Aeneid: Books I-VI

by Virgil, Clyde Pharr, H.R. Fairclough (Translator)

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

Genres: Classics, Poetry, Fiction, Mythology, School, Read For School, Classical Studies

545 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 20

About the author

born 15 October 70 BC
died 21 September 19 BC

Roman poet Virgil, also Vergil, originally Publius Vergilius Maro, composed the Aeneid , an epic telling after the sack of Troy of the wanderings of Aeneas.

Work of Virgil greatly influenced on western literature; in most notably Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri.

Reviews

[kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this in Latin. I am a nerd.

[max · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this text as an undergraduate in an intermediate Latin class 35 years ago. I fondly recall how reading the Aeneid in Latin for the first time was a completely transformative experience. Before my encounter with Vergil, I had no idea that literature could possibly be so incredibly beautiful and moving. His diction, rhythm, narrative genius and virtuoso command of the language struck me like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, I emerged from an abyss of darkness and entered a new world illuminated by the dazzling brilliance of Vergil's immortal poetry.

Even more satisfying to me now is to witness my own students responding to Vergil in the same way, decades after my own first reading of the poem. I see in them the same wonder and admiration for his extraordinary artistry, their delight in discovering the remarkable poetic techniques that lie at the heart of his inimitable style.

To read Vergil in Latin is one of the most serious undertakings a young student can hope to achieve. It is a literary training of the first rank. Unlike in English classes, where students blow through several "great works" in the course of a year, in an upper level Latin class students will read Vergil, and only Vergil, over the entire year. And this means close reading: parsing each word in each line, admiring complex sentence structures, unusual word choices, richly figurative and rhetorical language. Through his unforgettable characters and their actions, Vergil never fails to provoke in his readers a means of contemplating the deepest mysteries of human existence. Honor, duty, sacrifice, the ties that bind human beings within their families and a larger political community -- all this and so much more is what Vergil has to offer. He is, in short, a serious writer for serious readers.

How many students, perhaps many years later, have recalled the famous bee simile as Aeneas gazes down upon Carthage when he sees it with Achates for the first time? Or summoned up a recollection of Laocoon and his two sons devoured by the fearsome snakes coiling over the sea and heading straight to them with deadly ferocity? Or called to mind the shocking violence of Pyrrhus (Neoptolemus) as he smashes his way into the innermost sanctuary of Priam's palace to slaughter Polites before his father's eyes, a moment before butchering Priam himself as he cowers helplessly at an altar with Hecuba and their daughters and daughters in law? Then there is Dido, the descent to Avernus, the encampment in Italy, and the inevitable death of Turnus.

Nowadays the word "epic" is used to describe just about anything that is big, or perhaps anything that is big and spans several generations. In its true sense, however, "epic" means much, much more. It is a word that describes a work of art that is universal, that narrates a story which fully embodies all of the most cherished values of an entire civilization. This is the Aeneid.

[AK · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes, in latin.
yes, i am that hardcore.

[Anna Pardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐
Els cants IV i VI són especialment meravellosos

[Sarah Sabri · Rating 5 out of 5]

