Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica: A Review & Best Translation
Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica is a real hidden gem in classical literature. Find out why you should read this epic and which translation is the best!
Have you heard of Jason, the Argonauts, and their quest for the Golden Fleece? Or perhaps the name Medea rings a bell? If so, then you already know some of the characters in the Argonautica.
Written in the 1st century C.E. by Roman aristocrat Valerius Flaccus, this epic poem has been unfairly neglected for centuries. I encountered Valerius for the first time in graduate school and I was immediately hooked.
Now that we have an excellent modern translation (or two) of the Argonautica, there is no excuse not to dive in!
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If you’re in a rush, here’s my top choice translation! This is the one that I recommend to all my students.
This blank-verse translation is both charming and readable. It is also quite faithful to the original Latin, so you can get as close as possible to Valerius’ own words.
Plus there is a handy introduction which will help orient you. And if you don’t recognize a name, no worries – just look it up in the glossary at the back of the book!
👉 Check prices now!Still here? Keep reading to learn all about Valerius Flaccus’ epic and the pros and cons of the various English translations.
This Roman retelling of the voyage of the Argo has never received the attention it deserves – it’s time to change that!
What is Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica?
Composed in Latin hexameter in the 1st century C.E., the Argonautica is an epic in eight books that narrates the quest of Jason and the Argonauts. At 250 pages, it is on the shorter end for ancient epic, but there is still so much to appreciate.
A word about the name. “Argonautica” comes from Ancient Greek and means “things related to the Argo-sailors”. The Argo is the ship on which Jason and his companions have their adventures.
Speaking of Greek, let me make one thing clear: this is not the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes. Apollonius wrote his epic in Greek in the 3rd century B.C.E., while Valerius wrote his epic in Latin over 300 years later.
If you’re interested in Apollonius’ epic, then you can read about the Greek Argonautica here!
Argonautic Myth
The story of Jason and the Argonauts was ancient even by Valerius Flaccus’ day. In fact, the first mentions of Jason and his exploits come in the Odyssey, which dates to around the 7th century B.C.E.
That’s over 800 years before Valerius picked up his pen!
In those intervening centuries, many ancient authors told their version of the story. Apollonius of Rhodes is responsible for one such version, and Valerius takes a lot of inspiration from his account.
So what happens in the Argonautic myth, which has now survived almost three millennia? What’s the big deal?
Jason’s wicked uncle Pelias sends him on a mission to claim the Golden Fleece. The Fleece is in the custody of the tyrant Aeetes and it’s guarded by a giant serpent. As if that weren’t bad enough, it’s located in Colchis at the edge of the world (aka modern Georgia).
But Jason gathers a crew of heroes from all over Greece and sets out in the Argo, the finest ship ever made. He sails for Colchis and encounters all kinds of friends and foes along the way. In Colchis, he will meet his most dangerous ally: Medea, daughter of Aeetes.
That’s the basic storyline. But the beauty of Greco-Roman myths is that they are retold constantly. Each new version adds its own twists and its own subtleties.
Valerius Flaccus’ Version
We know very little about Valerius Flaccus himself as a historical figure, except that he was dead by 96 C.E.
He was possibly a quindecimvir sacris faciundis, one of the fifteen priests in charge of the Sibylline Books (a collection of prophecies revered by the Romans). Even if this is untrue, scholars believe that he belonged to the elite Roman senatorial class.
Valerius Flaccus tells the story of Jason, Medea, and the Argonauts from the perspective of imperial Rome. He lived in a time when imperial power could be unstable and where emperors could be fickle.
In 69 C.E., Rome descended into bloody chaos after the assassination of the emperor Nero. The Flavian dynasty soon established peace, but the problems weren’t over.
Romans like Valerius couldn’t be sure that more civil war wasn’t on the horizon. This sense of unease shines through in Valerius’ retelling.
On their journey the Argonauts encounter political instability in various cities in Greece and beyond. Not to mention that Valerius inserts an entire civil war at Colchis that is not part of the traditional myth.
Valerius Flaccus may rely a lot on Apollonius, but this is no Latin copy of a Greek original. The Colchian Civil War is just one example of innovation.
One of my favorite parts is Valerius’ portrayal of Medea. She is a complex character who, despite her maidenly innocence, wields incredible magical power. Hints of her dark future as a murderess abound (see Euripides’ play), but in the present we see her strong principles and her determination to resist temptation.
Unfortunately, the gods (and literary tradition) will not let her deviate from her doomed trajectory.
This is the Argonautica as you have never read it before. This is also, regrettably, an unfinished Argonautica. Scholars argue about whether Valerius intended his epic to have 8 books or 12, but he died before he could finish it.
