Il Pastor Fido =: The Faithfull Shepherd

Tragical-comical-historical-pastoral

Of all the pastoral plays and novels from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, Il Pastor Fido is the most fun. It's not just pastoral, although it takes place among shepherds in Arcadia; in fact, it's almost encyclopedic in its determination to include situations and emotions from every possible genre. The versification goes down like butter, so that after Il Pastor Fido, we see that no aspect of life can avoid the grasp of Italian, therefore European poetry. When you read this book you no longer feel sorry for people who had to live in the sixteenth century without all the great plays and operas that were just around the corner.
This edition contains the translation by Fairfax into rhymed couplets, which is perfectly fine. In heft and size the book is very attractive.