Aeneid Book VI: A New Verse Translation

By Virgil, H E Butler, Harold Edgeworth 1878-1951 Butler

Book Overview

A masterpiece from one of the greatest poets of the century

In a momentous publication, Seamus Heaney's translation of Book VI of the Aeneid, Virgil's epic poem composed sometime between 29 and 19 BC, follows the hero, Aeneas, on his descent into the underworld. In Stepping Stones, a book of interviews conducted by Dennis O'Driscoll, Heaney acknowledged the significance of the poem to his writing, noting that "there's one Virgilian journey that has indeed been a constant presence, and that is Aeneas's venture into the underworld. The motifs in Book VI have been in my head for years--the golden bough, Charon's barge, the quest to meet the shade of the father."

In this new translation, Heaney employs the same deft handling of the original combined with the immediacy of language and sophisticated poetic voice as was on show in his translation of Beowulf, a reimagining which, in the words of James Wood, "created something imperishable and great that is stainless--stainless, because its force as poetry makes it untouchable by the claw of literalism: it lives singly, as an English language poem."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374104190
• ISBN13: 9780374104191
• Release Date: May 2016
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A different take on the Classic

I was a tad worried at first as to why I should buy a different translation of just book VI when I can get the whole critter for the same price. I am more familiar with Homer. However, I have read the Robert F-a-g-l-e-s translation of The Aeneid. I was expecting the beginning attempt by Seamus Heaney. What I got was much more than a different translation, as you can see from the introduction. On a personal note, this is much more readable. Luckily, you can read Book IV almost as a standalone. The Bilingual edition is a plus. Unfortunately, I opted for Spanish and German in school and bypassed Latin. So, other than just for the fun of it, the bilingual part is wasted on me at this time. However, it makes the book seem more real. This would have made a great school project. No matter if this is your introduction or just an addition to your library, it is well worth purchasing and may even turn out to be your favorite read.