The Aeneid: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) Paperback – Deckle Edge, 1 April 2010

PLEASE BE AWARE ~ This review is for the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition only. Amazon have replicated my review on the Oxford Classics edition webpage which is inaccurate.If I'd gone on the strength of the pitiful reviews on here, I'd never have bought this version and would, instead, have opted for perhaps the Oxford Classics version. However, a personal twist of fate (American partner bought this, and I wanted to keep abreast) meant me purchasing this over another. I can't speak highly enough, especially given the trepidation I felt before receiving it. Fagles' translation is superb, and for anyone new to Aeneid, you're in for a serious treat. If the Aeneid was a film, it would be something high octane, probably directed by Ridley Scott or James Cameron (the good ones!). The language is powerful, luxurious, surging forward off the pages. Fagles' use of present tense does not damage the experience for me whatsoever. If anything, it brings the experience of this adventure to the fore. In short, a page-turner. It's exciting.Take, for example, this wonderful early description of King Aeolus' Winds that he keeps locked up:"With such anger seething inside her fiery heartthe goddess reached Aeolia, breeding-ground of storms,their home swarming with raging gusts from the South.Here in a vast cave King Aeolus rules the winds,brawling to break free, howling in full gale forceas he chains them down in their dungeon, shackled fast.They bluster in protest, roaring round their prison barswith a mountain above them all, booming with their rage.But high in his stronghold Aeolus wields his scepter,soothing their passions, tempering their fury.Should he fail, surely they'd blow the world away,hurling the land and sea and deep sky through space.Fearing this, the almighty Father banished the windsto that black cavern, piled above them a mountain massand imposed on all a king empowered, by binding pact,to rein them back on command or let them gallop free."Stunning.I have to say, Penguin have done a lovely job with the deluxe classic editions they're printing. Mine has a different, golden cover, and the page edges are milled. I'm not sure what this edition is like, but it is also a deluxe edition so I imagine it's pretty sumptuous. (Edit ~ the stock photo now shows the same version I have).Incidentally, the reviews on amazon.com are far more balanced and informing and if you're deliberating over which edition might suit you best, you could do worse than taking stock of what folks the other side of the pond are saying about this.

What a long read, never ending but very interesting. Easy to understand.

Everyone should read this! Definitely a classic in humanity's literary history.

Very lyrical and vivid translation.

Watch out: some of these reviews are not of this translation at all, but of Fitzgerald's. This one is by Robert Fagles. Apparently mentions of others have been bungled into the mix.

The pages of the book had not been cut properly, as you can see in the photo, so I had to return it. I can see that other reviewers have reported the same problem. Penguin clearly need to work on their quality control.

The prose is lovely on the version we received, but it's not the one pictured! The pages have also been poorly cut & make turning the pages difficult. I would have returned it if our daughter hadn't needed it immediately for schoolwork.

Cover is in tact but has slight staining, pages are all different width which makes it look messy. It is not good quality.