ABSTRACT
Literature had hardly come into its own until the interval between the first and second Punic wars, when the Romans first had leisure to contemplate the marvellous results of Greek culture. Throughout the Greek and Roman world, the general opinion prevailed that wealth imposed the duty of fostering philanthropic and cultural enterprises. Hence, patronage was a natural thing, once individual authorship was recognized. There are certain features common to the Augustans, which indicate a need of patronage, and which differentiate them from the writers of the late Republic. Art and literature were encouraged; the Greek tyrants, like their brothers in all ages, realized the need of making their position strong by a glorious court and a reign wherein culture developed. With the decay of power in Rome, as has been indicated, came a decay of taste, and with the entrance of Christianity, pagan literature and all things corrupt were suppressed, and study of what was good of the ancients discouraged.
