Epic Poetry, Ancient Roman Poetry

Aeneid

Name: Aeneid
Author: Frederick Ahl
ISBN: 9780192832061

by Virgil, Ahl, Frederick, Fantham, Elaine

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Overview

"Long a master of the crafts of Homeric translation and of rhapsodic performance, Stanley Lombardo now turns to the quintessential epic of Roman antiquity, a work with deep roots in the Homeric tradition." W. R. Johnson's Introduction makes an ideal companion to the translation, offering insight into the legend of Aeneas; the contrasting roles of the gods, fate, and fortune in Homeric versus Virgilian epic; the character of Aeneas as both wanderer and warrior; Aeneas' relationship to both his enemy Turnus and his lover Dido; the theme of doomed youths in the epic; and Virgil's relationship to the brutal history of Rome that he memorializes in his poem.

A guide to reading "The Aeneid" with a critical and appreciative mind encouraging analysis of plot, style, form, and structure. Also includes background on the author's life, and times, sample tests, term paper suggestions, and a reading list.

About the Author, Frederick Ahl

Frederick Ahl is a professor of classics and comparative literature at Cornell University. His books include Sophocles' Oedipus, Seneca's Phaedra, Lucan: An Introduction, and Metaformations: Soundplay and Wordplay in Ovid and Other Classical Poets. He lives in Ithaca, NY.