The Pastoral Poems - The Text of the Eclogues - Penguin Classics

Virgil (70-19 BC), though a shy and retiring thinker and philosopher, was the poet most esteemed at court in the early days of the Roman Empire. His pastoral poems, the Eclogues, were the first which Virgil published in book form and established his reputation. They reveal the Arcadian world of Virgil's memories and fancy and his perception of the realities that underlie our relation to the world around us. At times serious, they are always enchanting and provide a perfect introduction to the delights of Latin poetry. This edition includes the Latin test and ten explanatory essays...