Virgil--The Aeneid
Please read Book I and Book II of Virgil's Aeneid. Skimming through Book I is sufficient. Please read Book II with a bit more care. Cite a line or two that particularly well show Virgil's "insight into the human condition," i.e., that shows his understanding of subjects like fate, the relationships between men and women, relationships between men and gods, the impact of war, etc.
posted by Ancient Art at 6:39 AM
14 Comments:
I chose a line from Book II, and though it is very short, I feel that it is important because it is something that people of all times, ages, and places have dealt with:
"Unfortunately you cannot put your faith in gods who have rejected you."
I think that this comment was written because Aaneas was struggling to deal with the reality of what had happened to Troy. Virgil obviously has imsight into the human condition with this comment because he recognizes the deep down despair of Aaneas, and his anger with the gods. This comment from Aaneas is from someone so bedraggled and hurt by what has happened that he cannot believe in gods that would allow something this detrimental to happen. Virgil picked-up on the real emotions, doubts, and fears of Aaneas with this one comment, clearly showing his ability to have insight into the human condition.
I chose a passage from Book ll describing the relationship of a man to a woman. A Trojan man fought bravely during Greek attack on Rome. Men were slaughtered all around him. He seemed unemotional to the blood and massacre. However, when he was running away from the city, his wife disappeared. He went looking for her in a panic. Her death/disappereance was his breaking point.
"I filled the streets with my bawling, in my anguish - though it was futile - shouting over and over again for Creüsa. As I called her name, and plunged randomly in and out of the buildings of the city."
The deaths of his friends were barely noticed, but the death and disappereance of his wife was tragic. This shows the close relationship between a man and his wife.
"Young men, so brave for a cause which is lost; if you are so hungry to follow me to certain death, make sure you see the situation for what it is. All the gods on whom our power depended have gone, deserting their temples and altars. The city you are trying to rescue is already burning down: let us die! Let us plunge in where the fight is thickest. The only safe place for the defeated is where there is no hope of safety."
The men of Troy faced their attackers even though they believed the Gods had abandoned them. They new that they would face certain death and still stood strong. This shows their true character. They would rather die trying to save their home than run from their attackers. This also supports the idea that "to die in battle is glorius". The Trojans would die in order to save the country that they called home, even against all odds and that is an admirable characteristic.
"Jupiter Almighty, if any prayer can change your will, look down on us this once. We make one prayer only, and if our righteousness has earned some favour, give us now your presage, and confirm this sign."
I chose this passage from the second book because it shows the relationship held between man and their gods. During this time man relied very heavily on the graces of the gods. They believed that everything that happened was due to the fact that the gods were either pleased or unpleased. This quote shows that man often tried to persuade or change the gods minds with prayers and promises.
One of the most famous lines of history came from Book II. Laocoon, a Trojan priest of Neptune, could not believe that the Trojans would fall for the trap that the Greeks set up. He didn't believe that the Greeks left Troy and gave the Trojan the gift horse. He warned the people "I fear the Greeks - especially bringing gifts." The line has been modified to state "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."
Despite Laocoon's warning, the Trojans decided to accept it and the rest is history. The line shows Virgil's insight into the human condition. Virgil realizes that people, especially after fighting a long and bloody conflict, want to accept peace at any price. Like Neville CHamberlain many years later, the Trojans thought they had "peace in their time. The Trojans wanted to believe that the war was over and that the Greeks gave the Trojans a horse and withdrew from Troy. The Trojans accepted peace at any cost and was not prepared for the surprise attack that the Greeks launched against them. The Trojans were massacred and forced to retreat out of Troy for other places.
Perhaps by chance in conversation the name of Palamedes son of Belus has reached your ears...
...was valued at the leaders' conferences, I too maintained a name of sorts and some esteem.
The passage I chose was from Book II. It is the conversation that the captive has after the Greeks leave. It talks of how some disfavored the war and how some were there because of family members or were paid to take the place of others that held high offices. This shows the relationship between man and war or even politics and war for some.
Almost every passage in both books discusses the Gods. These Gods rule every aspect of peoples' lives from the winds and water to gifts. These Gods were clearly an important part of their beliefs.
The few lines I chose from Book2 were:
Then indeed a fresh panic crept into all our palpitating hearts, and they said that Laocoön deserved to have paid for his crime, for damaging the sacred wood with his spear-point, and aiming his evil lance at the horse's back. The clamoured for the image to be towed to its rightful position, and for the goddess's power to be appeased.
This passage comes right after the two serpents create havoc and then return to Minerva.
The way Virgil wrote this passage (much like many of his other passages) shows how he understands the human heart. He understands fear. It is ok to speak of fear and still be a proud man. And while all ordinary men can understand fear, the passage continues to say that there is a reason for what is going to happen. It is not chaos as one would think in terms of gods and goddess. The gods and goddess have emotions as well and with actions comes reactions. Lacoon has to be punished for a crime he committed. Only after this vengance will he be able to see the appeasement of the goddess.
