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'a Countryman Cleaves Earth With His Crooked Plough. Such Is The Labour Of His Life. So He Sustains His Native Land...' Virgil's Affectionate Poem Of The Land Does Not Admit Brief Excerpts, Any More Than The Labour Of The Farmer Can Easily Be Shortened. His Verse, Descriptive And Narrative, Brings Us The Disappointments As Well As The Rewards Of The Countryman's Year-round Devotion To His Crops, His Vines And Olives, Livestock Great And Small, And The Complex Society Of Bees. Part Agricultural Manual, Part Political Poem And Allegory, The Georgics' Scenes Are Real And Vivid, And The Poet-farmer Peter Fallon Makes Us Feel The Sights, Sounds, And Textures Of The Ancient Italian Landscape. 'the Combination Of Truth To The Words Virgil Wrote, Natural Vernacular Speech And A General At-homeness On The Land Make Fallon's An Inspired Translation' Seamus Heaney, Irish Times 'magnificent New Translation...fallon Is The Perfect Translator For The Georgics' Bernard O'donoghue, Times Literary Supplement About The Series: For Over 100 Years Oxford World's Classics Has Made Available The Widest Range Of Literature From Around The Globe. Each Affordable Volume Reflects Oxford's Commitment To Scholarship, Providing The Most Accurate Text Plus A Wealth Of Other Valuable Features, Including Expert Introductions By Leading Authorities, Helpful Notes To Clarify The Text, Up-to-date Bibliographies For Further Study, And Much More.
The poem explores the cyclical labor of the Roman farmer as he navigates the demands of the earth and the unpredictable nature of the seasons. Virgil presents the agricultural life not merely as a series of tasks, but as a profound engagement with the land that sustains the state. Through a blend of technical instruction and lyrical observation, the text examines the relationship between human effort and the natural world. The narrative framework utilizes didactic verse to impart wisdom regarding crops, livestock, and the intricate social structure of bees, reflecting the broader political climate of the era.
Readers and critics frequently highlight the technical precision and lyrical beauty present in this translation. Discussion often centers on the balance between the poem's practical agricultural advice and its deeper allegorical significance regarding Roman society. Many observers note that the work successfully captures the sensory details of the ancient landscape, making the labor of the farmer feel immediate and relevant. Scholars often emphasize the importance of the text in understanding the intersection of nature and politics in classical literature. The consensus remains that this translation maintains the integrity of the original verse while ensuring accessibility for modern readers.
Page Count:
160
Publication Date:
2006-01-01
Publisher:
Oup Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191513105
ISBN-13:
9780191513107