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Introduction

The Aeneid is an epic poem by Virgil, commissioned by Emperor Augustus, that narrates the journey of Aeneas, a Trojan prince, as he flees the destruction of Troy and seeks to establish a new homeland in Italy. Along the way, he faces challenges including his doomed love affair with Queen Dido and a war against Turnus for the hand of Lavinia, ultimately leading to the founding of Rome. The poem is a significant work of universal literature, reflecting themes of destiny, heroism, and the divine origins of Rome.

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39 views3 pages

Introduction

The Aeneid is an epic poem by Virgil, commissioned by Emperor Augustus, that narrates the journey of Aeneas, a Trojan prince, as he flees the destruction of Troy and seeks to establish a new homeland in Italy. Along the way, he faces challenges including his doomed love affair with Queen Dido and a war against Turnus for the hand of Lavinia, ultimately leading to the founding of Rome. The poem is a significant work of universal literature, reflecting themes of destiny, heroism, and the divine origins of Rome.

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Introduction:

The Aeneid is an epic poem written in Latin by Publius Vergilius Maro,


better known as Virgil, in the 1st century BC.
This work did not arise spontaneously; it was commissioned by the
Emperor Augustus, who turned Rome into an Empire and who
I wanted everyone to think that Rome had a mythical origin and
Divine.
The most popular poem of that time was The Iliad, which tells the
war of the Achaeans and Trojans that ends with the victory of the
the first and the destruction of Troy, from where a few manage to
fleeing, among whom was Prince Aeneas (from here comes
the name of the book) therefore, Virgil starts from this point and imitating
Greek myths tell this story that eventually
it will lead to the founding of Rome.
The work consists of almost ten thousand hexameters divided into twelve.
songs in which the fall of Troy and the travels of Aeneas are recounted
and the definitive establishment of a Trojan colony in Lazio.

2. Summary of the book:

Aeneas fled from Troy after it was burned by the Achaeans. He


he dragged his father and son along, and his wife followed closely behind.
steps. But she perished in the darkness.

Aeneas, desperate, boarded with other survivors in search


of a new land. His enmity with Juno (Wife of Jupiter,
Goddess queen of Olympus and mother of many gods led him to
to wander aimlessly for a long time.

On his journey, he arrives on the coasts of North Africa, in Carthage. There


Queen Dido lived there, who fell in love with him by the work of Cupid.
chubby little angel of the bow and arrow, son of Venus, so that
she would forget her deceased husband; then she held him for a long time.

The kingdom was hospitable and all the Trojans wanted to stay in
Cartago, but Aeneas knew it was in Italy where he should found his
empire.

After her departure, Dido harassed and instigated by the wicked harpies
Horrendous creatures with the head of a woman, body of a bird,
excellent singers but extremely evil) committed suicide in a
a pyre with the sword of Aeneas cursing forever his beloved,
making his people swear revenge to destroy the
children of their father, the future Romans. (This way the
a framework that justifies the eternal enmity between two peoples
brothers, the one from Cartago and the one from Rome, that they got out
mutually the filth in the Punic wars.)

Just like many Greek heroes (Orpheus, Hercules, Odysseus and


lately Xena) our hero Aeneas, on his way must
descend to hell, there he meets his father, already dead,
who reveals to him that he will found a flourishing empire, (Rome).

Aeneas arrives in Latium, where King Latinus ruled.


called, it's not that I was born in these lands). This king had
a daughter named Lavinia who was to marry Turnus,
who was the leader of a band of troublemakers called "Rútulos".

Nevertheless, when the Latin King consulted the oracle, he had been
prophesied that a man coming from the sea (Aeneas, logically) will
He would marry his daughter and create a great empire.

So Turnus and Aeneas declared war on each other because of the


beautiful princess (who naturally preferred Aeneas) and they began to
to struggle for a long time.

Aeneas was helped by Venus (Goddess of Love) but Turnus was


helped by Juno. Jupiter (God of thunder, Father and King of all
The gods did not seem willing to grant victory to either side, for
both the war extends and extends.

In the end, Aeneas kills Turnus in a fight and wins the hand of
Lavinia. Happy ending and in the process they found a kingdom that one day they
it will turn into Rome.

3. Final note:

The Aeneid is a classic book of universal literature and has been a


very popular work, especially in the Middle Ages, and Aeneas is
become a hero whom it was considered an honor to be
descendant (thus, Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his History of the Kings)
Britannia will descend the British from Britus or Brutus, a
descendant of Aeneas). The author was so beloved that even
appears in the Divine Comedy as Dante's beloved guide through the
rough hells.
It is therefore curious that Virgil himself, on his deathbed
death, may have shouted in cries, like one of his last wishes,
let the Aeneid burn, perhaps because he was embarrassed to have
made propaganda for Emperor Augustus or the Roman Empire or
perhaps because he was very perfectionist, he didn't like how he had been
the work ended up in the end. In any case, it is evident that it does not.
they paid attention.

You can also see my following summaries that will help you
to have a more complete picture

The Iliad, easy summary for students obliged to read it


It would be the first part of this book as it tells everything about the
the subject of the Trojan War, although its author is Homer.

The Odyssey, an easy summary for students required to read it


A parallel story that recounts the misadventures of Odysseus or Ulysses
(King of Ithaca allied with the Achaeans) who after the war
Troy has to overcome many dangers to reach his home.
also from Homer.

Warm greetings to everyone and I hope it is useful to you.

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