A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

3. Another philosopher, who wrote a very indifferent elegiac poem; which gives Diogenes occasion to remark that, when poets apply themselves to prose composition, they succeed, but when prose writers attempt poetry, they fail; since the one endowment comes from nature, the other from art. Many examples might be cited to confirm this observation; but there are some instances against it : for example, the prose of Virgil is said to have been as much inferior to his poetry, as the poetry of Cicero was to his prose. (Menag. ad loc.)