The Aeneid (Classics Illustrated)

I'm continually impressed by these classics written over two thousand years ago; some of them are astoundingly good. Seutonius' "The Twelve Caesars" or Plato's "The Republic" come to mind. Virgil's masterwork "The Aenied" lies comfortably in this category and is likely just his version of a tale that had been passed down by oration for generations. It's probably the goriest work of that time I've read too: in the battles heads are lopped off, blood jets out of wounds, torsos and groins are skewered by spears, etc.The basic premise is that Rome was founded by Trojans who'd fled their home city (Troy) while it was being razed and plundered by the victorious Greeks. But it wasn't exactly a quick journey to a new homeland. A few of the gods (Hera in particular) despised the Trojans and did their utmost to prevent these people from reaching Italy. This epic is about the adventures of the Trojan prince Aeneas and his followers as they attempt to achieve their destiny as founders of Rome, which ultimately became the capital of the Roman Empire.The translation is wonderful, no complaints at all there from a readability standpoint. An exciting adventure that hasn't worn out over time; it's still as fresh as it ever was and deserves its reputation as a classic of all time. The only nitpick I have is that the ending is rather abrupt, without a real sense of closure. I would have liked to know, for example, what happened in Carthage following Aeneas' hasty departure.

I studied The Aeneid in 4th year Latin in high school many years ago. I am sure it was never like this or I would remember it more fondly. This telling has a real sense of action and adventure. From ships tossed at sea to battles fought, the tale unfolds with energy and the characters come to life or larger-than-life, as the case may be. The voices of the gods are splendid and distinct; the narration by Paul Scofield quiet but never dull. And Toby Stephens as Aeneas is completely heroic and compelling. When he speaks it is easy to imagine his fellow Trojans' willingness to follow him for seven years and not lose heart. There was much more to the love story between Dido and Aeneas than I remembered from school, too. I guess unmarried intimacy was not for our tender ears. My only complaint is a somewhat abrupt and slightly unsatisfying ending to this excellent rendition of a classic.

No possibility of disliking, but beautiful senior classic illustrated comic reprint better than original one.

I read this book while on the beach in East Africa and was blown away. The beautiful descriptions of temples, castles, people, and their motivations for living and dying were incredible. Particularly, the Carthaginian Queen Dido and her disastrous love for Aeneas made me cringe as she cried in death on the fire. Buy this book---it will resonate within you for years.

indispensable; you have to know the aeneid to know european-model culture; there'd be no divine comedy without it; i'm so glad i have this book and am reading it

this is NOT an audio book that will play on a cd player---it is an e-book that will only play on a computer. nevertheless it is an excellent reading of the Dryden translation

Excellent. I'd read it, with GREAT difficulty, in Latin as a teen-ager. This was more fun, and meaningful.

Classic must read

I purchased this book in the Everyman's Library Classics Edition.The Everyman's Library Classics Edition books are, in my opinion, the best quality books available in the price-range.They are quality bound; with acid-free paper, dust jacket, and ribbon page marker.There are also a great range of authors available in this collection; and they are very reasonably priced.

Of course you have to listen to the Iliad and the Odessy before you listen to the Aeniad or it won't make sense. But as they are poetry they should be heard by a good actor and not read - they are too difficult to read and do not come to life - but audio books are wonderful for the car, plane or bedtime! Especially good for educating children into the world of classics without tears.

badly drawn, but informative...if you do not read latin, this is helpful...

This is utterly brilliant, and the wonderful cast includes Toby Stephens as Aeneas. It reminds me of Andrew Rissik's 3-part BBC radio drama, "Troy" - and why on earth haven't they released that on audio? DOH!

Illustrations are black and white public domain images, many of them poorly rendered. No introduction or notes, only the translated text.