Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

Volume 8 A Collection of Essays Presented at the Joint Meeting of The Eighth Frances White Ewbank Colloquium on C.S. Lewis & Friends Article 10 and The C.S. Lewis & The Inklings Society Conference

5-31-2012

Further Responses to Lewis's 'Lost '

Richard James

Follow this and additional works at: https://pillars.taylor.edu/inklings_forever

Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, History Commons, Philosophy Commons, and the Religion Commons

Recommended Citation James, Richard (2012) "Further Responses to Lewis's 'Lost Aeneid'," Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016: Vol. 8 , Article 10. Available at: https://pillars.taylor.edu/inklings_forever/vol8/iss1/10

This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for the Study of C.S. Lewis & Friends at Pillars at Taylor University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016 by an authorized editor of Pillars at Taylor University. For more information, please contact [email protected].

INKLINGS FOREVER, Volume VIII A Collection of Essays Presented at the Joint Meeting of

The Eighth FRANCES WHITE EWBANK COLLOQUIUM ON C.S. LEWIS & FRIENDS and

THE C.S. LEWIS AND THE INKLINGS SOCIETY CONFERENCE Taylor University 2012 Upland, Indiana

Further Responses to Lewis’s ‘Lost Aeneid’

Richard James

James, Richard. “Further Responses to Lewis’s ‘Lost Aeneid’.” Inklings Forever 8 (2012) www.taylor.edu/cslewis

1

Further Responses to Lewis’s ‘Lost Aeneid’

Richard James

For almost fifty years, since his death Let me begin with a disclaimer in 1963, C.S. Lewis, Lazarus-like, has similar to one that C.S. Lewis shared continued through his literary executors about not being a student of Hebrew at to come forth from his literary grave, the beginning of his book, Reflections on providing an almost unending, vast the Psalms (1958): 1-2. When it comes to landscape of multimedia productions classical Latin poetry, I am an amateur. I from multi-volume collections of personal am neither a classicist nor a literary critic. letters and anthologies of poems and I am a history major with a course of essays to four major Hollywood film study in European and American history productions; from miscellaneous small that then went on to seminary to be action figures and early reader literacy trained for the ministry in a mainline booklets connected to the Narnian movies Protestant Church. So, even while I have to highly technical on-stage renditions of over the last 40 years read much by and the demonic Screwtape and the verbally about C.S. Lewis and written other papers combative, but highly successful off- on his life and work, on the subject of Broadway drama, Freud’s Last Session. Lewis translating ’s Aeneid from But beyond all of these highly visible Latin into English, I am an amateur projects, this paper will provide some sharing my research with other amateurs, reflections on what is yet another more but with the hope that possibly some recent and more substantial Lazarus-like professionals in this field may also benefit Lewis project: C.S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid (ed. from it, especially as it relates to the A.T. Reyes, New Haven: Yale University annotations in his personal copy of the Press, 2011). For here in this book is a Aeneid. translation both immensely personal to Well, as a student of history and a Lewis and also potentially a significant reader of all things Lewis, I love to do scholarly contribution to the instruction research and a few years back, while and understanding of one of the world’s working on a Lewis project at the Wade great epics. This presentation shall Center at Wheaton College, I asked about provide insights gathered from a study of a book that I thought was available at the Lewis’s own annotations in his personal Wade Center as part of their collection of library copy of The Works of Virgil, and Lewis’s personal library that had his make a brief review of the many annotations in it. It could have been published responses to the recently Augustine’s Confessions or Otto’s The Idea published Lewis’s translation, and in of the Holy or maybe Law’s A Serious Call closing will note several places where to a Devout and Holy Life, but I’m not sure Virgil is mentioned in the Lewis corpus – which one. Anyway, I discovered that the pointing to possible further study.

2 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

book I wanted was not at Wheaton, but I completed my original project and somewhere else. presented it at the 2010 C.S. Lewis and To my surprise I learned that the Friends Conference at Taylor University book I was looking for was in the Wilson as “Guidelines for Spiritual Reading from Special Collections Library at the C.S. Lewis” and over the next year began University of North Carolina in Chapel to investigate in more depth some of the Hill. Walter Hooper, a 1953 alumnus of specific suggestions Lewis had made. In UNC, had donated a collection of books the midst of this further research from C.S. Lewis’s personal library to the announcements appeared in the early Rare Book Collection there. Plus, there is spring of 2011 about an upcoming also a collection in this library of letters publication of Lewis’s translation of the he himself had received from Lewis, his Aeneid, edited by A.T. Reyes and brother, some of the Inklings and others published by Yale University Press. I associated with Lewis from the period of looked forward to receiving my own copy 1940 through 1980. So, when I eventually and enjoyed reading it when it arrived did attend a C.S. Lewis conference in that some time in May. area in 2007, I made time before the But along with this joy I also had conference to visit Chapel Hill for a few some concerns that arose as well and, days to do some research in their Rare being the amateur that I am in Latin Book Collection. poetry and its criticism, I did not quite Yes, I found the book I had first been know how to share my concerns or what looking for at Wheaton and took notes to do with them. For while the and made some digital copies for further introduction by A.T. Reyes was superb in archival research. But one serendipity of so many ways - especially in its overview my finding that book was also discovering of the significant place that Virgil had in that the Wilson Library also owned Lewis’s life and works, there also seemed Lewis’s personal copy of The Works of to be some additional items which could Virgil (ed. F.A. Hirtzel, Oxford: Clarendon have been part of his analysis, but were Press, 1900). Since from my previous missing. One major hint came from a research I knew that in 1962 Lewis had statement made late in the introduction. listed Virgil’s Aeneid on his top ten most The editor wrote, “It is likely that Lewis influential booklist [The Christian Century used the Latin of F.A. Hirtzel’s Oxford (June 6, 1962)] and that I would probably edition” (30), noting that edition had been not be back that way any time soon, I Lewis’s source text for a quotation in a requested this book. I quickly made some 1953 letter from Lewis to his publisher archival photos of a few pages for future Geoffrey Bles (C.S. Lewis Collected Letters: reference for when I returned home and Volume III, ed. Walter Hooper. London: went on to complete my planned HarperCollins, 2006: 307-08). I knew research. Just this brief glance showed from my own research that there was me that Lewis had made not only the more than a “likely” probability; it was typical marginal annotations and indeed a fact that the Hirtzel edition of underlinings found in most annotated 1900 was the personal copy of the text books, he had also drawn his own maps that he read repeatedly over a period of at on the front and back end pages to follow least 41 years. ’s travels and given his own Now, before I get into my summary arguments at the beginning of unpublished Lewis material, I just wanted each book. Plus, on the last page of the to let you know that I was given text he recorded the dates when he had permission by the Lewis Literary Estate read the Aeneid. to use copies of the materials I researched in Chapel Hill for this presentation and for

