ipl-logo

Passion And Control In Virgil's The Aeneid

972 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What is Virgil’s Aeneid about

When the poet Virgil wrote the national epic The Aeneid between 29 and 19 BC, all written works and conduits for creative expression were monitored by Roman ruler Augustus Caesar – a real-life contention between passion and control. Throughout the excerpt on pages 139 and 140 of Fagle’s translation (which covers themes such as fate, the gods, and divine intervention, and piety), Virgil explores the underlying theme of conflict between desire and duty, emotion, and reason. Exploring irony, the comparison of Dido and Aeneas’ traits, and pietas being a decision, Virgil shows Aeneas to be a flawed, enigmatic epic Roman hero who personifies the human conflict – passion versus control – of the Aeneid and the Roman empire itself.
To begin with, it’s …show more content…

One “choice” Aeneas “makes” is to not only cut off his budding relationship with Dido, whom he allegedly loves and respects, but then cooly dismisses their marriage and heads off to found Rome; their relationship symbolizes the opposing forces of pietas and furor, as well as the Grecian concepts of fate and eros. So, Dido seems to be the personification of furor (acting selfishly, on impulse or out of anger; acting without thinking, often through fury or violence) – and therefore the opposite of pious, calm Aeneas. It’s important to consider that current modern, American ideas and perspective are vastly different from the Romans, who prized moderation, level-headedness, and a strong sense of duty and responsibility; so it’s easier for present-day audience to be more prone to side with Dido, because our society’s prioritized values drastically differ from the Romans’. However, Aeneas’ denial of the marriage seems cruel and immature, given that he 's spent the whole winter with Dido and knows how much she loves him. “Nor did I once extend a bridegroom’s torch or enter into a marriage pact with you.” Aeneas, however, is also simply pointing out that personal feelings don 't mean anything in the face of piously doing your duty and following fate. If he 'd chosen to follow his personal feelings, he 'd have never even started on this journey that led him to Dido. However, Aeneas’ choice to leave Dido seems like a weak move considering Dido defies her own fate because her own emotions are so powerful – this speaks to the idea that furor and human emotion unbridled is more potent and meaningful than being dedicated to pietas and accepting one’s fate. But it also ends disastrously

Show More
Related

Analysis Of Aeneid And Sallust's Conspiracy Of Catiline

938 Words | 4 Pages

These mythical individuals show characteristics that are both valued and those that could be seen as inferior. In Sallust’s Conspiracy of Catiline, Catiline, the antagonist of his own story, is described as having some of these characteristics and how he displays them changes others perspective on him. With each of these characteristics that a Roman would have seen as positive were painted in a negative light because Sallust tells the audience instances where Catiline used these gifts in harmful ways. In contrast Aeneas, in Virgil’s Aeneid, is described and assigned what are thought of as the same Roman attributes, but these are held a positive approach compared to Sallust’s description of Catiline. The first example of this can be seen in the fifth section Sallust tells the audience of Catiline’s noble upbringing and is described as intelligent, ambitious, and as a brilliant solider.

Read More

Ethos And Logos In Julius Caesar

807 Words | 4 Pages

In the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare Rome is struck with utter disorder after certain characters use ethos, pathos and logos to manipulate the people of Rome. One character who uses ethos, pathos and logos is Cassius to manipulate Brutus into joining the conspirators. Brutus also uses ethos, pathos and logo to justify his killing of Caesar. Last, Mark Antony uses ethos, pathos and logo to manipulate the Plebeians against Brutus and the conspirators. Thus, Cassius, Brutus and Mark Antony all use ethos, pathos and logos to manipulate one another and bring the people of Rome to their sides, resulting in total chaos.

Read More

Compare And Contrast The Aeneid And The Confessions

1787 Words | 8 Pages

The Aeneid, as well as The Inferno, depict hell as a place where there are multiple levels and where sins are punished differently depending on the degree of severity, the evilest of sins receiving the worst punishments. Virgil like Dante portrays an afterlife in which people are awarded for their deeds. This kind of belief would have been prominent in a character like Aeneas, he would have believed that his deeds would have been justly rewarded in the afterlife. While he most likely did not have the same set of values and virtues that St. Augustine later had after his conversion he did live by a code of honor or a set of values that pertained to his time and culture. The virtue he possessed that motivated him to establish a new home in modern day Rome was one of honor, which was very important to ancient civilizations, both greek and Trojans alike.

Read More

Importance Of Stoicism In Aeneas

839 Words | 4 Pages

Elise Beauchemin Mr. Mosher English 2 2/23/18 Aeneas and the Quintessence of Stoicism The Aeneid, an epic written by Virgil, thousands of years old and yet still read today by many. It tells the story of the Trojan hero, Aeneas, and his efforts to establish order and defend his homeland. Throughout the 9,896 lines of the poem, he lives according to the Ancient Roman ideals of the Stoic. He is the paragon of a Trojan hero who places duty above pleasure, controls his passions and appetites through the power of reason, does not let the storms and stress of life disturb his self-possession and composure, and practices the virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

Read More

The Aeneid And Jesus Analysis

1721 Words | 7 Pages

After his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus says, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” [John 4:34]. Through reminders like this, it is obvious that Jesus truly only wants to share God’s love with the world. He is not at all corrupted by a greed for power or any personal reward. On the other hand, although superficially Aeneas is also following divine orders, he is truly seeking personal gain. Due to fall of Troy after their loss of the Trojan War, Aeneas is ordered by his mother Venus to set sail for Italy.

