This extraordinary new translation of the Aeneid stands alone among modern Virgil translations for its accuracy and poetic appeal. Sarah Ruden, a lyric poet in her own right, is the first woman to translate Virgil's great epic, and she renders the poem in the same number of lines as the original work - a very rare feat - that maintains technical fidelity to the original without diminishing its emotional power.Ruden's translation follows Virgil's content faithfully, and the economy and fast pace she achieves are true to his own unflagging narrative force. With its central theme of national destiny in conflict with the destiny of individuals, the poem has great resonance in our own times, and Ruden adheres closely to the poet's message. Her rendering of Virgil's words gives immediacy to his struggling faith that history has beauty and purpose in spite of its pain. With this distinguished translation, modern readers can experience for themselves the timeless power of Virgil's masterpiece.