Aeneid- scholars

Griffin- political context

The praise of Augustus was required in order to legitimise and praise Augustus. Augustus was an uncontrolled dominator whose career was highly illegal and first act was brutal warfarin, climbing to tyranny ver bodies of his enemies!

D.West- Turnus' death and connection to Augustus

Aeneas' merciless anger at the end does not reduce his connection to Augustus.

Symbolised Augustus and his dealing with the conspirators/ assasins of Caesar.

Grebe

The Aeneid's political purpose can be viewed in two perspectives- both anti-Augustan and pro-Augustan

D.Williams- Augustan Rome

The Aeneid reflect governmental policy of Augustus in moral, social and religious ideas, not because they were Augustus' ideas but because they were Virgil's...both men saw thing the same way

Gildenhaard- contemporary relevance

- efforts to read Aeneid historically should not get in the way of the contemporary relevance of text. Issues raised by Dido episode (sexual ethics, use and abuse of power etc continue to matter)!

R.Jenkyns- diversity of Virgil

His poetry included a wide range of men and women, because he is interested in the diversity of the world and the diversity of people it contains.

K. Perkell- Aeneas and Creusa

Aeneas failed creusa; he has much more care for his son and father

Mackie - Aeneas' piety

Aeneas' general concern to facilitate fate is the foundation of his pietas

(Eg: was dido leaving him an act of piety??)

B.Cowan- Aeneas and Augustan values

Aeneas is a model for the emperor Augustus, a template for what a good roman is expected to be.

Jenkyns- Aeneas as unlikeable

The contradictions in Aeneas' actions make him difficult to like, but certainly make him human.

Camps- Aeneas' free will

Aeneas' free will and his own decisions is what distinguishes his situation from other characters.

R.D Williams- Aeneas as mortal

He is no superhuman figure, he is very much an ordinary mortal.

Parry- contrasting voices of the Aeneid

Two voices in second half of Aeneid: public voice of celebration and a simultaneous private voice of lament!

Gale- Turnus vs Aeneas

The crucial difference between Turnus and Aeneas is a distinction between personal glory and impersonal duty, private desire and public pietas.

R.D William- Turnus

T represents a barbarian. The poem ending on his death could be seen positively for Rome.

Williams on positive portryal of Italians

virgil makes no attempt to blacked the Italians (LATINS)...they are treated with sympathy and admiration

G.Nusbaum- fall of Troy

The end of Troy becomes the beginning of Rome; from the ashes of Troy will rise the phoenix of Rome.

Cox- book 2 and Homeric influence

Aeneas leaving Troy symbolises a departure from Homeric values

Du Quesnay- Homeric influence

It was Virgil's intentions to imitate homer and to praise Augustus through his ancestors.

B.Cowan- Nisus and Euryalus

We feel sympathy and even admiration for Nisus and Euryalus yet we are uneasy about their brutal slaughter of sleeping men, their desire for glory and spoils.

Their failure is not only a result of these actions but an issue of privileging the personal over the public.

T Pattie- warfare

Aeneas does what has to be done in warfare but he is generally deeply unhappy about it.

R.D Williams- warfare

So powerful was Virgil's sympathy for the defeated that it often seems to conflict with the triumph of Rome's achievements.

S.Morton- juno

The Aeneid can also be read as a story of the wrath of juno

Wildman- role of Juno in the poem

The Aeneid has little unity between episodes and Juno is the only common denominator throughout the story. She has significance, not just as an antagonist, but as the plot- specifically her wrath.

Gransden- fate

"The concept of fate dominates the Aeneid"

Rosenmyer- role of Camilla

He argues that Camilla has no contribution to the plot of the Aeneid.

Subvert:

- she has a self-serving role. She is the only female character whose purpose is not to enhance Aeneas' journey (unlike Dido for example)

McLeish- the role of Dido

Dido exists principally to emphasise Aeneas' pietas

WILLIAMS- Dido/sympathy

It would be difficult not to be moved for pity and sympathy for Dido

L.Quartarone- women and nature

The link between women and nature in decsrptions of furor shows patriarchal oppression of them both

Example:

- Juno's anger conveyed through the storm which shipwrecks Aeneas

- she needs Aeolus' help/male governance- he can control nature

- moreover, Neptune is required to suppress it (as if he mirrors a Roman politician soothing a riot)

MOLES- love

love is a passion, often destructive in its effect and ignoble in manifestations