Commissioned under Augustus, Virgil's Aeneid tells how Aeneas, fleeing Troy's destruction, wanders the Mediterranean in search of a new home. Along the way, storms sent by Juno strand him in Carthage, where Dido falls in love with him. Mercury reminds him of his destiny, and he sails away; Dido kills herself. A descent into the underworld shows him the future heroes of Rome, and the final books are a bloody war with Turnus in Latium. The poem's twelve books hold up as a model for the Western epic, mixing myth, politics, and grief.
It is a rewarding read for anyone who likes mythology, ancient history, or the roots of Dante and Milton. Readers get a vivid portrait of what founding a nation costs the people who do it.
Deep and contemplative; a demanding read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2001
- Publisher
- Mondadori
- ISBN
- 9788804342854
- Language
- IT
