THE AENEIDTHE AENEID

BY PUBLIUS VIRGILIUS MAROBY PUBLIUS VIRGILIUS MARO

““VIRGIL”VIRGIL”

ROMAN CURRENT EVENTSROMAN CURRENT EVENTS

• 73 B.C.—SPARTACUS LEADS REVOLT73 B.C.—SPARTACUS LEADS REVOLT• 63 B.C.—CATALINE CONSPIRACY63 B.C.—CATALINE CONSPIRACY• 44 B.C.—JULIUS CAESAR 44 B.C.—JULIUS CAESAR

ASSASSINATEDASSASSINATED• 42 B.C.—BATTLE OF PHILIPPI42 B.C.—BATTLE OF PHILIPPI• 31 B.C.—BATTLE OF ACTIUM31 B.C.—BATTLE OF ACTIUM• ROME’S PATTERN OF CONQUEST, ROME’S PATTERN OF CONQUEST,

THEN PEACEFUL COOPERATIVE THEN PEACEFUL COOPERATIVE RULE RULE

VIRGIL’S LIFEVIRGIL’S LIFE

• BORN IN MANTUA BORN IN MANTUA 70 B.C.70 B.C.

• POOR FAMILY, BUT POOR FAMILY, BUT WELL-EDUCATEDWELL-EDUCATED

• SHY AND SICKLY SHY AND SICKLY AS A CHILDAS A CHILD

• EPICUREAN, THEN EPICUREAN, THEN A STOICA STOIC

VIRGIL’S WORKSVIRGIL’S WORKS

• ECLOGUES 42-37 B.C.—TEN ECLOGUES 42-37 B.C.—TEN PASTORALS, INCLUDING PASTORALS, INCLUDING “MESSIANIC” PROPHECIES“MESSIANIC” PROPHECIES

• GEORGICS 37-30 B.C.—PANEGYRIC GEORGICS 37-30 B.C.—PANEGYRIC TO THE FARMING LIFE, POLITICAL TO THE FARMING LIFE, POLITICAL PURPOSEPURPOSE

• AENEID 30-19 B.C.—DIED WITH AENEID 30-19 B.C.—DIED WITH FIFTY HALF-LINES UNFINISHED, FIFTY HALF-LINES UNFINISHED, WANTED IT BURNEDWANTED IT BURNED

SOURCES OF THE AENEIDSOURCES OF THE AENEID

• HOMERHOMER– IN RES MEDIAIN RES MEDIA– HEROIC HEXAMETERHEROIC HEXAMETER– EXALTED SPEECHEXALTED SPEECH– EXTENDED SIMILESEXTENDED SIMILES– TWO-TIER NARRATIVESTWO-TIER NARRATIVES– FLASHBACKSFLASHBACKS– DESCRIPTION OF ARMORDESCRIPTION OF ARMOR– CATALOG OF FORCESCATALOG OF FORCES– ATHLETIC GAMESATHLETIC GAMES– VOYAGE TO THE UNDERWORLDVOYAGE TO THE UNDERWORLD

VIRGIL AND HOMERVIRGIL AND HOMER

• AENEID I=ODYSSEY V-VIIIAENEID I=ODYSSEY V-VIII• ANGRY DIVINITYANGRY DIVINITY• SHIPWRECKSHIPWRECK• DISGUISESDISGUISES• GLORIOUS CITY RULED BY GLORIOUS CITY RULED BY BEAUTIFUL, CAPABLE WOMANBEAUTIFUL, CAPABLE WOMAN

VIRGIL AND HOMERVIRGIL AND HOMER

• FLASHBACKS OF AENEID II-III AND FLASHBACKS OF AENEID II-III AND ODYSSEY IX-XIIODYSSEY IX-XII

• DIDO AND AJAX TURNING AWAYDIDO AND AJAX TURNING AWAY• TRAVELSTRAVELS• AENEID VIII-ILIAD XVIII AND AENEID VIII-ILIAD XVIII AND DESCRIPTION OF NEW ARMORDESCRIPTION OF NEW ARMOR

• BATTLES OF AENEID IX-XIIBATTLES OF AENEID IX-XII

VIRGIL AND HOMERVIRGIL AND HOMER

• IMPORTANT DIFFERENCESIMPORTANT DIFFERENCES• AENEAS NOT ODYSSEUS OR ACHILLESAENEAS NOT ODYSSEUS OR ACHILLES• AENEAS THE PEACE LOVERAENEAS THE PEACE LOVER• AENEAS DIPLOMATIC NOT VAINAENEAS DIPLOMATIC NOT VAIN• AENEAS HAS POSITIVE GOALSAENEAS HAS POSITIVE GOALS

TROJAN WAR BACKGROUNDTROJAN WAR BACKGROUND

• ACTUAL WAR AND CHARACTERSACTUAL WAR AND CHARACTERS• HELEN AND MENELAUSHELEN AND MENELAUS• AGAMEMNON AND CLYTEMNESTRAAGAMEMNON AND CLYTEMNESTRA• ACHILLESACHILLES• ODYSSEUS, DIOMEDES, THE TWO ODYSSEUS, DIOMEDES, THE TWO AJAXES, NESTORAJAXES, NESTOR