3 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

their publication in Inklings Forever. I may I:434). Lewis then records his re-readings own my notes, but the book they came on March 6, 1932; January 29, 1936; from is owned by UNC and the Lewis August 1942; December 26, 1946; Estate owns the annotations that he made February 22, 1951; July 1952; September in those books and they are unpublished 1956; September 1958; and September and still under copyright, and I don’t have 1960. the legal authority to give others the Early in his introduction, the Lost permission to use this material. I have Aeneid editor lists only four places where shared with you a copy of my Lewis in his letters had mentioned a full transcriptions, but any further use must re-reading of the Aeneid (6) and two of be approved by the Lewis Literary Estate. these were for the same reading (see CSL Turning the reader’s attention to this Ltrs I: 490 & CSL Ltrs II: 61, 750, 754). A personal library copy of The Works of comparison chart though between these Virgil as it is titled in English on its spine, four and the ten listed in Lewis’s personal one also sees the year, 1920, engraved on copy adds up to a total known reading of that spine. For a book its age that had 11 times. Plus, even more noteworthy, been annotated and read several times, it this comparison chart demonstrates that still seemed to be in good condition. Jack had read the Aeneid in Latin at least 9 Opening the front cover reveals on the times in the 28 years, starting in 1932, front endpaper Lewis’s map of the just shortly after he became a Christian in voyages of Aeneas and his visit to the September, 1931. world below in Books I-VI. The front free Continuing into the actual text in end page next to this map also has his Lewis’s personal copy of the Aeneid, the signature, “C.S. Lewis”, on it. Turning to reader will notice as stated earlier three the back end page a second map is drawn types of annotations. There is first a short to show the places where Aeneas and his and simple statement written at the Trojans fought in Italy in Books VII-XII. beginning of each book which But, of all the non-text annotations summarized for him the argument of that Lewis made in this book, the most book. This was the custom of some significant is a written list of the dates of authors to give a synopsis of the chapter when he had read it through to the end. or book to assist the reader. Sometimes Surprised by Joy (1955), his auto- this was done in the table of contents, but biography, mentions his early reading of many times it is found at the beginning of Virgil while at Cherbourg School (Ch IV, each individual book section. For instance par 9) and at Malvern College (Ch VII, par Milton did this with Paradise Lost, Dryden 7), and while he was studying with with his translation of the Aeneid, and Kirkpatrick, a 1915 letter to his father Dante with The Divine Comedy. requests that he purchase a copy of Lewis’s second type of annotation is Aeneid VII & VIII for him (CSL Ltrs I: 112). the underlining of Latin words within the But these were all partial readings. text with either an alternative Latin His completion list is on the last page synonym or an English word written in of text just under lines 948-52 of Book XII. the margin next to that line. Over the There he writes that he had first read this twelve individual books Lewis has edition of the Aeneid through during his underlined 90 Latin words or phrases, first year back at Oxford, finishing it on averaging 7.5 underlinings per book; September 20, 1919 when he was almost though one actually has none underlined 21. He had written to Arthur Greeves on (Book II). At least seven books have 6 February 16, 1919 telling him that during underlined words. Books I, III, and V have this first period of study that he would only 1 underlined Latin word in them. All have to read all of Virgil’s works (CSL Ltrs of the others have at least 3 words

