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travis_zalesky's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Roman counterpart to the Greeks Iliad and Odyssey. The story is of the fall of Troy and the subsequent establishment of Rome from the perspective of the Trojans, masterfully translated by John Dryden. A challenging but rewarding read, filled with fantastic stories and antidotes, but at times ambling far afield of the main plot.
The story starts strong with the first few books detailing the fall of Troy from Aeneas' perspective within the city. The second book tells of the legend of the infamous Trojan Horse, and the deception of the Greeks, followed by the sacking of the city and Aeneas' flight from Troy. Book three continues strong with the story of Dido's unrequited love. Then the story ebbs with some unoriginal scenes mirroring Odysseus travels and a long tangent about sport. The pace picks up again when the outcast Trojans land in Italy and attempt to establish themselves on the banks of the Tiber. Roles are reversed and the Trojans find themselves in the part of the foreign invaders besieging the Italian natives. The tension builds and conflict is inevitable. Many tales of heroism and noble death unfold, notably the tragic deaths of Nisus and Euryalus, and the carnage unleashed by Camilla the Warrior Queen. This conflict goes on rather long, ebbing and flowing over the course of several books and is structured much like the Iliad with the names and actions of a multitude of heroes singled out for a passage or a page. The story end suddenlywith the death of the King Turnus to Aeneas in single combat .
The Aeneid falls victim to many of the same criticisms as the Odyssey (for a modern reader). It is overlong, sometimes straying into long tangents that do not progress the story, and the prose can be challenging. The large cast of minor characters and the endless names of heroes can be confusing, and the complex sentence structure make it difficult to follow the action. However, I found that the actions and motivations of Aeneas were more sympathetic than those of Odysseys (although still abhorrent at times). Whereas Odysseys was the victor who took his sweet time returning to his family, partying, raping, and pillaging all along the way, Aeneas was cast from his ancestral home and obliged to lead his people and his family to safety. While Aeneas did slaughter many Italians in the end, he was not unreasonable in his demands and mostly sued for a peaceful alliance with the natives. One area where the Aeneid pails in comparison to the Iliad and Odyssey is in its conclusion. It ends too abruptly, with no outro. The reader is left to imagine what happens next, assuming that it is a foregone conclusion that the city of Rome was successfully established.
Overall, I preferred the Aeneid to the Odyssey, particularly this excellent translation by John Dryden. I am somewhat bewildered as to why the Odyssey has become such a staple of English literature while the Aeneid has only lingered on the fringes of the cultural consciousness. Both books have their merits, and I would not hesitate to recommend both to the sophisticated English reader, so that you may decide for yourself which story you prefer.
The story starts strong with the first few books detailing the fall of Troy from Aeneas' perspective within the city. The second book tells of the legend of the infamous Trojan Horse, and the deception of the Greeks, followed by the sacking of the city and Aeneas' flight from Troy. Book three continues strong with the story of Dido's unrequited love. Then the story ebbs with some unoriginal scenes mirroring Odysseus travels and a long tangent about sport. The pace picks up again when the outcast Trojans land in Italy and attempt to establish themselves on the banks of the Tiber. Roles are reversed and the Trojans find themselves in the part of the foreign invaders besieging the Italian natives. The tension builds and conflict is inevitable. Many tales of heroism and noble death unfold, notably the tragic deaths of Nisus and Euryalus, and the carnage unleashed by Camilla the Warrior Queen. This conflict goes on rather long, ebbing and flowing over the course of several books and is structured much like the Iliad with the names and actions of a multitude of heroes singled out for a passage or a page. The story end suddenly
The Aeneid falls victim to many of the same criticisms as the Odyssey (for a modern reader). It is overlong, sometimes straying into long tangents that do not progress the story, and the prose can be challenging. The large cast of minor characters and the endless names of heroes can be confusing, and the complex sentence structure make it difficult to follow the action. However, I found that the actions and motivations of Aeneas were more sympathetic than those of Odysseys (although still abhorrent at times). Whereas Odysseys was the victor who took his sweet time returning to his family, partying, raping, and pillaging all along the way, Aeneas was cast from his ancestral home and obliged to lead his people and his family to safety. While Aeneas did slaughter many Italians in the end, he was not unreasonable in his demands and mostly sued for a peaceful alliance with the natives. One area where the Aeneid pails in comparison to the Iliad and Odyssey is in its conclusion. It ends too abruptly, with no outro. The reader is left to imagine what happens next, assuming that it is a foregone conclusion that the city of Rome was successfully established.
Overall, I preferred the Aeneid to the Odyssey, particularly this excellent translation by John Dryden. I am somewhat bewildered as to why the Odyssey has become such a staple of English literature while the Aeneid has only lingered on the fringes of the cultural consciousness. Both books have their merits, and I would not hesitate to recommend both to the sophisticated English reader, so that you may decide for yourself which story you prefer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Suicide
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