Aeneid

One of Virgils most famous work is the epic poem "Aeneid" that is consisted of 12 books. Aeneid is written in a dactylic hexameter. The main plot of it is the adventure of Aeneas who, after the city of Troy was destroyed, went on a journey.

With this work Virgil wanted to emphasize the greatness of the Roman people and the emperor Augustan. The theme of this epic Virgil found in the legend that sees the Troyans as the ancestors of the Romans who managed to survive the towns fall. The leader Aeneas was the great father  of the Augustan family. Even though the legend of Aeneas isn't true it was considered to be true for a long time because of the Italian Greeks.

It was written in the last decade of Virgils life. It was published 2 years after his death. Virgil wanted to burn all of his works but the emperor Augustan stopped him and ordered for the books to be published with no modification.

Virgil was looking for a role model and inspiration in Homers works.

Genre: epic

1st poem

The hero of Troy, Aeneas, was the son of Venus, goddess of love. He left him home town with the other refugees because the Greeks burned it. Jupiter ordered him to sail with 12 ships to Italy where his new country will be. The journey lasted 7 years. Aeneas was going through a lot of pain and suffering during the journey. When they were close to the finsh line a great storm occurred because of the order of the king of winds. He gave that order because the goddess Juno told him to do that. He was the protector of the Carthaginians and the enemy of the Troyans. God Neptune saved Aeneas and the Trojans from the storm and send them to the coast of Libya. The Trojans came across a women that told them they were near Carthage were the queen Dido lived. Venus took care of Dido falling in love with Aeneas.

2nd poem

Dido made a feast for the guests and Aeneas told her everything about the Trojan war. The Greeks were besieging Troy for 10 years and after that they managed to fool the Trojans and destroy the city. Most of the city was ruined and the habitants were dead. Amongst them was the king Priam. Considering the fact that the gods decided that Troy was ruined he left with his father and son.

3rd poem

Aeneas tell the story of his journey and the places he visited. On his journey he lost his father. He described his encounter with the harpies and his friend Achates.

4th poem

This poem is dedicated to the Dido and Aeneas love. Juno wanted for Aeneas to stay in Carthage so she supported their love. During a great storm Aenea and Dido hide in a cave and let themselves into the hands of love. But soon their love will experience some difficulties. A messenger tells Aeneas that the god Jupiter wants him to finish what he started. Aeneas listened to him and started preparing ships. Dido must persuade Aeneas to stay with her but he has to do his job. Dido commits suicide because she couldn't deal with all of it. While she was dying the ship were sailing out and she put a curse on the Rome and Carthage. She stated that there will be a great fight between them.

5th poem

The king waited for the TrojanS on Sicily where the storm led them. Aeneas was preparing a funeral for his father. The angry goddess Juno sends the messenger during the games. She convinced the Trojan women that were very tired to set their ships on fire. Aeneas asks Jupiter to send some rain so they save 4 ships. In his dreams his father told him to leave all of the women on Sicily because a big battle was waiting for him in Italy.

6th poem

Aeneas came to the west of Italy and with the help of goddess Sibyl he went to the underground. Between the dead he sees Dido in the shadows and sees her anger and bitterness and also the torture that the sinful souls are exposed to. Between the blessed souls he meets his father who told him the future of the Roman Empire. Aeneas goes away and carries on with his journey.

7th poem

The next stop was the river Tiber. With the help of his friends Aeneas asks the ruler of Lazio Latinus to let them found their own city. Latinus pleases them and promises the hand of his daughter Lavinia. Goddess Juno wants to stop the marriage so she convinced LAtinos wife and king Turnus to go into war with the Trojans. There was a battle even though Latinus wanted to prevent it. Etruscans joined the war against the Trojans.

8th poem

The River-God Tiberinus says to Aeneas to go and look for help from Evander. He helped him with 400 horseman and their leader who was his son, Pallas. Aeneas asked the Tirenians for help also. Along the way he met his mother Venus who gave him the weapon of god Vulcan. On the weapon there was the future history of Rome

9th poem

Junos messenger convinced Turnus to attack the shelter of the Trojans. Turnus sank their boats because he saw that they were avoiding the battle. Goddess Cybele appeared and turned the boats into nymphs. Turnus does not stop because of that and continues the battle. The Trojan heroes are looking for Aeneas to let him know about the possibility of failure. Everything ended up tragic for them. They die and the great battles continued. When they thought that they had surrounded Turnus he jumped into the river Tiber and saves himself.

10th poem

God Jupiter complained about Venus and Juno who started a war. He decided to let faith decide the end of the battle. The battles continued and then Aeneas showed up with thirty ships full of allies. Turnus killed Pallas and gets help from Juno. His son Laos was killed by Aeneas.

11th poem

A 12 days truce was used to bury the fighters. Pallas father asked Aeneas to get the revenge for his sons death. Latiuns was still trying to stop the battles. Soon Turnus ally Camilla died in the battles.

12th poem

Turnus felt thathe was coming to an end so he suggested that he and Aeneas should end their battle with a fight between the two of them. Juno was still influential so she convinced Latinus to keep on going with the battles. Aeneas killed Turnus. Jupiter consoles his wife Juno by saying that everything was the fault of the faith.

Publius Vergilius Maro biography