the national mind