Author Description

A Tale of war And A Tale of Heart Publius Vergil knew that war involved more than just body counts and territory achieved. It was about the men and women who were caught up in it. In his epic poem, Vergil succeeded in telling both the cruelties of armed conflict and the emotional turmoil it brought to the people who fought in it. In this story, you will find out about Aeneas, Rome's oldest hero, the Trojan War in which he fought, and the civil war that ensued when he finally arrived in Italy after the war was over. You will accompany him as he travels to the underworld in order to find out what life is all about and why fate has dealt him such a difficult hand. Freely translated in free verse, this is perhaps the most readable translation of Vergil’s epic poem available. A truly great work of literature, The Aeneid has been buried in Latin for centuries and surrounded by ostentation for just about as long. This translation, however, is an experiment in translating an epic in as simple language as possible, not to preserve all the poetic elements (most of which are lost in translation anyway) but to preserve the story. When mythic or historical allusions appear, explanations occur within the poem itself, rather than in footnotes. No need to consult Wikipedia to know what’s going on here. It’s all in the story. As well, explanations of background and historicity are tacked on to the end of the book, accessible at any time to help clarify and illuminate. This is a book to enjoy, rather than just to study.