Excellent Access to the Aeneid

Fitzgerald translates the Aeneid beautifully, staying true to the poetry and language of the Latin original. Unlike other translations, this poetic rendition avoids being stodgy and boring. As much as possible Fitzgerald uses direct Latin derivatives to render the meaning of the line, and strays for the main reason of the poetry. No English translation can bring out the meter of the Latin, but Fitzgerald does bring out the poetry within the lines. The language is clear and the epic remains in English as beautiful as it is in Latin.
The Aeneid itself recounts the story of Aeneas, the founder of rome. After fleeing his home during the destruction of Troy, Aeneas must take his son to the Italian peninsula where he will eventually create Rome. Aeneas represents an ideal Roman citizen with his ability to cast aside personal happiness for the good of the state and his son. Through his trials on sea and his delays on land Aeneas proves his strength and worth , remaining an exemplary leader and father.
However admirable Aeneas can be, Vergil shows his abilities in war, shocking the reader and showing the two-fold nature of a good leader. Aeneas is not all goodness and benevolence, he is also a fierce and unforgiving warrior.
In the end, one must keep in mind that the Aeneid was written to bring back traditional Roman values in a man. In this way the moderate and stable Aeneas represents what people should strive to recreate in themselves during the decline of the Roman empire. One must also remember that the Aeneid was also commissioned by Caesar to link the Julian family line to the gods. So Aeneas' divine birth, leading to Ascanius' divine lineage can be traced all the way down to the Caesars who ruled Rome for decades.
All in all the Aeneid is an excellent epic with a hero to look up to. And if the Latin is inaccessible to you, the Fitzgerald translation is the best way to access both the language and poetry of the story.