001 - Brittain's Ida

In a chance encounter while hunting, the young Anchises stumbles upon the enchanting forest retreat of Venus. Captivated by her hospitality, he finds himself entwined in a tale that leads to his becoming the proud father of Aeneas, the legendary hero of Vergils Aeneid. This poem is an epyllion, echoing the style of Marlowes Hero and Leander and Shakespeares Venus and Adonis, presenting a brief yet evocative narrative steeped in mythology. Written in the elegant Spenserian style with rhyming stanzas of ababbccc, Brittains Ida, published in 1628, was mistakenly attributed to Edmund Spenser. However, in 1926, Ethel Seaton unearthed Fletchers original manuscript, revealing that this exquisite work is rightfully titled Venus and Anchises. - Summary by T. A. Copeland