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 Maro was dispatched with to Tsukushi Province to deliver court rank diplomas. He participated in Empress Jitō's enthronement ceremony in 690, and in 700 was put in charge of the Dazaifu. In 701, Maro was promoted to and from "chūnagon" to "dainagon" under the new Taihō Code. Later that year, died, and Maro went with Prince Osakabe to deliver a gift from the Emperor to his house. When the "udaijin" died in 703, Maro was again the deliverer of gifts and condolences. In 704, Maro possessed the rank of , and was promoted to "udaijin". He was now the second