Virgil’s The Aeneid follows Aeneas and the other Trojans as they flee from Troy following it being conquered by the Greeks, and their subsequent hand in the foundation of Rome. This epic poem was written for the denizens of ancient Rome, as a tale of how their great nation came to be.
This poem came to be legendary and is now known as one of the greatest works of its time. Virgil weaved a tale that connected Aeneas’ journey through the world, the foundation of Rome, and the history of Troy and its legacy in the Roman empire.
All of this comes together in a fantastical story of the impact of fate and its contrast with free will, tying in with the inheritance and creation of power. The first six books focus on Aeneas’ journey to Italy.
As foretold by the gods, Italy is meant to be the founding place of the Roman empire. The journey to Italy comprises more than half of the entire epic, with the Trojans continually being set back on their years-long voyage.
Of key importance is that Juno, queen of the gods, harbored hatred towards Aeneas for his role in the fall of Carthage, even though this event has yet to transpire. Fate has heralded him as the reason behind its downfall, and for this Juno sets their voyage back continuously.
This shows the important role fate plays in this tale, a story of how men are pulled down by what they have not even done or become yet. Fate is the spurning point by which the voyage even transpired, as Aeneus was destined to found Rome.
Virgil wished to tie the fall of Troy with the rise of Rome to portray Rome as a holy empire. In his writing, he conveys that the nation was the result of an act of providence. Fate is perhaps the foremost element in this poem, symbolizing its importance to the nation at the time who were the target audience.
The Aeneid is fully a product of the age in which it was written, symbolizing ideas and beliefs that ancient Rome ran by. This play is an exploration of fate and free will, and the impact the acts of the Gods had on the mortals.
In his view, the world is a disordered place that is only caused to be more chaotic by God’s actions. Their impact on the world is viewed as the root of all good and bad. Despite the chaos and setbacks, Aeneas stays resolute in his goal of establishing a new home and order for this fellow Trojans.
He is the quintessential heroic, larger-than-life figure that was apparent in many works of that age. Virgil grounds this fantastical epic in reality by tying it to the real events that have transpired, such as the founding of the nation by which he called his home.
VIRGIL. (2022). Aeneid. ARCTURUS PUBLISHING LTD.
