Author: Pantheon Poets

The proud rider

Posted on

In this, the only poem that Horace (or any other Latin poet) ever wrote in the unusual metre of ionicus a minore, a young girl is distracted from her spinning and weaving by a handsome horseman who embodies all the martial skills and values that Augustus was keen to encourage in the Romans of his time. She (or is it Horace?) compares him to Bellerophon, the mythical rider who tamed Pegasus, the winged horse. The illustration is a Roman mosaic discovered in Autun.

Hear Horace’s Latin and follow in English here.

The snows are fled away

Posted on

A E Housman was a professor of Latin as well as a famous poet of the life of the English countryside. Because of these twin talents, his translation of Horace’s “Diffugere nives” (Ode 4.7) captures its sentiment and mood perfectly although he uses English poetic techniques and convention which could hardly be more different than those of Latin poetry. All the more reason to encounter Latin poetry in the original, with a reading and a translation, at Pantheon Poets.

In the illustration, Theseus and Pirithous, whose legendary friendship is referred to at the end of the poem, rid the land of robbers and liberate abducted women.

See and hear Horace’s original alongside Housman’s translation here.

The storm of the century!

Posted on

In a tremendous tour-de-force, Virgil describes an incredibly powerful storm at sea as Aeneas and his men fight for survival.

Hear Virgil’s powerful Latin recited and follow in a new English translation here.

Photograph of Roman Mosaic in the Musée de Sousse by Habib M’Henni.

The tide turns

Posted on

The tide of battle turns against Aeneas and his men as their Greek disguise backfires and their attempt to rescue princess Cassandra fails.

Hear Virgil’s Latin and follow in English here; see the illustrated blog post here.

Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.