4 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

underlined, with the most words Wooden Horse: wherein his own deeds underlined in Book VII. In it he and suffering and the last labor of the city underlined 24 words. are narrated and how, mortality lifted A third type of annotation that Lewis from his eyes, he saw what dreadful faces uses somewhat more sparingly with a and adverse powers were set against total of ten is the annotated footnote. No Priam. book has more than three: these being Books IV and VI. Books I, II, V, X. XI and Book III: The Argument – Troy fallen, XII have none while Books III, VII, VIII and Aeneas takes ship thence and would rest IX have one. The footnotes vary in length in many lands but always is driven out by with one having six individual lines (Book ill omens. His meeting with Andromache VI), but another in the same book has and what state he found her in. The only two words. One of his footnotes is in Harpies and Polypheme: which told, Greek (Book IV), another refers the Aeneas ends his story. reader back to Virgil’s Eclogues (Book III) and in one Lewis quotes Cicero (Book IX). III. 92: cortina – tripodic caldron In the following transcriptions I have III. 428: Delphinum caudas utero left the British use of –our and the commissa luporum. 1 hyphens Lewis used at the end of a line to 1 For syntax of Ec. III.106 inscripti split a word, all underlinings, all nomina, (“Wolf’s belly linked to misspellings and any other errors intact dolphin’s tail. Conington. “With a as written. The first lines of the dolphin’s tail set in the belly of a arguments in Books II and IV were very wolf.” Papillon & Haigh). difficult to transcribe since the top of the page in both books had been trimmed Book IV: The Argument –The queen, now after these arguments had been written. I [------] more with the love of Aeneas, have used question marks (?) in Book IV detains him at Carthage: where he was where this top line was partially illegible. even now about to make his city when In Book X the * symbol means that this Jove command-ed him to follow his fates, line was overwritten. Where several which, though loth, he obeyed. The poet underlinings were in one book (i.e. Book relates the words and passions of the VII), I have listed them across the page queen until her miserable death. separated by a semi-colon instead of IV. 6: lustrabat – traverse; IV. 54: listing each one on an individual line. As impenso – prodigal; IV. 121: indagine – stated above all of the following extracts tracking by C.S. Lewis © copyright CS Lewis Pte IV. 121: dum trepidant alae 1 saltusque Ltd. indagine cingunt, 1 The mounted huntsmen on the Book I: The Argument - “Flying from Troy wings of the party or beaten or and cast upon the shores of Libya by a feathers used for scaring the game? storm which Juno stirred up, Aeneas is IV. 126: propriamque – permanent; IV. honorably received by the queen of the 131: plagae – snares land: but Venus, fearing some treason, IV. 178-179: illam Terra parens ira inspires her with a love for him.” inritata deorum 1 exremam, ut perhibent, Coeo I. 698: sponda – toro Enceladoque 2 sororem 1 oia paroithen choomene Dii Book II: The Argument – Aeneas, in an tikten (sc. gaia). Apols. Rh. II. 40. episode, is interrogated about how Troy was taken by the stratagem of the

5 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

2 C. a Titan, and E. a giant; this c. Because all dreams before confusion is common. midnight are fakes: ∴ only the ivory IV. 605: foros – lanes gate is open before midnight as it is then that A. emerges. Book V: The Argument –driven by d. Because V. does not claim that his contrary winds Aeneas takes refuge in account of Hades is true Trinacria and holds games to the memory e. Because this world is only a of his father, wherein a race of ships and dream and A. himself became of runners, a fight with the fists and [mad?] on re-entering it. shooting with bows are all illustrated. Thereafter with the burning of the ships Book VII: The Argument: - Aeneas in by the women, at Juno’s instance, the Hesperia the Trojans seek peace of Book closes. , which had been perfected but that Juno raised up a fiend to enter into V. 682: stuppa – flax Amata and especially into , which being done, the accident of Silvia’s stag Book VI: The Argument: - Consultation straightway gave the occasion of war. had with the prophetess, Aeneas, by the golden bough, is suffered to descend into VII. 28: tonsae – blades; VII. 67: examen Avernus: its fashion and habitants – swarm; VII. 109: adorea – spelt; VII. described the river Lethe and what 158: moliturque – piles high; VII. 159: souls resort thither are to him illustrated pinnis – bastions; VII. 188: trabea – pall; by Anchises who further shews him VII. 210: solio – throne; VII. 352: taenia certain of his descendents then waiting to – band; VII. 440: situ – the rust (of old); be born. VII. 506: obusto – hardened in the fire; VII. 507: stipitis – stake; VII. 508: VI. 209: brattea – its “plates” of gold; VI. rimanti – as he searched; VII. 590: inlisa 411: iuga – benches; VI. 416: ulva – – dashed against it; VII. 609: vectes – sedge bolts; VII. 627: arvina – grease; VII. 629: VI. 586 - dum 1 flammam Iovis et sonitus incudibus – anvils; VII. 632: salignas – imitatur Olympi. willow; VII. 634: ocreas – grieves; VII. 1 There is an attractive theory that his 637: tessera – tablet (= the fiery cross); punishment consists in endlessly VII. 664: dolones – pike staff; VII. 665: repeating his sin. But it may mean veruque – spit > dart that the S. can [have] him blasted in VII. 690: Instituere pedis, crudus tegit flagrante, at the moment of the sin. altera pero. 1 VI. 895-898: 1 Boot of raw hide. altera candenti perfecta 1 nitens VII. 730: aclydes – javelins; VII. 732: elephanto caetra – target; VII. 805: colo calathisve sed falsa ad caelum mittunt insomnia – distaff basket Manes his ibi tum natum Anchises unaque Book VIII: The Argument: - Aeneas Sibyllam admonished by the god Tiber in a dream, prosequitur dictis portaque emittit journies up the river to Evandrus the eburna 2 Arcadian king, seeking alliance: which 1 Perhaps = perfecte granted, follows the king’s story of Cacus 2 a. Because he is not an umbra, and Vulcan’s forging of armour. ∴ not a vera umbra (v. 898) b. Because he is not an insomnium VIII. 22: labris – basins; VIII. 177: villosi ∴ not a true somnium. – shaggy; VIII. 178: acerno – of maple

