THE AENEID

"I sing of warfare, and a man at war"...From the heart-lifting trumpet fanfare and majestic opening statement, Robert Fitzgerald's stirring, poetic translation of Virgil's great epic depicting the fall of Troy and the founding of the Roman Empire captures the reader's imagination and heart. The characters and situations are so many that HighBridge includes a glossary; however, it's rarely needed. Christopher Ravenscroft carries the reader through the dense, image-laden poetry with power and finesse, separating images and giving each character an indelible impression. The narrative segments are recited in an intense voice with a breathy, "close-to-the mike" quality; these contrast to scenes filled with human drama, such as the opening of the Trojan Horse and the sacking of Troy, the grief and suicide of Dido, and the final battle between Aeneas and Turnus. Here Ravenscroft seems to become the crafty Greek, the despairing lover, the valiant warrior or the jealous heir to the Throne of Latinus. This is a long way from student struggles with " Arma virumque cano..." Don't miss it! L.R.S. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN 96]