Shakespeare's funerary monument Socrates in genius, a Maro in art," comparing Shakespeare to Nestor the wise King of Pylus, to the Greek philosopher Socrates, and to the Roman poet Virgil (whose last name, or "cognomen" was Maro). The second reads "The earth buries him, the people mourn him, Olympus possesses him," referring to Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods. The English poem reads: As modernized by Katherine Duncan-Jones: Stanley Wells is one of the few biographers to comment on the poem, saying that it "somewhat cryptically calls on the passer-by to pay tribute to his greatness as a writer", and admitting
Isonokami no Maro highest-ranking official after the . Prince Osakabe, and the highest-ranking official outside of the imperial family. In 705, Osakabe was replaced as "chi-daijō-kanji" by Prince Hozumi. In 708, Maro was granted the rank of , along with Fujiwara no Fuhito. Two months later, Maro was promoted to the long-vacant position of "sadaijin", and Fuhito filled his vacancy as "udaijin". However, Fuhito is supposed to have been the real political power at this time. In 710, the capital was moved to Heijō-kyō, and Maro was put in charge of the old capital. Four months later, his servant offered to the Emperor