6 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

wood; VIII. 233: silex – spire of rock; VIII. 284: lancibus – dishes; VIII. 391: X. 5: tectis bipatentibus – the double corusco – quivering; VIII. 529: sudum – flanged doors were closed; X. 110: clear (sky or weather); VIII. 645: vepres exorsa – coopta; X. 154: tum libera fati – – thorny brakes; VIII. 660: virgatis – fatis; X. 169: gorytique – quivers; X. 187: striped; VIII. 660: sagulis – cloaks olorinae – swan’s; X. 211: pristim – VIII. 662: gaesa 1 manu, scutis protecti whale; X. 220: Cybebe – Cybebe corpora longis. (Kubhbh alternative form); X. 318: clava 1 Long, heavy gallic javelins – with his club; X. 404: arva – ; X. 536: VIII. 664: pilentis – chariots; VIII. 685: capulo – The hilts; X. 545: Dardanides – ope barbarica – Ennius; VIII. 696: sistro s.c. [the Trojan] Aeneas; X. 589: inguen – – timbrel the groin; X. 653: crepidine – scaur [precipitous bank, cliff]; X. 894: cernuus Book IX: The Argument: - Turnus, having – face downwards understood by a vision the departure of Aeneas, falls upon the camp, but, being Book XI: The Argument: - a truce was beaten off at the first assault, surrounds it made for burying of the dead And Aeneas with his battalions: this whom Nisus and sent back the body of Pallas to the Euryalus, wishing to bring tidings to Aracdian king: meanwhile, Diomede Aeneas, make way, but are after slain. On having rejected his elders, Latinus calls a the next day the Trojans are hard pressed counsil of his peers, wherein, many by Turnus. diversely persuading, Turnus and Drances were proceeding to anger when IX. 21: palantisque polo stellas 1 sequor news of Aeneas already at the gates broke omina tanta, off their consultation. Then follow the 1 This was apparently a recognized excellent deeds and death of . portent. (Caelum discessisse visum esset atque in eo animadversi globi. XI. 157: rudimenta – initiation; XI. 473: Cic. De Div. 1.43) praefodiunt – entrench; XI. 473: IX. 60: caulas – variant for ovilia [a sudesque – stakes; XI. 554: libro – bark; sheepfold]; IX. 238: bivio – crossways; XI. 554: subere – cork rind; XI. 682: IX. 255: actutum – presently; IX. 320: sparus – a boar-spear; XI. 788: pruna – limite – path; IX. 382: sentes – briars; IX. coals of fire 476: pensa – [alloted] skein; IX. 582: ferrugine – russet; IX. 616: manicas – Book XII: The Argument: Warning given to manches (?) [arm guard] Latinus and the Trojans, Turnus comes IX. 616: redimicula – frontlets; IX. 641: forth to a monomachie with Aeneas: but macte – bravo!; IX. 651: sonoribus – when they were about to meet, a treason noun: “house of sound”; IX. 701: was wrought by the device of Juno, pulmone – lung; IX. 705: phalarica – whence the battle is revnewed: wherein fireball; IX. 711: pila – pile after great slaughter Aeneas over reaches Turnus by the gates and slays him. There Book X: The Argument: - After a great the poem concludes.

consult in Heaven the war takes its XII. 120: limo – sacred veil; XII. 120: course: wherein Aeneas, now returned by verbena – branches; XII. 364: sternacis – sea, performs excellent deeds, but Pallas thrower of his lord; XII. 413: caulem – ************** is slain by Turnus: whom stalk; XII. 672: tabulata – many-lofted; Juno converys privily by ship to his father. XII. 673: vertex – flame Then follow the deaths of Lausus and Mesentius.

7 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

Having presented Lewis’s personal 4. What do you think Lewis found so annotations and hoping that they may compelling about the Aeneid? 1) some day be used in a future textual “the tragedy of the Aeneid, with its apparatus of his partial translation of the stark examination of war and its Aeneid, it seemed appropriate to consider costliness” [see CSL Ltrs II: 750]; some personal comments by the editor, 2)“Lewis also identified with A.T. Reyes, on his role in the publishing of Aeneas… an autobiographical this first edition and some of his thoughts fragment of his poetry makes the on Lewis and his work. What follows is an explicit comparison between adaptation and abridgement of five himself and Aeneas” [see CSL Ltrs questions to and responses from Reyes II: 77-78]; 3)”His translation of the when he was interviewed by Jason Fisher Aeneid is an attempt to bring for Mythprint (May 2011: 4-5), shortly translation of this work back within after C.S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid was a Medieval tradition” [see Lewis’s published. Hopefully my own editing comments on “the real affinity allows the spirit of what was asked and between the ancient and medieval their answers to clarify some important world” in OHEL III: 84ff] factors in related to the Lost Aeneid. I have 5. What new appreciation can put my version of Fisher’s questions in readers of both Lewis and the Aeneid italics. Some of this writer’s suggestions find in C.S. Lewis’s ‘Lost Aeneid’? and comments follow some answers in “C.S. Lewis’s text reads very well as brackets. English poetry, but remains exact in 1. How did he first come to be its translation of the Latin. The connected with the Lewis corpus? “I attempt to set the Aeneid squarely had previously helped Walter to within a medieval tradition, using identity some of the quotations in Alexandrine couplets, renders this C.S. Lewis’s letters.” [see prefaces to translation unique.” CSL Ltrs I: xi, II: xvii, & III: xvii] On the YaleBooks Blog (March 4, 2. Is it possible to determine anything 2011), just before the book was of Lewis’s process of translation published, Reyes also shared about an from the manuscript? “Because the interesting discovery he made as he manuscript is probably a fair copy, began working on editing Lewis’s it is difficult to deduce anything translation, about Lewis’s method of “Over the next 2 years, I read all of translation….He probably Lewis’s published work, as well as translated those sections which all of his papers stored in Oxford interested him in particular.” University’s Bodleian Library. [meaning primarily, but not only, Eventually, I realized that when, in I, II and VI] Aeneid his academic writing, Lewis quoted 3. Did Lewis include commentary on from the Aeneid in English, he often lines or passages? “There is no used metrical lines, each of twelve accompanying commentary” [But syllables. Since his translation also see the dozens of annotations and used twelve-syllable lines, it was underlinings taken from his easy to conclude that, when quoting personal copy at the Wilson Library from Virgil, Lewis was quoting at UNC on which he based his himself. He had translated Virgil’s translation] lines into verse, intending these to fit into a larger whole.” (YaleBooks

