Review of "The Aeneid" by Virgil

The Aeneid by Virgil is one of the most influential pieces of Latin literature. An epic poem written in 12 volumes mostly utilizing dactylic hexameter, The Aeneid follows the journey of Aeneas, a Trojan soldier who, after the Trojan war, led his fleet through many adventures and misadventures to eventually found the republic of Rome.

As many Latin students do, I had the exciting experience of reading The Aeneid in Latin class, and making sense of the story through our English translations. Although we were unable to translate all twelve volumes of The Aeneid, the portions we did translate were the richest in analysis (and most relevant plot-wise). From Virgil’s use of several different literary devices, many of which I had never heard of in my own English classes, to the characters whose differing personalities and goals create multi-faceted, intriguing social dynamics, The Aeneid is a unique and rich story for anyone, regardless of their knowledge of the Latin language.

While The Aeneid is rich with motifs and rhetorical devices, the most important, and, for me, most influential aspect of the story, was its investigation and insight into the relationship of humans versus gods, especially through the eyes of Virgil at that time. The goddess Juno, who prefers the city of Carthage, is hesitant to allow Aeneas to found the city of Rome, believing it may rival Carthage, and thus does everything in her power to set him back from success. Many gods, however, are on Aeneas’ side, and must interact with Juno and Aeneas himself to place Aeneas back on track, as Aeneas attempts to perform the already god-like stunt of founding the most influential and successful city.

This story is a beautiful one for all to read. If you don’t speak Latin, I wholeheartedly recommend reading the English translation of this story. And if you do speak Latin, you’ll be able to enjoy the nuances and analyses that come from its original Latin.