Robert fagles, whose acclaimed translations of homers. The new yorker robert fagles gives the full range of virgils drama, grandeur, and pathos in vigorous, supple modern english. Robert fagles s awardwinning translations of homers twin works the iliad and the odyssey have sold more than a million copies and become classics in their own right. From the awardwinning translator of the iliad and the odyssey comes a brilliant new translation of virgils great epic fleeing the ashes of troy, aeneas, achilles mighty foe in the iliad, begins an incredible journey to fulfill his destiny as the founder of rome. He seemed to have the monopoly on new translations for penguin classics for some years, but i was not. Is the aeneid we are reading the same one that virgil. The aeneid from the awardwinning translator of the iliad and the odyssey comes a brilliant new translation of virgils great epicwith his translations of homers classic poems, robert fagles gave new life to seminal works of the western canon and became one of the preeminent translators of our time. But i have found none i love more than that of robert fagles.
Robert fagles national endowment for the humanities neh. I was looking for robert fagles translation and when i purchased the kindle version, it was not the fagles version that i received. The new criterion books june 2007 of arms u0026amp. Featuring an illuminating introduction to virgils world by. Homers odyssey, homers iliad, virgils aeneid, and dantes divina commedia. Robert fagles, whose acclaimed translations of homers iliad and odyssey were welcomed as major publishing events, brings the aeneid to a new generation of readers, retaining all of the gravitas and humanity of the original latin as well as its powerful blend of. The aeneid robert fagless translations of both the iliad and odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and become the standard translations of our era. I was looking for robert fagles translation and when i purchased the kindle.
Whitehaired, tall and spare, he moves with the air of preparedness, flexibility and covert attentiveness of someone who, i correctly guess, has played a lot of tennis. In robert fagles s new english translation of the aeneid, virgils ancient war horse emerges as a work of surpassing beauty, feeling and even relevance. I listened to the very beginning and thought it was excellent. However, i havent compared it to other translations. An emeritus professor of comparative literature at princeton, he has already translated, with great success, homers iliad and odyssey. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. T homas jeffersons assertion that every generation needs a new revolution has long been adopted by translators. There are different versions, translated by different people and amazon does not seem to differentiate well between them. Fagles translated aeschylus and sophocles, among other authors, but he is most famous for his versions of the iliad, published in 1990. Robert fagles robert fagles and i met several times in his office at princeton, where he is arthur w. Robert fagles translation of the aeneid is a worthy successor to his excellent translations of the iliad and the odyssey. The following year, he received his masters degree from yale university. A new edition of virgils epic work is presented in modern language and endeavors to retain the original works humanity, as well as its influential blend of poetry and verse.
The great epic of western literature, translated by the acclaimed classicist robert fagles a penguin classic. September 11, 1933 march 26, 2008 was an american professor, poet, and academic, best known for his many translations of ancient greek and roman classics, especially his acclaimed translations of the epic poems of homer. An emeritus professor of comparative literature at princeton, he has already translated, with great success, homers. By virgil introduction by bernard knox translated by robert fagles. Fagles s work in this translation is readable, accessible, and overall well executed. How did the poem exist between when virgil composed it. Here is the muchanticipated new translation of virgils epic poem from the awardwinning translator robert fagles. Fagless translations are known for their emphasis on.
With an illuminating introduction to virgils world from noted scholar bernard knox, this new aeneid confers a vibrant contemporary voice upon this. Bernard knox a new edition of virgils epic work is presented in modern language and endeavors to retain the original works humanity, as well as its influential blend of poetry and verse. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, to discuss our forthcoming. Lattimore iliad, fagles odyssey, fitzgerald aeneid, pinsky inferno, merwin purgatorio, mandelbaum paradiso ive been scouring the web for peoples opinions on the best translations of the greatest epics. The aeneid translated by robert fagles pdf the aeneid. They are, in turn, by robert fagles of princeton whose versions of homer were rightly praised throughout the world and who, before his untimely death, translated the aeneid for penguin. Ferrys diction is accurate in tone and pitch, if not always literal. I wanted it to be in my voice, for better or worse. Retaining all of the gravitas and humanity of the original, yet. His translations of both the iliad and odyssey have sold h. In part, because we no longer learn latin and so do not seek out its writers, however famous and central to our culture they were once thought to be.
With this stunning modern verse translation, fagles introduces virgils aeneid to a whole new generation of readers and completes the classic triptych at the heart of western civilisation. The aeneid was written between 29 and 19 bce, but printed type was not introduced into europe until around 1440 ce. Robert fagles and i met several times in his office at princeton, where he is arthur w. Thankfully, prior to his current death, fagles also translated virgils aeneid. Written by virgil introduction by bernard knox translated by robert fagles.
