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Gaius Cornelius Gallus
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Gaius Cornelius Gallus

Roman soldier and poet
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Also known as: Cornelius Gallus
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Article History
Quick Facts
Born:
c. 70 bc, Forum Julii, Gaul
Died:
26 bc, Egypt
Also Known As:
Cornelius Gallus
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Gaius Cornelius Gallus (born c. 70 bc, Forum Julii, Gaul—died 26 bc, Egypt) was a Roman soldier and poet, famous for four books of poems to his mistress “Lycoris” (the actress Volumnia, stage name Cytheris), which, in ancient opinion, made him one of the four greatest Roman elegiac poets.

Gallus was a friend of Augustus and Virgil and, having distinguished himself in the war against Mark Antony, was made governor of Egypt. There, however, his imprudent conduct led to his disgrace and suicide. Quintilian ranked him with Tibullus, Propertius, and Ovid as one of the great Roman elegists. Virgil celebrated him, and Parthenius dedicated to Gallus his book on unhappy love affairs.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.