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The Aeneid

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About this listen

 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. Translation ©2006 Robert Fagles
(P)2006 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. All rights reserved. Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Classics Collections Fantasy Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Ancient History Mythology Classic English Literature For Teens

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
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I'm a bit biased; I do like Simon Callow. And I have to say that he does a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. The chapter describing the fall of Troy is a particular highlight.

It is hard going in places though, which is more to do with the text than the narration but it is a great story, told very well.

Simply wonderful!

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Usually it is hard to listen to these archaic stories but this translation and narration really brings it to life.

Great translation, legendary narration

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Simon Callow & the Fagles translation takes you back to how this epic was meant to be enjoyed

epic in every sense

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Virgil was meant to be heard like this. Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey - from which this story flows, sequel to those events - came down the ages as much through a verbal tradition as written, often mutating before settling on the tales we know today; memorised by the rhapsodes (the live performers of the dramatic arts and tellers of tales) and, “performed,” before a live audience.
And in that same manner, though the well to do Romans will have each had their manuscript copies made for their own personal reading pleasure (or, just to please their emperor, Augustus, who had commissioned the piece) the vast majority of contemporary Romans (many unable to read) will have heard this story performed in settings both grand and humble.
And, since Virgil was writing with this in mind, he knew that the impact of his words depended as much upon the rhapsode’s performances as it did upon his skills as a poet and writer.
Robert Fagles’s translation is clear, modern and easy to follow, without losing any of Virgil’s eloquence.
Simon Callow gives us the pitch perfect bravura performance of a man who knows how the tale was meant to be told. Picture yourself in that semicircular amphitheater on a balmy Mediterranean night, lit by torches and cooking fires; the smell of votive offerings, lamb and herbs, filling your nostrils and listen . . .
Callow is acting as though performing to that audience, with superb modulation: the intelligence and craft of Olivier; the gentle tenderness of Gielgud and, when called for, a level of loud and over the top rage that would frighten away Brian Blessed!
It really is a wonderful performance, which makes all the difference. Whether this is your entry to classical literature, or you’re a knowledgeable historian, this version of Virgil’s Roman Foundation Myth Classic is perfect for all comers.
There’s something for everyone. From the romance of classical literature to the action packed blood letting of a sword and sandals classic. From the supernatural machinations of the gods to the earthy desires of men (and women, for that matter) it has it all. But I wouldn’t want any version unless it’s read aloud by Callow, who has spoiled me for anything less.
Really perfect.

Simon Callow’s Performance Is A Wonder To Behold

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I throughly enjoy Homer I have listened to and read the Iliad and the Odyssey a number of times, especially the former which I would go as far as saying I consider to be a fundamental piece on the way I think and view life, death and legacy.

However for whatever reason I had never approached the Aeneid. From the start I was hooked the brilliant retelling of events in chapter 2 (If memory serves me right) regarding the fall of Troy and how the refugees fled the city, the loss of Aneas' wife and how he shoulders his aged father from the ruins were moving. They speak to our modern world in many ways.

The following chapters at Didos court and the tragedy that follows were also intriguing, moving and meaningful you can really feel the sorrow of Dido but also of her poor sister. The travels towards Italy and into the underworld were also very entertaining.

Upon reaching Italy the book changes somewhat in tone. I must admit I found it hard at times to fully follow the story of the war between the Trojans and the Latins. Perhaps a closer listen or a read is required. However I must say that by chapter 9 or 10 i was fully back and engaged with the story. The death of Pallas, the war rage of Camilla and the final battle where Aneas is stalking the mists and ruins of the battle field hunting Turnus is extraordinary.

The political connotations of the work are also highly interesting when we consider why this work came into being and the multitude of times the work glorifies or predicts the rise and power of Rome. Whilst this can at times be jarring, especially for those coming to this from Homer, it is undoubtedly interesting to see and certainly gives the work a more grounded base, unlike Homer which to me feels very mythic both in the telling of the story and in the context of the story itself.

The text itself is very friendly and modern in its translation without losing the ancient feel or to much of the meter of the poetry. The narration is also wonderful, Callow really becomes passionate during the explosive scenes almost shouting out the lines alike to a live performance.

A good continuation of the epic tradition

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