The Aeneid of Virgil (70-19 BC), an epic in 12 books, is one of the most significant works of world literature. It tells the story of the Trojan Aeneas, who, after the destruction of his city by the Greeks, relocates to the area of present-day Rome at the behest of the gods and lays the foundations for the founding of the city. He reaches his destination only after a long journey and must then assert his claim to power in a war against the Latins living in the land. In the character of Aeneas, the figure of Emperor Augustus is foreshadowed. Until recent times, the Aeneid was translated metrically, that is, into German hexameters. However, since this was done using the classicist language of earlier times, the translation was at times nearly incomprehensible to a modern audience. The present translation is also metrical.