The Aeneid

By: Virgil, Robert Fagles, Bernard Knox - introduction, Robert Fagles - translator

Narrated by: Simon Callow

From the award-winning translator of The Iliad and The Odyssey comes a brilliant new translation of Virgil's great epic

Fleeing the ashes of Troy, Aeneas, Achilles’ mighty foe in the Iliad, begins an incredible journey to fulfill his destiny as the founder of Rome. His voyage will take him through stormy seas, entangle him in a tragic love affair, and lure him into the world of the dead itself--all the way tormented by the vengeful Juno, Queen of the Gods. Ultimately, he reaches the promised land of Italy where, after bloody battles and with high hopes, he founds what will become the Roman empire. An unsparing portrait of a man caught between love, duty, and fate, the Aeneid redefines passion, nobility, and courage for our times. Robert Fagles, whose acclaimed translations of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey were welcomed as major publishing events, brings the Aeneid to a new generation of readers, retaining all of the gravitas and humanity of the original Latin as well as its powerful blend of poetry and myth. Featuring an illuminating introduction to Virgil’s world by esteemed scholar Bernard Knox, this volume lends a vibrant new voice to one of the seminal literary achievements of the ancient world.

Critic reviews

"Fitzgerald's is so decisively the best modern Aeneid that it is unthinkable that anyone will want to use any other version for a long time to come." —New York Review of Books

"From the beginning to the end of this English poem ... the reader will find the same sure control of English rhythms, the same deft phrasing, and an energy which urges the eye onward." —The New Republic

"A rendering that is both marvelously readable and scrupulously faithful.... Fitzgerald has managed, by a sensitive use of faintly archaic vocabulary and a keen ear for sound and rhythm, to suggest the solemnity and the movement of Virgil's poetry as no previous translator has done (including Dryden).... This is a sustained achievement of beauty and power." —Boston Globe

Narration Spotty

Although the narration is dramatic and in keeping with the quality of the translation, the narator's voice becomes unintelligible at the end of each passage. I gave up trying to listen while driving or exercising. I simply could not understand what was being said. If you purchase this title, I suggest you also buy the book and read it while listening to the narrator's performance, or else listen in a very quiet environment.

narrator overdramatised but this is an epic listen

Virgil was arguably the best epic poet the Romans had to offer. As such, this epic poem is the result of a commission by Augustus Caesar to write something rivaling the oral history of Homer. Does it live up to the task ? yes. Is it epic? oh, yes. But.... does it successfully emulate Homer? This is a tricky question, and potentially unanswerable. But in the end, does it matter if it emulated Homer? I posit no. The poem traces the path of Aeneas from the Trojan war to his assignment from the gods to found Rome. His path is littered with tragedy, both from the choices Aeneas makes to the choices other characters in the poem make, including the gods themselves.

I found this poem to be less majestic than Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, but due to the tragic overtones, much more human and thought provoking. The main questions that linger for me are what is one's duty to one's family v. nation, and what does self-denial buy? Dido certainly pursued her passion but to no end. Aeneas fulfills his pietas to Rome but to what end for him?

The dactylic hexameter falters in several places in the poem which makes me wonder how many drafts of the poem Virgil worked through. Certainly, the poem as it stands is missing some final pieces but regardless, it is an absorbing literary adventure filled with mythical and godly characters, as well as humans.

The Fagles version of this poem reads easily and deliberately inserts extra words and repeats phrases to help the modern reader get the gist of the poem. The problem with the audio book is that the volume of the narrator's voice fluctuates too widely to be easily understood at one volume setting. When driving in the car, it's difficult to adjust the volume every time the narrator raises or lowers his voice. I found that I could only listen while sitting and able to manipulate the volume constantly.

Aeneid Review after second listening.

Robert Fagles translation of The Aeneid is masterful. Simon Callow also interprets the story excellently; however, his voice drops lower at the end of his sentences which makes it difficult to hear especially if there is any background noise.

Not a fan of Roman version

The book is fine. The narrator is fine. I just prefer the Greek names and Greek stories. Can’t get into the story because of the change in names.

Wonderful!

I tried first to read The Aeneid and struggled with pronunciation of names, which killed it for me. I decided to switch to the audiobook and this was a must! Callow’s narration is a bit over the top, but it helps to make the story come to life and I’d rather it be over the top than slow and methodical. I’m glad I listened to it and will do so again!