And now the black day arrived. The sacrificial items were being prepared: the salted grain, and the head-band round my temples. I snatched myself away from death - I admit it - and broke free of my chains. I lay concealed all night in a muddy pool in the dark in the reeds, waiting until they sailed, if sail they were going to. I no longer held any hope of seeing my ancestral homeland, or darling children, or the father I'd missed for so long: probably the Greeks would demand them in punishment for my escape, and purge my guilt with their death, poor wretches.
I chose this passage because it shows all the things missed from back home, cerimony to the gods, and the repercussions of one's decisions in military service. he escaped death but will he see his family before death catches up to him again?
I chose these lines:
"Young men, so brave for a cause which is lost; if you are so hungry to follow me to certain death, make sure you see the situation for what it is. All the gods on whom our power depended have gone, deserting their temples and altars. The city you are trying to rescue is already burning down: let us die! Let us plunge in where the fight is thickest. The only safe place for the defeated is where there is no hope of safety."
These few lines, I think, show the desparateness of the Trojans as their city was burning an being taken over by the Greeks. They knew that they had lost the war with the Greeks and yet some were still trying t odefend their city. Virgil recoqnizes how hopeless it is to even attempt such a thing. He realizes that the Greeks have already won and that Troy will no longer exist. He also feels the despair that comes when your homeland is destroyed by your enemies after ten years of fighting. His hopelessness tells him to give up the fight and just die a glorious death in battle because no more will he or his fellow soldiers be safe. THe only safety they will find is in death.
"I appeal to you by the gods, and by the powers that know the truth, and by any uncorrupted decency which may still exist among mankind: pity my pain, have pity for a soul who suffers things he does not deserve." I think this passage shows insight into the human condition because it shows the relationship between man and society. He deeply wishes that the people have empathy for him. Therefore, it is an example of virgil having insight into the human condition.
Virgil’s Aeneid Book 2 did capture the relationships between men and gods, and the impact of war. At one point, Troy shepherds come across a Greek man who willingly gives himself up to the Troy people, stating he no longer has a place because he has escaped from his homeland. He escaped because the Greeks were going to sacrifice him in hopes to please the gods and get their favor while at war. The young Greek man says:
And now the black day arrived. The sacrificial items were being prepared: the salted grain, and the head-band round my temples. I snatched myself away from death - I admit it - and broke free of my chains. I lay concealed all night in a muddy pool in the dark in the reeds, waiting until they sailed, if sail they were going to. I no longer held any hope of seeing my ancestral homeland, or darling children, or the father I'd missed for so long: probably the Greeks would demand them in punishment for my escape, and purge my guilt with their death, poor wretches.
It sounds like the gods created more problems than they were worth. This one man’s life was ruined just to please the gods for warfare—not to mention the threat to his family now that he has run away. It doesn’t sound like life was all that pleasing to at this time period, especially if you were the one to be sacrificed.
The line that I chose is from book II which says "You must not blame the hated beauty of the Spartan Tyndarid, or even Paris. It was the gods who showed no mercy; it is they who are casting Troy down from her splendour and power." I think that this shows very well belief in the gods. Even though this one women could have perhaps prevented the war between the Greeks and the Trojans but it was cast aside as being unpreventable because it was not her fault at all it was the gods who willed it. This gives people scape goats for their decisions and mistakes.
Who in telling such a tale even if one of the Myrmidons or Dolopians or a soldier of steel-hearted Ulysses could keep himself from tears? Besides, the night's dew is already falling from the sky, and the setting stars urge sleep. But if such is your passion to learn of our misfortunes, and hear briefly of the final agony of Troy, although my mind shudders at the memory, and shies away from the grief, I shall begin.
This tells me that he can understand how some tales, can be so incredibly moving that even they could cause a grown man, a hardened soldier to shed tears. He admits himself how such a horrid memory still affects him to this day.
He says that he can see that it would take a huge admission for just such a man to admit these things in such a writing.
Virgil is very descriptive. It seems just about every sentence is filled with colorful adjectives, placed to evoke excitement in the reader. It would also seem that almost every sentence puts the hero in a state of danger, seems he is always in trouble:
“We made our way through the missiles, through the enemy right into the centre of the city towards certain death.”
“if you are so hungry to follow me to certain death”
“I am swept into the fray, and into the flames”
"It's here - the final hour”
“A mad rage overwhelmed common sense: to die in battle is glorious"
ETC.
It seems Virgil’s concept of fate for the hero is that he must go through great toil in order to attain the goal of the story. There is signs of honor to the gods and to the other great heroes, Hercules and Achelies. War is a glorious yet fierce epic.
-Nate Mills
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