Transcript Virgil_Background

Virgil’s Aeneid
Books 1, 2, 4 & 6
Structure, plot, characters, function of
the gods, theme of Rome’s world
missions
Aeneas’ journey
Who was Virgil?
• Born 70 BC near Mantua.
• Son of a prosperous father.
• University educated.
• In 30 BC began to compose Aeneid by
19BC is was virtually complete
• Died later in 19 BC
• Left instructions for poem to be destroyed.
Where is the story from?
• V uses the story of Troy as a beginning ,
but gave his poem a Roman theme and
purpose.
• It mirrors the Odyssey by Homer.
Why did Virgil write the Aeneid? p5
• To write a Roman Epic
• To give the Romans a pedigree
• To justify Roman imperialism
• To show the gods favoured Rome
• To glorify Italy
• To justify Augustus’ dictatorship
• To glorify the Julian family
Greek gods become Roman
Roman
Greek
Juno
Hera
Venus
Zeus
Neptune
Fates
Cupid
Moirae
Roman
Greek
Juno
Venus
Jupiter
Neptune
Hera
Aphrodite
Zeus
Poseidon
Fates
Moirae
Cupid
Eros
Book 1 Answers
Who is giving the Trjans a hard
time? Why? Give four reasons.
1. Juno resented Jupiter’s making the Trojan
2.
3.
4.
Ganymede a favourite.
She hated Paris for deciding Venus was the
most beautiful goddess.
She helped the Greeks in the Trojan war.
She favoured Carthage and feared the
Romans, Trojan descendants, would destroy
the city.
When we meet Aeneas for the first
time, where is he and what is
happening? What is he feeling and
why?
• Aeneas is on a ship en route to Italy from
Sicily, when Juno’s storm strikes his fleet.
He is scared stiff and wish and wishing he
died in Troy.
Who is particularly keeping an eye
on Aeneas? Why?
• Venus is looking after Aeneas as she is his
mother.
What happened to Dido before we
meet her?
• Dido has been married to Sychaeus, but
her brother killed her husband. So she left
her homeland, Tyre, and migrated with
companions to Africa where she was
building Carthage.
The meeting of Dido and Aeneas and the
welcome Dido gives Aeneas have been
manipulated by Juno, Jupiter and Venus.
What part does each play?
• Juno caused the storm which blew Aeneas’ fleet
•
•
to Africa, p.32.
Jupiter sends Mercury to make sure Dido
welcomes Aeneas, p.36.
Venus makes Dido fall in love with Aeneas to
make extra certain Dido won’t harm him, p.47.
What event at the end of Book 1
skilfully leads into Book 2, and the
tale of Aeneas’ adventures?
• Dido gives a banquet to welcome the
Trojans and asks Aeneas to tell his story,
which he does in book 2.