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The Georgics

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The Georgics

By: Virgil
Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
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Virgil's Georgics ranks as one of the most precious pastoral poems ever written, and it has served as a model for its type ever since. Georgics means "of or relating to agriculture or rural life" and it comes from the Greek word "georgicus". Virgil's main theme in this, his second great work after The Eclogues, was the importance of peace both in the spiritual and physical sense. One arrives at this peace through embracing the hard life of the farmer and also coming to an understanding of one's place in the universe.

Virgil used the Greek poet Hesiod as his guide for describing why the cheerful acceptance of laboring on a farm was salutary. (Hesiod's Works and Days is an attempt by the poet to explain to an estranged brother why his work on the family farm would make him a better person.)

As for an understanding of one's place in the universe, Virgil used as his model the Epicurean philosophy in the poetry of his fellow Roman, Lucretius. But although Virgil absorbed the incredible poetry of both Hesiod and Lucretius, he did not copy them. His work is entirely his own. The Georgics is an amazing synthesis of the scientific and the spiritual, which continues to amaze us to this day.

This great poem is organized into four parts, or books. Its ostensible subject is farming and the correct seasons for the various chores of the farmer: the cultivation of vines and the planting of trees, farm animals and their diseases, and, finally, how to care for bees. Though Virgil claims that his aim is to teach, the real result is to inspire us with the genius of his poetic ability.

©2007 Audio Connoisseur (P)2007 Audio Connoisseur Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Classics Collections Literary History & Criticism Poetry Flower Farming

Critic reviews

"The best poem of the best poet." (John Dryden)
"The most accomplished work of poetry." (Michel de Montaigne)

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What made the experience of listening to The Georgics the most enjoyable?

A great opening essay will set this version apart. There are also the musical intros and the amazing voice of the narrator. I could listen to this once a week and not get tired of it.

Awesome!

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This isn't on a par with his Aeneid, but for those interested in hard-to-find classics audiobooks, Virgil's Georgics is a must. Narrator Charlton Griffin is always a pleasure to hear.

For classics junkies!

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The Audio Connoisseur series are of exceptional quality, and Charlton Griffin has the perfect voice for reading the classics. The roman music between the books, along with the critical introduction, make for an informative and entertaining listen. I listen to this edition once every year. It was well worth the money.

Pulchritudinous

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I loved this audiobook. My only criticism of most Audio Connoisseur audiobooks is that they never, ever inform who the translator was. So here it is, on the title: Smith Palmer Bovie (1956)

Translation by Smith Palmer Bovie (1956)

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