Aeneid book 2

Book two of the Aeneid opens with Aeneas fulfilling Dido's request to tell his story. He starts off his story introducing the Trojan horse. The Greeks had hidden their best soldiers in the hollow belly of the horse, and had sent it over to the Trojans who were suspicious of the horse. They begin to debate about whether or not to accept the horse when a young Greek soldier Sinon cunningly deceives the Trojans into accepting the horse. After seeing  Neptune's priest and his two sons eaten by two massive serpents, they move the horse to the shrine of Athena, ignoring the prophetic voice of Cassandra. As the Trojans sleep Sinon opens the horse and lets his Greek comrades out. the Greeks then proceed to kill the guards, open the gates and let in more of their forces. Meanwhile Hector's ghost appears to Aeneas n a dream warning him of the Greek invasion. Aeneas and his men arm themselves and fight and kill many Greeks, but they are too outnumbered. Aeneas and his men arrive at Priam's palace where Priam was going to try and fight. Phyrrus, son of Achilles, slaughters a son of Priam before Priam's eyes and then kills Priam at the altar. Two impious acts.As Aeneas is seeing this he catches sight of Helen, who he believes to be the reason for all the bloodshed and sets out to kill her, until Venus stops him. Venus tells her son Aeneas that Helen is not to blame for the war, but that the gods are responsible and that he needs to flee from Troy with his family. She then takes Aeneas to his fathers house, his father originally refuses to leave but upon receiving an omen he joins his family. Cruesa, Aeneas' wife is lost along the way out of Troy, but her ghost appears to Aeneas telling him that it was not her fate to escape from Troy, and that he has a better future ahead of him.

Livy response

Livy seems to be writing this piece in order to bring history to life with his lyric poem. He also seems to be writing this piece in order to share the history of Rome partially for his own satisfaction, but also so that others can learn from Rome's successes and mistakes.

The Aeneid

In Book 1 of the Aeneid we open up with Virgil calling upon the muses so that they might help him relay the story of the founding of Rome. Aeneas, who is destined to found Rome, is sailing to Italy after the Trojan War. Juno, queen of the gods, hates the Trojans and wants them dead. She despairs, however, because the Fates have prevented her from doing anything to Aeneas and his friends. Even with this knowledge, she goes to King Aeolus, keeper of the winds, and asks him to send forth his winds to destroy Aeneas. He does so, causing Aeneas and his men to sail to the first piece of land they can find. Neptune, god of the sea and storms, is angered by the winds' storm and causes it to stop. Venus, goddess of love and mother of Aeneas, seeing what is happening to her son, goes to see Jupiter,king of the gods. Jupiter consoles Venus and reassures her that Aeneas will be the founder of Rome. Venus then goes to see Aeneas, disguised as a huntress and tells him of Dido the queen of Carthage. Aeneas and his men set out to find Dido and when they do, Aeneas proceeds to explain what has happened to them. Venus then sends Cupid, her son, to "poison" Dido so that she will fall madly in love with Aeneas.

Early Rome

1). How much of the early Roman culture can be credited to the Etruscans?

2). What role does Mythology play in the early Roman History?

The Iliad: Closure

The Iliad opens with the Rage of Achilles, it does not however end in the same way. In the end we actually see Achilles attempting to control his anger, which he does successfully. " He feared that, overwhelmed by the sight of Hector, wild with grief, Priam might let his anger flare and Achilles might fly into fresh rage himself" (24.684-86). At the beginning of the epic Achilles let his anger control him and his actions, at the end Achilles has gained control of his emotions. A major attitude change has taken place in Achilles. Another somewhat smaller way the epic has been resolved is in the perspective. We opened seeing things through the eyes of the Acheans, and we end seeing things through the eyes of the Trojans. At the beginning we find out that the Acheans will win the war, and we end with the Trojans knowing that their doom is inevitable. It is, despite the circumstances, a good ending, an ending that gives you a sense of finality. Everything is going the way the gods said it would, and that's that.