(Originally Written September 10, 2009 in the Journal)
This was my first time reading The Aeneid. I loved this book. I found the story incredibly fascinating. The use of the term godhead in the David West translation struck me as interesting because I had never seen it outside of a Trinitarian Christian context. I wonder if the Latin word is the same.
Book 1 - Storm and Banquet
Compare Aeneas & Job?
Aeneas suffers at the hands of Juno despite having committed no sin.
Book 2 - The Fall of Troy
This was one of my favorite parts of the book.
The chief virtue of Aeneas, a man known for his piety, is his courage, which he had to forsake for the destiny of the will of the gods.
Book 3 - The Wanderings
Book 4 - Dido
An interesting myth on the origin of enmity between Rome & Carthage.
Book 5 - Funeral Games
The origin of the rites of Parentalia - the festival of the dead. This was a major part of the Roman Religion.
Compare Aeneas to Solomon in diffusing the squabble between Nisus and Salius - wisdom.
Book 6 - The Underworld
This has philosophical and political undertones. It gives the origin of life explanation and praises the Julian family.
Book 7 - War in Latium
A good read for battle scenes.
Book 8 - Aeneas in Rome
The prophetic shield of Vulcan is made for Aeneas in this book. In this book Virgil ties Hercules to Aeneas and Aeneas to Caesar Augustus. This is the legitimization of Aeneas and thus, of Rome and Augustus.
Book 9 - Nisus and Euryalus
War scenes
Book 10 - Pallas and Mezeutius
War scenes, the use of dueling
Book 11 - Drances and Camilla
Camilla the Amazon - write a myth of Camilla
Book 12 - Truce and Duel
Great ending in the death of Turnus
No comments:
Post a Comment