Read More

Julius Caesar Leadership Essay

685 Words | 3 Pages

While many of the virtues that Aeneas and Julius Caesar had were positive, the two men would change their views and be indecisive at times. These qualities eventually led to the downfall of the Roman Republic as the people of Rome, and often even those in power, would shift their stance on the slightest whim. For example, the Roman populus shifted back and forth on their view of Caesar and his assassination just from two speeches. Aeneas displayed these negative values when he left Carthage. Leaving immediately at the command of Juno, he left Dido to wallow in sorrow and eventually commit suicide.

Read More

The Importance Of Aeneas's Duty

1011 Words | 5 Pages

Aeneas explains his drive to submit to the gods by saying to Dido that “[t]he gods’ commands drove me to do their will” (6.245). Aeneas’ submission to authority was essential to the Roman understanding of pietas but was not entirely voluntary.

Read More

Who Is Aeneas A Good Leader

589 Words | 3 Pages

The ancient Romans followed a set of gods that they believed influenced their lives. Since these gods were seen as leaders to the mortals that were the Romans, any good leader in Roman writing would have some connection to the gods. Aeneas has three gods supporting him: Jupiter or Jove, the king of the gods, who refers to Aeneas as “the Great and Good,” (I, 260); Neptune, the god of the seas; and Venus, the goddess of love. This shows that Aeneas is a good leader, because if the gods support him, then surely the Romans would as well.

Read More

Gender And Politics In Virgil's Aeneid

1758 Words | 8 Pages

As Aeneas’ main antagonist, she is first introduced as embittered by a “sharp / and savage hurt, [that] had not yet left her spirit.” (Book I, 39-40). The goddess hates the Trojans because of the judgment of Paris and Jupiter’s ravishment of Ganymede, and she is determined to stop Aeneas from founding Rome. Virgil’s use of “savage” when presenting Juno reflects the unruliness of her emotions and how they have plagued her spirit and mind. Controlled by her passions, Juno’s first act in the Aeneid is the introduction of an element of disorder that serves as the contrast to politics: “Then- burning, pondering-

Read More

Violence In The Aeneid

1343 Words | 6 Pages

Madison McDonald Dr. Travis Montgomery ENGL 2213-02 16 March 2018 Violence in The Aeneid The Aeneid is bursting with violent acts from the beginning to the end. The main character, Aeneas, constantly faces conflict from both humans and gods. Aeneas is a Trojan hero and prince who embodies pietas, driven by duty, honor, and devotion, which makes him an example of an ideal Roman citizen. Aeneas was called by the gods and determined to be a successful founder of Rome, but he faced complications along the journey. In each conflict along the way, Aeneas dealt with fighting and violence and could not find peace until the end.

Read More

Human Nature In The Aeneid

879 Words | 4 Pages

Literary epics, including the Aeneid, typically have a very poetic and lyrical sense of style in the writing that go hand in hand with the other characteristics of epics such as supernatural forces, the actions of superhuman strength, and a hero or heroine. Authors of epics, for example the Aeneid, the Iliad, and the Odyssey, often include several different themes and lessons that the reader can learn from reading the stories. The themes and lessons vary from simple moral beliefs to psychological behavior. Most themes, however, have to do with the way humans act and human nature. In the Aeneid, one theme that deals with human nature is the idea that strong sentiments or feelings between people or towards situations can overwhelm a person and

Read More

Theme Of Piety In The Aeneid

1205 Words | 5 Pages

The virtue of piety was a defining characteristic in Roman life, Romans carried out their everyday lives in accordance of the ideas of pietas which is one’s duty to their family, God, and people; these Roman values are displayed in Virgil’s The Aeneid through the actions of the character Aeneas, and challenged further in the Gospel of Matthew by Jesus Christ. The word “pietas” is a Latin word that means dutifulness, and refers to the balanced duty to a person’s family, gods, and people in Roman culture. The Romans believed that for these duties to be upheld then it must be implemented in one’s everyday life, and this belief of the Romans separated them from other ancient societies. In The Aeneid, Aeneas engages in all aspects of pietas throughout his journey to Italy to become the ancestor to the city of Rome.

Read More

Aeneas Vs Odysseus

626 Words | 3 Pages

Odysseus is the heroic character from The Odyssey by Homer, and Aeneas is the heroic character from The Aeneid by Virgil. Both men had fought on opposite sides of the Trojan War, a war fought at Troy. Odysseus fought for Greece, while Aeneas fought for Rome. Along with these basic things, the two heroes do have similarities, as well as differences. Both Odysseus and Aeneas are on a journey to get to home.

Read More

Greek Heroes Vs Roman Heroes

2304 Words | 10 Pages

Virgil wanted to create a means for Rome. “The subject he finally chose was the legendary origin of Rome through the foundation in Italy by Aeneas of lavinium, which founded Alba Longa, which founded Rome”. (Williams, 1992:14) 6 The purpose of roman heroes, which can be seen through the Virgil’s Aeneid is to give means to the origin of Rome (Sinnigen, 1965:55).

Read More

Homer And Virgil: A Comparative Analysis

1128 Words | 5 Pages

The Aeneid was commissioned by Augustus, the first citizen of Rome. Augustus desired to restore Rome after a brutal civil war and advocated for a conservative standpoint. (Williams). Within the Aeneid, the praise of Augustus’ values does not merely alter the plot, but rather it is the plot. Primarily, the Aeneid is a story about the fate of Rome, not Aeneas himself.

Read More

More about Passion And Control In Virgil's The Aeneid

Related Topics

Open Document