Author Description

With this three-volume companion, students can access the literary and historical significance of the Aeneid in English through an accessible yet authoritative introduction and line-by-line commentary. Written by a teacher who has taught the Aeneid in both English and Latin for more than twenty years, this guide unpicks Virgil's literary techniques, structures and historical resonances. Volume 1 gives you a broad introduction to the historical and philosophical background of the epic; to Virgil's life and works; to the central human and divine characters met in the poem; to how the epic reflects Roman society and its values; to Virgil's literary allusions and stylistic techniques; and to the reception and translation of the epic in later periods. This book also features maps and a family tree so you can trace the travels and lineage of the characters and grasp the geography of the Aeneid's Italy. Plus, the general index to the companion is a valuable reference tool. It can be used with any edition of the Aeneid in Latin or English, as entries are pegged to line numbers. Volumes 2 and 3 present a line-by-line commentary on the poem, with tables and box features illustrating key narrative arcs and structural patterns.