An in-depth look into how Virgil wrote the Aeneid, including summaries for nearly all the books (based on the course I study), the composition of the epic itself and techniques used.
- Started to work on the Aeneid around 29 BC
Already well known for his previous works ‘eclogues’ and ‘georgics’
- Patron was Maecenas – close advisor to the emperor Augustus
- Epic poem written in dactylic hexameter – poetic metre in which a line contains 6 feet (each foot made
up of 2 long syllables or one long and two short syllables)
Gives the poet flexibility to vary the speed and mood of the line
- Know how it was composed due to a biography written by the fourth century writer Aelius Donatus
First drafted it in prose and divided it into twelve books
- Virgil worked on the Aeneid for 10 years
Each line was edited meticulously and the finished result went through many revisions
The plot
Book 1
- Trojans are just off the coast off Sicily 7 years after leaving troy
- Juno is determined that they should not reach their destination and sends a storm to blow them off
course to the north African coast
- They arrive in Carthage (Juno’s favoured city)
- Venus complains to Jupiter about her sons suffering
Assures her that Aeneas will reach Italy and his descendants will found a great city which will rule
the city
- Venus sends cupid to impersonate Ascanius and make dido fall in love with Aeneas
Book 2
- Aeneas tells the story of the fall of troy
Sinon had tricked the trojans into taking the wooden horse into troy – Greeks entered the city and
slaughtered king Priam
- Hector appeared to Aeneas in a dream – told him to leave
- Aeneas escaped with his father Anchises and his son Ascanius
His wife Creusa was lost in the chaos – her ghost appeared and told him that his future with a
new wife was in Italy and to love their son
Book 4
- Dido gives in to her love for Aeneas and thinks they will build a city together
- Aeneas gets a message from Jupiter reminding him of his mission
Puts his duty above his love and leaves despite dido’s pleas
- Dido is left in despair and kills herself
Book 6
- Aeneas visits the sibyl at Cumae in order to get a prophecy from apollo and to visit his father in the
underworld
- He talks to several ghosts – including Palinurus and dido
- Meets his father
Shows him the roman heroes who are waiting to be born – inspires Aeneas to fulfil his mission
Book 7
- Trojans arrive at the mouth of the Tiber – receive a sign to say that they have reached their
destination
- King Latinus welcomes them and is willing for his daughter to marry Aeneas
, - Juno intervenes
Inspires Amata (Latinus’ wife) to object vehemently to the marriage
- Juno causes Turnus to be consumed with anger
- War breaks out
Book 8
- Aeneas leaves the trojan camp to seek help from Evander
- Evander and his son (Pallas) are engaged in celebrating Hercules’ destruction of the monster cacus
when Aeneas arrives
- Evander shows Aeneas the city
- Pallas sent by his father to fight alongside the trojans
- Venus brings Aeneas new armour – including a shield which depicts Octavian at the battle of Actium
(naval battle in 31 BC where Octavian defeated marc Antony and cleopatra and became the supreme
ruler in Rome)
Book 9
- Turnus attacks the trojan camp when Aeneas is away
- Nisus and Euryalus set out at night to try to get a message to Aeneas but are both killed
- Turnus breaks into the trojan camp
Has to eventually escape without causing too much damage
Book 10
- Aeneas returns with Pallas
- Pallas is killed by Turnus – takes Pallas’ sword-belt and wears it
- Aeneas rages over the battlefield – kills many in revenge
Including Lausus and his father Mezentius
Book 11
- Both sides bury their dead
- Pallas’ body is taken back to Evander
- Drances proposes that Turnus should face Aeneas alone but the battle continues
- Camilla joins the fighting – gets killed
Book 12
- A truce is agreed – a single combat between Aeneas and Turnus can take place
- Truce is broken by Turnus’ sister with help from Juturna
Fierce fighting follows
- Latinus’ city is attacked
- Amata commits suicide
- Turnus prepares to meet Aeneas alone
- Juno makes a deal with Jupiter – she will stop interfering if the new race adopts Italian and not trojan
customs
Jupiter agrees
- Aeneas wounds Turnus – Turnus begs for mercy
Aeneas notices that Turnus is wearing Pallas’ sword-belt – kills him
The structure of the Aeneid
- First half is an odyssey – second half is an Iliad
Aeneas wandering until book 7 – arrives in Latium where the war begins
- Books in the first half mirror the subject matter of those in the second half
Books 1 & 7 – arrival in a strange land and friendly reception
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