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'How typical is the father-son relationship between Mezentius and Lausus in the Aeneid?'
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Jess: 'How typical is the father-son relationship between Mezentius and Lausus in theAeneid?'
Overall, I would argue the extent to which the relationship between mezentius and lausus
can be seen as a typical father son relationship depends on the context of which we assess
their relationship. For example, when in battle I would argue they display many typical
features of a father son relationship and can be comparable to other key relationships such
as Pallas and Evander. However, when looking at their relationship in a broader sense it is
arguably not as typical.
Firstly, I would argue that the relationship shown between mezentius and Lausus can be
seen as a typical father-son relationship through their actions on a battle field. In the ancient
world, it was typical of a son to try and emulate their fathers behaviour, this can be seen
within father son relationships throughout the Aeneid as well as between Mezentius and
Lausus. When Pallas sees, his troops struggling he draws upon their pietas to their leader
and his father Evander as a reason to continue fighting and not retreat as they were
previously doing. Pallas says ‘by the hopes rising in me to gain glory like my fathers’. From
this we are able to see Pallas’ devotion in doing his father proud and following in his
footsteps to be as successful as him. Evander used to be a strong fighter too shown as he
tells Aeneas in book 10 he ‘no longer has the strength for battle’, suggesting that he used to
but time has weekend him. Thus, when leaving for the Etruscans he asks Aeneas to teach
Pallas the ways of battle. This not only shows it was usually the fathers duty to pass down
their teachings of how to be a skilled fighter as Evander knows he cannot do this he asks
Aeneas who is still young enough to be able to do so but it also highlights that when Pallas
then later talks of gaining glory like his fathers he is referring to the strength his father once
had and how he wants to be successful on the battle field to gain this glory. Therefore, from
Pallas and Evander’s relationship we are able to see that is typical for a son to try and follow
in their father’s footsteps, especially in relation to their success and glory on the battlefield.
Similarly, Evander’s instructions to Aeneas asking him to act as a father figure to Pallas
suggest fathers were meant to lead their sons and teach them how to be a skilled fighter so
they are able to gain glory like them. Similarly, it could be said the same sort of relationship
is shown between Mezentius and Lausus on the battle field. During battle, mezentius gives
Lausus his armour to put on his shoulders and his crest to put on his helmet. From this act
we are able to see Mezentius and Lausus and working together from battle, this highlights
that Lausus is learning off mezentius as he is following him and thus likely learning from
what he is doing. Additionally, the fact mezentius gives him his armour not only shows that
he is looking out for his son but it could also be a way to try and his is son some of his glory.
By giving Lausus his crest he is ultimately bringing up his status and giving him a more
impressive image, showing not only is Lausus able to learn off mezentius so he can then gain
glory but mezentius physically gives him a more heroic image. Furthermore, when seeing
Mezentius and Aeneas fighting against one another, Lausus recognises the danger
mezentius is in and ‘threw himself between the two’, this shows Lausus to be extremely
brave as he is completely vulnerable to Aeneas who is known to be a ferocious hero.
Mezentius had previously been described as a rock that jutted out of the ocean exposed to
wind and waves but stood unmoved, this shows that even when he was being attacked in
battled he remained calm and stood bravely. Thus, as Lausus similarly acts in a brave way it
could be argued he is trying to emulate the way his father acts in battle as he has learnt off
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