أولًا لازم أوجه تحية وشكر للمركز القومي للترجمة على اهتمامه بترجمة الكلاسيكيات، وتراث اليونان والرومان الفكري، وإنه يهتم بأن تكون الترجمة متخصصة على إيد كبار الكلاسيكين في مصر. كمان لازم أشكره على اهتمامه بإعادة نشر تراث الترجمة.
ثانيًا: الفكرة اللي تم طرحها في مقدمة الطبعات القديمة عن سلسلة متخصصة في ترجمة الأعمال الكلاسيكية على إيد المتخصصين فكرة رائعة جدًا، ابتدت من زمان بمبادرة من كبار الكلاسيكيين وبعدين توقفت، والحمد لله إن الفترة الأخيرة ابتدت ترجع تاني بس بصورة مختلفة شوية، واللي تولى الموضوع في الفترة الأخيرة هو المركز القومي للترجمة اللي نشر ترجمات كتير لأساتذة في الكلاسيكيات زي ترجمات د. منيرة كروان لكل أعمال سوفوكليس اللي وصلتلنا، وترجماتها الحالية لأعمال يوريبيديس، وزي ترجمات د. علاء صابر لكاتولّوس وأوفيديوس، وغيرهم من الأساتذة.
طبعًا واحد من كبار الكلاسيكيين المصريين والعرب، ومن القلائل اللي كان ليهم ثقل دولي بحق وحقيق د. أحمد عتمان ربنا يرحمه يارب، قد إيه الدراسات الكلاسيكية في مصر بتفتقد مجهوداته سواء في الترجمة، أو المؤتمرات، أو الكتب والأبحاث، د. أحمد عتمان الله يرحمه كان قوة دافعة كبيرة خرج من تحت إيده مشاريع كبيرة منها على سبيل المثال الترجمة الرائعة المتخصصة للإلياذة اللي هو كان المحرر بتاعها. د. أحمد كان ليه ميزة مش موجودة عند كتير بردو وهي إطلاعه على الجديد في العالم، مكنش من النوع اللي الكلاسيكيات بالنسبالهم توقفت عند الطريقة التقليدية وماتت تقريبًا، لكن كان بيوظف المناهج الحديثة في النقد الأدبي، وكان على اتصال وعارف إيه اللي بيتعمل برة. ربنا يرحمه ويبارك في عمر الباقي من الجيل ده، وتخرج الأجيال الجديدة من الكلاسيكيين على مستوى عال وتعوض الخسارة اللي خسرناها.
ثالثًا: الفرق في الترجمة العربية ما بين الجيل اللي ترجم الإنيادة وما بين الجيل الحالي شاسع، سواء في الأسلوب وطريقة التعبير، أو في تكنبك الترجمة نفسه، وفي مراعاة اللغة المستقبلة. إحنا العربي عندنا بقى خربان، والجملة المترجمة بقت تقيلة على الودن، ودي حاجة لازم نهتم بيها جدًا.
رابعًا: إلى كل كاتب في جيلنا إليك هذه المفاجأة، تخيل عزيزي الكاتب الشاب إن كاتب بعظمة فرجيليوس، وعمل بعظمة وأهمية الإنيادة للرومان، تصور أن فرجيليوس وصى أصدقائه وهو بيموت إنهم يحرقوا العمل ده اللي قضى في كتابته 11 سنة، مع محاولات استعجاله من الإمبراطور ومن مايكيناس المستشار الثقافي للإمبراطور أغسطس، ومع انتظار الدوائر الأدبية والشعب الروماني ليه ، تصور ليه ؟ّ!! لأنه ملحقش ينقحه!!!! تصور وإحنا بنبوس إيدك بس علشان تقبل وتوافق وتدي العمل بتاعك لمراجع لغوي بس!!! مش هكلمك بقى لا على تطوير الفكر الموجود فيه ولا الحبكة ولا البتاع بس اللغة بس.
خامسًا: ثقافة فرجيليوس بتظهر في الإنيادة بشكل رهيب، وبيقدر يوظف المعلومات اللي هو عايز يقولها جوة الأحداث بشكل مبدع. فرجيليوس لف إيطاليا وقرا عن عادات وتقاليد سكان كل منطقة فيها، وعن تاريخهم، وعن طبيعة المكان اللي هما ساكنين فيه، علشان يقدر يكتب عمل بالشكل ده، يكون فخر للرومان، زي ما اليونان عندهم الإلياذة والأوديسية. كمان فرجيليوس قرا الإلياذة والأوديسية واستقباله ليهم ظهر في الإنيادة بشكل رائع، قدر يعمل خليط من ال 2 ، ودي حاجة ظهرت من السطر الأول في الملحمة، ومن أعمال تانية لكتاب تانيين، ده غير إبداعه الفردي وتوظيفه للتاريخ الروماني والفلسفة والعلوم وغيرها علشان يخرجلنا الإنيادة بالشكل ده. .
الجزء الأول من الترجمة هو ال 6 كتب الأولى، واللي بتوازي أوديسية هوميروس، لأن الحكاية فيها عن ترحال آينياس، زي ما الأوديسية كانت بتحكي عن ترحال أوديسيوس، والجزء التاني ال 6 كتب التانيين بيوازوا الإلياذة لأنهم بيتكلموا عن الحروب اللي خاضها آينياس على الأراضي الإيطالية، زي ما الإلياذة بتتكلم عن الحرب.
سادسًا: تصوير فرجيليوس لنفسية الملكة القرطاجية ديدو، تصوير مبدع قدر يصور مشاعرها تجاه آينياس وحبها الكبير ليه، وشقائها بعد ما هجرها، لكن في الوقت نفسه رغم شقائها إلا إنها عندها اعتزاز بنفسها وبكرامتها بشكل كبير، وده كان باين في اختياراتها. تصوير ديدو راااائع، وتفاصيل شخصيتها وأفعالها بيمزج بين العاطفية وبين الكبرياء بشكل عظيم. ديدو شخصية بتمس القلب جدًا.
الإنيادة عمل عظيم. عمل بتحس بالمهابة والقداسة وأنت بتقراه.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the English translation and then I translated this one. It was hard. This is only the first six books and it took so much longer than the translated 12 books I read. But it was so worth it; the poetry was incomparable between the English and the Latin.

