A2 Unit CC10 F390 - Virgil and the world of the hero
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The Aeneid
Provides an In depth, detailed summary of Books 1-11 of the Aeneid utilising quotes to grant you a full understanding of the Aeneid and its stylistic tendencies without having read it. Provides analysis on certain key themes aswell.
Book 8 & 9 of the Aeneid (A Level OCR Classical Civilisation Notes)
Book 5 & 6 of the Aeneid- (A Level OCR Classical Civilisation Notes)
Book 7 of the Aeneid (A Level OCR Classical Civilisation Notes)
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A2 Unit CC10 F390 - Virgil and the world of the hero
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Book 1 - Storm and Banquet
-Virgil begins the Aeneid with an invocation: “I sing of arms and of the man, fated to be an exile, who long since left the land of Troy and
came to Italy to the shores of Lavinium…. beginning of the Latin race, the Alban fathers and the high walls of Rome. Tell me, Muse the
causes of her anger… why did she drive a man famous for his piety to such endless hardship and such suffering”.
In this Invocation Virgil sets out the main themes of the epic: The journey and experiences of Aeneas, the origins of the
Rome, The anger of Juno, and the values/character of Aeneas.
-Virgil briefly reminds the reader of the events of the Trojan War and the reasons for Juno’s anger. Virgil notes on the arduous journeys the
Trojans had to make to find Rome and states “so heavy was the cost of founding the Roman race”
-Juno offers Aeolus her most beautiful nymph, Deiopea, to sink Aeneas’s fleet and Aeolus agrees because of his gratitude towards Juno for
his current status amongst the gods
-Aeneas’s fleet is devastated by Aeolus’ storms and Aeneas himself becomes weak whilst envying those who were able to die in battle at
Troy. He wishes he had been able to fall at Diomedes’s right hand and have earnt a fate similar to Hector or Sarpedon.
-Neptune stops the storms, saving the Trojans, and threatens Juno for her actions
-Simile: “as when disorder arises among the people of a great city war the common mob runs riot, wild passion finds weapons for mens’
hands and torches and rocks start flying; at such a time if people chance to see a man who has some weight among them for his goodness and
his service to the state, they fall silent, standing and listening with all their attention while his words command their passions and soothe their
hearts”, used to describe Neptune’s powers over the sea
-Aeneas’ fleet lands at Carthage, Aeneas attempts to find the remnants of his fleet but is unable to. Aeneas hunts and kills 7 deers for his men
to eat and shares Acestes’ wine with them. Aeneas comforts his men with a speech recalling the trials they have passed so far (Scylla and the
Cyclops) and reminds them of what the gods will for the fate of Troy. Aeneas preaches of endurance but he himself secretly was miserable.
-Venus protests the current fate of the Trojans to Jupiter and recalls his promise to her for their fate to establish the Roman race. Venus talks
of how from this stock there should come “leaders of men who would power over every land and sea”.
-Jupiter calms Venus and reassures her by telling her of the prophecy/fate of the Trojans: Aeneas will wage a war in Italy and crush its tribes.
Aeneas will construct great walls for his people and establish a way of life. Ascanius will reign for 30 years at Alba Longa where the race of
Hector shall rule for 300 years. Then Romulus and Remus will be born and Rome shall be built. They shall be granted an empire that will
know no end and even Juno shall come to cherish them, as they will become the rulers of the world. Jupiter states they shall conquer Pythia,
Mycenae and Argos and then Caesar shall be born who will put aside the years of civil war.
-Jupiter sends Mercury to Carthage to ensure Dido shall provide the Trojans with a safe welcome
-Aeneas explores the land and comes across Venus disguised a Spartan huntress. She explains who inhabits the land and tells Aeneas the
story of Dido’s past marriage to Sychaeus and his death at the hands of her brother Pygmalion. Venus provides Aeneas with hope and tells
him to visit Queen Dido and informs him that his comrades and fleet have been restored to him. As she turns her walk away revealed her
divinity and Aeneas protests at how he was forced to meet with his mother.
-Venus places a mist on the Trojans to avoid questions or delay in their journey.
-Aeneas and Achates find Carthage and are amazed by the city and how the Tyrians were working in its continued construction. Aeneas is
envious of them and shows an emotional response and shows hope.
-Simile: “like bees at the beginning of summer, busy in the sunshine all though the flowery meadows bringing out the young of the race, just
come of age, or treading the oozing honey and swelling the cells with sweet nectar, or taking the loads as they come in or mounting guard to
keep the herds of idle drones out of their farmstead. The hive seethes with activity and the fragrance of honey flavoured with thyme is
everywhere”, used to describe how the Tyrians are working on their city.
-Virgil references the war with Carthage.
-Aeneas sees scenes of the Trojan War depicted on the Temple of Juno at Carthage which brings him to tear. Dido is compared to Diana and
Aeneas is described to have no equal for his piety, care for justice or prowess in battle by his men and was later compared to a god when he
emerged from the veil of mist.
