The Aeneid: An Epic by the Roman Poet Virgil

Protagonist: Aeneas, a demigod; the founder of a new home (Italy) for the remaining
Trojans

Vocabulary: p. 18
1. hurled (v)- (v)- threw with great force
2. implore (v)-beg or plead earnestly
3. pacify (v)- quell, calm, appease the anger, agitation, or excitement of
4. elopement (n)- a hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with
one's beloved with the intention of getting married
5. rendezvous (n)- a meeting, tryst, appointment, or engagement at an agreed time
and place, typically between two people; a meeting place
6. seized (v)- taken hold, possessed, or controlled
7. exploits (n)- bold or daring feats, adventures, or escapades
9. truce (n)- an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting or arguing for
a certain time; a ceasefire
10. traverse (v)- ravel across or through; travel over/across, journey, pass over

o The Author: Virgil (70- 19 B.C.)

 the greatest writer that Rome produced
 born in 70 B.C. in Mantua, one of the loveliest country- sides in Italy
 His close familiarity with and love of nature are clearly evident in his works.
 Virgil wrote this epic in 29 B.C. to honor the Roman empire under Emperor
Augustus.

o Summary of the Epic:

1. THE FALL OF TROY: The story begins with the burning of Troy and the massacre of
the men while the women and children are carried off into slavery. Aeneas was saved
by his mother Venus, and together with his father Anchises, son Ascanius, and a few
Trojans, sails away from the burning Troy. He lost his wife Creusa during the escape.
After leaving Troy, Aeneas was told in a dream that the place destined for them was a
country far away to the west, Hesperia, the Western Country
2. HARPIES: The Trojans were driven away by the Harpies, frightful flying creatures
with hooked beaks and claws who always leave behind a loathsome stench, sickening
to all living creatures, also called as “the hounds of Zeus”, from Crete, and forced to put
out to sea to escape them.
3. ANDROMACHE’S LAND: At their next landing place, they met to their amazement,
Andromache who was given to Neoptelemus or Pyrrhus, Achilles’ son. He abandoned
her for Hermione, Helen’s daughter. After Pyrrhus’ death, she married the Trojan
prophet Helenus who advised them on how to avoid Scylla and Charybdis where
Ulysses lost six of his men, that is to make a long circuit southward around Sicily.
4. SICILY: For all his mysterious powers, Helenus was not aware that Sicily, at least the
southern part was occupied by the Cyclops. When they arrived in the island, they met a
poor wretch of a man, one of Ulysses’ sailors who had been left behind unintentionally
in Polyphemus’ cave, man, one of Ulysses’ sailors who had been left behind
unintentionally in Polyphemus’ cave, warned them to leave the island at once. They had
launched the ships when Polyphemus was seen slowly making his way down to the
shore to wash the cavity where his eye had been, which still flowed with blood. He
heard the splashing of the oars and he rushed toward the sound out into the sea. The
Trojans, however, had got enough of a start. Before he could reach them, the water had
deepened too much even for his towering height.
5. THE GREAT STORM: They were struck by a great storm. Juno went to Aeolus, the
King of the Winds, and asked him to sink their ships, promising him in return her
loveliest nymph for his wife. The stupendous storm was the result. Neptune sent a stern
reprimand to Aeolus. Then he calmed the sea and made it possible for the Trojans to
get to land.
6. CARTHAGE: Their ships are driven away from their course by Juno who is angry
with Aeneas because this Latin race is destined to destroy Carthage, her favorite city in
North Africa. They reached Carthage. They were guided to the palace of Queen Dido by
Venus who was disguised as a huntress. Queen Dido was a widow. She accepted the
Trojans for she herself had come to Africa with a few friends fleeing from her brother
who wanted to murder her. “Not ignorant of suffering, I have learned to help the
unfortunate,” said she. She was struck by Cupid’s arrows, as instructed by Venus, so
that she would fall in love with Aeneas. Juno orchestrated an affair between Dido and
Aeneas so that he will stay on at Carthage. When Jupiter hears of this, he sends
Mercury to remind Aeneas of his destiny and duty to his race- to be the founder of
Rome. Aeneas realizes his error and prepares to leave Carthage quietly. Dido suspects
at once and confronts him, telling him that he will leave her lonely and disgraced. Dido,
broken- hearted, commits suicide as Aeneas sails away. She stabs herself into the
heart.
7. HADES: He sought the cave of the Sibyl of Cumae, as per instruction from Helenus.
The Sibyl is a prophetess, a woman of deep wisdom who could foretell the future and
would advise him what to do. She guided him to the underworld where he would learn
all he needed to know from his father Anchises who had just died before the great storm
and was buried in Sicily. First he must find in the forest the golden bough growing on a
tree, which he must break off and take with him. Only with this in his hand would he be
admitted to Hades. With Achates, they went almost hopelessly into the great wilderness
of trees. Suddenly they caught sight of two doves, the birds of Venus. They flew close to
Lake Avernus, a dark foul- smelling sheet of water where there was a cavern from
which the road led down to the underworld. Here the doves soared up a tree through
whose foliage came a bright yellow gleam. Aeneas plucked the golden bough joyfully.
Afterwards they reached a place where an old man was rowing a boat. There they saw
a pitiful sight, innumerable spirits on the shore, all stretching out their hands and praying
the ferryman to carry them across to the farther bank. They have reached the junction of
two great rivers of the underworld, the Cocytus and the Acheron. The ferryman was
Charon, and those he would not admit to his boat were the unfortunates who had not
been duly buried. They were doomed to wander aimlessly for a hundred years, with
never a place to rest in. Charon bid the two to halt and told them that he didn’t ferry the
living, only the dead, but at the sight of the golden bough, he took them across.
Cerberus was on the other bank to dispute the way, but they followed Psyche’s
example. The Sibyl, too, had some cake for him, and he gave them no trouble. They
came to a solemn place in which Minos, the inflexible judge of the dead, was passing
the final sentence on the souls before him. They hastened away from that inexorable
presence and found themselves in the Fields of Mourning, where the unhappy lovers
dwelt who had been driven by their misery to kill themselves. Aeneas caught sight of
Dido. He wept as he greeted her. “Was I the cause of your death?” he asked her. “I
swear I left you against my will.” She neither looked at him nor answered him. He,
himself, however, was a good deal shaken, and he continued to shed tears even after
he lost sight of her. Finally, they reached the Elysian Fields where Aeneas would find
his father. Here dwelt the great and good dead, heroes, poets, priests, and all who had
made men remember them by helping others. Among them Aeneas soon came upon
Anchises who greeted him with incredulous joy. He showed his son those who were to
be their descendants. A magnificent company they were- the future Romans, the
masters of the world. Finally, he gave his son instructions how he would best establish
his home in Italy and he could avoid and endure all the hardships that lay before him.
8. LATIUM: Their destination is Latium where they intend to find a Trojan colony.
Aeneas will be the founder of a city from which would come the Latin race which would
build Rome. He reaches Latium and gains the friendship of King Latinus, the ruler of
Latium and Queen Amata, his wife. Oracles like Faunus have foretold that his only
daughter Lavinia would marry a foreigner who would become the father of an imperial
line. Aeneas has a rival for the hand of Lavinia, the brave and powerful Turnus, King of
the Rutulians. A battle begins between the Trojans and the Latiums, and after many
pitched engagements, Aeneas defeats Turnus in a single combat and gains the hand of
Lavinia. He becomes the king and in ceremonial rites required by the gods, a new
nation is formed, and the Trojans are named Latins. Virgil’s poem ends with Turnus’
death. Aeneas married Lavinia and founded the Roman race.