Poets in a Landscape [Paperback]

Gilbert Highet was a legendary teacher at Columbia University, admired both for his scholarship and his charisma as a lecturer. Poets in a Landscape is his delightful exploration of Latin literature and the Italian landscape. As Highet writes in his introduction, “I have endeavored to recall some of the greatest Roman poets by describing the places were they lived, recreating their characters and evoking the essence of their work.” The poets are Catullus, Vergil, Propertius, Horace, Tibullus, Ovid, and Juvenal. Highet brings them life, setting them in their historical context and locating them in the physical world, while also offering crisp modern translations of the poets’ finest work. The result is an entirely sui generis amalgam of travel writing, biography, criticism, and pure poetry—altogether an unexcelled introduction to the world of the classics.

The first celebrity Classicist, a truly extraordinary teacher and scholar. —Robert J. Ball, Antigone Journal

“A guidebook to present-day Italian scenes and an introduction to seven of the great Latin poets, whom we meet on their own grounds…the places and people we meet on this very special trip make this extremely attractive for all who love the beauties of nature and at the same time like to remind themselves of the great works of men and the glories of past civilizations.” –Paul Jordan Smith, Los Angeles Times

 

“A walk back in time to a Roman Italy of 2,000 and the lives of seven Latin poets.” –Jacob Deschin, The New York Times

 

“...this book has established itself as a minor classic, or quite simply as a classic…The writing is sensitive and notably intelligent, backed uplӹ