Virgil’s the Aeneid style notes

Antiqua (ancient)

Word choice showing Carthage’s power and wisdom as it was so old even to the Romans

Fuit (was)

Perfect tense showing that Carthage has already been destroyed (which the contemporary Roman audience would have already known), creating irony as the ancient, important city has already been destroyed

Longe (far)

Emphatic placement - the adjective is placed at the end of the sentence which is unusual, emphasising how distant and isolated Carthage is from Rome

Dives opum studiisque asperrima (rich in resources and very fierce in activities)

Chiasmus - A=adjectives, B=nouns, used to draw attention to the qualities of Carthage

Quam […] unam (which […] alone)

Enclosing word order, drawing attention to the fact that Juno loves Carthage most by framing the line

Terris […] omnibus (land […] all other)

Enclosing word order within another using a Chiasmus pattern, emphasising that Juno prefers Carthage above all other lands

Samo (Samos)

Emphatic placement at the end of the sentence, showing that Juno has forgotten about her homeland because it is less important than Carthage

Hic (this)

Tricolon to emphasise Juno’s hopes for Carthage and giving reasons why she likes the city

Arma, […] fuit; (weapons, […] was;)

Asyndeton speeding up the pace, adding to the sense that Juno loves Carthage by making it seem like a neverending list as it is unclear when the list will end

Que (and)

Polysyndeton contrasting with the earlier asyndeton to emphasise the number of Juno’s hopes for Carthage

Si qua fata sinant (if the fates would allow it)

Irony from Virgil as, to the contemporary audience and at the time of writing, Rome has already been founded and destroyed Carthage, which is entertaining for the audience

Tenditque fovetque (aimed and cherished)

Word choice of soft and gentle words to highlight Juno’s high hopes and irony as Rome has already fulfilled Juno’s hopes for Carthage and destroyed the city and become the most powerful city - it is propaganda for Rome, praising its achievements

Progeniem (Offspring)

Emphatic placement at the start of the sentence to highlight the offspring’s importance as the founders of Rome

Tyrias […] arces (Tyrian citadels)

Enclosing word order, separated to emphasise the effects of the destroying of Carthage as physically having separated the citadels

Late regem (ruling far and wide), belloque superbum (and arrogant in war), excidio Libyae (destroy Libya)

Tripling to praise Rome, despite Virgil not mentioning the name Rome, the Roman audience would know it. It is propaganda for Rome to highlight and encourage patriotism

Parcas (fates)

Variation by using two different names for the fates to add linguistic variety and keep the poem interesting, it also emphasises that Rome is fated to exist, so will do so

Veteris (old)

Word choice - makes it seem more important, impactful and significant by emphasising the length of the war and how long ago it was

Saturnia (the daughter of Saturn)

Patronymic - when a character is referred to as the daughter or son of someone, used as a sign of respect and often used by Homer and Virgil is emulating his work

Caris (beloved)

Word choice - emphasises the contrast of her emotions illustrating Juno’s hatred for the Trojans and her love for the Greeks and making Juno a multilayered character so she seems more interesting

Caris … Argis (beloved Greeks)

Enclosing word order - emphasises why Juno went to war (for the benefit of the Greeks) and showing her loyalties to the Greeks by drawing attention to it

Nectum etiam (not yet)

Emphatic placement - highlighting how long Juno has been angry for, making her seem unreasonable due to the length of her judgement. The timephrases emphasise Virgil’s and the audience’s surprise of the length of Juno’s grudge

Irarum saevique dolores (her savage pains)

Word choices - highlighting Juno’s anger, pain, unreasonable nature and judgement of the Trojans with negative connotations

Manet (remained)

Emphatic placement - at the start of the sentence, highlighting the length of time that Juno has been angry for

Alta … repostum (buried deep)

Metaphorical language - suggesting the extent of her irritation and grudge against the Trojans

Iudicium Paridis (judgement of Paris), iniuria formae (insult done), genus invisum (hated race), Ganymedis honores (snatched Ganymede)

Tetracolon - listing reasons why Juno is angry, making it seem endless and unjustified

Que (and), et (and)

Polysyndeton - highlighting the reasons behind Juno’s anger in a list format

accensa (fired)

Fire imagery - highlighting anger and making Juno seem dangerous, out of control and a vengeful goddess

Iactatos aequore toto Troas (Trojans tossed about the whole sea)

