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Brittains Ida or Venus and Anchises

Brittains Ida or Venus and Anchises

By: Phineas Fletcher Edmund Spenser
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 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. CopelandCopyright Family and Culture Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • 001 - Brittain's Ida

    001 - Brittain's Ida
    Feb 13 2026
    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
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    32 mins
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