Myth and Politics in Virgil's
Aeneid
Professor Ameeth Vijay
The Aeneid as National Epic
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I sing of arms and of a man
The first to come from the shores
of Troy, exiled by fate, to Italy
And the Lavinian coast; a man battered
On land and sea by the powers above
In the face of Juno's relentless wrath;
A man who also suffered greatly in war
Until he could found his city and bring his gods
Into Latium, from which arose
The Latin people, our Alban forefathers,
And the high walls of everlasting Rome
• Book I.1-12
• National Epic:
– the founding story of a nation or people;
– an epic that seeks to capture the qualities,
attributes and values of a given people
• Pietas:
– duty, devotion and loyalty to one's country,
family, or religion
Ancient Rome
441 BCE: Sophocles – Antigone
380 BCE: Plato – Republic
149 BCE: Rome conquers Greece
45 BCE: Julius Caesar – Dictator of Rome
39 BCE: Julius Caesar Assassinated
29-19 BCE: Virgil - The Aeneid
27 BCE: End of Roman Republic
Roman Government
• Consuls
– Elected excutive branch
– Two consuls serve at any time
– One-year terms
– Control over military
– Each consul can veto the other's actions
• Senate:
– Oversaw and approved administration
– Run by wealthy citizens
– initally, the patricians
– Can appoint temporary dictator in times of
national emergency
• Popular Assemblies
– Passed legislation
– Governed communities
– Open to all citizens
– initially, the plebeians
Roman Expansion
I set no limits
In time or space, and have given to them
Eternal empire, world without end…
And there will come a time
As the years glide on, when the descendants
of Trojan Assaracus shall subdue
Glorious Mycenae, Phthia, and Argos.
Book I. 332-342
"Sulla now busied himself with slaughter, and murders
without number or limit filled the city…proscriptions were
made not only in Rome, but also in every city of Italy, and
neither temple of God, nor hearth of hospitality, nor paternal
home was free from the stain of bloodshed, but husbands
were butchered in the embraces of their wedded wives, and
sons in the arms of their mothers. Those who fell victims to
political resentment and private hatred were as nothing
compared with those who were butchered for the sake of
their property"
Plutarch
Riots will often break out in a crowded assembly
When the rabble are roused. Torches and stones
Are soon flying — Fury always finds weapons —
But then all eyes light upon a loyal citizen
A man of respect. The crowd stands still
In hushed expectation. And with grave words
He masters their tempers and clams their hearts.
Aeneid, Book I.176-184
Octavian/Augustus Caesar
"He seduced the army with bonuses, and his cheap food
policy was successful bait for civilians. Indeed he
attracted everybody's goodwill by the enjoyable gift of
peace. Then he gradually pushed ahead and absorbed the
functions of the senate, the officials, and even the law.
Opposition did not exist. War or judicial murder had
disposed of all men of spirit. Upper-class survivors found
that slavish obediance was the way to succeed, both
politically and financially."
- Tacitus
Myth  Power
Power  Myth
My son, Rome will extend her renowned empire
to Earth's horizons, her glory to the stars
She will enclose seven hills within the wall
Of one city, blessed with a brood of heroes
Book VI.925-928
Here is the Roman who will uproot Argos
And Agamemnon's Mycenae, and even the
blood
Of Aeacus, mighty Achilles' grandsire
Avenging Troy and Minerva's temple.
VI.999-1003
Now turn your gaze here and let it rest upon
Your family of Romans. Here is Caesar
And here are all of the descendants of Iülus
Destined to come under heaven's great dome.
And here is the man promised to you
Augustus Caesar, born of the gods
Who will establish again a Golden Age
In the fields of Latium once ruled by Saturn
And will expand his dominion
Beyond the Indus and the Garamantes
Beyond our familiar stars, beyond the yearly
Path of the sun, to the land where Atlas
Turns the star-studded sphere on his shoulders
VI.935-947
imperium sine fine:
"soverignty without end"
"endless empire"
Others will, no doubt, hammer out bronze
That breathes more softly, and draw living faces
Out of stone. They will plead cases better
And chart the rising of every star in the sky.
Your mission, Roman, is to rule the world.
These will be your arts, to establish peace,
To spare the humbled, and to conquer the proud
VI.1012-1018
Mythologization of Augustus
Titles of Augustus:
Augustus: revered, sacred
Princeps: first among equals
Divi Filius: son of the divine
Pontifex Maximus: High Priest
"From this resplendent line shall be born
Trojan Caesar, who will extend his Empire
to the Ocean and his glory to the stars,
A Julian in the lineage of great Ilus.
And you, Venus, free at last from care,
Will someday welcome him into heaven,
Laden with Oriental spoils of war,
And his name too will be invoked in vows.
Then war shall be no more, and the ages
Will grow mild."
Aeneid, Book I.343-351