Chiasmus - emphasising the treatment of the Trojans, using word painting to illustrate the manhandling of the Trojans. They are chucked around with the sea in the middle

Iactatos (tossed), reliquias (remnants)

Word choices - using objectification, dehumanisation as Juno is treating the Trojans like toys and objects to throw away as the Trojans are weak, vulnerable and powerless against the goddess’ anger

Remnants: the Trojans are seen as wastage, an inconvenience, unwelcome and treating them like they should have died in the Trojan war. The powerfully negative description reflects the treatment of refugees in the contemporary world (although it is still an issue in modern world; refugees are often treated badly in media and the law)

Danaum, Argis (Greek)

Variation - using different words for Greek makes it seem like Juno likes many other races than the Trojans, emphasising her dislike and anger towards the Trojans, creating linguistic variety

Aequore toto, maria omnia (all the seas)

Variation and two hyperboles - exaggerating the number of seas that the Trojans are travelling through, using variation for linguistic interest and to engage the reader, also emphasising how far and long this has been going on for

Longe Latio (far from Latinum)

Alliteration of l - long, sad sounds creating a mournful atmosphere and emphasises how long they have been travelling for

Errabant (wander)

Emphatic placement and word choice - highlighting that a mistake has been made and emphasising the Trojans’ injustices as an error. It also illustrates how long the Trojans have been travelling for

Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem (it involved such great difficulty to found the human race)

Roman propaganda - emphasising the struggles of the founders of Rome and increasing Roman patriotism

Tantae molis (such difficulty)

Emphatic placement - exaggerating the difficulties of the Trojans by placing it at the start of the sentence so it is very visible, and draws attention to it

Vix (scarcely), laeti (happily)

Word choices that the Trojans had almost reached Italy, Virgil is using pathos to make the reader feel sad that the Trojans have no agency and are being treated like playthings

Vix (scarcely)

Emphatic placement of vix at the start of the line to emphasise how close they were to reaching their destination

Altum, salis and ponto (sea)

Variation is being used, all meaning sea, making the sea seem larger as there are many different words meaning the same thing, adds linguistic variety and increases the interest of the reader through this

Spumas salis (high sea)

Sibilance for the sound of the boats rushing through the sea and the wind howling past the sails to create more vivid imagery through the use of sound

Aeternum (everlasting) … Vulnus (wound)

Enclosing word order emphasising how great and angry Juno is, highlighting the size and scale of her anger

Speech marks

Direct speech is used to characterise Juno as she speaks in her own words, creating excitement for the readers and she can justify her behaviour through the use of her own words

-ne (introduces a question)

Repetition and rhetorical questions used to emphasise how Athena is behaving, convincing herself and the readers that Juno is acting correctly - the persuasive technique introduces ideas to others’ heads

Desistere (give up), posse (can), avertere (divert)

Tricolon of infinitives to emphasise the atmosphere of drama and urgency

Desistere (give up), posse (can), avertere (divert), exurere (burn up), submergere (submerge/drown)

5 infinitives used to create an atmosphere of drama and urgency

Italia Teucrorum (Trojans from Italy)

Juxtaposition of Italy and the Trojans, highlighting how far the two are from each other as they are shipwrecked and diverted along the way. It is slightly sad to read yet ironic as they will eventually reach Italy as it is fated to happen

Noxam (Offence), furias (madness)

Strong word choice, suggesting that Ajax is sacrilegious in his offences, also highlighting how evil his crime was and giving Juno’s opinion that he must have been mad to commit the crimes

Infinitive + noun line ending (avertere regem - divert the king), (submergere ponto - drown in the sea)

4 lines all have the same dramatic ending, emphasising Juno’s anger raging across time and consistently burning for the Trojans

Unius ob noxam et furias Aiacis (because of one man’s offence and madness of Ajax)

Chiasmus emphasising how terrible Ajax’s crime was, and that he is mad for having committed it in the first place

Oilei (son of Oileus)

Patronymic showing respect for Ajax as his father is referenced. Alternatively it can show respect for Athena as she was able to defeat the son of a very powerful man. It is ironic that Ajax gets respect as he behaves so badly, rapping women in Athena’s temple, which is a sacrilegious offence. It potentially also hints that Athena’s anger is unjustified because she displays displeasure towards all of the Greeks when they have not committed the same crimes as Ajax