8 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

Blog (March 4, 2011),“Discovering humanism…I will never be able to look C.S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid”) at Lewis in the same way again. From the earliest part of his intellectual Next, our presentation considers a awakening to his very deathbed, compilation of remarks from some of the Lewis was enrapt by the .” many published responses to Reyes, his Aeneid introduction and the Lewis translation he 3. David Bratman in Mythprint (January edited. These selected comments come 2012): “What interests me is its from a diverse group of reviewers: provenance and the peculiar mysteries several like Bratman, Como, Downing, that hang around it…I do not recall Fisher, Guite, Svendsen, Vaus and West that Hooper had ever mentioned it in have either written books and essays on any of his works on Lewis…If the Lewis or have close connections to groups bonfire story is true, then what’s ‘lost’ or periodicals that discuss his writings got to do with it?...It’s not a lost Aeneid and ideas. Others like Carter, Pesta, Sharp, but a hidden Aeneid….Why did Lewis and Wilson have no previous Lewis make a fair copy of a work in such an connection and are published in secular incomplete state?” print publications, while there are also 4. James Como in The New Criterion Catholic, Evangelical Protestant and (September 2011): “Reyes’ Mainstream Protestant religious introduction lays out what there is of publications who have reviewed Lewis’s Lewis’s engagement with the Aeneid translation. Ruden, who did her review in and with Virgil (vocations and their Books & Culture is herself a recent and price looming large), his religious highly acclaimed translator of all twelve importance to Lewis, and Lewis on books of the Aeneid and brings a definite translation…the actual book affords us scholarly vantage, as does Mackenzie in a glimpse of how one rich, enormously the University of Glasgow periodical, sympathetic, and religion-charged Translation and Literature. The selected literary imagination engaged another, reviews show both positive and negative religion-charged, though greater, responses; plus, one even questions the literary imagination; that, and it provenance of the manuscript. But overall recovers for us a well-spring of Lewis’ there is general appreciation for the work imagination and spirit.” that Reyes did and for Lewis’s translation. 5. David Downing in C.S. Lewis Blog The compilation is in the alphabetical (April 27, 2011): “C.S. Lewis’s Lost order of the names of the reviewers. Aeneid introduces a side of Lewis that many readers don’t know – the 1. Publisher’s Weekly (May 2011): “the sophisticated classicist and talented narrative is seamlessly bolstered by translator…Reyes offers a thorough editor Reyes….Reyes underscores and masterly introduction, explaining Lewis’s veneration for Virgil’s Aeneid”. Lewis’s lifelong fascination with the 2. Brad Birzer in The American Aeneid… [and] shows that the Aeneid Conservative (July 21, 2011): “Reyes’s was never very far from Lewis’s book is deep rather than broad…a fine mind…This newly-released translation job explaining the text…provides an certainly seems to show its influence index of every reference to the Aeneid on his own imagination. One could throughout Lewis’s corpus….Lost even argue that Lewis’s attempts to Aeneid forces one to reevaluate the render that difficult Latin rhythm role of Virgil’s poetic and intellectual () into English pull not only on Lewis but by helped him forge the melodic prose extension on 20th century Christian

