Written as an embodiment of the cultural ideals of the Roman state, Virgil's Aeneid was an epic masterpiece worthy of serving the Romans in the same way as Homer's epics had served the Greeks. Virgil was in awe of Romes transition into a new golden age under the leadership of Augustus which promised a new era of prosperity under the Pax Romana (Roman Peace), and an end to the one hundred years internal strife which had almost torn the empire apart.
His epic was in part to help consolidate the position of Romes ruler by portraying his divine linage, but also to reaffirm in Romes citizens the sense of pride in their origin which had become obscured by the empires rapid growth and internal instability.
Virgil depicts Aeneas as a new type of epic hero more befitting the Roman age. One who must overcome suffering and trails in order to reach a moral ideal of leadership, and understand the sometimes painful realities necessary for the successful outcome of his quest.
Aeneas - A New Type of Epic Hero
One of the most significant ways in which Virgil reflects the unique ideals of a Roman hero is through his use of certain parallels. Book one is interesting in the way it follows a very similar narrative structure to that of Book five of the Odyssey, and it seems that Virgil is inviting the reader to recourse back to Homer in order to highlight the contrast between Aeneas and Homeric heroes like Odysseus. This analogy makes the reader aware of the distinctive nature of Aeneas as an epic hero when compared to those of the Greek era, and during books one to four, Virgil seems keen to portray how prone he is to lapses of human weakness.
As the storm strikes his fleet, we learn that 'a sudden chill went through Aeneas and his limbs grew weak'(92-101) as he considers the possibility of an inglorious death, and with several of his ships missing, he is forced to show his men 'the face of hope' (180-81) and 'keep his misery deep in is heart'.(195) These descriptions illustrate the way in which Virgil's Aeneid is portraying a shift from the Greek ideals of heroic virtues to those more befitting the ideology of Roman culture.
We see Aeneas practicing self control and taking on the burden of grief for the good of his men. He makes it his personal responsibility to provide for them by killing seven deer – one for each of his ships – and shares out the wine of Acestes 'with a hero's generosity'.(194-97) At a very early stage of the epic, Aeneas is established as a leader who makes the well being of his followers his main priority and who endures personal suffering on their behalf in a way quite alien to most other epic heroes.
Augustus - The Ideal Imperialist
These acts of selfless leadership are one of the key ideals being evoked by Virgil, and it is a concept which ties in with one of Augustus' key justifications for imperial rule, 'that the princeps undertook the enormous burden and cares of the imperium.'(Cairns: 32) Unlike the selfish, individualist Homeric heroes like Odysseus and Achilles, Aeneas toils and suffers as a leader out of a profound sense of duty to his followers.
However these heroic virtues are initially applied inconsistently, and it appears that Virgil is deliberately illustrating human frailty and weakness in Aeneas in order to demonstrate his reformation in a way which is educative. Aeneas quest is essentially one of self improvement in which he must learn to abstain from selfish acts of pleasure, overcome human weakness, and learn to embody a set of values highly prized in the Roman age.
Sources
Virgil, The Aeneid, Penguin Classics, 2003
Francis Cairns, Virgil's Augustan Epic, Cambridge University Press, 1989
Marius Goubert - My name is Marius , i am 22 and live in the United Kingdom. I have just graduated from the university of Kent with a degree in comparative ...
