Varro, Marcus Terentius 116-29 B.C.

From PlantFacts
Revision as of 12:02, 18 June 2008 by Eeberlin (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Varro was a celebrated writer whose vast and varied knowledge in many fields earned for him the title of the "most learned of the Romans." He held a high naval position in wars against pirates and Mithridates, a famous Grecian ruler. He served in the legation of Pampeius in Spain in the Civil Wars but was compelled to surrender to Caesar. Later after service for the Pompeian party in Greece he asked forgiveness from Caesar who employed him in superintending the collection and arrangement of a great library designed for public use. He composed "at least 490 books" but of these only two are extant, namely De Re Rustica (37 B.C.) and De Lingua Latina. The first was written in his 80th year and was addressed to his wife with the professed objective of enabling her after his death to carry on the estate she had purchased. The book is in reality a dialogue between Varro and some of his friends. This book covered general treatments of crops. He urged rotations and other good agricultural practices.

Varro, Marcus Terentius. On Agriculture (De Re Rustica), Harvard Univ. Press, 1934

Read portions concerned with:

Grapes

Crops for various soils

Experiment and inoculation

Fodder crops

Grafting

Manuring

Figs

Soils suited to known crops

Storing of fruit

Theophrastus citations



De agri cultra: Marcus Terentius Varro

Source: http://net.lib.byu.edu/aldine/

Information - Varro (Spanish)

Source: http://web.udl.es/usuaris/s2430206/