The Aeneid (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

The prose is lovely on the version we received, but it's not the one pictured! The pages have also been poorly cut & make turning the pages difficult. I would have returned it if our daughter hadn't needed it immediately for schoolwork.

Many other reviewers have pointed out that this edition of The Aeneid has major formatting issues on the Kindle. I really wanted to read the Robert Fagles translation, as I had enjoyed his versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey. I decided that I could probably deal with some spacing issues if it meant I could read the Fagles translation. I was pleasantly surprised once I purchased the eBook. There are NO formatting issues of any kind on my Kindle Paperwhite. I'm not sure if this was because of an update to the document itself, or just because of the specific Kindle I was using. Fagles, again, does a great job making the epic poetry readable. But The Aeneid ultimately gets four stars because it's a somewhat contrived, convoluted story, especially in comparison to Homer's epics. It's definitely not bad, though. The Aeneid is a sequel to Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, written around 700 years after them. Written by Virgil, a Roman poet, The Aeneid is the missing link in our pop-culture portrayal and understanding of the Trojan War. This is the volume that describes the Trojan Horse episode, the fall of Troy, and the Trojan invasion of Italy. The epic follows Trojan warrior Aeneas as he journeys from Troy and invades Italy. By linking Rome with Troy, Virgil gave the Roman people a sense of entitlement in conquest and revenge against Carthage and Greece. But since Rome and Troy are not linked together in historical reality, Virgil manufactures a bunch of cop-out reasons for why the Italians maintained their own culture even after being conquered by the Trojans. This entire epic reminded me of an unnecessary Hollywood sequel, made purely as a cash-in. That being said, there are many really interesting and entertaining moments in this epic, and I enjoyed it overall.

I’m nowhere near a good enough Latinist to appreciate Virgil’s accomplishment, so it’s convenient to have this good translation. The first half is magnificent. Once Aeneas makes it to Rome, though, I cry from tedium. I’m sure a classicist will take issue with this. But even the later books of Paradise Lost are better than this. The Iliad: magnificent all the way through. The Odyssey, the same. (But I only know them in translation, so what do I know?) Lucky Edmund Spenser, with The Faerie Queene cut off short at its pinnacle.

It does seem a little absurd to be giving a star rating to such a work as the Aeneid. But this is the 21st century. And to me it is remarkable that Virgil’s epic stands up even now as a truly exciting narrative. I don’t really have anything to say about the accuracy of the translation, but whether due to Virgil or Fagles or the combination, this is a great read. And if you haven’t read the Iliad and the Odyssey, I suggest doing so before plunging into the Aeneid. It will all make more sense. My only negative is the character of Aeneas, who pales in comparison to the epic heroes of Achilles, Hector and Odysseus in the Homer epics. But the loves scenes in Carthage rival anything in the Odyssey and the battles against the Latins are as bloody as anything in the Iliad.

I happen to love both the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Aeneid tries to be both but ultimately fails. If you have read the Iliad then you know Troy falls. But you never see what happens to get that damned Argive horse into Troy do you? The Aeneid shows you. Book Two of the Aeneid is probably the highlight of the book. And you also see the fate of Aeneas, son of Venus and destined to star in Virgil's national epic about the founding of Rome. Essentially Juno holds a grudge. Paris didn't choose her so she hates Troy. Then Zeus has the audacity to replace her daughter Hebe with Ganymede as cupbearer to the Gods. And Zeus is probably having a relationship with Ganymede right underneath Juno's nose. Juno is not thrilled and so she turns what should be a nice straight forward voyage from Asia Minor to central Italy into an epic involving foreign queens (poor Dido) and lots of war. Seriously there is a lot of war in the last six books. The war action is probably why I gave this three stars instead of four. By trying to recapture the majesty of Iliad, Virgil fails. The last half of the Aeneid is a serious bore. As an aside, I didn't realize that Laocoön and his fate featured in the Aeneid. Who are they? You'll find out but also google Vatican City Laocoön sculpture. Some seriously beautiful art. Should you read this? Yes, I suppose so. Along with the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Aeneid is one of the foundational texts of Western Civilization for good reason. These are stories that are told and retold over the centuries and appear in lots of art as well. Plus, it's relatively short too. But by trying to fit in the future into a story about the past, Virgil loses his way. And so we are left with this - If Juno/Hera is one of the three Goddesses who offers you a gift, always choose her. Or else.