Virgil's Use Of Similes In Aeneas And Turnus

Virgil has used several similes in Aeneid to create a pictorial representation of the two antagonists in the book, Aeneas, and Turnus. Through these similes, the characters of Aeneas and Turnus are vividly demonstrated to the audience. Virgil creatively presents the military prowess of the two men of valor through various similes in the book. This paper demonstrates through three similes in Book 12 that the author is using the similes to set the stage for the final combat in the book while at the same time pre-conditioning the audience to the inevitable demise of Turnus. The first two similes of “storm” and “rolling stone” are used to present the characters of Aeneas and Turnus respectively while the third simile of “bulls locking horns” describes

the final duel.
Analysis
Aeneas and his big army march from their camp as they head to the open plains where Turnus and his army have camped.

The author describes the marching of Aeneas as “a storm breaks at sea, and the rain cloud moves toward land” (Aeneid, 12:545-555). In this simile, the author tries to bring out the repercussions of war where “the shocked earth trembled under the tramping feet”. The armies are likened as frightened farmers who are aware of the incoming storm that is making them shudder. The author states that the sight of flying the army of Aeneas sent “cold-shudder” throughout the bones of the Ausonians. The theme in this simile is that of a superior army running over another helpless army with the latter’s defeat in the same manner a storm brings down trees and ruins crops through its powerful winds. However, the farmers, in this case, anticipate what is coming, and they can clearly see the storm-signs. Therefore, in the same manner that farmers know the results of a storm, the outcome of this battle can only be destruction and ruin with both sets of the army anticipating a

loss.
The author likens Turnus to a “stone crashing down a mountain” (Aeneid, 12:820-825).

The theme brought out in this simile is rage and fury taking over a good soldier’s judgment. Turnus battles the Trojans outside the city but gets distracted by the news that the city is under attack by Aeneas and his army. His immediate response is to abandon the war at a battleground that they were “already winning”. He defies his sister’s advice that they should focus on the battle at hand and leaves it for “other troops to defend the town”. However, Turnus loses interest in fighting in a battle that has no “honor” and prefers to die fighting in a more honorable battle against Aeneas. A stone falling from the mountaintop has no control of the direction it takes and knocks out anything it comes across as it creates its path. Turnus’s fury and rage is taking over his objectivity and decision-making. He has no control of his judgment and the kind of decisions that he is making. He ignores his sister’s advice and would eliminate anything else that comes between him and his ambition that is facing Aeneas in a battle. In this simile, the author claims that the storm or time can wash away the stone. Therefore, Turnus’ fury (stone) could have been triggered by Aeneas (storm) or fate/destiny

(time).
The author describes the final confrontation between Aeneas and Turnus as “two bulls have locked horns in mortal combat” (Aeneid, 12:855-865). The author in this simile prepares the reader for the climax of the story. All along in the book, the author has been building up the tension for this final battle of these two titans. The author until now presents Aeneas as a storm devouring all that come before him while Turnus represent a stone falling from the mountain that cannot control its emotions and thus it takes down everything that comes in its way. The simile is meant to keep the reader engaged while at the same time pre-conditioning the audience to Turnus’ fateful end. The combustible nature of Turnus appears at this stage as his biggest weakness. Even without reading to the conclusion, the audience can deduce that Turnus’ uncontrollable fury will be the set-up to his fateful demise. The field has been cleared to let these two bulls to lock horns with the author indicating that there can only be one “lord of the entire herd”.
Conclusion
Aeneid is another classical text that follows in the footsteps of other classical epic stories that have utilized epic similes as an effective method of presenting ideas, building tension for the climax, and comparing two antagonists exhibiting great valor in an epic story. Virgil has effectively capitalized on the similes to create heroic and legendary characters in the two great warriors. Similes provide the author with an opportunity to engage the author by letting them create certain images of the characters in the text. Therefore, Virgil has enriched the text by using various similes in the book that improve delivery of the story.