But too often the Aeneid is read as a reflection of the Odyssey and the Iliad, when it really does shine with its own Roman light. In truth, outside the conventions of the medium, Vergil’s work is no more like Homer’s than Law & Order is like Dragnet. Familiarity with Homer enhances our appreciation of Vergil, and comparison of various translations of a single classical text puts the icing on the cake, but they are neither necessary to our pleasure nor are they impediments. “I started it, and it’s just like the Odyssey.” In fact, we derive much of our pleasure in reading the classics the same way we do from watching familiar television shows-not from absolute novelty, but from variation within frames. “Why should I read the Aeneid?” my teenaged daughter asked me, turning back to the umpteenth episode of Law & Order.
The Aeneid by Vergil, translated by Sarah Ruden
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