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booksofgayle's review against another edition
informative
3.0
my family: "heaven gained another angel todayðŸ˜ðŸ‘¼ðŸ’”"
me in hell:
me in hell:
WHERE IS VERGIL
saareman's review against another edition
4.0
Speculative but still Interesting
Review of the Yale University Press - Ancient Lives series hardcover (August 22, 2023).
The historical details of Vergil's (70BC - 19BC) life are little known and much is based on later accounts by [a:Suetonius|16319|Suetonius|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1284791164p2/16319.jpg] (69AD to 122AD) and others, which were also speculative. Sarah Ruden still takes up the challenge and produces an interesting account of life in the Augustan era of Ancient Rome.
This includes the standard story of humble beginnings with the gradual rise to prominence as the writer of the national epic of Ancient Rome, the Aenied. Ruden's expertise in the area extends to her translating the epic not just once (2008) but twice (2021). Although Vergil was indebted to Augustus for his patronage, there is the odd final defiance of asking for the destruction of the Aenied on his deathbed, as he had not been able to complete the work to his satisfaction. Ruden calculates that he had been writing it at the speed of 2 lines per day. Augustus countermanded that final wish and insisted that it be published regardless.
"Vergil reading the Aeniad to Augustus, Livia and Octavia" (1790) a painting by Jean-Baptiste Wicar (1762-1834). The scene depicts Octavia fainting at the mention of her son Marcellus in Aeniad Book VI. Image sourced from Yale University Press where it is sourced from WikiCommons.
Trivia and Links
Author Sarah Ruden discusses "Vergil: The Poet's Life" at the Yale University Press Podcast which you can listen to here.
Vergil: the Poet's Life is part of Yale University Press's Ancient Lives series which currently includes: [b:Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor|188531510|Marcus Aurelius The Stoic Emperor (Ancient Lives)|Donald J. Robertson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1696996153l/188531510._SY75_.jpg|191376125] (expected February 2024), [b:Ramesses the Great: Egypt's King of Kings|62347048|Ramesses the Great Egypt's King of Kings (Ancient Lives)|Toby Wilkinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1669431854l/62347048._SY75_.jpg|98167030] (2023), [b:Julian: Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor|124933044|Julian Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor (Ancient Lives)|Philip Freeman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1683947186l/124933044._SY75_.jpg|146352507] (2023), [b:Crassus: The First Tycoon|60747381|Crassus The First Tycoon (Ancient Lives)|Peter Stothard|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663381094l/60747381._SY75_.jpg|95783110] (2022), [b:Demetrius: Sacker of Cities|60747391|Demetrius Sacker of Cities (Ancient Lives)|James Romm|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663381108l/60747391._SY75_.jpg|95783120] (2022) and [b:Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth|60747382|Cleopatra Her History, Her Myth (Ancient Lives)|Francine Prose|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667616341l/60747382._SY75_.jpg|95783111] (2022).
Review of the Yale University Press - Ancient Lives series hardcover (August 22, 2023).
The historical details of Vergil's (70BC - 19BC) life are little known and much is based on later accounts by [a:Suetonius|16319|Suetonius|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1284791164p2/16319.jpg] (69AD to 122AD) and others, which were also speculative. Sarah Ruden still takes up the challenge and produces an interesting account of life in the Augustan era of Ancient Rome.
This includes the standard story of humble beginnings with the gradual rise to prominence as the writer of the national epic of Ancient Rome, the Aenied. Ruden's expertise in the area extends to her translating the epic not just once (2008) but twice (2021). Although Vergil was indebted to Augustus for his patronage, there is the odd final defiance of asking for the destruction of the Aenied on his deathbed, as he had not been able to complete the work to his satisfaction. Ruden calculates that he had been writing it at the speed of 2 lines per day. Augustus countermanded that final wish and insisted that it be published regardless.
"Vergil reading the Aeniad to Augustus, Livia and Octavia" (1790) a painting by Jean-Baptiste Wicar (1762-1834). The scene depicts Octavia fainting at the mention of her son Marcellus in Aeniad Book VI. Image sourced from Yale University Press where it is sourced from WikiCommons.
Trivia and Links
Author Sarah Ruden discusses "Vergil: The Poet's Life" at the Yale University Press Podcast which you can listen to here.
Vergil: the Poet's Life is part of Yale University Press's Ancient Lives series which currently includes: [b:Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor|188531510|Marcus Aurelius The Stoic Emperor (Ancient Lives)|Donald J. Robertson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1696996153l/188531510._SY75_.jpg|191376125] (expected February 2024), [b:Ramesses the Great: Egypt's King of Kings|62347048|Ramesses the Great Egypt's King of Kings (Ancient Lives)|Toby Wilkinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1669431854l/62347048._SY75_.jpg|98167030] (2023), [b:Julian: Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor|124933044|Julian Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor (Ancient Lives)|Philip Freeman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1683947186l/124933044._SY75_.jpg|146352507] (2023), [b:Crassus: The First Tycoon|60747381|Crassus The First Tycoon (Ancient Lives)|Peter Stothard|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663381094l/60747381._SY75_.jpg|95783110] (2022), [b:Demetrius: Sacker of Cities|60747391|Demetrius Sacker of Cities (Ancient Lives)|James Romm|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663381108l/60747391._SY75_.jpg|95783120] (2022) and [b:Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth|60747382|Cleopatra Her History, Her Myth (Ancient Lives)|Francine Prose|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667616341l/60747382._SY75_.jpg|95783111] (2022).