"The finale of Virgil's Aeneid is ultimately disappointing. Book 12 does not bring things to a satisfying
conclusion." How far do you agree with this view?
As the final book of Virgil’s Aeneid, book 12 concludes the epic with the long awaited, single combat
between Turnus and Aeneas, as well as many other events that are crucial to the storyline. Aside from
the typically Homeric peaceful ending, the Aeneid ends with scenes of relentless violence with a
somewhat abrupt closing. There is much debate whether the finale of Virgil’s Aeneid is a pleasing
conclusion that ties up the epic’s loose ends or just a blunt, violent and underwhelming end to the poem.
While it can be stated that book 12 is satisfying given Virgil’s rich language and poetic devices in hand
with its events, such as the death of antagonist Turnus, it is ultimately more persuasive to argue that the
Aeneid’s final book is not entirely a pleasing ending for the audience are left with some unfinished
business. For example, given the endings abruptness, we do not see Aeneas found his own city and are
left with some unanswered questions. However, this sense of complexity can be said to make the book all
the more fascinating and rather thought provoking.
First and foremost, it can be argued that some of the events and characterisation in the final book of
Virgil’s Aeneid makes book 12 ultimately unsatisfying and inconclusive. Most poignant of all being the
suicide of Queen Amata; the Queen meets a horrendously tragic demise that is also rather brief and
blunt. Parallel to the dreadful suicide of Queen Dido in book 4, Amata witnesses the Trojan army as “the
enemy approaching the city” before committing suicide and meeting a very sudden end. What makes
Amata’s death all the more devastating is the complete lack of control she possesses with her mind
“deranged with grief”, driven mad by the fury Alecto. Virgil writes “she died a hideous death in the noose
of rope tied to a high beam,” and her fatal end is described in a mere couple of lines; certainly, a
dissatisfactory ending. To make matters worse, this is also the last time we see King Latinus, as well as his
daughter Lavinia, Aeneas’ future bride, who is described “to tear her golden hair and rosy cheeks,”.
Lavinia is destined to marry Aeneas, however in Virgil’s final book of the Aeneid we see no reference to
this or essentially their ‘happily ever after’, but a bleak image of the young woman crying completely
overwhelmed by grief. In a similar way her father is described “fouling his grey hair with handfuls of dirt
and dust” bearing an immense sense of loss. These final images of the royals are all extremely pessimistic
and devastating, characterising our closing impression of them as powerless, weak and miserable; a clear
example of the displeasing ending of book 12.
On top of this, when determining the quality of the Aeneid’s ending it is necessary to consider the scene
of reconciliation of the gods, in which Juno ceases her involvement in the combat. This scene is critical to
the epic for Juno’s wrath is central to its plot, for example the opening proem famously reads “I sing of
arms and of the man … he took by land and sea … because of the fierce and on forgetting anger of Juno.”.
It is fair to say that this reconcilement can characterise the epic’s ending as neat and satisfying as of its
symmetry to the storyline and cyclical structure, a clear example of ring composition. We see the goddess
“Juno nodded in assent.”, quitting with the war, expelling her anger and submitting. Moreover, this scene
is rather fulfilling as it ties up some of loose ends, primarily what will happen to the future of Latium and
its people. By illustration, Jupiter grants Juno her wish after she pleads “Let there be Latium … Troy has
fallen. Let it lie, Troy and the name of Troy.”. The King of gods then responds that “I will make them all
Latins, speaking one tongue,”; clearly a satisfying conclusion that explains how the races shall successfully
merge to form Rome, while resolving the conflict amongst the divine. In a way, by allowing the people of
Rome to speak Latin, in a way it can be interpreted that Turnus still lives on for a bit, through this
decision. Moreover, this scene is all the more important as it effectively provides justification for the
Romans divine beliefs. For instance, Jupiter exclaims “Aeneas is a god of this land … and is fated to be
raised to the stars.”; a very important statement from a patriotic propaganda perspective, as it evidently
allows Aeneas to become a god. Further to this, Virgil’s mention of “fated to be raised to the stars,”
marks a distinct reference to what a contemporary audience would recognise as Caesar’s comet and the
deification of Julius Caesar, stressing the divine origins of Rome. This also importantly acts as a parallel
between Aeneas and Augustus; with the protagonist who is assured to be deified, and likewise the
Emperor Augustus. With that being said, this scene of divine reconciliation makes book 12 all the more
conclusion." How far do you agree with this view?
