Virgil's affectionate poem of the land brings us the disappointments as well as the rewards of the countryman's year-round devotion to his crops, his vines and olives, livestock great and small, and the complex society of his bees. Part agricultural manual, part political poem and allegory, The Georgics' scenes are real and vivid, allowing the reader to feel the sights, sounds, and textures of the ancient Italian landscape. This lauded new translation has been written by Peter Fallon, who, as a farmer and a poet, is uniquely suited to the task. It is coupled here with an introduction and notes by the classical scholar Elaine Fantham. Fantham's introduction considers Virgil's life and poetry in its historical context, while her notes gloss the many classical and mythological allusions.
