Most of what i could say about these three works has been said many, many times. An emeritus professor of comparative literature at princeton, he has already translated, with great success, homers iliad and odyssey. 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. The new criterion books june 2007 of arms u0026amp. But i have found none i love more than that of robert fagles. This beautifully produced edition of the aeneid will be eagerly sought by readers desiring to complete their fagles collectionand the attention it. However, i havent compared it to other translations.
The publication of a new translation by fagles is a literary event. Homers odyssey, homers iliad, virgils aeneid, and dantes divina commedia. 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. An emeritus professor of comparative literature at princeton, he has already translated, with great success, homers. I was looking for robert fagles translation and when i purchased the kindle. Ferrys diction is accurate in tone and pitch, if not always literal. 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 was written between 29 and 19 bce, but printed type was not introduced into europe until around 1440 ce.
See a complete list of the characters in the aeneid and indepth analyses of aeneas, dido, and turnus. He seemed to have the monopoly on new translations for penguin classics for some years, but i was not. Written by virgil introduction by bernard knox translated by robert fagles. 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. Fagless translations are known for their emphasis on. The aeneid is an epic poem by virgil that was first published around 19bc. I have the most recent one, by robert fagles, on audio disc. Here is the muchanticipated new translation of virgils epic poem from the awardwinning translator robert fagles. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, to discuss our forthcoming. And his publisher for the aeneid, viking, has accoutered him handsomely, with a. Now, his stunning modern verse translation of virgils aeneid is poised to do the same. Is the aeneid we are reading the same one that virgil. 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.
There are different versions, translated by different people and amazon does not seem to differentiate well between them. Translated by robert fagles by into by bernard knox homer. Robert fagles robert fagles and i met several times in his office at princeton, where he is arthur w. An unsparing portrait of a man caught between love, duty, and fate, the aeneid redefines passion, nobility, and courage for our times. What is the most beautiful english translation of the.
Robert fagles s awardwinning translations of homers iliad and odyssey have sold more than a million copies and become classics in their own right. In 1970, he fagles was born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, the son of charles fagles, a lawyer, and vera voynow fagles, an architect. Closely followed by allen mandelbaums 1971 translation. The following year, he received his masters degree from yale 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. T homas jeffersons assertion that every generation needs a new revolution has long been adopted by translators. Though the odyssey is the more wellknown story and the most. 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. Fagles is being recognized for his translation of virgils aeneid viking and ms. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, emeritus, at princeton university. He attended amherst college, graduating in 1955 with a bachelor of arts degree. 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. 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.
Virgils aeneid, translated by robert fitzgerald 1981. The aeneid translated by robert fagles pdf the aeneid. His translations of both the iliad and odyssey have sold h. How did the poem exist between when virgil composed it. Im participating in a book of the month sort of thing on another forum and i nominated the aeneid. 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. With this modern verse translation of virgils aeneid, fagles completes the classic triptych at the heart of western civilization. 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. 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. I wanted it to be in my voice, for better or worse. Robert fagles and i met several times in his office at princeton, where he is arthur w. The aeneid by robert fagles, virgil audiobook youtube. Marks 19 professor of comparative literature, to discuss our forthcoming interview at the unterberg poetry center of the 92nd street y.
I listened to the very beginning and thought it was excellent. 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. 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. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole.
Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The new yorker robert fagles gives the full range of virgils drama, grandeur, and pathos in vigorous, supple modern english. Robert fagles, the poems newest translator, comes to the fray well armed. Retaining all of the gravitas and humanity of the original, yet. I wasnt really accustomed to the aeneid, but this translation brings it active. Obviously the trio to start with is homers iliad and odyssey with virgils later aeneid but which translation. This translation holds its own with the verse renditions of john dryden, c. 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. Robert fagles and susanna nied recognized for their. Fagles translated aeschylus and sophocles, among other authors, but he is most famous for his versions of the iliad, published in 1990. Fortunately, before his recent death, fagles also translated virgils aeneid. The aeneid by virgil and robert fagles penguin random house. Featuring an illuminating introduction to virgils world by. Anyway to cut a long story short, after i had downloaded the kindle version i noticed that it was not the. Fagles s work in this translation is readable, accessible, and overall well executed. With an illuminating introduction to virgils world from noted scholar bernard knox, this new aeneid confers a vibrant contemporary voice upon this. 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. I was looking for robert fagles translation and when i purchased the kindle version, it was not the fagles version that i received.
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. The aeneid robert fagles pdf free pdf file sharing. I havent encountered the fitzgerald version but i have to say that i find fagles translations are often far removed from the original language. Thankfully, prior to his current death, fagles also translated virgils aeneid. Robert fagles national endowment for the humanities neh. Fleeing the ashes of troy, aeneas, achilless mighty foe in the iliad, begins an incredible journey to fulfill his destiny. By virgil introduction by bernard knox translated by robert fagles. Featuring an illuminating introduction to virgils world by esteemed scholar bernard knox, this volume lends a. Robert fagles was an american professor, poet, and academic, best known for his many translations of ancient greek and roman. Robert fagles translation deluxeebookdpb000ocxgrs written in poetry form, a wonderful read and. Featuring an illuminating introduction to virgils world by esteemed scholar bernard knox, this volume lends a vibrant new voice. The penguin classics version of fagles s translation is a great book to hold in your hand. Robert fitzgeralds elegant rendition of the aeneid, the standard text, has. 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.
Robert fagles, whose acclaimed translations of homers. For closer, wordforword translations, one should consult those of elaine fantham, or the prose versions of h. May 14 the academy of american poets is pleased to announce that robert fagles and susanna nied are the recipients of the 2007 harold morton landon translation award, given by the academy of american poets. I purchased the kindle version of the aeneid translated by robert fagles from the page advertising fagles version which i already have a copy i intended to test the brilliant audio reading facility on the equally brilliant kindle fire. 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. Robert fagles translation of the aeneid is a worthy successor to his excellent translations of the iliad and the odyssey. 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. 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. The great epic of western literature, translated by the acclaimed classicist robert fagles a penguin classic. He taught english and comparative literature for many years at princeton university. 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. His voyage will take him through stormy seas, entangle him in a tragic love affair, and lure him into the world of the. I own and recommend the box set of iliad, odyssey, and aeneid. 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.
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