-Dido shows Xenia to Aeneas, citing her own past misfortunes and accepting him and his men, offering food and shelter. Aeneas firstly asks
for Ascanius to be brought to him and for gifts to be brought to Dido.
-Venus instructs Cupid to protect Aeneas by having Dido fall in love with him (fire imagery for passion/love)
, Book 2 - The Fall of Troy
-Aeneas describes how the Greeks hid at Tenedos which led the Trojans to celebrate. He explains the debate between around bringing in the
Horse into the city as an offering to Minerva. He details the deaths of Laocoon and his sons at the hand of Poseidon, his horrible cries were
“like the bellowing of a wounded bull shaking the ineffectual axe out of its neck as it flees from the altar”
-Aeneas explains Sinon’s lie and his false conflict with Odysseus and Calchas. The Trojan Horse is taken into the city although it bangs
against the walls four times. Cassandra cried out the truth but the Gods would not let the Trojans believe her.
-Hector appeared to Aeneas in an omen, his appearance was mutilated and bloody after his death. He instructs Aeneas to escape from Troy,
he tells him no one can save Troy now and that Aeneas must now care for the sacraments and household gods of Troy. He commands
Aeneas to establish a great city after long wanderings across the sea. He brought out in his hands the mighty goddess Vesta with the sacred
ribbons on her head and her undying flame.
-Aeneas heard the battles with his ears pricked up “like a shepherd when a furious south wind is carrying fire into a field of grain or a
mountain river whirls along in spate, flattening all the fields, the growing crops and all the labour of oxen, carrying great trees headlong
down in its floods, while the shepherd stands stupefied on top of the rock, listening to the sound without knowing what it is.
-Aeneas put on his arms and went to fight, he came across Panthus, a priest of Apollo, who was carrying the sacraments of the gods from the
temple.
-Aeneas joined a group of Trojans, slaughtered a group of Greeks who mistook them as friends and donned the Greek armour. Coroebus
draws the group into a battle after seeing Cassandra and the Trojans fought Greeks whilst also being attacked by other Trojans. The group
was overwhelmed and died one by one.
-Aeneas arrived at Priam’s palace, which was being overrun by Acheans, and entered though a secret passage which Andromache used to
use. Hecabe begs Priam to pray with her but Priam dons his armour, insisting that he must fight. Aeneas watches as Pyrrhus kill Polites, one
of Priam’s sons savagely and then kills Priam himself in a brutal manner.
-This caused Aeneas to think of his own father Anchises and his wife Creusa with Iulus. Aeneas saw Helen who had been hiding and went to
kill her in the temple of Vesta. Aeneas is stopped by Venus before taking vengeance who shows him how the gods (Neptune, Juno and
Athena) are assisting in the destruction of Troy. Venus implores Aeneas to escape and be with his family who she is protecting.
-Anchises refused to leave Troy so Aeneas prepared to fight to the death even after protest from his wife Creusa. Two omens convince
Anchises to leave. A flame forms above Iulus’ head and a thunder falls as a star fell from the sky.
-Aeneas asks his slaves to carry the sacraments and the ancestral gods as he is fresh from fighting and killing
-Aeneas guides Anchises and Ascanius to safety but loses Creusa, he returns to find her but only finds her ghost. Her ghost claims this
occurred with the approval of the gods. She prophesies in front of him awaits a long exile and journey over sea before he reaches Hesperia to
find prosperity, a kingdom and a Royal wife.
-Aeneas attempts to hold her three times but her phantom melts away again and again. Aeneas and the other Trojans flee.
Book 4: Dido
-Dido is suffering as a result of her love for Aeneas (fire imagery) and consults Anna on what to do. She debates on whether she should
accept her feelings in contrast to the oath she made after the death of her husband Sychaeus and her shame (pudor).
-Anna notes on how previously Dido has rejected former suitors such as Iarbas, and convinces her to accept her love for Aeneas. Not only
for love but also for his protection against potential wars from neighbouring chiefs and the threat from her brother Pygmalion.
“Anna lit a fire of wild love in her sister’s breast. Where there had been doubt she gave hope and Dido’s conscience was overcome”
-Dido visits altars, seeking the blessings of the gods and sacrifices sheep to Ceres, Apollo, Bacchus and Juno (guardian of marriage) and
pours a libation. She attempted to have priests read the signs of the entrails of the animals sacrificed but Virgil tells the reader “what use are
prayers and shrines to a passionate woman”.
-Further use of fire imagery to describe the love Dido is harbouring which is also described as a wound which is hurting her and causing her
misery and madness.
-Construction of Carthage halts and her men no longer exercised in war or building the structures or defences for the city as Dido becomes
more infatuated with Aeneas
-Juno attempts to make a deal with Venus and proposes that Dido and Aeneas should marry and that their peoples join together. Venus
realises this is a pretence to divert Aeneas’ destiny but allows Juno to proceed, questioning whether Jupiter will allow this to stand.
-Virgil has Juno prophesies/exactly plans how Aeneas and Dido shall marry, which occurs exactly as she states a page later…
(Divine Intervention / Fate?)
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