As the final book of Virgil’s Aeneid, book 12 concludes the epic with the long awaited, single combat
between Turnus and Aeneas, as well as many other events that are crucial to the storyline. Aside from
the typically Homeric peaceful ending, the Aeneid ends with scenes of relentless violence with a
somewhat abrupt closing. There is much debate whether the finale of Virgil’s Aeneid is a pleasing
conclusion that ties up the epic’s loose ends or just a blunt, violent and underwhelming end to the poem.
While it can be stated that book 12 is satisfying given Virgil’s rich language and poetic devices in hand
with its events, such as the death of antagonist Turnus, it is ultimately more persuasive to argue that the
Aeneid’s final book is not entirely a pleasing ending for the audience are left with some unfinished
business. For example, given the endings abruptness, we do not see Aeneas found his own city and are
left with some unanswered questions. However, this sense of complexity can be said to make the book all
the more fascinating and rather thought provoking.
First and foremost, it can be argued that some of the events and characterisation in the final book of
Virgil’s Aeneid makes book 12 ultimately unsatisfying and inconclusive. Most poignant of all being the
suicide of Queen Amata; the Queen meets a horrendously tragic demise that is also rather brief and
blunt. Parallel to the dreadful suicide of Queen Dido in book 4, Amata witnesses the Trojan army as “the
enemy approaching the city” before committing suicide and meeting a very sudden end. What makes
Amata’s death all the more devastating is the complete lack of control she possesses with her mind
“deranged with grief”, driven mad by the fury Alecto. Virgil writes “she died a hideous death in the noose
of rope tied to a high beam,” and her fatal end is described in a mere couple of lines; certainly, a
dissatisfactory ending. To make matters worse, this is also the last time we see King Latinus, as well as his
daughter Lavinia, Aeneas’ future bride, who is described “to tear her golden hair and rosy cheeks,”.
Lavinia is destined to marry Aeneas, however in Virgil’s final book of the Aeneid we see no reference to
this or essentially their ‘happily ever after’, but a bleak image of the young woman crying completely
overwhelmed by grief. In a similar way her father is described “fouling his grey hair with handfuls of dirt
and dust” bearing an immense sense of loss. These final images of the royals are all extremely pessimistic
and devastating, characterising our closing impression of them as powerless, weak and miserable; a clear
example of the displeasing ending of book 12.
On top of this, when determining the quality of the Aeneid’s ending it is necessary to consider the scene
of reconciliation of the gods, in which Juno ceases her involvement in the combat. This scene is critical to
the epic for Juno’s wrath is central to its plot, for example the opening proem famously reads “I sing of
arms and of the man … he took by land and sea … because of the fierce and on forgetting anger of Juno.”.
It is fair to say that this reconcilement can characterise the epic’s ending as neat and satisfying as of its
symmetry to the storyline and cyclical structure, a clear example of ring composition. We see the goddess
“Juno nodded in assent.”, quitting with the war, expelling her anger and submitting. Moreover, this scene
is rather fulfilling as it ties up some of loose ends, primarily what will happen to the future of Latium and
its people. By illustration, Jupiter grants Juno her wish after she pleads “Let there be Latium … Troy has
fallen. Let it lie, Troy and the name of Troy.”. The King of gods then responds that “I will make them all
Latins, speaking one tongue,”; clearly a satisfying conclusion that explains how the races shall successfully
merge to form Rome, while resolving the conflict amongst the divine. In a way, by allowing the people of
Rome to speak Latin, in a way it can be interpreted that Turnus still lives on for a bit, through this
decision. Moreover, this scene is all the more important as it effectively provides justification for the
Romans divine beliefs. For instance, Jupiter exclaims “Aeneas is a god of this land … and is fated to be
raised to the stars.”; a very important statement from a patriotic propaganda perspective, as it evidently
allows Aeneas to become a god. Further to this, Virgil’s mention of “fated to be raised to the stars,”
marks a distinct reference to what a contemporary audience would recognise as Caesar’s comet and the
deification of Julius Caesar, stressing the divine origins of Rome. This also importantly acts as a parallel
between Aeneas and Augustus; with the protagonist who is assured to be deified, and likewise the
Emperor Augustus. With that being said, this scene of divine reconciliation makes book 12 all the more
