Aeneas's Legacy

The Aeneid, written by Virgil, is an epic poem which tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travels to Italy and begins a dynasty that leads to the birth of Romulus (the founder of Rome) and Remus several centuries later. In an age in which most of the famous epics center around a man and his journey towards self-glory, Virgil’s Aeneid offers the world a new kind of epic. Of course, Aeneas still has the characteristics of the classic epic hero: strength, great fighting skills, bravery, and the like. However, Aeneas has so many responsibilities throughout the poem that his primary focus cannot possibly be on himself alone. Instead, he must focus on how his actions affect those around him, and to ensure that he fulfills his destiny to arrive in Italy and found Rome.

Because of Aeneas’ great deal of responsibilities, his greatness and legacy is measured by more than just his skill on the battlefield; it is also measured by how he relates with those around him, and his duties towards them. Many view Aeneas as a symbol of pietas, which is one’s duty to his parents, fatherland, and gods. Others do not feel this way, and believe that he fails in some of his duties. One such criticism is that Aeneas succeeds as a warrior, but he fails as a husband and a father. If Aeneas truly disregarded his

Aeneas truly cares for his wife. He loses his wife in the chaos, and rather than giving up and moving on without her, he runs through the destroyed city searching for her. He screams throughout the city, putting his own life in danger, as he could have easily been found by Greek soldiers. Aeneas protects his son Ascanius throughout the epic, mentoring and giving him wisdom as they travel. Moreover, everything that Aeneas does is to create a bright future for his son and the Trojan people. Aeneas goes above and beyond in his duty to his