The story breaks off in the midst of an argument between Jason and Medea – to my eternal frustration. But the parts of the epic that we do have make up for what is missing.
Those familiar with classical epic will enjoy the combination of Apollonian and Vergilian themes. But even if you have never heard of Jason, Medea, and the Argonauts before, I highly recommend this book!
Best Translation of the Argonautica
As I mentioned up above, my favorite translation of the Argonautica is Michael Barich’s. Here I will cover the pros and cons of three translations.
We’ll go in reverse chronological order, which also has the advantage of putting my favorite option first!
1. Valerius Flaccus: Argonautica (2009), trans. Barich
Michael Barich, a professor of Classics at Kenyon College, has produced a charming translation of the Argonautica in blank verse. Barich uses contemporary English with a formal slant, but – as he writes in his preface – he dips into more colloquial or more elevated styles when appropriate.
This translation is highly readable and you will get swept away in the adventures and disasters of Jason and his crew. At the same time it stays true to the Latin – no small feat. Furthermore, Barich provides helpful introductory information to contextualize Valerius and Argonautic myth in general.
Most useful to the casual reader is the “Back Story to the Argonautica”, a quick two-page summary of everything you should know before diving into the text. This, and the glossary of names at the back, will get you up to speed on everything.
I love Barich’s translation and I now recommend it to all of my students and colleagues. The only negative is that it was published by a small press (XOXOX Press) and as a result there are occasional punctuation errors and formatting issues. The page margins are a bit too narrow throughout and the introduction is in very small type, surely to preserve paper.
But, all in all, whether you are a mythology enthusiast, a scholar, or simply curious, Barich’s translation of the Argonautica is your best option.
And I’m not the only Classics professor who thinks so, as this review demonstrates!
👉 Purchase Barich’s translation on Bookshop or Amazon!
2. Voyage of the Argo (1999), trans. Slavitt
David Slavitt’s translation is another solid option. The English, once again in blank verse, is contemporary and entertaining.
The primary drawback is that Slavitt can be rather free with his translation. Sometimes he inserts his own thoughts or puts his own spin on things, as this review explains in detail. Another issue is that occasionally the language becomes too colloquial for my taste.
For example, in a fit of rage the foreign prince Styrus shouts at the Argonauts. Slavitt’s translation includes obscenities and other phrases not found in the original. The speech culminates with: “Is she saving Jason’s bacon with mumbo-jumbo again? Too hell with that hoo-doo horseshit.” (8.344-345)
While amusing, this is not exactly an accurate representation of Valerius’ Latin! On a more serious note, Slavitt’s edition lacks the introductory material found in Barich. There is not even a glossary to help out readers confused by the many names.
Still, this translation is definitely readable – something I can’t say for the next item on the list.
👉 Purchase Slavitt’s translation on Bookshop or Amazon!
3. Valerius Flaccus: Argonautica (1934), trans. Mozley
If you are familiar with the Loeb Classical Library, then you may know that the English translations tend to be old-fashioned and tedious. The Argonautica translation by Mozley is no exception.
A few years ago I made the mistake of assigning Mozley’s translation to my students at Harvard. I didn’t want them to pay for a hard copy of the Argonautica (since we were only reading selections), and most older Loebs are available for free online.
Let’s just say that my students found Mozley’s prose impenetrable and they ended up disliking Valerius because of it. Tragic. Thankfully, Mozley is no longer our only option!
I would never recommend Mozley for pleasurable reading, but that doesn’t mean this edition isn’t useful. This book – like all Loeb texts – has the advantage of presenting the Latin and the English side by side.
If you want to read the Argonautica in the original Latin with a bit of English guidance, then this is an excellent option.
👉 Purchase Mozley’s translation on Bookshop or Amazon!
And there you go. Now you know the strengths and weaknesses of the three main English translations of Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica.
Go Read Valerius Flaccus!
Valerius Flaccus has never received the attention he deserves, mostly because he lived in the late 1st century C.E. Classicists like to call this the “Silver Age” of Latin poetry (in comparison to the “Golden Age” of Vergil and Ovid).
This label has scared off many a prospective reader, but it’s time that we stop being prejudiced. Valerius isn’t Vergil. He’s his own author, and although he adopts a lot of Vergilian themes, he puts his own distinctive spin on them.
Quite frankly, I enjoyed the Argonautica more than the Aeneid. Unpopular opinion, I know. Don’t tell my colleagues!
In any case, my point is that it’s time to branch out. There are so many fascinating works of classical literature that no one has ever heard of. So go read Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica and experience a new piece of the ancient world!
👉 Check the price of my favorite Argonautica translation!
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