Virgil, Aeneid, 4.1-299. Latin Text, Study Questions, Commentary and Interpretative Essays

Reviewed by Rosina Catalan, Adjunct Professor, Butler University on 12/17/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Gildenhard's choice of lines in Book IV are comprehensive. The supporting study questions and bibliography offer the student/reader ways to set a context for Book IV in Virgil's epic as a whole.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

This book is extremely accurate in its Latin, clear and error-free.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Book IV's themes are timeless and will always be relevant. The Latin is separate from the commentary, which makes updates easy to implement, should they ever be necessary. Gildenhard's study questions encourage readers in a class to discuss The Aeneid's relevancy in the modern world.

Clarity rating: 5

The Latin text is concise and clear. Gildenhard's study questions are thought provoking and assist the student/reader in understanding the world of Aeneas and his time in Carthage.

Consistency rating: 5

Translation, the goal of most Latin textbooks, is straightforward. Gildenhard offers the same high quality, academic approach to her comments, bibliographies, and interpretative essays. The book is entirely consistent.

Modularity rating: 4

The 299 lines of the Latin text itself are fully provided with no breaks. It would be up to the instructor to break the readings up into segments. This would be easy for a Classicist to do, but the casual Latin learner would have difficulties.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This text is efficiently organized with the commentary following the text. Suggested bibliographies for further reading are noted at the end of the book. There is an easily-read Table of Contents.

Interface rating: 3

Some instructors prefer commentaries near or below the Latin. The vocabulary, contextual, and grammatical insights are provided after the text in one long list. Additionally, there are several footnotes on the commentaries - this could force the reader to divert attention from the Latin text twice. This makes navigating the book a little difficult and cumbersome.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were found - in English or Latin.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Gildenhard's commentary is superb. Some comments are intended to encourage discussion on themes, while others aim to assist the reader in translation.

Comments

This is a high quality text that one could easily use at the high school or university level.

Reviewed by Quinn Griffin, Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University on 12/3/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

A very comprehensive edition of a selection from Book IV, with attention to many aspects of that selection and the epic as a whole. The text would work best when assigned with a translation of the full epic and alongside a dictionary.

In particular:

• Study questions ask students to consider a variety of literary, cultural and grammatical issues throughout Book 4; as well as make connections between the selections and the rest of the epic, which could be assigned in translation to students using this text. Examples: “Identify the two figures of speech Virgil uses in the phrase uiri uirtus.” “In what ways are the opening lines both retrospective and prospective, that is, point back to what happened in Book 1 and point forward to what will happen in Book 4?” (Both examples from page 19).
• Commentary begins with context for Book IV, such as the encounters between Dido and Aeneas in Books 1 and 6. Notes on the text are thorough, if lengthy at times, and include commentary on many types of issues, for example on line 1, regina graui iamdudum saucia cura, “regina (a1) agrees with saucia (a2), graui (b1) with cura (b2),” (46) followed by a discussion of chiasmus.
• Interpretive essays go beyond the included excerpts from Book 4, including, among other things, thoughts on Juno’s stirring up of the winds in Book 1, which emphasizes meter and scansion; and “Historiographical Dido,” an essay providing context for and criticism of Virgil’s report of Dido’s story from sources such as Macrobius.
• This edition has no index or glossary, but if downloaded as a PDF is searchable.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The edition is based on the text from The Latin Library (http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/vergil/aen4.shtml) with, as the author notes, a few adjustments. I have compared the author’s edition with the Loeb edition (1916, 1935, 1999) and noted the following differences (starred, with Loeb readings and app. crit. References where applicable in parentheses). All of the author’s readings are grammatical.

Line 21
coniugis et sparsos fraterna caede penatis* (Penates)

Line 54
his dictis impenso* animum flammauit* amore (incensum, inflammavit; impenso is found in the app. crit of the 1999 Loeb, page 426.)

Line 98
sed quis erit modus, aut quo nunc certamine tanto*? (certamina tanta; certamine tanto is found in the app. crit of the 1999 Loeb, page 428)

Line 224
Dardaniumque ducem, Tyria* Karthagine qui nunc (Tyrias; Tyria is found in the app. crit of the 1999 Loeb, page 436)

Line 276
debetur* tali Cyllenius ore locutus (debentur)

Line 285
atque* animum nunc huc celerem nunc diuidit illuc (utque; atque is found in the app. crit of the 1999 Loeb, page 441)

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Relevance

As the author states, "Unlike standard commentaries, which principally aim at explicating difficulties and providing answers or solutions to questions or problems in the text, this textbook tries first and foremost to stimulate critical engagement with Virgil’s poetry" (2). The work fits in well with existing resources on this section of the Aeneid references a wide range of other studies on the topics covered here, which are listed in a bibliography organized by resource type.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clearly written. It assumes a level familiarity with Latin vocabulary appropriate for students who would be ready to read the Aeneid. Students should be comfortable with using a dictionary as the text does not include a vocabulary list.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent with the structure laid out in the Preface and in the terms and line numbers used to discuss the text.

Modularity rating: 5

There are clear divisions in the text with sections for the Latin itself, the essays and other supplementary materials. Some flipping between text and commentary will be necessary, as usual with these types of editions, but students could print sections of the Latin and keep the commentary open on their screen.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is well-organized, and its structure is laid out in the Preface and Table of Contents.

Interface rating: 5

The interface works well and looks clean.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This reader does not detect any grammatical issues in the English or the Latin

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This reader does not find any cultural insensitivity in the text. Rather, the author attempts to place the work in its cultural context with discussions of religion, history, etc. Note also that the Latin text ends before the suicide of Dido, which is sometimes triggering to students who have experience with self-harm themselves or in their close relationships.

Comments

This reader felt disappointed when the text broke off just before Dido dramatically confronts Aeneas; however, everyone has their favorite passages, and the text could easily be supplemented with the instructor’s favorite bits, for instance in a sight-reading exercise or independent project/presentation.

Reviewed by Tina-Marie Ranalli, Instructor of Modern Languages, Rhode Island College on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Professor Gildenhard's edition is exceptionally comprehensive. It features a wide range of ancillary materials for her core student audience. Moreover, she " [has] also cited other commentators and scholars more extensively than is common practice in the genre of the commentary." The materials are geared both for those with a knowledge of Latin and those without.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is absolutely accurate, error-free, and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Professor Gildenhard's book is extremely useful now and will remain so as an essential student textbook on Book 4 of Virgil's _Aeneid_.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in remarkably clear prose that students will easily understand.

Consistency rating: 5

This text is internally consistent in all respects.

Modularity rating: 5

Different aspects of approaching the text are separated into distinct, useful sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is highly organized in a logical and useful manner. Professor Gildenhard also clearly explains the book's organization in the preface.

Interface rating: 5

The text does not have any interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The grammar of this textbook is impeccable.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This text is not at all culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

Comments

This text is highly recommended for students and all other non-specialists of Virgil.