Ipsa Iovis rapidum iaculata e nubibus ignem (she herself, hurling the swift fire of Jupiter)

Alliteration of ‘i’s creates a harsh and painful sound, which is similar to someone being struck by lightning, emphasising the aggression of Athena’s actions

Disiecit (scatter), evertit (upturn), corripuit (snatch up), infixit (impale)

4 verbs describing Athena’s actions, making her seem terrifying, powerful and relentless as she is determined to harm Ajax. They also increase in violence in an ascending tetracolon list, seen as impaling is worse than upturning. In this section, Juno can be seen admiring Athena’s work as she is speaking herself, suggesting that she wants to imitate her, gruesomely wanting to copy her violence and aggression

-que (and)

Polysyndeton emphasising the number of things that Athena did to harm Ajax

Exspirantem … flammas (breathed forth flame)

Enclosing word order and a metaphor for blood pouring out of Ajax’s body and referencing his madness revealing itself through flames, all highlighting the scale of violence - his chest is in the middle of the line, which is where the flames are coming out. It is a very violent metaphor

Divum … regina (divine queen)

Enclosing word order illustrating the large scale and size of power - Juno is a god and a queen

-que (and)

Polysyndeton adding to the sense of power held by Juno by making it seem like a long list

Bella gero (wage war)

Present tense emphasises that the war is still going on

Bella gero (wage war)

Emphatic placement at the start of the line draws attention to the phrase and highlights that waging war with the Trojans is at the front of Juno’s mind

Aeoliam (Aeolia)

Emphatic placement at the start of the line highlights the importance of Aeolia (including an additional reference to the Odyssey) and draws attention to the section

Honorem (honour)

Delayed for dramatic effect with emphatic placement at the end of the line to emphasise how Juno feels forgotten and disrespected as the structure mirrors her emotions

?

Rhetorical question is used to present Juno trying to justify her actions and appeal to the reader

Flammato … corde (

Enclosing word order illustrates the scale of Juno’s anger with the use of fire imagery to emphasise how very angry Juno is

Feta furentibus (teeming with rage)

Fricative alliteration used to sound like the wind, emphasising that it is blowing very strongly

Feta furentibus (teeming with rage)

Personification of the wind, using strong word choices that are reminiscent of war and violence and foreshadowing the destruction and shipwreck of Aeneas, causing the reader to feel afraid for Aeneas. The word choice shows danger, power and anger

Austris Aeoliam (south wind Aeolia)

Alliteration of ‘a’, which also sounds like the howling winds

Feta furentibus (Teeming with rage), antro (cave), vasto (huge), sonoras (sounding), indignantes (be indignant), luctantes (struggle), fremunt (roar), iras (anger)

Word choice throughout whole passage illustrates danger, power and anger present here, adding to the feeling of foreshadowing to the shipwreck and tension

Vasto … antro (huge cave)

Enclosing word order highlighting Aeolius’ power over the cave

Vasto rex Aeolus antro (King Aeolus huge cave)

Chiasmus illustrating that Aeolius is in power and has total control

Luctantes ventos tempestatesque sonoras (

Chiasmus drawing attention to the forceful winds. A is the action of the winds, and B is the winds themselves

Imperio (empire)

Emphatic placement at the start of the line highlights the power that Aeolius has

Premit (), frenat (curb)

Synonyms add to the perception of control that Aeolius has

Premit ac vinclis et carcere frenat (

Chiasmus highlights his power and control over the winds and nature in general. A is what Aeolius does, and B is his method to confine the winds, which shows the imprisonment of the winds as they are locked away

Illi indignantes (

Alliteration of ‘i’ highlights that the winds are annoyed and upset, personifying them

Magno cum murmure montis

Alliteration of ‘m’ highlighting the sense that the mountains are murmuring

Circum claustra (

Alliteration of ‘c’ sounds like clanging prison bars as the winds are struggling to escape

Celsa … arce (lofty citadel)

Enclosing word order with Aeolus in the middle showing his power and the surrounding nature of the winds

Mollit (soothe), temperat (restrain)

Synonyms to highlight how much Aeolus is doing, causing him to seem important. Also called pleonasam (varying words with the same meaning for exaggeration and emphasis) showing the anger of the winds as Aeolus is restraining and trying to calm and control them

-que (and), et (and)

Polysyndeton highlighting that Aeolus takes many actions