Written by eminent scholar David O. Ross, this guide helps readers to engage with the poetry, thought, and background of Virgil's great epic, suggesting both the depth and the beauty of Virgil's poetic images and the mental images with which the Romans lived. * Guides readers through the complexity of Virgil's poetic style and imagery * All extracts are translated, with original Latin given when necessary * Provides useful historical and social context in which to understand the poem as it was viewed in its time * Includes short introductions to important topics such as Roman religion and the Roman concept of 'character' * Features a helpful appendix which clarifies how to read and hear the poem's Latin hexameter