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Aeneas & the Mythological Founding of RomeContentsSummaryThe travels of Aeneas, a prince of Troy, are significant to Roman history despite having happened several hundred years prior to the founding of Rome. In his great epic The Aeneid, the poet Virgil tells of these travels and adventures with the desire that Aeneas become a legendary figure. Virgil writes of Aeneas' journey from Troy to Crete, Carthage, in the first part of his epic. The second part, taking place in Italy, depicts Aeneas' interaction with the different natives in Italy. Heavily involved with the mortals, the goddess Juno affects Aeneas' place in the eyes of the natives. Juno forces the Queen of Lavium to betroth her daughter, Lavinia, to Turnus, king of the Rutuli. Aeneas, who was courting Lavinia, became Turnus' arch-enemy because of this. The The Aeneid ends with Aeneas defeating Turnus, killing him. Virgil's great epic became a symbol to Roman citizens of their legendary, godly heritage and of their divine nation. “Aeneas' Flight from Troy.jpg” (Galleria Borghese 2002) IntroductionThe mythological account of Aeneas, a Trojan prince, was known and praised throughout late Roman history. These adventures of Aeneas, entitled The Aeneid, were made part of historical record by Publius Vergilius Maro (more commonly named Virgil) (Adler v). The Aeneid, his epic poem, goes into detail regarding the very beginnings of Roman culture and how fugitive Trojans came to Italia as the progenitors of Romans. For this reason, it became the nationally appointed version of how the culture of Rome came to be. Virgil died before finalizing The Aeneid, which was assumed to have ended with a precursor city to Rome (named Lavinium) being founded and named by Aeneas. He himself was noted as a great Roman hero, the ancestor of all Romans – including the mythological founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. The Aeneid was written in order to induce pride in the Roman people. To be discussed in the paper are both Aeneas’ adventures’ significance and how he is portrayed as a legendary Roman hero; eventually even as an immortal figure. Virgil, the poet and creator of Aeneas’ representation in The Aeneid, will also be an important point of discussion. Chronologically, the events discussed are between the end of the Trojan War; ca. 1184 B.C., and the end of Aeneas’ struggle to gain control of northern Italia. While Romulus and Remus founded Rome itself, Aeneas started the line of Roman ancestry and introduced Roman culture to Italia. “Map of Aeneas' Journey.jpg” (Aeneid 2007) VirgilVirgil, born Publius Vergilius Maro, was born a Roman citizen in 70 B.C.; near the city of Mantua (Adler, v). The time period in which he lived, including the fall of the Roman republic and end of Julius Caesar’s rule, was full of civil strife. During the last years of his life, while he wrote The Aeneid, the emperor Augustus was in power. Virgil was a favorite author to Augustus, who had The Aeneid published as Rome's national epic (Adler vi). Virgil died in 19 B.C., ten years into the writing of the epic (Adler vi). As a boy, Virgil was sent to school by his father, having saved enough money from the pottery business to give him an education (Adler v). The great Roman conquest of Gaul was an ongoing struggle while Virgil's school was in session. Virgil himself, being unsuited for war, in his life never participated in one (Adler v). After his schooling, Virgil left Mantua for Milan, soon afterwards heading to Rome itself. In Rome, Virgil's studies included rhetoric and philosophy – the tools he would later use in his writings. Virgil studied in Rome for many years of his early life, but he eventually came to Naples, where he attended a school of philosophy known as “the Garden” (Adler v). During his days as a student, he wrote many short poems. Having finished his education, Virgil wrote his first published work, entitled the Eclogues (Adler v). He went into detail in the Eclogues about the period of time after Caesar's assassination (Adler v); adding his own versions of what happened with a mythological twist. His Eclogues pleased the emperor-to-be, Augustus; they were published and read aloud across Rome (Adler v). Soon after his first poem's success, Virgil left Rome once again, a growing distaste for city life in his mind. He wrote a second poem, the Georgics, about Caesar's legacy; which he perfected in Campania. In both the Georgics and the Eclogues Virgil left small hints about his desire to write a great epic, comparable with the earlier Iliad and Odyssey. Virgil's final work was The Aeneid, which he began ca. 30 B.C (Adler vi). The most famous of his