What Livy was Trying to Convey Livy is a Roman historian who wrote the “Ab Urbe Condita Libri” during the reign of Augustus. Augusts had hundreds of writer’s record stories about the greatness and virtue of the Romans. Note that the Romans create stories about their generals, such as Scipio and Cincinnatus, to set an example of how further generations of general sand statesman should act. In the first sixteen books Livy describes the origin of the Roman people, while conveying humility and greatness of the founders from Aeneas to Romulus. Livy’s story starts off with Aeneas eventually arriving in Italy. After his men steal livestock another tribe arises to attack. Livy mentions that it is unclear on what happened. One account states that the armies fought and the Trojans beat back the attacking tribe lead by Latinus. Livy also states that after Latinus heard the attackers were the famous Trojans lead by Aeneas, he “marveled at both there fame and courage. (Livy 1)” Even though the Trojans lost the war Livy states that there fame and courage was widely well known. He has started to show the greatness within the beginnings. The next major example of Roman virtue is the story of Romulus and Remus. The twins are sons of the God Mars the patron god of Rome, which in itself is a major support. Then the two boys have grown up Livy describes them as men who have “gained strength in body and mind. (Livy 4)” The twins are already becoming a virtuous humans. Livy also shows the great deeds of the young men, as they hunt the wild animals, make attacks on robbers, and spread the spoils amongst the shepherds. Here the boys are almost destined to be great. They have a code of virtues, in which they fight off evil and give to the poor. To fu... ... middle of paper ... ... then picks up at the end of Romulus’s Rule and how he feels “mortification (Livy 9)” about the “rape of the Sabine women.” Livy demonstrates the compassion a leader must have, and how they should know right from wrong. Romulus has great public speaking skills judging by the speech that he gives to the parents and tribesmen of the women his fellow Romans have taken. This is a virtue that all great leaders must have. After the war was over Romulus was finally hailed as God, due to the fact that his rule ended with him being “carried away into the sky by storm, (Livy 15)” which could possibly be a connection to how great Roman are Gods. Augustus had recently declared Julius Caesar as a God to be worshiped. Livy was just trying to convey that how the major characters during the upbringing of Rome are virtuous men and the future leaders should model themselves after. .
Titus Livius also known as Livy is a roman analyst who was born in 59BC. Livy writing style is known for engaging the attention of an audience. He accomplishes this through emotive descriptions and long speeches. It is commonly known that Livy sacrifices chronology and ignores contradictory versions of events in or to make Rome seem victorious. Livy’s standard of writing was not always high and there where most likely political influences on Livy even though he played no official part in politics. Not being involved in the Senate served as both an advantage and a disadvantage to Livy as it excludes him from parliament which means he had no first-hand experience of the systems he wrote about. His exclusion also meant that he had no access to
Livy. The Early History of Rome: Books I-V of The History of Rome from its
Others will cast more tenderly in bronze Their breathing figures, I can well believe, And bring more lifelike portraits out of marble; Argue more eloquently, use the pointer to trace the paths of heaven accurately And accurately foretell the rising stars. Roman, remember by your strength to rule Earth's peoples - for your arts are to be these: To pacify, to impose the rule of law, To spare the conquered , battle down the proud. " Lines 1143-1154 Within this passage, Virgil uses literary allusions to the Iliad and the Odyssey by allowing Anchises to give Aeneas some history of his people as an incentive to carry out his mission as a leader. By mentioning the downfall of his people during the Trojan War and foreshadowing his destiny by "Sparing the conquered" Trojans and "battle down the proud" Greeks, can be looked upon as a reinforcement of his duties not only to his dead father and family, but to the entire Trojan population. To let another character found and rule Rome would just prove the failure of his people again, as shown through the Trojan war.
Livy begins early in establishing the basic characteristics of Romulus, arguably the most notable Roman in history. Romulus and his brother Remus were “energetic young men, who [were]… strengthened… in body and spirit.” (Livy 9). Livy then describes the clash of these attributes between the two brothers, as Romulus and Remus battle for supremacy. “From a war of words, anger turned them to bloodshed. In the heat of the melee, Remus met his death.” (Livy 11). Livy wastes no time in establishing the brutal tradition of war that helped to extend the Roman Empire. Romulus came to power because of force, and furthered his rule by the same means: “By brute force and without strategy the Roman king prevailed, using the might of his veteran army alone.” (Livy 20). This overwhelm...