THE TROJAN WAR BACKGROUNDTHE TROJAN WAR BACKGROUND

• THE BEAUTY CONTEST—HERA, THE BEAUTY CONTEST—HERA, ATHENA, AND APHRODITEATHENA, AND APHRODITE

• PARIS (ALEXANDROS)PARIS (ALEXANDROS)• PRIAM AND HECABE (HECUBA)PRIAM AND HECABE (HECUBA)• HECTORHECTOR• FIFTY SONS, FIFTY DAUGHTERSFIFTY SONS, FIFTY DAUGHTERS• AENEAS, THE SON-IN-LAWAENEAS, THE SON-IN-LAW

SUBJECT AND PURPOSE OF SUBJECT AND PURPOSE OF AENEIDAENEID

• PRAISE ROMEPRAISE ROME• PRAISE AUGUSTUS (INDIRECTLY)PRAISE AUGUSTUS (INDIRECTLY)• DEVELOP NATIONAL MYTHDEVELOP NATIONAL MYTH• WELL-KNOWN LEGENDWELL-KNOWN LEGEND• AENEAS SAVES ANCHISESAENEAS SAVES ANCHISES• PURPOSE OF OLYMPIAN GODSPURPOSE OF OLYMPIAN GODS• COMING TO ITALYCOMING TO ITALY• SET IN HOMERIC TIME PERIODSET IN HOMERIC TIME PERIOD• ENCOMPASS PAST AND FUTURE GREATNESS OF ENCOMPASS PAST AND FUTURE GREATNESS OF ROME AND RELATE IT TO HOMERIC MYTHROME AND RELATE IT TO HOMERIC MYTH

STRUCTURE OF AENEIDSTRUCTURE OF AENEID

• BOOKS I-VI—JOURNEY TO ITALY=ODYSSEUSBOOKS I-VI—JOURNEY TO ITALY=ODYSSEUS• BOOKS VII-XII—EVENTS AND BATTLES OF BOOKS VII-XII—EVENTS AND BATTLES OF ITALY=ACHILLESITALY=ACHILLES

• BOOKS I-IV—AENEAS AND DIDO—QUESTBOOKS I-IV—AENEAS AND DIDO—QUEST• BOOKS V-VIII—DESTINY OF ROME—ARRIVALBOOKS V-VIII—DESTINY OF ROME—ARRIVAL• BOOKS IX-XII—TURNUS AND AENEAS—CONQUEST BOOKS IX-XII—TURNUS AND AENEAS—CONQUEST AND VICTORYAND VICTORY

• ALTERNATION OF INTENSITY BETWEEN BOOKS—ALTERNATION OF INTENSITY BETWEEN BOOKS—MIMICS HEXAMETER STYLEMIMICS HEXAMETER STYLE

• NORMALLY THREE SECTIONS PER BOOK, NORMALLY THREE SECTIONS PER BOOK, SOMETIMES TWOSOMETIMES TWO

THEMESTHEMES

• HOMERIC EPICS IN ROMAN SETTINGHOMERIC EPICS IN ROMAN SETTING• EAST VS WESTEAST VS WEST• DIVINELY ORDAINED EVENTS—FATEDIVINELY ORDAINED EVENTS—FATE• HUMAN SUFFERINGHUMAN SUFFERING• MISSION OF AENEASMISSION OF AENEAS• FOUR PROPHETIC PASSAGESFOUR PROPHETIC PASSAGES

– JUPITER TO VENUS—BK IJUPITER TO VENUS—BK I– ROMAN HEROES IN ELYSIUM—BK VIROMAN HEROES IN ELYSIUM—BK VI– HISTORY ON SHIELD—BK VIIIHISTORY ON SHIELD—BK VIII– RECONCILIATION BETWEEN JUPITER AND JUNO—BK XIIRECONCILIATION BETWEEN JUPITER AND JUNO—BK XII

THEMESTHEMES

• WAR AND HEROISMWAR AND HEROISM• ORIGINS OF:ORIGINS OF:

– ITALIAN ABORIGINAL PEOPLESITALIAN ABORIGINAL PEOPLES– ITALIAN LOCATIONSITALIAN LOCATIONS– GAMESGAMES– ROMAN GENSROMAN GENS

THEMESTHEMES

• ORIGINS OF RELIGIOUS RITESORIGINS OF RELIGIOUS RITES– CLOAKING HAND IN SACRIFICECLOAKING HAND IN SACRIFICE– LUDUS TROIAELUDUS TROIAE– SIBYLLINE BOOKSSIBYLLINE BOOKS– ARCHES OF JANUS DURING WARARCHES OF JANUS DURING WAR– HERCULES WORSHIPHERCULES WORSHIP– ROMAN STATE FUNERAL RITESROMAN STATE FUNERAL RITES

• LOCAL FABLESLOCAL FABLES

WAR SCENESWAR SCENES• CAN THERE BE SUCH ANGER IN THE MINDS OF CAN THERE BE SUCH ANGER IN THE MINDS OF GODS?GODS?

