The Aneid by Virgil

Aeneas is a siege survivor and founder of the Rome. Aeneas has essentially gone from rock bottom and climbed all the way to the top throughout his journey. And although he is a pawn of fate, Aeneas is the face of an epic hero, like many we have previously discussed: Hector, Achilles, and Odysseus. He seems to carry traits from all three of these men. As well as, these traits directly tie to Virgil’s implication of pietas, severitas, and gravitas, all of which are embodied in Aeneas. Aeneas is comparable to Hector in pietas (devotion).

“I am Aeneas, devoted to my city’s gods” (1, 13, 460).

Much like Hector in the Iliad Aeneas has clear devotion to the gods and their will as we see throughout through The Aeneid where Aeneas does many things we may question because he seems like he is being a jerk, but he really is seeing as loyalty to the gods and that their will is most important. As well as Odysseus’s severitas (sternness), Aeneas takes a strong stance against the trials he is faced and conquers them. And much like Achilles gravitas(dignity) in war.

“In great Sila, or high on Taburnus, two bulls have locked horns in mortal combat. The keepers fall back in fear, and the cattle stand in silent dread, the heifers musing on who will be lord of the entire herd” (12, 189, 861).

The thundering fight between Aeneas and Turnus speaks of the dignity in both men that they clash head to head in honor. Aeneas embodies these three themes of The Aeneid, and many astounding character traits: including unmatchable will power, and phenomenal insight to the world. Thus, making Aeneas a perfect catalyst for an epic hero, and is also why Virgil saw Aeneas as the main character. And separates The Aeneid from the Homer’s the ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey’.

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...or such a use…With these words on her lips her companions saw her collapse onto the sword, saw the blade foaming with blood, and her hands spattered” (4, 72, 749).

Finally, Aeneas is a pawn, not for bad reasons, but for displaying characteristics of a glorified Roman. Most prominent is obedience and will to the gods. The amount of times this phrase appears in The Aeneid is overwhelming; almost every pinpoint turn in the story is paired with ‘by the will of the gods’ in some meaning of the words. The best example, as previously discussed, when Aeneas leaves Dido and what seemed to be an unbreakable love, was just as easily cracked by the will of the gods and their word that Aeneas must continue on his destiny. As well as many human qualities of courage, leadership, and determination, all qualities that every Roman should have; and all qualities that Aeneas displays.