French Literature Reviews - 2026
Andrea Marcolongo, L'art de résister. Comment «l'Énéide» nous apprend à traverser une crise [The Lesson of Aeneas]
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
Translated from Italian by Beatrice Robert-Boissier
The Aeneid is not a poem for times of peace. Its verses are of little use when everything is running smoothly. Its song is meant for moments when we feel the urgent need to find our way toward a future that startles us with how different it is from the past we have always known. To put it in meteorological terms: reading the Aeneid is strongly recommended right in the middle of a hurricane—and, if possible, without an umbrella.
For Aeneas no longer has a homeland to set sail for: he walks away from its ruins, carrying his father on his back in search of a fresh start, armed with only his most precious possessions. His resilience and the strength of his hope are exemplary, offering a lesson of striking relevance today.
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Written by essayist and Hellenist scholar Andrea Marcolongo, this thoughtful volume examines Virgil's foundational Roman epic not as a monument of the distant past, but as a vital manual for personal and collective endurance. The author explores how the Trojan hero Aeneas, fleeing the destruction of his native city with his household gods and his aging father Anchises, embodies a profound paradigm of survival. Rather than offering comfort during times of stability, the epic speaks directly to readers navigating profound historical and existential disruption, providing a mirror for contemporary uncertainties.
This accessible reflection serves students, educators, and general readers interested in classical literature, ethics, and the humanities. By placing ancient myth into active dialogue with modern anxiety, the book addresses fundamental questions about how societies and individuals reconstruct their futures after profound loss. It bridges classical philology and contemporary self-understanding, offering a compelling argument for the enduring utility of the humanities in making sense of turbulence, displacement, and the arduous search for a new beginning.