Literature Atlas

How Stories Are Told
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Work

The Aeneid

Poetry

A Latin epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who fled the fall of Troy and traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Composed, From (Year)
from 29 BCE 1
Composed, To (Year)
to 19 BCE 1
Virgil died in 19 BC leaving the poem unfinished.
Classification
Original Language
English 1
Connections

Authored By

Virgil, Authors
Source Wikipedia: The Aeneid

In Genre

Epic, Genres
Source Wikipedia: The Aeneid

Influenced By

The Iliad, Works
Source Wikipedia: The Aeneid
The Odyssey, Works
Source Wikipedia: The Aeneid
Sources
1. Wikipedia: The Aeneid
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Written by the Roman poet Virgil between 29 and 19 BC
  • Reception section
    Virgil died in 19 BC
  • Authored By: Virgil
  • Influenced By: The Iliad, Story section
    reflecting Virgil's ambition to rival Homer by treating both the Odyssey's wandering theme and the Iliad's warfare themes
  • Influenced By: The Odyssey, Story section
    reflecting Virgil's ambition to rival Homer by treating both the Odyssey's wandering theme and the Iliad's warfare themes
View the Source
Frequently Asked Questions

Did Virgil finish the Aeneid before he died?

No. The Aeneid was unfinished when Virgil died in 19 BC.

Virgil wrote the Aeneid between 29 and 19 BC. The poem was still unfinished when he died in 19 BC, and Augustus ordered its publication with as few editorial changes as possible despite Virgil's own wish that the manuscript be burned.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.