Aeneid

The Aeneid is an epic poem by the Roman poet Virgil, composed in Latin around 29–19 BCE. It recounts the voyage of a Trojan survivor to Italy and the events that lead to the birth of Rome’s lineage, offering a foundational myth of Rome shaped for the Augustan age.

The narrative follows perilous sea journeys, a tragic love in Carthage, and a revealing descent into the Underworld. Throughout, the hero struggles between personal desire and public responsibility, embodying duty and destiny as guiding forces that demand sacrifice for a larger political and spiritual mission.

Once in Italy, alliances and rivalries erupt into fierce battles that test courage, leadership, and restraint. The poem’s climactic duel underscores the costs of founding an empire, confronting readers with questions about mercy, justice, and the price of victory.

Admired for its musical hexameters and vivid imagery, The Aeneid fuses adventure with statecraft in a blend of Homeric epic and Roman ideology. It remains a touchstone for themes of fate, piety, and national identity, and a lasting expression of the political vision of the Augustan era.

"The Trojans, after a seven years’ voyage, set sail for Italy, but are overtaken by a dreadful storm, which Aeolus raises at Juno’s request. The tempest sinks one, and scatters the rest. Neptune drives off the Winds, and calms the sea. Aeneas, with his own ship, and six more, arrives safe at an African port."

This edition of Aeneid by Virgil is based on the English translation by John Dryden.