The Aeneid is the tale of the hero Aeneas who,
after the destruction of his city, Troy, by
soldiers from Greece, obeyed the commands of
his gods to sail the Mediterranean Sea with his
fellow refugees to a land in the west, Italy, and
build another city. Troy was destroyed around
1250 BC, as the story goes, and Aeneas’
adventured are described by the Roman poet
Virgil who lived some 1200 years later, around
2000 years ago.
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Written by Virgil between 30 and 19 BC
Fall of troy 1250 BC, meaning Virgil describing imaginary events 1200
years before his own time.
During 1200 years, the Greek town which had sacked Troy had been
destroyed- Dark Ages. (poverty and cultural backwardness)
Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great
Foundation of Rome 753 BC- Major power in the Mediterranean,
defeating Carthage, took over Sicily, Spain and Africa. Took over
Macedonia and Greece.
Cost of empire: economic and social disruption- 100 years of civil war
as rich Romans tried to gain even more wealth and power for
themselves.
Assassination of Julius Caesar 44BC
Octavian defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at battle of Actium.
Augustus, Rome’s first emperor.
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Aeneas, leader of the Trojans in their quest for Italy.
Anchises, father of Aeneas and his main adviser.
Iulus, also called Ascanius, Aeneas’ small son.
Creusa, wife of Aeneas, who dies in Troy.
Dido, queen of Carthage, Aeneas’ lover for a short
time.
Latinus, king of Latium in Italy.
Lavinia, his daughter, destined by fate to be Aeneas’
second wife.
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Fate (Moira), the mysterious power which ultimately
decides all events.
Jupiter (Zeus), the most powerful god, who appears
almost neutral as he has the task of carrying out the
degrees of Fate.
Juno (Hera), queen of the gods, who hates the Trojan
and constantly thwarts their efforts to carry out their
mission.
Venus (Aphrodite), goddess of love and beauty,
mother of Aeneas and his chief protector against Juno’s
ill will.
Minerva , goddess of wisdom, crafts and war, who
favoured Ulysses and helped the Greeks destroy Troy.
Neptune (Poseidon)m god of the sea, friendly to Aeneas.
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What qualities made a person a hero in the
ancient world?
Were women in the ancient world able to be
heroes?
Can a modern woman qualify as a hero?
What if anything has changed in our definition
of a hero?
What is a god according to the ancient
Greeks/Romans?
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Tells how Aeneas and his companions are
driven by Juno’s storm to the coast of North
Africa.
Dido (queen of Carthage) makes them welcome
and asks Aeneas to tell his adventures.
Introduces most of the main characters.
Outlines the plot
Sets the story in place and time
Introduces the main themes of the poem.
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What is established in the first paragraph?
What reasons are given for Juno’s hatred of the
Trojans
What is Gods’ relationship with fate?
What does Aeneas’ first speech tell us about his
character?
What is the significant of the simile concerning
Neptune?
What does Aeneas’ second speech tell us about his
character and how does it contrast with his first
speech?
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Her affection for Carthage which she had heard
Rome would one day destroy.
Her preference for the Greeks, especially those
from Argos, in the Trojan War.
Golden apple.
Ganymede.
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Represent a natural storm which subsides almost
as soon as it blows up
Direct intervention of divine beings in human
affairs. Roman gods are not god or evil, rather they
are friendly or unfriendly to humans. Friendly
Neptune is able to counteract the storm of
unfriendly Juno.
Symbolic- Juno stands for violence, destruction
and chaos. Neptune controls himself and clams the
waves and is compared to a statesman soothing
the violence of a mob of citizens in a public
meeting. Reference to Augustus calming the
passions of civil war and bringing peace back to
the Roman world?
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Furor- fury or violence, here of the mob.
Pietas- dedication to duty, here the responsible
attitude of the statesman.
Conflict between these opposing ideas is a
major theme of the poem.
We will see Aeneas and others giving way to
violence and watch their success or failure at
regaining their self control and carrying out
their duties.
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With a partner discuss and write down what
your first impressions of Aeneas are. Pay
particular attention to his two speeches in the
Book so far.
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Venus complains about the Trojan misfortunes and is answered
with a very important prophecy about the future.
Virgil weaves legend and history.
Aeneas will found his city in Italy
300 years later his descendant Romulus will found Rome.
Romans are promised worldwide and everlasting empire under
divine protection of Jupiter.
This will happen when a ‘Julius’ shuts the Gates of war and gives
peace and war to the Roman world.
