Virgil's and Fagles's Aeneid, Read It, or Don't...meh

The Aeneid by Virgil

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A "borrowed" epic, Virgil tells the legend surrounding the founding of Rome as Aeneas flees the burning ruins of Troy. A combination of The Iliad and The Odyssey and a clear foreshadowing of Dante's Comedia; this long poem features the most well known aspects of these others: the adventure, the honor, the lineage. Unfortunately, it tends to drone on. If anyone has read the Old Testament they will know the long lists of names of who begot whom in the stories of kings and prophets. If you couldn't stand those stay away from this. However, it is a must-read if you want to appreciate Dante to the highest degree. Robert Fagles (the translator of this edition) has great versions of Homer's poetry, linguistically speaking, this edition is not as fulfilling as his work with Homer.



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