• WAR IS HELLWAR IS HELL• AENEAS HATES WAR BUT FIGHTS SAVAGELY AND AENEAS HATES WAR BUT FIGHTS SAVAGELY AND HOMERICALLYHOMERICALLY

• FALL OF TROYFALL OF TROY• NISUS AND EURYALUSNISUS AND EURYALUS• ENDANGERED CAMP WHILE HERO IS AWAYENDANGERED CAMP WHILE HERO IS AWAY• REVENGE FOR FALLEN FRIENDREVENGE FOR FALLEN FRIEND• TURNUS=ACHILLES AND HECTORTURNUS=ACHILLES AND HECTOR• AENEAS=ACHILLES AND HECTORAENEAS=ACHILLES AND HECTOR• ARISTEAARISTEA

AENEAS AS A CHARACTERAENEAS AS A CHARACTER

• UNREAL?UNREAL?• PUPPET?PUPPET?• UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIORUNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR

– DIDODIDO– LAUSUSLAUSUS– TURNUSTURNUS

AENEAS THE NEW HEROAENEAS THE NEW HERO• PIETY VS IRE AND FURYPIETY VS IRE AND FURY• LIMITED STRENGTH, LIMITED RESOLUTIONLIMITED STRENGTH, LIMITED RESOLUTION• PERSEVERANCEPERSEVERANCE• BEGINNING DOUBTS, WANTS TO DIE, LEANS ON BEGINNING DOUBTS, WANTS TO DIE, LEANS ON ANCHISESANCHISES

• DISTRACTION OF DIDODISTRACTION OF DIDO• STOIC AT TIMES, BUT NOT AT ENDSTOIC AT TIMES, BUT NOT AT END• LONELY SUFFERINGLONELY SUFFERING• RELUCTANT HERORELUCTANT HERO• ABRAHAM FIGUREABRAHAM FIGURE• COMPASSIONATECOMPASSIONATE• FILIALFILIAL

FATHERS AND SONSFATHERS AND SONS

• ANCHISESANCHISES• ROMAN PATER FAMILIASROMAN PATER FAMILIAS• RUNS SHOW UNTIL DEATH—IS IT WEAKNESS RUNS SHOW UNTIL DEATH—IS IT WEAKNESS IN AENEAS?IN AENEAS?

• OTHER FATHERSOTHER FATHERS– AENEAS AND IULUS (Ascanius)AENEAS AND IULUS (Ascanius)– LATINUS AND LAVINIALATINUS AND LAVINIA– EVANDER AND PALLASEVANDER AND PALLAS– PRIAM AND POLITES, ET AL.PRIAM AND POLITES, ET AL.

DIDO AS CHARACTERDIDO AS CHARACTER

• CALYPSOCALYPSO• CIRCECIRCE• CLEOPATRACLEOPATRA• YET SYMPATHETICYET SYMPATHETIC• CARTHAGECARTHAGE• ENERGETIC AND COURAGEOUSENERGETIC AND COURAGEOUS• COULD SHE HAVE RESISTED CUPID?COULD SHE HAVE RESISTED CUPID?• MEDEA-LIKE IN HER FURYMEDEA-LIKE IN HER FURY• SHE TAKES “MARRIAGE” UNREALISTICALLY SHE TAKES “MARRIAGE” UNREALISTICALLY SERIOUSSERIOUS

• DEAR SISTER ANNADEAR SISTER ANNA

TURNUS AS A CHARACTERTURNUS AS A CHARACTER

• LOVES BATTLELOVES BATTLE• ITALIAN HARDNESS VS EASTERN SOFTNESSITALIAN HARDNESS VS EASTERN SOFTNESS• TRAGIC BUT SYMPATHETICTRAGIC BUT SYMPATHETIC• HUBRISHUBRIS• LIKES TO SHOW OFFLIKES TO SHOW OFF• COMPARED TO WILD ANIMALSCOMPARED TO WILD ANIMALS• LOSS OF CONFIDENCE AT ENDLOSS OF CONFIDENCE AT END• MYCENEANMYCENEAN• DEAR SISTER JUTURNADEAR SISTER JUTURNA

RELIGIONRELIGION

• CEREMONYCEREMONY• RITUAL RITUAL • PRAYERPRAYER• OLYMPIAN DEITIES—BEAUTIFUL, OLYMPIAN DEITIES—BEAUTIFUL, TERRIBLE, INTERFERINGTERRIBLE, INTERFERING

• PARTISAN, FINALLY IMPARTIALPARTISAN, FINALLY IMPARTIAL• FATEFATE• JUNO VS VENUSJUNO VS VENUS• APOLLO—TROJANS, COLONIES, JOURNEYS, APOLLO—TROJANS, COLONIES, JOURNEYS, SPECIAL PATRON OF AUGUSTUSSPECIAL PATRON OF AUGUSTUS

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

• IS IT A DERIVATIVE COPY?IS IT A DERIVATIVE COPY?• ART FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA?ART FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA?• ARE THE CHARACTERS REAL PEOPLE?ARE THE CHARACTERS REAL PEOPLE?• ARE THERE UNIVERSAL THEMES?ARE THERE UNIVERSAL THEMES?