9 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

that is such a hallmark of all the adventurous ‘take’ on its original…It is Chronicles [of Narnia].” clearly designed to be read aloud…For 6. Anthony Esolen in University Lewis Virgil was a poet who could both Bookman (Fall 2011): “What Lewis celebrate the beauty and majesty of does for us.… is to show us something life in this world and at the same time of the beauty and the complexity of keep the soul attuned to longing, Virgil’s poem…[he] entered deeply into kindle its desire, for the ‘ever-receding the poetic ambience of the Aeneid, its shore’, for the land we long for.” mysterious literary mood, and… he did 9. Juliette Harrisson on Pop Classics” his best to reveal the very strangeness (April 22, 2011): “the poem read of Virgil in an English meter, beautifully, but probably should not be alexandrine couplets, that is itself used by undergraduates studying strange and haunting. For that we Virgil in translation, as it is not quite should be grateful.” literal enough…Luckily, the surviving 7. Jason Fisher in Mythprint (May material includes some of the most 2011): “In this nimble rendition of interesting sections from Book parts of Virgil’s Aeneid, C.S. Lewis has 6…Unluckily, the translation of Book 2 managed to achieve both fidelity and runs out just as it gets to the really beauty to a remarkable degree….[In exciting bit….Reyes has made one the preface Ross points out that] Lewis decision I did not agree with….He has ‘is less bound to reproduce every Latin used the most recent edition of the word, but he hits off what is striking Latin, not the older edition Lewis and important…In every respect, we used….It would seem to make more are much closer to Virgil.’ sense to me to use the edition Lewis (xxiii)…Reyes’s 30-page introduction translated from, so his translation can stands as a terrific preparatory essay be directly compared with the source on the Aeneid, on Lewis on Virgil, and material…Lewis’s own love for Virgil on Lewis on translation… Above all, comes through clearly, and every line this [translation] is just great aims to be, basically, as beautiful as reading…The translation is full of possible.” wonderful words and clever turns of 10. Donald Mackenzie in Translation and phrase, so many of them uniquely Literature 21 (2012):”[The title, C.S. Lewisian. There is abundant raw Lewis’s Lost Aeneid, is] ‘a tad material in this new book for anyone hyperbolical’…No reader of this interested in the art and science of translation will reckon Lewis has translation…. I hope Lewis’s Lost [found] a style wholly counter to his Aeneid will inspire other translators to age which is also apt for the rendering look backward, recalling their subjects’ of Virgil….Lewis is a notable master of original audiences and not to pastiche. His translation does better mollycoddle their present ones quite when he moves over from mere so much.” archaism into pastiche and echo….At 8. Malcom Guite Blog (April 16, 2011): sundry points I found myself reminded “Worth the wait…Reyes has done a of Keats in the plainer narrative splendid job of editing it all…and moments of Endymion….the recurrent providing an excellent introduction…. felicities where Lewis arrives at a But the heart of the book is in Lewis’s fuller match for his original – own long, loping, rangey verse sometimes direct equivalent, translation, full of felicities and an sometimes through the small deft unashamedly, beautiful, romantic and relocation, or at a transfused neutral

10 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

original line….Given Lewis’s emphasis imagination, and critical drive….In this on the importance of story it is edition, the aesthetic judgments unsurprising that some of those offered, though deeply learned, are felicities come in the local detail of highly partisan and remind me more of ongoing narrative….Whatever the Lewis at his narrowest… I have to validity of Lewis’s polemical placing of conclude that, granted the fragments Virgil in relation to the medieval, the needed to be published, they lose out Renaissance, and the modern world, through Reyes, Hooper, and the [his translation] can signal larger, preface-writer D.O Ross’ sometimes graver issues of translation, of the wildly uncritical presentation, which community of reading, of continuity throws suspicion even on Lewis’ most and the breaking of continuity.” accomplished lines…The worst effect 11. Michael O’Sullivan in The Tablet (May of surrounding this undirected, 21, 2011): “Lewis’s translation of unrehearsed performance of Lewis Virgil’s great epic, the Aeneid, is with flattery is the way the flattery beautifully produced and thoughtfully works against his dearest purposes, edited: it constitutes a welcome the religious ones… As a translator, he addition to his existing oeuvre….There mistook his personal tastes and is force, beauty and simplicity in his professional critical position for the rendering of the opening lines from timeless essence of a literary Book I….The scholarship is meticulous masterpiece, which comes from God but accessible. Devotees should waste rather than from any worldly no time in getting hold of it…the circumstance.” perfect introduction to this aspect of 14. Richard West in Mythlore his genius.” (Fall/Winter 2011):”It is not only a 12. Duke Pesta in Choice: Current translation but a study of Lewis’s use Reviews for Academic Libraries and understanding of the Aeneid…. (September 2011):”In this elegant Lewis approached his translation work… Reyes argues that the Aeneid is similarly to the method he praises in the link that unites Lewis’s life as the 15th–century Scots translation by Christian apologist and his career as Gavin Douglas: not to render every professor of English word literally, but to capture the literature….Providing the Latin text overall meaning and spirit. This is alongside Lewis’s translation, and evident from the beginning, where the copious notes, commentary, and famous “Arma virumque” is given as explanation, this volume offers unique “of arms and the exile” rather than the insights on Virgil, the Aeneid, the epic literal “Of arms and the man,” the tradition, the mind and work habits of better to indicate the plight of Aeneas Lewis, and the relationship between (or Eneas, as Lewis spells the name translation and art.” throughout)….[Lewis] ‘attempts to clean Virgil’s canvas of the surface 13. Sarah Ruden in Books & Culture grime of classicism… while it restores (May/June 2011):”It is exciting that the archaism and poetic diction of our C.S. Lewis’ Aeneid translation pre-industrial literary inheritance’ fragments are now available…But in (xix)…The rhyming alexandrines Lewis’s case [unlike Virgil’s], the immediately give us the sense of a intervention [of friends to save the classical poem….an invaluable ‘intro- manuscript] is not as easy to praise… duction’… [is] very knowledgeable This book shows the translation as about Lewis’s work as well as fascinating evidence of his formation, Virgil’s….[Of his] argument that ‘Virgil,