[Eddie McGraw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Come on - a huge horse parked outside your battlements and you're not in the least suspicious? This is supposed to be the cradle of Western civilization?

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually the copy I think I had in high school. One of the best classes I have ever taken, thanks to my Latin teacher, who was practically immortal and unfathomably wise. I wish I could still read Latin, because The Aeneid in Latin is like Anna Karenina---there's so much there, it would take more than a lifetime to get everything out of it that was possible to get. The part with Dido breaks my heart, especially about how "they fondled through the winter, forgetful of their kingdoms." I know you like fondling guys, we all do, but don't forget your kingdoms!! Something bad is going to happen!

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pensar que tan sols li hem dedicat una classe...

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I translated most of chapter 4-6 in Latin 300 at the University. I love this book so much. It inspired me to pursue Classics for a time and it continues to shape the way I look at the world.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best way to read Virgil in Latin. Everything you need is in the book. You don't even need a dictionary.

[Emily Cutler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're in Latin, you like this book. End of statement. No questions asked.

[Jieling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in Latin. And I must say Virgil is a writer I really like reading during Latin classes. It's written in a beautiful metrum, with lots of figures of speech and a wonderfull story. At the moment I am reading the odysee and it is fun to see that Virgil tot inspired by Homer.

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an highly important epic poem, which has undoubtedly had an important impact on our Literature today as we know it. However, I found that I had a very hard time with the language. I know that it likely flows a lot better in Latin than in English, but I think I would still struggle even if I knew latin. One of things that I struggled with was the density of metaphors. If they were less frequent, I'd be able to understand them quicker, instead of having to spend a minute or more on every page. An example of such would be “The lust of steel, the wild blood-fury wakes, and rage supreme.” However, I quite liked the story. It was just annoying to progress at a snail's pace. I don’t think I can rate this, but I would give it a 4/10 for diction and 8.5/10 for story.

[Astrid TH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Likte denne low key bedre enn Odysseen da det faktisk skjer ting her

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no joy in life quite like finding out the commentary has already translated a line you're struggling with.

