Ancient Medieval

Virgil's Aeneid, one of the greatest classical poems, tells the story of Aeneas, son of Priam, after the fall of Troy. His quest is to find the site "in the west" where he will found a new town prophesied to be the seat of a world empire: Rome.

Among the finest poets of ancient Greece was Hesiod, a contemporary of Homer, who lived in the eighth century B.C. It is still a matter of dispute whether Homer or Hesiod was the earlier poet, and sometimes whether they were one and the same person! At any rate, Hesiod's incredible poetry serves as a major source for our understanding of Greek mythology, farming practices, time keeping and astronomy. In and of itself, the "Works and Days" is unparalleled in its richness and beauty, easily rivaling Homer.

Acerbic wit and stinging satire are contrasted with delicate sensibility and passionate desire in the work of the Latin poet Catullus. Armed with an urbane sophistication and an aristocratic circle of friends, Catullus moved about easily in the upper ranks of Roman society and was acquainted with Cicero, Caesar, and Pompey among others.

The Nature of Things was written in the 1st century BC by Roman polymath Lucretius. It is written as a didactic poem, and explains Epicurean physics.

"The Theogony" (“Birth of the Gods”) is a poem by Hesiod which describes the origin, position and relationships of the gods of the Greek pantheon. Hesiod created a synthesis of the diverse Greek traditions concerning the gods, in the form of a hymn invoking Zeus and the Muses. The Theogony is the first known Greek mythical cosmogony. However, it should not be considered as the authoritative source of Greek mythology, but rather as a portrait of a dynamic tradition that was recorded around 700 BCE.

A collection of the finest work of one of America's best-loved poets. Despite Dickinson's prolific writing, fewer than a dozen of her poems were published during her lifetime. Critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet. Read by Julie Harris.

Warwick “War” Herringthorpe was born of a Northumberland de Percy daughter and the Wolfe of the Border, William de Wolfe, back in the days when William was a rising hero, unencumbered by marriage, free to do, and love, whom he so chooses. A brief relationship with Jane de Percy left Jane pregnant and William unaware of the situation. Jane’s father had bigger aspirations for his daughter than a mere knight and quickly married her to a much-older, titled husband who was willing to overlook her indiscretion.

Paternal grandson of England’s greatest knight, son of the man known as “Nighthawk”, and grandson on his mother’s side of a Norse king, Magnus de Wolfe has the blood of elite and royal warriors flowing through his veins. With older brothers who are much accomplished, Magnus needs his time to shine.

Œdipe... Aussi orgueilleux qu'opiniâtre, sa clairvoyance, son intelligence ont jadis eu raison de la cruelle Sphinge et de ses énigmes. Porté sur le trône par le peuple libéré pour avoir levé la terreur qui étouffait la ville de Thèbes, il doit encore prouver sa valeur : une malédiction incurable semble frapper sans distinction récoltes, troupeaux et habitants.

Andreas de Wolfe is the second-eldest de Wolfe grandchild. Son of Troy, he has inherited his father’s comely looks, his aggression, and his talent with a sword. The man is born for battle. But he is picky when it comes to women, the reason he’s not yet married. Unfortunately, when he does fall for a woman, Andreas sets himself up for a hell of a situation...and it could cost him everything.

Cap the narrator makes a deal with his pal Sam McGee that he will cremate him when he dies. Now the problem is where to do this deed in the frozen Yukon.

These two great poems date from Shakespeare’s early years and are full of passion and invention. In Venus and Adonis, the goddess of love pleads with the beautiful boy to submit to her advances and become her love - but he only wants to hunt boar. In the more serious Rape of Lucrece, Shakespeare draws on the Roman tale of the Emperor Tarquin’s desire for Lucrece and its tragic consequencies. These poems give prominent parts to the two heroines, and Clare Corbett and Eve Best shine.

Sometimes, men are impulsive in life and love. When Ronan de Wolfe, son of James de Wolfe (A Wolfe Among Dragons), marries young and impulsively, the consequences will prove to be disastrous when he meets the love of his life. Will de Wolfe honor stand the test? Or will true love crush a man of good character?

Peter de Lohr is the illegitimate son of the greatest knight in the realm, though he has been accepted by his father. Not only accepted–embraced. Peter is well-loved by everyone, an enormous and powerful knight in the image of his famous sire. He is also an Executioner Knight, and one of the very best. A great marriage is expected of him, it is presumed, to the daughter of a high-placed warlord.

Aeschylus’ historical tragedy Persians, with its dire warnings against the hubris of imperialist overreach, is as relevant today as it was when first presented to an Athenian audience in 472 BC. This new edition of the classic drama features a literal translation by Mark Will (translator of Fernando Pessoa’s Message) which reconstructs in contemporary English verse the epic cadences of the original Greek.

The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus: A Roman Slave is a collection of proverbs and aphorisms pulled from the many mimes and plays of Publius Syrus. Enslaved by the Romans in his youth, this witty man went on to conquer the Roman stage. These maxims, believed to have been collected in the first century AD, are all that remain of the great playwright's work.

King Arthur is probably the most famous and certainly the most legendary medieval king. From the early ninth century through the middle ages, to the Arthurian romances of Victorian times, the tales of this legendary figure have blossomed and multiplied. And in more recent times, there has been a continuous stream of books claiming to have discovered the "facts" about, or to unlock the secret or truth behind, the "once and future king". Broadly speaking, there are two Arthurs.

Join Patrick and Brigantia as they overcome politics, wars, prejudices, and most of all, resistance to each other. Some loves are unexpected, some are instantly realized. But their love is something that comes from a deeper place of understanding and attraction, a powerful love that cannot be denied.

Harmonium was American poet Wallace Stevens's first book, published when he was 44 years old. It represents his complete poetic output up to that point in his life. It is now considered a masterpiece, one of the great contributions to literary Modernism. It is a mixture of pure, rational, philosophical thought, and imaginary nonsense-verse. It is striking in its diversity and includes some of Stevens' best known and most-loved poems.

A collection of the best-known poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889). One of the Victorian era's greatest writers, Hopkins' reputation has continued to grow since his death. This collection includes "The Windhover", "The Caged Skylark", "Carrion Comfort", "Spring", and "Fall and Inversnaid".