Transcript Aeneas carrying his father Anchises on his shoulders

The Aeneid
Epic poem which tells the story
of the heroic Aeneas and the
founding of Rome.
Author: Vergil 70-19 B.C.
from Mantua (Mantova) in
Northern Italy
Aeneas carrying
his father
Anchises on hisi
shoulders
RAFFAELLO Sanzio The Fire in the Borgo
(detail), 1514, Stanza dell'Incendio, Palazzi
Pontifici, Vatican.
Map of Aeneas Travels
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THE STORY OF THE AENEID
Book I. Under Aeneas the Trojans sail toward Italy. Juno contrives a storm. and the Trojans are
shipwrecked on the coast of Libya. They are welcomed by Queen Dido in her palace at Carthage.
At a banquet Aeneas recounts his adventures.
Book II. Aeneas tells about the destruction of Troy and his escape with his father Anchises, his
son Ascanius, and a few Trojan followers.
Book III. After unsuccessful attempts to settle in Thracc and Crete, the Trojans land in Western
Sicily, where Anchises dies. After sailing from Sicily, the Trojans are driven by a storm to the coast
of Libya.
Book IV. Dido falls madly in love with Aeneas. Mercury warns Aeneas of his divine mission to seek
a home in Italy. Aeneas leaves Carthage, and Dido in despair kills herself.
Book V. Aeneas lands in Sicily on the anniversary of his father's death. Funeral games are held to
mark the occasion. Aeneas then sails for Italy.
Book VI. Landing at Cumae, Aeneas meets the Sibyl. He visits the underworld to consult
Anchises, who prophesies the future greatness of Rome.
Book VII. Aeneas lands on the left bank of the Tiber and is welcomed by envoys from King
Latinus, who offers Aeneas his daughter Lavinia in marriage. Juno stirs up strife between the
Trojans and the Italians.
Book VIII. Aeneas sails up the river to Palanteum, later the Palatine Hill, and makes an alliance
with King Evander. Vulcan at Venus's request forges weapons for Aeneas.
Book IX. Turnus in Aeneas's absence attacks the Trojan camp. Ascanius with bow and arrow kills
Numanus, brother-in-law of Turnus. Turnus enters the Trojan camp and slays many Trojans.
Book X. Aeneas returns with Etrurian allies and Pallas, son of King Evander. Turnus slays Pallas
and Aeneas slays Mezentius, an exiled Etrurian king.
Book XI. After a twelve days' truce for the burial of the dead, the Trojans advance on Laurentum.
Camilla, warrior maiden and ally of Turnus, is slain by a Trojan.
Book XII. Turnus agrees to single combat with Aeneas. King Latinus and Aeneas meet at an altar
in the plain to arrange for the combat. Juturna, Turnus's sister, incites the Latins to violate the
truce and attack the Trojans. Aeneas is wounded, but is miraculously cured with the help of
Venus. Aeneas and Turnus finally meet, and Aeneas slays Turnus.
Roman Gods
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Zeus
Hera
Athena
Aphrodite
Hephestus
Hermes
Ares
Poseidon
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Jupiter
Juno
Minerva
Venus
Vulcan
Mercury
Mars
Neptune
• In Roman religion every
household had its own
personal spirits which
protected it. The lares were
the spirits of the family's
ancestors. And the penates
were kind spirits who
garded the pantry. Little
figurines of these spirits
were kept in a small
household shrine, called the
lararium.
Aeneas’ parents
Aeneas was born from the union of a mortal,
Anchises, and a goddess, Aphrodite.
Anchises, having drunk much wine, told
his friends that he was the lover of the
goddess, and for this reason he was
struck by Zeus' thunderbolt which crippled
him. Mountain nymphs raised Aeneas
until he was five years old, when he was
sent to live with his father.
Aeneas’ descendants
• Aeneas married Creusa, one of Priam's
daughters, and they had a son named Ascanius.
• Ascanius was also called Iulus, or Julius, and a
clan of Romans called the Julians claimed to
descend from him. Julius Caesar and his
nephew Augustus, who became the first Roman
emperor, were members of that clan. In this way,
the rulers of Rome traced their ancestry—and
their right to rule—back to the demigod Aeneas.
Aeneas during the Trojan War
• During the war not only his mother, Aphrodite,
but also the powerful gods Poseidon and Apollo
gave Aeneas protection. Aeneas was wounded
by Diomedes and, having fainted, would have
died if his mother had not come to his rescue.
Aphrodite herself was wounded by Diomedes on
this occasion, but Apollo took over the protection
of the wounded Aeneas, removing him from the
battle. Leto and Artemis healed Aeneas and
made him even stronger. Later having
recovered, he returned to the field.
Poseidon's Prophecy
When the gods had become more
involved in the fighting, Apollo
urged Aeneas to challenge Achilles
and to fight with him in single
combat. Aeneas was very close to
die, but Poseidon rescued him,
explaining to the other gods:
"Even Zeus might be angry if Achilles
killed Aeneas, who after all is
destined to survive and to save the
House of Dardanus from extinction
... Priam's line has fallen out of
favour with Zeus, and now Aeneas
shall be King of Troy and shall be
followed by his children's children in
the time to come." [Poseidon to the
gods. Homer, Iliad 20.300]
Aeneas and his fleet get caught in
a storm sent by Juno
Aeneas is welcomed by Dido,
queen of Carthage
Aenas tells Dido of the fall of Troy
SINON
• While the Trojans are debating
what to do with the giant
wooden horse, some Trojan
shepherds come running up they have captured a member of
the Greek army, a man named
Sinon. Sinon, however, is a
double-agent: he is going to
pretend to hate the Greeks,
when in reality he is acting on
behalf of the Greeks, sent there
with a story full of lies that is
intended to persuade the
Trojans to bring the wooden
horse into their city. Sinon
pretends to beg the Trojans for
mercy, for protection: when in
fact he is bringing about their
destruction.
Laocoon
and his
sons
The Trojans decide to bring the
horse into the town
TIEPOLO, Giovanni Domenico
The Procession of the Trojan Horse in Troy. 1773. National Gallery, London.
Aeneas leaves Troy
Dido and Aeneas
After Aeneas leaves, Dido commits suicide.
Death of Dido
• Pietas was the key
quality of any
'honourable' Roman. It
consisted of a series of
duties: duty towards
the Gods; duty towards
one's homeland; duty
towards one's
followers and duty to
one's family especially one's father.