What Qualities Does Aeneas Display Of Piety In The Aeneid

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In books 1 and 2, Aeneas shows traditional Homeric leadership qualities, for example the desire for honour gained through fighting in battle as well as eternal glory and immortality. However Aeneas begins to display proto - Roman qualities within the books, including his display of Piety: having a sense of duty towards the Gods, city state and family.

On the one hand, Aeneas is a good leader as he is caring and encouraging to his men. We see this is book 1 as Aeneas and his companions dock their ships in Libya. We are told there was ‘no need of chains to moor the weary ships’. From this we learn Aeneas was able to lead his men successfully into Libya and therefore he is shown as a good leader as he keeps his companions safe and doesn't put …show more content…

From this we learn of Aeneas’ respectful nature towards Dido and suggests he is a good leader as he leads by good example as well as obeying xenia. Aeneas also shoes piety in book 2 as he informs his father to carry the sacraments and ancestral gods as he has blood on his hands, and this would be disrespectful and insult the gods. Aeneas says ‘it is not right for me to touch them till I have washed’. This suggests Aeneas’ good leadership as he displays piety and devotion to the gods which may help to keep the Gods on their side on their journey. Aeneas also displays good leadership through his resourcefulness. In book 1, we see Aeneas ‘succeeded in stretching seven huge [stag] carcasses on the ground, one for each of the ships’. This indicates Aeneas’ resourcefulness as he is able to provide food for his comrades through his skill with his bow and arrow when they arrive, starving, in Libya. He is therefore a good leader as he is able to provide for his men in times of desperation. Moreover Aeneas portrays tactful and resourceful actions in book 2, as he is able to sneak into the palace through a back door: ‘There was a forgotten entrance at the rear, a secret doorway…’ This shows resourcefulness as he uses his tactful craft and knowledge to gain safe entrance into the palace and shows he is a good leader as he keeps himself safe …show more content…

At our first sighting of Aeneas we are told his ‘limbs grew weak’ and he says he wishes he was killed in battle by Diomede. Here we see Aeneas as selfish as he has no regard for his men and doesn't try to motivate them. This implies Aeneas was not a good leader as he acts self- centred and doesn't think of his men, he simply wishes he was dead. In addition, Aeneas is portrayed as emotionally unstable as he witnesses the pictures from the Trojan war in the palace of Dido: ‘rivers of tears washed down his cheeks’. The phrase ‘rivers of tears’ suggests unstoppable crying at the depictions, as if he cannot stop. This suggests Aeneas was not in control of his emotions and this portrays Aeneas as a bad leader as he seems emotionally unstable in front of his

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