I know I’ve said it before, but I am so glad to had read Homer first. I did not know how foundational that would be for near constant nods and allusions to his work in Plato and now Virgil. I would be seriously and gravely lost without that story in my recent experience.

The Aeneid is beautiful work. The descriptions and poetic beauty of the writing is a pleasure to read. I’m telling you girls…reading this quality of prose puts most contemporary work to shame. Yesterday I picked up a new medieval fiction book by a well-known author and flipped through the pages, reading snippets here and there. I almost laughed out loud at how poorly it sounded, in contrast to my recent reading. It is like comparing to jelly beans to organic, bittersweet dark chocolate. The former tastes all right if it is all you have, but the sickly sugary taste will eventually grow unappetizing.

I hope to finish it today; I am on Book 10 of 12. It may be my favorite read off my list so far. And a fun fact: Virgil did not consider the Aeneid to be finished. He still felt it was in a rough draft form when he died. He had left orders for it to be destroyed but Caesar overruled. I’m glad. :)