Praise for The Laviniad

"The Laviniad is a truly unique work; the story is unique and the book itself is unique....The author successfully writes in the style of the ancient epic in modern English. Lovers of classic tales will really appreciate the poetry and the plot. The poem reads easily and naturally with the flow and flavor of the ancient epics. A complete glossary in the back will help anyone who has not read the Aeneid or the Iliad to understand the relationship of the characters and the various names of the Greeks, Trojans, and Latins....It is a beautiful, elegant edition, wonderful for gift giving."
-- Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers (about the hardcover)

"...the poem manifests a genuinely classical feel, even as it remains couched comfortably inside a vernacular with which the modern reader is perfectly comfortable. On top of this, The Laviniad sports some finely written passages and is simply a very involving and moving story."
-- Haverford Magazine

About the book

The ancient muse of the golden age of Roman literature has stirred once more, this time within the mind of Claudio Salvucci, native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but with roots that extend back to his ancestral home in ancient Latium.

A student of the classics from his earliest years, the author has crafted a work which builds upon the fragmentary record of the founding of Lavinium left us by Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus and others; all the while giving an obvious nod towards his Vergilian mentor. Drawing not only from the classical tradition but also from alliterative Anglo-Saxon poetry and classical translations, the author has managed to craft an epic style in modern-day English which is both musical and majestic.

Set in ancient Italy, The Laviniad picks up the tale following the death of Aeneas, when his young son Ascanius is thrust to the fore as leader of the Trojan remnant in Italy. Following the trials of this youth in the face of his hostile Italian neighbors, the author spins his enthralling yarn with tight, compelling poetry.

The Laviniad was originally released in 1994 as an elegant, handmade hardcover edition. The text was set in distinctive Roman capitals designed especially for the book, and printed on parchment for an appropriately ancient look. As of May 2005, a new paperback edition of the Laviniad was released, featuring a new full-color cover.

Paperback 2005 • 133 pp. • 8" x 5"