The Aeneid

From the Age of Heroes to the Age of Imperial Rome

History vs. LegendRoman tradition = Romulus founded Rome

Greek tradition = Aeneas founded Roman people

Romulus and Remus become Aeneas’ descendents

Timeline of Events1184Fall of Troy

1176 AeneasfoundsLavinium

1152Alba Longais founded

1152-753Alba Longa

753 Rome

753-509Kings

Alba LongaCity in Italy founded by Iulus, the son of Aeneas

Iulus is also called Ascanius

Aeneas’ father is Anchises

Alba Longa

Livy’s RomeRoman ancestor

Who today shall call the wolf their foster mother?

Propertius

Vergil’s RomeNew kind of hero

Shoot first, ask later

“Trojan Aeneas, are you slow?”

Aeneas as HeroSpeeches in Livy

Visual Imagery

Aeneas is shown the future

Augustus 31 BC

But now, back to our storyAeneas is pius

Pietas

Household gods

Dido

Aeneas’ DutyLeave Dido

Found a new nation

Put politics before passion

Book ThreeAeneas “takes to the open sea” with his father, son and household gods

Buries the Trojan Polydorus (evidence of Aeneas’ piety)

The gods warn Aeneas he cannot stay on Crete

Book ThreeAeneas finds Andromache, widow of Hector

Helenus shows Aeneas the Tiny Troy

Aeneas receives the prophecy that he will eat his plates

The death of Anchises

Book FourAeneas is in Carthage

Queen Dido falls in love with him

Juno has a plan

Book Four, the Dido Dilemma

Dido resists fate

She is caught between Juno and Venus

Comparison with Cleopatra and Medea

What is Vergil’s stance on excessive emotion?

Book FourAeneas and Dido are married

Mercury comes to Aeneas

Aeneas sets sail

Dido kills herself

Book FiveAeneas sees a big fire as he sails from Carthage

Holds funeral games for his father (pietas)

Palinurus falls overboard

Book SixAeneas encounters the SibylHe lingers in front of the Temple of ApolloHe sees many things, including the story of Icarus and Daedalus

Aeneas visits the underworld

Aeneas must see Dido for himself Words are ineffective

Fathers see sons die

Parents bury their children

ConclusionsSpectacle

Violence

Fate

Why does Aeneas exit through the gate of false dreams?