Virgil’s poem “Aeneid” is an epic work that was based on Roman mythology. The narration is describing a story about legendary Aeneas, who was the son of the goddess Venus and the king of Troy Priam. It is argued that he was the ancestor of Romulus and Remus, who were the creators of the Roman Empire after the fall of Troy. This poem is divided into two parts, where the first six poems tell about the wanderings of Aeneas in search of a new homeland on the way from the defeated Troy. The second part is dedicated to the wars on the Italian land, which can be compared to the storyline of “The Iliad.” The peculiarity of the “Aeneid” is that each poem stands out as a separate work, with its own internal plot. At the same time, all poems organically connect to a common whole. Nevertheless, the most distinctive feature of the poem is that the author creates a new type of epos character; he has a patriotic and divine purpose, his legacy and future are demonstrated by gods, who also control his fate.
It would be interesting to explore the peculiarities of the plot and how every detail in this poem has a significant meaning regarding the purpose of the main character. For example, the character of Aeneas is of a divine origin since he is the son of Venus (Virgil, 2006). This detail accounts for the belief that emperors and overall powerful people are the successors of the gods. In addition, he is a brave and powerful Roman warrior. However, besides strength, Aeneas also has the gift of successfully solving disagreements and negotiations (Virgil, 2006). He is also can be considered a patriot since it is important for him to protect the interests of his people. Aeneas acts as not only a warrior, but as an emperor and the founder of a new country as well. He is portrayed as a Roman hero with qualities that were common among heroes in ancient myths. However, these characteristics should be revived again among the modern rulers of Rome, and Aeneas is the representation of them.
Another important detail that is associated with the future glory of the Roman Empire is the shield. Venus sends her son a weapon and a shield, which the god Vulcan masterfully created after she seduced him. Not only in this scene, Virgil makes a reference to the Iliad, but he also depicts several important events of Roman history. The first picture on the shield describes Romulus and Remus with a she-wolf, who nursed twins, one of whom founded the city (Virgil, 2006). The last one portrays the triumph of Augustus, and therefore the world domination of the Roman Empire. According to the book, “there are repeated references to colors, like the silver geese in the golden portico and the golden torques on the milk-white” (Virgil, 2006, p. 416). The main theme of these paintings is the glorification of the empire.
In this way, these patriotic ideas lead Virgil to a religious interpretation of everything that happens to Rome, its founders, and leits aders. The shield and what was depicted on it motivated Aeneas’s enthusiasm to continue building his legacy. He admired the amazing gift of Vulcan and the glory of his descendants that was depicted on the shield (Virgil, 2006). For this reason, he became proud of his culture and was encouraged to fight for the empire even more.
Even though Aeneas is the main hero of the story, his fate is controlled by the gods. Nevertheless, since he was chosen to execute an important mission of establishing a new state, then all his life and actions should be aimed precisely at achieving this goal. Aeneas is able to put his own interests below the empire’s interests, he even divorces his beloved Dido for them (Virgil, 2006). The main character is forced to abandon his love since it is an obstacle to the fulfillment of the plan of the gods. In order to accomplish this mission, he sails to the Latin shores and founds a new state in those lands.
In conclusion, it would appear that Virgil managed to create a new type of patriotic epic poem. The author suggests new ideas, different philosophies, and approaches. Aeneas is a completely original type of hero, the characteristic feature of which is the connection of his fate to the development of the Roman state. Moreover, the poem is patriotic and has many cultural ties and themes associated with ancient mythology and symbolism. The patriotism of the author is portrayed through the main character and plot details, such as Aeneas’s divine origin and his dedication to his fate of building an empire. In addition, Virgil uses references to Roman mythology to emphasize the sacred nature of Aeneas’s goals. By putting pictures of mythical events on the shield, he idealizes Roman culture and history. The author himself believed in the divine ancestry and future of the Roman empire, and this view is confidently expressed in the poem.
Reference
Virgil. (2006). Aeneid. (D. West, Trans.). Penguin Classics.