writings, The Aeneid was designed to exalt the Roman people and nation (Adler vi). Virgil used Aeneas as a personification of Roman virtue itself; as a representation of an ideal Roman citizens (Hunter 1997). The Aeneid was completed against Virgil's wishes; he had intended to edit parts of it before he died (Adler vi). “Virgil.jpg” (Berlioz 2007) AeneasThroughout Virgil's epic, Aeneas is described as, of all adjectives, pious (Hunter 1997). As he intended The Aeneid to be an encouraging and exemplary work, Virgil ostentatiously portrayed Aeneas as the epitome of an upright, virtuous Roman citizen (Hunter 1997). It may be noted that The Aeneid states Aeneas to be a descendant of Jupiter (Family Tree 2007) – therefore making his offspring, the Romans, also descendants of Jupiter. “Aeneas' Family Tree.jpg” (Musesrealm 2007) Aeneas is the son of Anchises, whom he carried out of Troy (Hunter 1997). His mother is Venus, the goddess of love; she and Jupiter were both in his favor. By his deeds – escaping Troy, saving his people, and forging a new homeland for them – Aeneas was looked at fondly by Roman citizens, as a great Roman hero (Nardo 12). “Aeneas.jpg” (Encyclopedia Mythica 1999) Summary of The AeneidThe great epic of The Aeneid begins in Troy. For ten years, the Greeks pillaged and attacked the lands and city of Troy; however they were unsuccessful in taking the city itself. One morning, the Trojans woke inside their walls to discover the Greeks gone; their war-camps abandoned and a gigantic wooden horse left behind. Assuming that the horse was a sacrifice to the Greek god Athena (Minerva), the Trojans brought it inside their great walls (Fitzgerald 34). However, the great war had not ended. Indeed, the Greek ships had not left. The ships filled with Greek soldiers were merely an inlet away from Troy; invisible to the watchful eyes of the city. The wooden Trojan Horse, too, had concealed Greek soldiers in it (Fitzgerald 40). In celebration of their recent “victory” in driving the Greeks out of their lands, the Trojans held a great feast, with plenty of wine (Church 8). Deep at night, when all of the Trojans were asleep, the Greeks concealed in the Trojan Horse broke out; opening the gates and killing any guards awake (Fitzgerald 39). The opened gates were allowed the entire Greek army to enter the city, having left their inlet and headed to shore. By the time the Trojans woke up, their city was burning; filled with Greek invaders. King Priam, the leader of Troy, was slain by Greek guards. However, Aeneas managed to leave the city by means of a secret passage (Church 24). He carried his father, Anchises (Church 21), and was accompanied by several family members and kinsmen. “Aeneas Triad.jpg” (VRoma 2003) The remaining Trojans, died at the hands of the Greek armies. In this way, the great city of Troy was burned to the ground. Aeneas and his fellows were forced to hide in the hills above Troy as long as the Greek armies inhabited what was left of Troy (Church 25). Their wait was not long; the Greeks themselves desired to return home, and, after a short time in Troy, they did so. The refugees headed past Troy once the Greeks had left; intending to build ships and leave their war-ridden homeland (Church 25). Aeneas, speaking to Apollo, asked for advice. Apollo told Aeneas to return to the original homeland of the Trojans, Crete. Aeneas, having built several ships, set sail for Crete. There his countrymen founded a city which they called Aenos; however their inhabitance of Crete did not last. Aeneas learns in another dream that Apollo did not intend for them to travel to Crete. So Aeneas, on the advice of Apollo and Jupiter, left Crete (Church 36). His company landed on another island, which contained plenty of cattle and goats. Upon eating the animals, they were attacked by Harpies. After complaining to Apollo and Jupiter once more, Aeneas was told to sail to Italy. His divine instructions were to build a great city there (Fitzgerald 71). On the way, Aeneas was forced to make a stop at Sicilia. There, Anchises died. Carthage was intended by Juno to be the world's first great city. Queen Dido was in charge of the city's construction (Church 49). Juno, because she was told that the Trojans would build the first great city, became an enemy of Aeneas and his company (Fitzgerald 72). She persuaded Aeolus, the keeper of the winds, to push the Trojans off of their course to Italy. However, Aeolus felt pity for the Trojans, and spared them. Aeneas landed on the shores of Africa, near Carthage. After making camp, Aeneas explored the area. Aeneas' mother, Venus, took the shape of a huntress woman and led him to Carthage (Church 49). In Carthage, Aeneas met the