The Aeneid, The

"The Aeneid" of Virgil (70-19 BC) describes the legendary origin of the Roman nation. It tells of the Trojan prince Aeneas who escaped, with some followers, after Troy fell and sailed to Italy. Here they settled and laid the foundations of Roman power.

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The masterpiece of Rome's greatest poet, Virgil's Aeneid has inspired generations of readers and holds a central place in Western literature. The epic tells the story of a group of refugees from the ruined city of Troy, whose attempts to reach a promised land in the West are continually frustrated by the hostile goddess Juno. Finally reaching Italy, their leader Aeneas is forced to fight a bitter war against the natives to establish the foundations from which Rome is destined to rise. Paul Scofield and cast superbly read this magnificent poem, in the verse translation by C. Day Lewis, recognized to be one of the finest modern translations.