DownloadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2024

The Aeneid

A contemporary translation of a classic epic poem

Vergil author Sarah Ruden translator Susanna Braund editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Yale University Press

Published:23rd Mar '21

Should be back in stock very soon

The Aeneid cover

This revised edition of The Aeneid by Sarah Ruden offers an accessible yet profound translation, emphasizing the poem's timeless themes and poetic structure.

This remarkable translation of The Aeneid offers a fresh perspective on Vergil's epic poem, blending scholarly rigor with poetic beauty. Sarah Ruden's 2008 translation was already celebrated, but this substantial revision elevates it further, providing readers with a line-for-line interpretation in iambic pentameter that stands out among modern translations. The updated version emphasizes a more spare and muscular style, capturing the essence of Vergil's work, which explores the tension between national destiny and individual fates.

The introduction and notes by leading Vergil scholar Susanna Braund enhance the reading experience, offering insights that connect the ancient text to contemporary themes. Ruden's translation not only honors the original's complexity but also makes it accessible to modern audiences. The careful revisions reflect a deep understanding of the poem's nuances, ensuring that readers can appreciate the timeless power of Vergil's narrative.

The Aeneid resonates with themes that are still relevant today, making it a crucial read for anyone interested in literature, history, or the human experience. This edition invites readers to engage with Vergil's masterpiece in a meaningful way, showcasing the enduring impact of his work throughout the ages.

“This is the first translation since Dryden’s that can be read as a great English poem in itself.”—Garry Wills, New York Review of Books

“The best translation of The Aeneid, certainly the best of our time.”—Ursula K. Le Guin

Praise for the First Edition:
 
“Fast, clean, and clear, sometimes terribly clever, and often strikingly beautiful. . . . Many human achievements deserve our praise, and this excellent translation is certainly one of them.”—Richard Garner, New Criterion
 
“Toning down the magniloquence, Sarah Ruden gives us an Aeneid more intimate in tone and soberer in measure than we are used to—a gift for which many will be grateful.”—J. M. Coetzee
 
“An intimate rendering of great emotional force and purity. . . . The immediacy, beauty, and timelessness of the original Latin masterpiece lift off these pages with gem-like originality.”—Choice

ISBN: 9780300240108

Dimensions: 216mm x 140mm x 20mm

Weight: unknown

392 pages

Revised and Expanded Edition