Virgil
Latin · Poetry · Epic · Idyll · Philosophy
3 works · 21,701 aligned sentences
Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris.
Arms and the man I sing, who first from the shores of Troy.
Aeneis 1.1
Aeneid
This epic poem in twelve books recounts the journey and battles of the Trojan hero Aeneas as he seeks to fulfill his divine destiny of founding a new nation in Italy—the future Rome. In the first half, driven by the wrath of the goddess Juno, Aeneas endures years of wandering, experiences a tragic romance with Queen Dido of Carthage, and descends into the Underworld, where the spirit of his father reveals the future glory of Rome. The second half shifts to Italy, where a bitter war erupts over the hand of King Latinus's daughter, pitting the Trojans against the native forces led by the fierce Rutulian king, Turnus. Despite heavy casualties and personal grief, Aeneas persists in his sacred mission. The epic reaches its dramatic climax in a fateful duel between Aeneas and Turnus, ending with the victory of the Trojan hero and paving the way for the birth of a grand empire.
Poetry127 chunks · §1.1-1.75–§12.876-12.95217,050 aligned sentencesRead →Eclogues
This collection of ten pastoral poems, or eclogues, depicts the lives and songs of shepherds set against an idealized rustic landscape. The work opens with a poignant dialogue reflecting the harsh reality of land confiscations during the civil wars, contrasting with the gratitude for newfound peace. Throughout the collection, shepherds lament unrequited love, engage in passionate singing contests, mourn and deify the mythical Daphnis, and prophesy the birth of a miraculous child who will usher in a new golden age. The songs also delve into cosmological myths sung by Silenus and the tragic love of the contemporary poet Gallus in Arcadia. Interweaving the political turmoil of the real world with the serene beauty of the pastoral world, the poems beautifully capture the range of human emotions.
Poetry12 chunks · §1.1-1.84–§10.1-10.771,748 aligned sentencesRead →Georgics
This didactic epic by the great Roman poet Virgil explores the relationship between nature, human labor, and civilization through four central themes: agriculture, arboriculture, animal husbandry, and apiculture. Consisting of four books addressed to Octavian, the work adopts the tradition of Hesiodic poetry to paint a vivid picture of the Italian landscape and its rural life. Books 1 and 2 focus on soil cultivation, the astronomical signs guiding the seasons, and the techniques of growing trees and vines, contrasting the necessity of relentless toil against natural disasters with the serene happiness of rustic life. Book 3 shifts to the breeding and training of horses and cattle, portraying the destructive power of animal passions and culminating in a tragic, devastating plague. Finally, Book 4 examines the orderly society of bees and introduces the myth of Aristaeus, Orpheus, and Eurydice to explain the miraculous regeneration of a lost hive, reaching a profound resolution on death, rebirth, and the power of art.
Poetry28 chunks · §1.1-1.73–§4.486-4.5662,903 aligned sentencesRead →