Episode 1

1/2. Aeneas is a faithful husband, a loving father, and a devoted son. He's a good soldier too, and when the city of Troy is threatened, all he wants to do is to defend his home. For ten long years he fights against the invading Greeks. Then one day the ghost of a long-dead comrade appears to him on the battlefield, telling him to stop fighting and run. The future of the Trojan people lies elsewhere, and if Aeneas is to lead them, he must survive. So, with his frail father on his back, and his son in his arms, Aeneas abandons Troy and sets out on his quest. Caught between love, duty and fate, he'll travel across storm-tossed oceans, have a passionate but doomed affair, and suffer terrible personal loss, as he ventures to the very depths of Hell to discover his glorious destiny.

This brand new adaptation of Virgil's epic poem, by award-winning writer Hattie Naylor, uses Robert Fagles' translation.

The music was composed by Will Gregory, arranged by Ian Gardiner, and performed by the BBC Singers, conducted by Matthew Hamilton. The soloist is Cherith Milburn-Fryer. Percussion by Joby Burgess.

Production Coordinator: Scott Handcock
Sound design: Nigel Lewis

A BBC/Cymru Wales production, produced and directed by Kate McAll.