Aeneidos

Name: Aeneidos
Author: Virgil

By Virgil

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About This Book

The poem follows a refugee prince who, after his city's destruction, leads surviving companions on a divinely troubled voyage to a destined homeland. A jealous goddess obstructs him with storms and intrigues, while other deities and omens guide him through shipwreck, refuge on distant shores, a doomed love affair with a foreign queen, and a harrowing descent into the underworld to learn his people's future. Arriving in Italy, he confronts rival towns and wars until the groundwork for a new city is laid. Major themes include duty and pietas, fate versus human choice, the costs of empire, and the interplay between divine will and mortal suffering.

About the Author

Virgil

Virgil, a prominent Roman poet of the Augustan period, is best known for his epic work, "The Aeneid," which tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan hero and the mythical founder of Rome. His poetry is celebrated for its rich imagery, profound themes, and masterful use of the Latin language. In addition to "The Aeneid," Virgil wrote the "Georgics," a didactic poem on agriculture, and the "Eclogues," a collection of pastoral poems that reflect the beauty of rural life. His influence on Western literature is immense, shaping the epic tradition and inspiring countless writers throughout the centuries.