2,5/5☆

[Abdelrahman Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

الإنيادة-الجزء الأول
فيرجيليوس
ملحمة شعرية هي الملحمة الملهمة لدانتي إليجييري صاحب الكوميديا الإلهية
من قرأ الكوميديا الإليهية قد يتعجب من تقديس دانتي للشاعر فيرجيليوس ومدحه فيه المبالغ فيه
عند قراء الملحمة دي هتلاحظ ليه دانتي بيمدح في فيرجل
دانتي استلهم الكوميديا من فصل واحد ي الجزء الأول
الأول وجب التنويه انه المحلمة الشعرية دي مقسومة على جزئين 12 كتاب الجزء الأول بيضم 6 كتب
الكتاب السادس يشبه فصل الجزء الاول من ملحمة دانتي الكوميديا الإلهية الجحيم
نسيبنا من دانتي رغم انه كان الدافع ليا في قراءة الملحمة دي
الملحمة بتحكي عن بطل طروادي يدعى آينياس
الملحمة تبدأ من حيث انتهت ملحمة هوميروس الإلياذة والأوديسة بعد غزو طروادة وتدمير قلعتها عن طريق خدعة الحصان الخشبي
آينياس بطل طروادي يكره الاغريق وينجو هو وابيه وزوجته لكن زوجته تموت ويهرب مع جيش صغير من الطرواديين لليبيا او قرطاجة
الفصل الأول بيحكي قصة آينياس وتعريف بيه وهو وليد للآلهه فينوس نص آله يعني
الملحمة فيها تلت انواع من الشخصيات حسب تقسيم المقدم للجزء دا آلهه وبشر وشخصيات مشتركة بين الإلياذة والأوديسة والإنيادة الي هي دي
الجزء الثاني بيحكي هروب آينياس بعد الغزو وتدخل الآلهة في قدره وإنقاذ امه فينوس له والوصية التي عليه اتباعها باقي الفصول لحد الخامس بتحكي ازاي وقعت ديدو ملكة ليبيا في حب أينياس ونهايتها المآساوية وهروب إينياس منها لمكان آخر لكي يتعرف على عرافة ستدله على المستقبل وتساعده في فهم كيف سيؤسس امبراطورية في ايطاليا من جديد
الجزء السادس بيحكي فيه نزول آينياس للعالم السفلي لمقابلة ابوه لكي يطلعه على مستقبله
الجزء السادس أكثر الأجزاء متعة شبه الجحيم لدانتي جدا
في النهاية ملحمة عظيمة والميثولوجيا اليونانية والإغريقية ممتعة وعظيمة

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first full books I ever translated myself and read entirely in another language. It really expanded my idea of poetry because it is an epic poem, as well as an extremely old text, and an amazing plot. One of my favorite things that I learned from reading this poem so indepth was how to arrange words. Latin sentences have very few order requirements so authors are able to amazing things with sentence structure, and Virgil is a master. One of my favorite scenes is when he describes a storm that Aeneid is trapped in and the adjectives describing it actually swirl through the poem and encircle all the nouns and adjectives describing Aeneid and his ship. Ever since, I've been a lot more aware of my sentence structure.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I rate this book so highly is largely because of the insight we get into ancient Rome, and because this book has really stood the test of time. I found the narrative very interesting because I am a huge fan of Roman history. I should also say that the story was entertaining, and I generally had no problem following the plot, even though this is in poetic form. I did occasionally have issues keeping track of who is who and who was on which side when it came to minor characters (Greek names). Despite that, I still had a good feel for what was going on and I enjoyed reading about the heroics from both sides.

[Amy Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this Latin epic! Perhaps not as popular as The Odyssey or The Iliad, it is every bit as great. Aeneas' adventures are just tremendous as, like Orpheus, he even descends into Hell! Dido is one of the great classical heroines, and the battles & sea journeys are amazing! A tale of the founding of Rome like no other!

[krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skipped around and translated a bit for Latin.

It's what you can expect of a classic: moving lines, connections to many other classics, etc. This one sat really well with me because of the depth with which Vergil explores Aeneas's story arc as a diasporic survivor who will later beget a race of imperialists. Aeneas + Dido was, predictably, breathtaking and heartrending.

[Jerry Mrizek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is in Latin. I "translated" most of it in high school. Although my Latin skills were pathetic to say the best it was still a treat to be able to read it as much as possible in the original Latin.

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I like Homer better...although I can still recite the first few lines of the Aeneid in Latin.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm down with any story that starts in in medias res. Starts with the sacking of Troy and ends with the founding of Rome.

[Noha Omar · Rating 5 out of 5]

ترجمة رائعة وواضح المجهود المبذول فيها. قصة الإنيادة نفسها مشوقة وإن كانت لا تخلو من المط المعروف به الكتابات القديمة.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

very sexy, almost cried

[Alec · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review of Vergil's work could be so funny, but I'll pass on that and comment on R. D. W.