11 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

in fact, is the link that unites Lewis’s proposed that the ‘great theme of the life as a Christian apologist and his Aeneid is, at a more general level, in career as a professor of English exploration of human transitions…’ literature’ – I think he is right….” (12)…Lewis’s work is an enriching 15. Emily Wilson in The New Republic experience.” (July 28, 2011):”The main value of C.S. 17. Carol Zaleski in The Christian Century Lewis’s ‘lost’ version of the Aeneid is (June 14, 2011):”Long before Lewis that Lewis’s Virgil is a bracing became a Christian, the Aeneid acted corrective to Eliot’s Virgil….Lewis upon him almost as a Christian epic; reads the Aeneid through the medieval long after he became a Christian, the tradition….Douglas was able to bring Aeneid remained central to his out the ‘sensuous vitality’ of understanding of vocation… The poetic Virgil…Lewis’s nostalgia for an diction takes some getting used to …He imaginary medieval past…can easily attempts… a medievalist’s touch, come across as wrongheaded and anti- bringing to his translation a blend of intellectual….I have serious the ceremonial and the sensuous…The reservations about Lewis’s way with result should be seen as an Virgil. Still, I find it impossible not to experiment…Its chief value is in what be cheered and inspired by his it tells us about Lewis as a Christian impassioned love of reading…His reader of the pagan past….Lewis’s defense of story and his suspicion of unfinished Aeneid, however it may fare style…he is so conscious of the need to with critics, establishes beyond doubt share his own deep pleasure in literary his vocation as a translator to the experience….Yet the literary modern world of its own forgotten experience offered by C.S. Lewis’s Lost traditions.” Aeneid is dubious and mixed…[Reyes’ One notes in closing that after introduction] oddly includes no someone has enjoyed the reading of the discussion of how Lewis’s version Lewis translation of the Aeneid, compares with modern trans- discovered further understanding in his lations….It would be more accurate to personal annotations in the Hirtzel say that the interest of this book lies in edition (which should be considered in tracing how similar the Virgilian Lewis any future publication), and uncovered is to the various Lewises we already more appreciation of his translation know…. Lewis’s bits of translation of through the comments of both the editor the Aeneid are bad and good in very and the many reviewers, the student of much the same ways as his Narnia Lewis has just touched the tip of the books….Lewis is better on landscape iceberg as regards the influence of Virgil than people. The storms of Book One upon the works of C.S. Lewis. Overall are good…So Lewis’s translation is, Reyes, in his editing, his introduction and finally, worth reading. his discovery of additional references, has 16. Robert Woods in The Musings of a done a good job and has much to be Christian Humanist Blog (May 14, thanked for, but further work is still to be 2011):”a number of insights – Lewis’s done to add to his beginning. philosophy of translation …[is] ‘to be For example, if one could go through true to the meaning of a great work, all of the published fiction and non-fiction we should be true to its language’ books, poems, essays, diaries and letters (28)’… The reader also finds an by Lewis and merely placed a bookmark important description of the terms at the pages where Virgil or his works are humanist and humanism (23)….Lewis mentioned and then put them in a

12 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

timeline of Lewis’s life and also in the Works Cited context of the Lewis reading chart given Lewis, C.S. “Books That Have Influenced”, The at the end of his personal copy, there is no Christian Century, Vol. 79, No. 23 (June 6, telling what fresh interpretations and 1962): 719. insights might be discovered about the Lewis corpus and Virgil’s influence upon ______. C.S. Lewis Collected Letters, Volume I: it. In the nearly fifty Lewis books and Family Letters 1905-1931. ed. Walter Hooper. London: HarperCollins, 2000. (CSL Ltrs I) anthologies of essays and poems in this presenter’s library, at least thirty-seven of ______. C.S. Lewis Collected Letters, Volume II: them make at least one explicit reference Books, Broadcasts and War 1931-1949. ed. to Virgil or themes found in him. Most of Walter Hooper. London: HarperCollins, 2004. these same books have abundantly more (CSL Ltrs II) than one reference to him. Merely looking ______. C.S. Lewis Collected Letters, Volume III: in the indexes of four Lewis books – Narnia, Cambridge and Joy 1950-1963. ed. English Literature in the 16th Century and Walter Hooper. London: HarperCollins, 2006. C.S. Lewis Collected Letters, Volumes I, II, & (CSL Ltrs III) III – the count of pages on which Virgil ______. C.S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid. ed. A.T. Reyes, and his works are mentioned in the text is New Haven: Yale University Press, 2011. over 100. In addition much of his fiction is also impacted by Virgil, as are many less ______. English Literature in the Sixteenth popular and less studied books like The Century excluding Drama. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1954. (OHEL III ) Personal Heresy (1939), Studies in Words (1967) and his essay, “Williams and the ______. The Personal Heresy. London: Oxford Arthuriad” in Arthurian Torso (1974). University Press, 1939. Plus, often there are many other ______. Reflections on the Psalms. London: overlooked, unindexed, and untranslated Geoffrey Bles, 1958. lines and phrases of Virgil which are found throughout the books in the Lewis ______. Studies in Words, Cambridge: opus. Cambridge University Press, 2nd ed. 1967. All of these connections between ______. Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Lewis and Virgil and the publishing of a Life. London: Geoffrey Bles, 1955. more inclusive textual apparatus, point to ______. “Williams and the Arthuriad” in possible further study for anyone seeking Arthurian Torso. Grand Rapids, MI: an important Lewis-related project. Plus, Eerdmans,1948. in the end, the study of both Virgil and Lewis might provide unsought for ______. Marginalia and Underlining in his personal benefits like a better knowledge edition of The Works of Virgil: The Eclogues, the of Latin poetry and a better Georgics and the Aeneid. ed. Frederick A. Hirtzel. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1900. The understanding of the ancient world and Rare Book Collection, Wilson Library, The its relationship and importance to our University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. own times.