Robert fagles was an american professor, poet, and academic, best known for his many translations of ancient greek and roman. Robert fagles and susanna nied recognized for their. An unsparing portrait of a man caught between love, duty, and fate, the aeneid redefines passion, nobility, and courage for our times. Obviously the trio to start with is homers iliad and odyssey with virgils later aeneid but which translation.
His voyage will take him through stormy seas, entangle him in a tragic love affair, and lure him into the world of the. This beautifully produced edition of the aeneid will be eagerly sought by readers desiring to complete their fagles collectionand the attention it. Fagles is being recognized for his translation of virgils aeneid viking and ms. I havent encountered the fitzgerald version but i have to say that i find fagles translations are often far removed from the original language. The version of virgils aeneid that we are reading is an excellent translation by robert fagles. His many translations include sophocless three theban plays, aeschyluss oresteia nominated for a national book award, homers iliad winner of the 1991. The aeneid robert fagles pdf free pdf file sharing. What is the most beautiful english translation of the. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole. The aeneid is a latin epic written by virgil in the 1st century bc that tells the legendary story of aeneas, a trojan who traveled to italy, where he became the ancestor of the romans. Robert fitzgeralds elegant rendition of the aeneid, the standard text, has. Im a kindle fanatic, but i go for quality rather than volume, and today im kicking off my selection of the greek and latin classics.
Robert fagles translation deluxeebookdpb000ocxgrs written in poetry form, a wonderful read and. The aeneid is an epic poem by virgil that was first published around 19bc. He attended amherst college, graduating in 1955 with a bachelor of arts degree. I have the most recent one, by robert fagles, on audio disc. Closely followed by allen mandelbaums 1971 translation. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, to discuss our forthcoming interview at the unterberg poetry center of the 92nd street y. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, emeritus, at princeton university. And in the aeneid, virgils poem about the origins of rome, though his hero, aeneas, and the trojan invaders of italy are to build the city from which rome will eventually be founded, there is a constant and vibrant undertone of sympathy for and identification with the italians, which becomes a major. Anyway to cut a long story short, after i had downloaded the kindle version i noticed that it was not the. He taught english and comparative literature for many years at princeton university.
He was the recipient of the 1997 penralph manheim medal for translation and a 1996 award in literature from the american academy of arts and letters. Most of what i could say about these three works has been said many, many times. Robert fagles, whose acclaimed translations of homers iliad and odyssey were welcomed as major publishing events, brings the aeneid to a new generation of readers, retaining all of the gravitas. Though the odyssey is the more wellknown story and the most.
In 1970, he fagles was born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, the son of charles fagles, a lawyer, and vera voynow fagles, an architect. Featuring an illuminating introduction to virgils world by esteemed scholar bernard knox, this volume lends a vibrant new voice. The aeneid by robert fagles, virgil audiobook youtube. Fortunately, before his recent death, fagles also translated virgils aeneid. The penguin classics version of fagles s translation is a great book to hold in your hand.
Translated by robert fagles by into by bernard knox homer. The publication of a new translation by fagles is a literary event. Now, his stunning modern verse translation of virgils aeneid is poised to do the same. With this modern verse translation of virgils aeneid, fagles completes the classic triptych at the heart of western civilization. It is fitting that one of the great translators of the iliad and the odyssey in our times should also emerge as a surpassing translator of the aeneid. I wasnt really accustomed to the aeneid, but this translation brings it active. See a complete list of the characters in the aeneid and indepth analyses of aeneas, dido, and turnus. Robert fagles, the poems newest translator, comes to the fray well armed. This translation holds its own with the verse renditions of john dryden, c. Be very careful when purchasing the aeneid on kindle or audible. Fleeing the ashes of troy, aeneas, achilless mighty foe in the iliad, begins an incredible journey to fulfill his destiny. Robert fagles s translations of both the iliad and odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and become the standard translations of our era.
I dont know enough latin to be an independent judge of the translation, but experts prove that this is a fantastic translation right into contemporary english. And his publisher for the aeneid, viking, has accoutered him handsomely, with a. The aeneid by virgil and robert fagles penguin random house. For closer, wordforword translations, one should consult those of elaine fantham, or the prose versions of h. I own and recommend the box set of iliad, odyssey, and aeneid. Robert fagles, whose acclaimed translations of homers iliad and odyssey were welcomed as major publishing events, brings the aeneid to a new generation of readers, retaining all of the gravitas and humanity of the original latin as well as its powerful blend of poetry and myth.