1)De, Selincourt Aubrey. Livy, the Early History of Rome: Book I - V of the History of Rome from Its Foundation. London: Penguin, 1960. Print.
... prominent source of his weighty troubles. They are helpless to withstand the gods, restrain Aeneas from advancing towards Italy, and burn at women’s torches. Yet, his ships are invaluable to the overall success of his journey and the expression of his character. Aeneas is a ship, chugging toward western shores and providing refuge for his people. However, this extended analogy has greater importance to Virgil and the rest of human society. After the destruction of Troy, Aeneas has no country to protect or call his home. The cargo and soldiers aboard his ships are the remnants of his past civilization, but they are also the seeds for a new empire. Aeneas, just as his ships, is the invaluable carrier and protector of one of the greatest empires in all of human history – Rome.
Thesis: Despite his accomplishments and the glory associated with his life, Aeneas only achieves the status of hero through divine intervention, and this god-given position causes him just as much grief as it does splendor.
Aurelius was one of rome's best leaders keeping it safe and leading it in the right direction.
Rome, even at its beginnings, proved to be a force to be reckoned with. It’s rapid growth and accumulation of power and repeated victories over powerful neighbors set Rome in a position of great authority and influence. As the leader of early Rome, Romulus’ effective command of his men and governance of his people provided the foundation for the building of a great city. Livy emphasizes Romulus’ possible divine origins and strong ties to deities as a validation and reinforcement of his ability to rule. A nation’s sole defense cannot be just bricks and mortar, it requires an army and a will and Romulus was able to successfully take action against the aggressors when action was needed.
While the contributions of Romulus are often associated to violence and bloodshed, King Romulus is still reverently recalled by many of the citizens in Rome for forming the foundation of their city. Likewise, the achievements of Numa Pompilius are fondly recollected because they instil many of Rome’s domestic traditions and spiritual monuments in its early history. Without the contributions from King Romulus and King Numa Pompilius, who each giving the people of Rome something vital to refine and redevelop after their deaths, made it possible for Rome to become one of the most powerful and influential city in all of Italy.
The Roman Way is basically an informal history of Roman civilization as Edith Hamilton interprets the writings of the greatest literary figures from around the time of 200 B.C. to 100 A.D. Some of these writers include Cicero, with his vast assortment of letters; Catullus, the romantic poet; and Horace, the storyteller of an unkind and greedy Rome. They are three affluent white men from around the same period of time, although each of them had very different styles of writings and ideologies. Edith Hamilton does a great job in translating the works of many different authors of Roman literature, discussing each author's exclusive stance in...
To those who already knew the stories of the Trojan War heroes (which all of the original Greek audience of the epic would),
From the ashes of Troy, the light of Rome was born through an act by a man who would be deemed both courageous and cowardly by those who once protected it. The early Roman army was one of the most feared and capable armies in ancient times in part due to their strict code of loyalty and punishment of those who betray said code. One of the most reviled crimes was the act of cowardice and the Roman Empire enforced loyalty among its ranks. To betray Rome was to essentially betray the gods. The hero of Aeneas is a rare character in Ancient Roman history that both forsake the gods he serves but also abides to their will. In defying the code of the Roman soldier, Aeneas would help found a city that would outlive the fallen city of Troy.
To begin, both the leadership qualities and flaws of Aeneas and Odysseus must be examined in order to determine who the better leader is. Virgil presents Aeneas very differently than Homer presents Odysseus. They are both certainly heroes, but Aeneas seems more accessible and a stronger leader, due to the way Virgil presents him. Virgil illustrated Aeneas as a man that had to participate in many tests and tempering’s, and from that, his heroism was seen as flawless. The same goes along with Homers’ Odysseus, yet in a different, more astounding way.
...ation and well being of a country, people, and republic. “‘This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he did that they did in envy of great Caesar; he, only in a general honest thought and common good to all, made one of them’”(998). Although a seemingly menacing traitor to his country at first, Brutus makes the journey to a sympathetic and noble tragic hero in the end.