13 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

Reviews Cited of http://popclassicsjg.blogspot.com/2011/04/c C.S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid (2011) s-lewis-lost-aeneid.html Anonymous. “Review of C. S. Lewis's Lost Mackenzie, Donald. “Book Review of C. S. Aeneid” in Publisher’s Weekly. May 2011. Lewis's lost Aeneid” in Translation and http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0- Literature Volume 21(2012): 91-96. 300-16717-7 O’Sullivan, Michael. “Precious Discovery” in Birzer, Brad. “Christian Epic” in The American The Tablet. (May 21, 2011): 23. Conservative. Volume 10, Number 7 (July http://www.thetablet.co.uk/issue/1000259 2011): 49-50. (need registration) http://www.theamericanconservative.com/bl og/christian-epic/ Pesta. J. Duke. “Book Review of C. S. Lewis's lost Aeneid” in Choice: Current Reviews for Bratman, David. “What’s ‘Lost’ Got To Do With Academic Libraries. September 2011. It?” in Mythprint. Volume 49, Number 1 http://www.cro2.org/default.aspx?page=revi (January 2012): 3-4. ewdisplay&pid=3667911 (for subscribers) Carter, Max. “The Lion, The Witch, And Virgil” Ruden, Sarah. “C. S. Lewis as Translator: in Vanity Fair. Issue 607 (March 2011): 146. Mistaking inspirations for their Source” in Books & Culture. Volume 17, Number 3 Como, James. “True minds” in The New (May/June 2011): 9. Criterion. (September 2011): 136-138. http://www.booksandculture.com/articles/2 http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/T 011/mayjun/lewistranslator.html rue-minds-7166 Sharp, Rob. “Rescued from the bonfire, the Downing, David C. “A little known side of C. S. lost work of C S Lewis”. in The Independent (4 Lewis--classicist and translator” at March 2011) Amazon.com Book Reviews. April 12, 2011. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts- http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member- entertainment/books/news/rescued-from- reviews/AUEZR998H3F8Q/ref=cm_pdp_rev_t the-bonfire-the-lost-work-of-c-s-lewis- itle_1?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview# 2231809.html RMFCPSWHYVX8J Svendsen, Jonathon. “Tumnus’s Bookshelf: CS Downing, David C. “Journeys to the Lewis’s Lost Aeneid: Arms and the Exile“ in Underworld in the and Aeneid The Silver Narnia Fans. May 3, 2011. Chair” in C.S. Lewis Blog. April 27, 2011. http://www.narniafans.com/archives/12060 http://booksbycslewis.blogspot.com/2011/0 4/journeys-to-underworld-in-aeneid- Vaus, Will. “Review of C. S. Lewis's Lost Aeneid” and.html in Will Vaus Blog. June 2, 2011.http://willvaus.blogspot.com/2011/06/ Esolen, Anthony. “Lewis’s Aeneid, Labor c-s-lewiss-lost-aeneid.html Amoris” in University Bookman (Fall 2011)http://www.kirkcenter.org/index.php/ West, Richard C. “Book review of C.S. Lewis's bookman/article/lewiss-aeneid-labor- Lost Aeneid: Arms and the Exile” inMythlore amoris/ Volume 30, Number 1/2 (Fall/Winter 2011): 174-176. http://www.thefreelibrary. Fisher, Jason. “Book Review of C.S. Lewis’s Lost com/C.S.+Lewis's+Lost+Aeneid%3A+Arms+a Aeneid: Arms and the Exile” in Mythprint. nd+the+Exile.-a0272364408 Volume 48, Number 5 (May 2011). Wilson, Emily. “The Narniad” in The New Guite, Malcolm. “ : a brief CS Lewis’s Lost Aeneid Republic (August 18, 2011): 31-33. review” in Malcolm Guite Blog. April 16, 2011. http://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/2011/0 Woods, Robert. “C.S. Lewis and Virgil's 4/16/cs-lewiss-lost-aeneid-a-brief-review/ Aeneid” in Musings of a Christian Humanist Blog.May 14, 2011. Harrisson, Juliette. “CS Lewis' Lost Aeneid“ in http://christianhumanistmusings.blogspot.co Pop Classics. April 22, 2011. m/2011/05/cs-lewis-and-virgils-aeneid.html

14 Further Responses to ‘Lewis’s Lost Aeneid’ · Richard James

Zaleski, Carol. “C. S. Lewis’s Aeneid“ in The Christian Century Volume 128, Number 12(June 14, 2011): 33. http://christiancentury.org/article/2011- 05/c-s-lewis-s-aeneid

Other related articles by and interviews with A.T. Reyes Fisher, Jason. “An Interview with A.T. Reyes, editor of C.S. Lewis’s Lost Aeneid” in Mythprint. Volume 48 Number 5 (May 2011): 4-5. Nelson, Erik C. “In Conversation with A.T. REYES” in Elegentology Blog. May 4, 2011. http://elegantology.com/2011/05/04/in- conversation-with-a-t-reyes/ Reyes, A.T. “Comments on C.S. Lewis's Lost Aeneid” in Ready Steady Book Blog. April 4,2011. http://www.readysteadybook.com/Article.as px?page=lostaeneid Reyes, A.T. “DISCOVERING C.S. LEWIS’S LOST AENEID” in YaleBooks Blog. March 4, 2011. http://yalebooks.wordpress.com/2011/03/0 4/a-t-reyes-on-c-s-lewiss-lost-aeneid/

15