The AeneidFrom the Age of Heroes to the
Age of Imperial Rome
History vs. LegendRoman tradition = Romulus founded Rome
Greek tradition = Aeneas founded Roman people
Romulus and Remus become Aeneas’ descendents
Timeline of Events1184Fall of Troy
1176 AeneasfoundsLavinium
1152Alba Longais founded
1152-753Alba Longa
753 Rome
753-509Kings
Alba LongaCity in Italy founded by Iulus, the son of Aeneas
Iulus is also called Ascanius
Aeneas’ father is Anchises
Alba Longa
Livy’s RomeRoman ancestor
Who today shall call the wolf their foster mother?
Propertius
Vergil’s RomeNew kind of hero
Shoot first, ask later
“Trojan Aeneas, are you slow?”
Aeneas as HeroSpeeches in Livy
Visual Imagery
Aeneas is shown the future
Augustus 31 BC
But now, back to our storyAeneas is pius
Pietas
Household gods
Dido
Aeneas’ DutyLeave Dido
Found a new nation
Put politics before passion
Book ThreeAeneas “takes to the open sea” with his father, son and household gods
Buries the Trojan Polydorus (evidence of Aeneas’ piety)
The gods warn Aeneas he cannot stay on Crete
Book ThreeAeneas finds Andromache, widow of Hector
Helenus shows Aeneas the Tiny Troy
Aeneas receives the prophecy that he will eat his plates
The death of Anchises
Book FourAeneas is in Carthage
Queen Dido falls in love with him
Juno has a plan
Book Four, the Dido Dilemma
Dido resists fate
She is caught between Juno and Venus
Comparison with Cleopatra and Medea
What is Vergil’s stance on excessive emotion?
Book FourAeneas and Dido are married
Mercury comes to Aeneas
Aeneas sets sail
Dido kills herself
Book FiveAeneas sees a big fire as he sails from Carthage
Holds funeral games for his father (pietas)
Palinurus falls overboard
Book SixAeneas encounters the SibylHe lingers in front of the Temple of ApolloHe sees many things, including the story of Icarus and Daedalus
Aeneas visits the underworld
Aeneas must see Dido for himself Words are ineffective
Fathers see sons die
Parents bury their children
ConclusionsSpectacle
Violence
Fate
Why does Aeneas exit through the gate of false dreams?