Chapter 8: The Augustan Reorganiza5on
Reading 8A:Vergil, Aeneid
• Augustan age saw an increase in La0n literature
• Vergil- Famous poet from 70-19 B.C.; Composed the Aeneid which is an
epic poem narra0ng the travels and adventures of Aeneas who was a
Trojan prince who survived the great Trojan war- AFer much suffering,
Aeneas seIles in Italy and founds a new civiliza0on composed of Trojans
and na0ve Italians- Their descendants eventually become Romans (I.e.
Aeneas was the founder of the Roman race); Aeneid imitates Homeric style
in that human ac0ons are shaped by fate and divine forces- Sets itself up
as the defini0ve La0n epic to rival defini0ve epics of Greeks
• Aeneid was endorsed by Augustus and echoes his re-founda0on of
Roman order aFer the civil wars
• I.e. Augustus' Rome is the fulfillment of Rome's des0ny of greatness,
fulfilling the plan of the gods that began with Aeneas, who was also the
ancestor of Julian line
• Main Themes:
• Des0ny (of Aeneas as determined by Jupiter, to found a line of men;
Upon leaving Troy, Aeneas carried his father and son (the future and
past genera0ons), along with some idols, out of the flames of Troy
which reflect his familial piety (i.e. Remaining loyal to one's family) and
piety toward the gods)
• Duty
• Vergil combined the tales of Aeneas and Romulus and Remus as the
founders of Rome
Virgil, Aeneid Book 1
1. 1-11 Invoca0on to the Muse
• Aeneas was exiled by fate and arrived from the coast of Troy in Italy on
Lavinian shores
• He had been buffeted on land and sea by anger of Juno
• Eventually became forefather of the La0n people
2. 12-49 The origins of Juno's anger
, • Carthage was occupied by exiles from Tyre
• Juno favoured this land (as it was energe0c in pursuit of war and wealthy)
• Juno was the patron of Carthage and knew that one day the Trojans
would destroy the city; Angry at Paris who didn't declare her the prebest
goddess; Zeus had an affair with a Trojan boy
• Fates decreed that another race, descended from Trojan blood, would one
day topple Tyrian citadel
• Reminded Juno of war at Troy where she fought for Argos and all the
biIerness and anger that came with these memories
• So, Juno drove the Trojans through the seas and was determined to
keep them from Italy
3. 50-80 Juno seeks help from Aeolus
• King Aeolus is charged with controlling the winds
• Juno offered a beau0ful sea nymph to Aeolus if he would only sink the
boats carrying the Trojans to Italy
• Due to Juno's status in the hierarchy of gods, Aeolus said yes
4. 81-123 Aeolus releases a great storm
• The storm essen0ally destroys most of the ships and Aeneas cries out that
he wishes he could have died during the Trojan war at the hands of a great
hero like Tydeus or Achilles)
5. 124-156 Neptune intervenes
• Neptune calmed the raging sea
6. 157-222 Refuge on the coast
• Aeneas' weary men set course for Libyan coast (nearest piece of land)
• Only Aeneas' ships reached the coast
• Those lost include the Phrygian, Lycian and Aletes' ships
• Aeneas and his men were (and s0ll are) heading to La0um where a new life
of peace was promised to them by the fates
• Aeneas hid his worries and delivered a reassuring speech to his men
concerning the pride in remembering misfortunes
• Contrast to Odysseus, a Greek leader whose men were constantly dying
and so, proved a poor leader
7. 223-256 Venus appeals to Jupiter
Reading 8A:Vergil, Aeneid
• Augustan age saw an increase in La0n literature
• Vergil- Famous poet from 70-19 B.C.; Composed the Aeneid which is an
epic poem narra0ng the travels and adventures of Aeneas who was a
Trojan prince who survived the great Trojan war- AFer much suffering,
Aeneas seIles in Italy and founds a new civiliza0on composed of Trojans
and na0ve Italians- Their descendants eventually become Romans (I.e.
Aeneas was the founder of the Roman race); Aeneid imitates Homeric style
in that human ac0ons are shaped by fate and divine forces- Sets itself up
as the defini0ve La0n epic to rival defini0ve epics of Greeks
• Aeneid was endorsed by Augustus and echoes his re-founda0on of
Roman order aFer the civil wars
• I.e. Augustus' Rome is the fulfillment of Rome's des0ny of greatness,
fulfilling the plan of the gods that began with Aeneas, who was also the
ancestor of Julian line
• Main Themes:
• Des0ny (of Aeneas as determined by Jupiter, to found a line of men;
Upon leaving Troy, Aeneas carried his father and son (the future and
past genera0ons), along with some idols, out of the flames of Troy
which reflect his familial piety (i.e. Remaining loyal to one's family) and
piety toward the gods)
• Duty
• Vergil combined the tales of Aeneas and Romulus and Remus as the
founders of Rome
Virgil, Aeneid Book 1
1. 1-11 Invoca0on to the Muse
• Aeneas was exiled by fate and arrived from the coast of Troy in Italy on
Lavinian shores
• He had been buffeted on land and sea by anger of Juno
• Eventually became forefather of the La0n people
2. 12-49 The origins of Juno's anger
, • Carthage was occupied by exiles from Tyre
• Juno favoured this land (as it was energe0c in pursuit of war and wealthy)
• Juno was the patron of Carthage and knew that one day the Trojans
would destroy the city; Angry at Paris who didn't declare her the prebest
goddess; Zeus had an affair with a Trojan boy
• Fates decreed that another race, descended from Trojan blood, would one
day topple Tyrian citadel
• Reminded Juno of war at Troy where she fought for Argos and all the
biIerness and anger that came with these memories
• So, Juno drove the Trojans through the seas and was determined to
keep them from Italy
3. 50-80 Juno seeks help from Aeolus
• King Aeolus is charged with controlling the winds
• Juno offered a beau0ful sea nymph to Aeolus if he would only sink the
boats carrying the Trojans to Italy
• Due to Juno's status in the hierarchy of gods, Aeolus said yes
4. 81-123 Aeolus releases a great storm
• The storm essen0ally destroys most of the ships and Aeneas cries out that
he wishes he could have died during the Trojan war at the hands of a great
hero like Tydeus or Achilles)
5. 124-156 Neptune intervenes
• Neptune calmed the raging sea
6. 157-222 Refuge on the coast
• Aeneas' weary men set course for Libyan coast (nearest piece of land)
• Only Aeneas' ships reached the coast
• Those lost include the Phrygian, Lycian and Aletes' ships
• Aeneas and his men were (and s0ll are) heading to La0um where a new life
of peace was promised to them by the fates
• Aeneas hid his worries and delivered a reassuring speech to his men
concerning the pride in remembering misfortunes
• Contrast to Odysseus, a Greek leader whose men were constantly dying
and so, proved a poor leader
7. 223-256 Venus appeals to Jupiter
