#Classic The Aeneid
- Author: Virgil
- Title: The Aeneid
- Genre: epic poem 12 chapters (178 pg)
- Written: between 29 and 19 BC
- List Reading Challenges 2018
- Monthly planning
- Classic Club Master list
Conclusion:
- Read all about this epic poem on the Wikipedia page The Aeneid
- I am as exhausted as Aeneas in this photo above!
- ….too exhausted to ruminate further about the poem.
- It has been a long 2 months
- …no binge reading but slowly just chapter by chapter.
- #MustRead.
My notes:
September 27, 2018
Ch 1
Shipwrecked, tired and wrapped in a cloud of mist by his mother Venus..Aeneas stumbles into Dido’s palace.
The gods above discuss the hero’s fate: this romance between two star crossed lovers…is doomed.
October 24, 2018
Ch 5
Never a dull moment on Sicily!
Athletic games, slithering snake over burial mound
Goddess Iris throws flaming tourch in the boats
and when we thought we’d seen enough…down comes
the god of sleep and shake dew off a bough.
Poor Palinurus falls asleep at the rudder and drowns….but nobody missed him!
October 26, 2018
Ch 6: Turning point in The Aeneid: From the underworld
Anchises (Aeneas’s father) commands Aeneas goes further and follow his destiny.
November 15, 2018
Ch 7 and 8
Modern readers enjoy ch 1-6 but for Virgil’s original readers the good part of the book begins now…war!
Who would have thought a war in this classic would start b/c somebody shot an arrow at the pet deer of Sylvia.
#AccidentsCanHappen
November 15, 2018
Ch 8 Re-read because I fell asleep with the audio book playing…missed a few things: Aeneid’s dream about a white sow and 30 piglets, Vulcan vomiting flaming fire searching for his stolen bulls and we met important character for the last chapters…Pallas the son of King Evander
#NeverDullMoment with Virgil
November 18, 2018
Ch 10-11
I’ve survived 3 generations: father (Anchieses) hero (Aeneas) child (Ascanius)
jilted lover (Dido) and whirlwind trip to see old friends in Hades
death of a pet deer….war drums…more dreams scenes than I can count!
I must finish this today!
November 19, 2018
Ch 12 grand finale!
Turnus has killed Pallas (…beloved friend of Aeneas)
Turnus is determined to fight Aeneas.
Loved by Turnus but betrothed to Aeneas, Lavina
becomes the prize for which the leaders contend in a bloody tribal war.
Aeneas leaves for the fight departs from his son
…’kisses him through his helmet’. (strange)
The fight begins.
Aeneas attacks Turnus… he is down for the count.
Aeneas hesitates for a moment but seeing the
sword belt of Pallas gleaming on Turnus’ shoulder
….he deals the final blow and kills his opponent.
End of story!
NancyElin.blog 
Yay! Great that you finished and “enjoyed” it! I’ve read it once before but right after The Iliad and The Odyssey in a row so I was exhausted by the time I started it. I’ll have to read it again to really get something out of it.
I would recommend listening to an audio guide audible.com about The Aeneid.
There is so much in this poem that I never would have noticed…..without some help.
Reading is leaning….otherwise what’s the point?
Thanks for you comments….and await your new Classics List!
I’m hoping to get to some Greek & Roman Classics in the next few years agsin, its been over 20 yrs since my last venture into this era. I suspect I will need to be eased back into it after reading your comments.
Maybe you need something fun, some light relief before venturing into the next challenge.
Thanks….I do feel a bit ’empty’..and just keep reading some poems to rest the mind. I am amazed how many young poets are rising up with vibrant voices: Patrick Phillips, Jericho Brown, and one amazing man Shane McCrae. His book “In the Language of my Captor” has been overwhelmd with prizes. I read the first poem last night before bed…and it is still ringing in my ears!