GALLUS, GAIUS CORNELIUS

born c. 70 BC, , Forum Julii, Gaul died 26 BC, Egypt 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 the first 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.