Author Description
The Epic Distilled Is A Rich Exploration Of Virgil's Use Of Sources In The Aeneid, Considering Elements Of History, Geography, Mythology, And Ethnography. Building On And Developing The Research Involved In The Author's Monumental Commentaries On The Aeneid, The Volume Investigates How The Poem Was Written, What Virgil Read, And Why Particular Details Are Interwoven Into The Narrative. The Volume Looks Beyond The Aeneid's Poetry And Plot To Focus On The 'matter' Of The Epic: Details Of Colour, Material, Arms, Clothing, Landscape, And Physiology. Details Which Might Seem Trivial Are Revealed As Carefully Deliberate And Highly Significant. For Instance, One Trojan's Specifically Oriental Trousers Are Suggestive Of The Trojans' Non-roman 'otherness' And Fit Solidly Into A Complex Ethnographic Argument. In This Way, The Meaning And Implications Of Virgil's Heavily Allusive Style, Including Practices And Techniques Of Composition, Are Unpicked Meticulously. Particularly Difficult And Intricate Passages Are Delved Into And The Significance Of Specific Details, Legends, Arcane References, Places, Names, Digressions, And Inconsistencies Are Uncovered. By Exposing New Layers Of Illuminating Material, The Epic Distilled Offers Readers A Fresh Approach To Understanding The Full Intellectual Texture Of Virgil's Epic Poem.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the intellectual composition of Virgil's Aeneid by analyzing the specific source material and deliberate details embedded within the text. Nicholas Horsfall, a renowned scholar of Virgilian studies, utilizes his extensive background in classical commentary to examine how historical, geographical, and ethnographic elements function within the epic. The work argues that seemingly minor details—such as clothing, physical descriptions, and landscape—are intentional choices that contribute to a complex, allusive narrative framework.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of Virgil's use of historical, geographical, and mythological sources
- Examination of material culture including arms, clothing, and physiology
- Meticulous breakdown of allusive composition techniques
- Investigation into the significance of names, digressions, and narrative inconsistencies
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the 'matter' of the epic rather than a broad literary critique of the poem's emotional arc
- It does not provide a general introduction to the Aeneid for casual readers
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of classical literature frequently cite this work as a vital resource for understanding the technical and intellectual rigor behind Virgil's writing. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a specialized companion to Horsfall's broader commentaries on the Aeneid.
Page Count:
192
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191076392
ISBN-13:
9780191076398
Philology
Literary Criticism
Poetry Analysis
Ancient History