I think this is the best balance for a reader who does not wish to get into a profound study of the Aeneid, but to get through the Latin text first. With the patience of a good teacher Williams walks you through that task. The commentary divides the text into thematic morsels, with a synopsis and an introductory paragraph to provide some background. If your Latin is somewhat rusty and you can't at once feel the nuance, the synopsis is an immense help even if it contains slight spoilers for the next couple of dozens of lines.

Williams is very keen on making you appreciate poetry, and has two acts up his sleeve: first, he draws your attention to technicalities of Vergil's craft, and I think that his indications as to how rhythm is tied to the theme of the verses, as to what kind of alliteration is considered harsh, and how diction influences perception, contribute hugely to the appreciation of poetry – Latin poetry, because it explains what we coudn't skim unwittingly from a text that remote, and modern poetry as well, because Latin forces the procedure and the analytical tension you'll have to keep applying. Secondly, Williams is very fond of drawing parallels with (early) contemporary literature, exposing the impact The Aeneid (called by T. S. Eliot the one true classic of the European literature) had on everything that has been written since, so that you get a fair share of your favourite lines from Spenser, Milton, Wordsworth and others exposed as wonderful and precise variations on themes set by Vergil. Which Vergil himself would highly approve, as Williams shows by exposing his sources as well: Ennius, Catullus et al.

I am not sure to what extent Williams is indebted to Servius, because Virgil's study is steeped in his commentary, either gathering corroborating evidence, or—very much less frequently—gainsaying, but he does seem to have a fairly direct landline to the ancient classicist.

Cultural references and mythology are explained in fair detail without falling into a rabbit-hole of research with bibliographies as long as the reference is subtle. If you need that kind of study, consult Horsfall, who has thrice as much commentary text per line; I felt I was reading Horsfall, not Vergil—which is fine, but it wasn't my intention. Williams keeps decently transparent.

It has been pointed out by angry reviewers on Amazon that they couldn't read Latin, and Williams did not help. I do believe them! On the other hand, I couln't say why he chose to translate the phrases that he chose. They certainly weren't the most complicated by way of grammar or references. Whatever his criteria, I couldn't discern them—but I can't get angry at him for that.

What does have a great share in that one star that I took off my glaring rating is the physical edition. It is a rather bad reprint of a 1972 Macmillan edition (which is not only out of print, but virtually unretrievable) by Bristol Classical Press, and it will have you guessing the ends of lines on many pages and raving about the binding that you have to struggle with. I understand that Virgil doesn't sell well these days. Well, so there it goes.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The wonderful, thought-provoking piece of propaganda rendered in beautiful Latin. I think the earlier books are better (esp. Books 2 & 4) while the rest of them (1, 3, 5) focus too much on wandering around and lack the narrative focus which I like from books 2 and 4. Nonetheless, it’s clear that Virgil chose this alternating structure to give these first few books a sense of restlessness as Aeneas searches for a new home, thus balancing out his Odyssey-like journey with occasional detours wherein characters and plot can be further developed. Because the next six books focus on war, it seems to me like Virgil is juggling the two epic traditions (found in the Iliad and the Odyssey) on a number of levels. That he can do this so well is impressive, but I’m not sure how much I’m enjoying the balancing act.

[Echo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this is a super great work of literature, but it is SO boring. I wanted to scrape my eyeballs out of my head and carve out the part of my brain that had processed this. We have the Iliad and the Odyssey, did we REALLY need someone else to talk about all of that from the other side? No. The answer is no, we really, really did not. Just because something is old doesn't mean it is necessarily good. I bet Virgil's friends hated him for writing this too.

[Alexia GS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millor del que m'esperava, tot i que es principi va ser odiós. eneas es un puta pussy, en vera tot lo que va aconseguir va ser gràcies a júpiter i venus. literalment es el fill de sa mami i ademes, deixa totes ses seves feines perq ha trobat una tia guapa per follar-se-la. tio, espavila.

es puta llibre m'ha enganxat