Virgil's epic poem follows Trojan hero Aeneas as he flees burning Troy and journeys to establish what would become Rome, blending adventure with Roman political ideals. Written around 19 BCE as Rome's founding myth, this verse translation by John Dryden captures the original's grandeur and cultural significance.
The Trojans, after a seven years’ voyage, set sail for Italy, but are overtaken by a dreadful storm, which Aeolus raises at the request of Juno. The tempest sinks one, and scatters the rest. Neptune drives off the winds, and calms the sea. Aeneas, with his own ship and six more, arrives safe at an African port. Venus complains to Jupiter of her son’s misfortunes. Jupiter comforts her, and sends Mercury to procure him a kind reception among the Carthaginians. Aeneas, going out to discover the country, meets his mother in the shape of a huntress, who conveys him in a cloud to Carthage, where he sees his friends whom he thought lost, and receives a kind entertainment from the queen. Dido, by device of Venus, begins to have a passion for him, and, after some discourse with him, desires the history of his adventures since the siege of Troy, which is the subject of the two following books. Arm…Continue reading →
This is the John Dryden translation, a public-domain English text. Marginalia presents it unabridged, with chapter navigation, your reading position saved, and optional AI commentary on any passage.
A Roman poet who lived from 70 to 19 BCE, he crafted the epic Aeneid, which tells the legendary founding of Rome through Trojan hero Aeneas. His masterwork became the cornerstone of Latin literature and Western epic poetry, rivaling Homer's influence while celebrating Roman values and destiny. All works by Virgil →
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