Queen Dido while she was overseeing the construction of a temple to Juno (Church 55). Dido welcomed Aeneas, allowing him and his men to stay in Carthage safely. Dido and Aeneas fell in love with each other for a time – but their love did not last. “Dido.jpg” (Pierre-Narcisse Guerin 2007) Aeneas was soon sent a message from Jupiter – to go to Italia and build his new city. So he left with the Trojans, stopping at Sicilia to hold his father's funeral games. Juno schemed against Aeneas while he and his men were busy with the funeral games (Church 75). She came as a mortal Trojan woman, Beroe, attempting to stall Aeneas – but was eventually foiled (Church 76). Aeneas and his men landed finally in Italia. They found a country called Latium whose king was called Latinus. Latinus was of descent from Saturn, who, after being overthrown by Jupiter, fled to Italia (Church 85). When Aeneas arrived, Latinus' daughter, Lavinia, was to be married to a man named Turnus. Aeneas, however, asked for her marriage also. Angered with Aeneas, and persuaded by Juno, Turnus gathered his men, the Rutuli, and attacked Aeneas. A war broke out between Turnus' Latins and Aeneas' Trojans. Among Aeneas' allies was King Evander, of Arcadia. Turnus, a skilled fighter, killed Evander's son Palas and looted his belt (Church 97). Later, Aeneas became enraged and attacked Turnus. At first he found pity for his enemy – but upon seeing the belt he ignored all notions of pity and slew Turnus. Some say that this bloody beginning to Rome's culture is the reason for its bloody history; that if Aeneas had spared Turnus, Rome would have been a peaceful nation (Church 167) . “Let Rome rule the world, but let Troy perish forever.” - Juno (Church 164) “Aeneid Scan.jpg” (Church 1962) Significance of The AeneidVirgil's epic poem was not simply meant for entertainment. Its uses as an educational work, national epic, and exemplary manual are much more prominent than its uses as entertainment work. Emperor Augustus, after Virgil's death, had the book published and appointed it as Rome's national epic work (Church 172). As Augustus' morals and opinions corresponded with those of The Aeneid, there was no doubt involving the poem's standing as national epic (Adler vi). Romans thought of it as, today, we think of the Star Spangled Banner (Church 172). The Aeneid was to the Romans not only a patriotic symbol of their supremacy over much of the known world, but also an explanation of how they came from such humble beginnings to the greatest empire imaginable. The historical progress of The Aeneid makes it parallel to The Odyssey as a sequel of sorts to the previous Iliad. The Trojan war, which is believed to have actually occurred in the 12th century (however exaggerated it is in The Iliad), marks the beginning of The Aeneid. Inferring from the story, Aeneas married the daughter of the King of Latium – the Trojans and native Italians began their lives together. Eventually, their society together became the Roman culture – with the help of two abandoned children named Romulus and Remus. “Romulus and Remus.jpg” (Englicious 2006)
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BibliographyAdler, Mortimer J. Virgil. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1952. Church, Alfred J. The Aeneid For Boys and Girls. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1962. Clare, John D. Classical Rome. London: Random House, 1993. Fitzgerald, Robert and Virgil. The Aeneid. New York: Random House, 1981. Hunter, James. “Aeneas.” Encyclopedia Mythica. 03 March 1997. <www.pantheon.org/articles/a/aeneas.html>. Nardo, Dan. Influential Figures of Ancient Rome. New York: Lucent Books, 2003. Images Aeneas. 1999. Encyclopedia Mythica. 01 January 2008. <www.pantheon.org/areas/gallery/mythology/europe/roman/aeneas.html>. Aeneas' Family Tree. 2007. 01 January 2008. <www.musesrealm.net/familytrees/aeneas.html>. Aeneas' Flight from Troy. Oil on canvas. 2002. Galleria Borghese, Rome. 01 January 2008. <http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/barocci/aeneas/>. Aeneas Triad. Replica. 2003. Museum of Roman Civilization, Rome. 01 January 2008. <http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/index8.html>. Aeneid Scan. 1962. The Aeneid For Boys and Girls 01 January 2008. Dido. 2007. Pierre-Narcisse Guerin. 01 January 2008. <www.literaryhistory.com/20thC/Ohara.html> Map of Aeneas' Journey. 2007. 01 January 2008. <faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/Aeneid.htm>. Romulus and Remus. 2006. 01 January 2008. <www.englicious.com/__bike/Roma-Napoli.php> Virgil. 2007. 01 January 2008. <www.hberlioz.com/Photos/BerliozPhotos8a.html>.
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