This is reference to Augustus who in 29BC closed the gates of the
temple of Janus in the Roman forum to symbolise peace.
Virgil is telling his contemporaries that for 1200 years Jupiter has
guided Rome and helped her to gain an empire, in order that
Rome might give the gifts of peace and low to the world.
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In your groups, you will perform a role play
showing your assigned god doing something
to or for Aeneas or Dido in Book I.
Juno
Jupiter
Venus
Neptune
In groups answer the following questions while
referring to your copy of the text:
What’s your first impression of Dido?
How is Aeneas described to Dido?
What is Dido’s first impression of Aeneas?
- What does Dido offer the Trojans?
What does Venus do to Aeneas’ appearance?
What type of Queen is Dido?
Can you make any predictions about “doomed
Dido?”
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write down your own definition of pietas and
furor. Give one or more example of each from
Book I.
1 . The Trojans are tricked into dragging the
wooden horse into their city and spend the day
celebrating the end of war.
2. The Greeks enter the city at night and the
Trojans fight to defend and avenge themselves
until the fall of the palace and the death of their
king Priam.
3. Aeneas and his family leave the burning city.
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That he was related to Palamedes (actually
Ulysses’ cousin).
Apollo demanded another Greek sacrifice to
enable them to return to Greece (he didn’t).
Minerva was angry at the insult to the
Palladium (she was the other loser in the
beauty contest, was still angry Paris had given
Venus the prize and had told her favourite
Ulysses how to make the horse).
WHY???
1. Been at war for 10 years and are desperately anxious to believe the Greeks
really are gone and the horse is harmless.
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2. Sinon spins clever story or truth and lies:
Ulysses responsible for Palamedes’ death.
Agamemnon had sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia before the Greeks
sailed to Troy.
Ulysses and Diomede had stolen the ancient wooden statue of Minerva,
the Palladium.
3. Gods stepped in on the Greeks side.
Allowed Sinon to vow he was telling the truth and not punish him.
Minerva deliberately destroyed Laocoon for the apparent ‘sin’ of
damaging the horse. (real sin was trying to thwart Minerva’s plans to
destroy troy.
Ignoring the warnings of Cassandra
Ignoring the sounds of weapons clashing inside the horse.
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Finish reading Book II.
Make notes on these questions while reading Book II
How did the Trojans make it easy for the Greeks to
capture Troy?
What message did Hector give Aeneas?
Why did Aeneas disregard the message?
What did he do instead?
What part did Venus play in Book two?
Why does Aeneas almost abandon his family a second
time?
What finally persuaded them all to leave the city?
How does book II end?
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What does Hector tell Aeneas in his dream?
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How does Aeneas behave? (Pietas or furor)
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What do you think Virgil thought about war?
Why?
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Aeneas is visited by Hector in a dream. Hector
warns Aeneas the city is doomed and that he must
take Troy’s gods and flee across the ocean.
Ignoring Hector’s words, Aeneas rushes out to
fight. Displays the characteristics of Greek heroes
as described by Homer (fighting bravely for
personal glory, cowardice the only vice)
1200 years later Roman heroes still fought but for
their country rather than personal glory.
Virgil loathed war-displays horror seen from the
point of view of the losers and intensified by the
brutality of the victors.
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Who else tells Aeneas to leave troy?
What does she do to convince him to leave?
What does Aeneas do when Anchises refuses to leave?
Why do they decide to leave Troy?
How is Aeneas starting to make the transition from
Greek hero to Roman hero? (pietas and furor?)
How would have Dido felt hearing that Aeneas ran
back into battle to save his wife?
Can you find the snake simile throughout this book?
What does Aeneas carrying Anchises on his back and
leading Iulus by the hand symbolise?
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After the slaughter of Priam, his king and father in law,
Aeneas is once again told to leave troy, this time by Venus.
Shows him the Gods taking an active part in destroying
Troy, resistance is hopeless.
Anchises refuses to leave-instead of saving his wife and
child, Aeneas decides he will stay and fight.
Jupiter sends an omen, Flames around Iulus’ head, thunder
bolt and shooting star. Anchises is finally persuaded there is
something special about his grandson and Aeneas leaves
Troy with its past on his back and leading its future by
hand.
Creusa dies so Aeneas can marry Italian princess.
Aeneas is responsible for many others now, transition from
Greek to Roman hero.
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write down at least four occasions on which
Aeneas displays the irrational side of his
character in Book II.