Background of the Aeneid

pp. 14-18

The Life of Vergil

#1) Publius Vergilius Maro

• Born: Oct. 15, 70 BC in Mantua (Andes in N. Italy)

• Died: Sept. 21, 19 BC in Brundisium (51 years old)

• Buried: Naples

• Family: plebian but educated

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#2) Vergil in History

• The moment in history he interpreted was the establishment of the empire of Augustus

• Spent 11 years writing the Aeneid

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#3) Vergil’s Education

• Aristocratic education (sent away to school at Cremona, Milan, Naples, and Rome)

• Studied history, literature, philosophy, rhetoric & oratory

• Original profession: lawyer • “frail body, slow speech, diffident temperament”

#4) Vergil and Octavian

• Land argument Lands of Cremona/Mantua were siezed by soldiers (Octavian, Lepidus, and

Antony) after the Battle of Phillipi b/c area was opposed to the triumvirate Vergil escaped by swimming across a river! Went to Rome

• Introduced to Octavian through friends• Land returned- wrote the Bucolics (pastoral

poems about the loves and occupations of herdsmen) in gratitude of the favor

• Published ~42-39BC• Aka Eclogues (Selections)• “Magnae spes altera Romae” -Cicero

#5) Vergil and Maecenas

• Due to land debate, Maecenas noticed Vergil

• The two became friends

• Maecenas encouraged and gave suggestions to Vergil (i.e. The Georgics)

• Published in 30 BC when Vergil was 40• Argiculture-revive the interests of the countryman

1. Crops 2. Olive and vine 3. Stock 4. Bee-keeping

#6 & #9) The Aeneid

• Published AFTER Vergil’s death by order of Augustus

• EPIC* National: Roman spirit Religious: traces origin (Augustus from Venus)

Literary: polished and planned

#10) Similarities: Aeneid vs. Iliad &Odyssey

• Odyssey: Wanderings and journey of Odysseus trying to get home after the Trojan War (Penelope/Telemachus @ Ithaca)

• Iliad: Story of the Trojan War (focuses on the wrath of Achilles against Agamemnon and ends with Hector’s funeral *not the taking of the city)

• First 6 books of Aeneid - Odyssey Show wanderings of Aeneas for 7 years trying to find the

new home promised to him by Jove

• Last 6 books of Aeneid - Iliad Show the wars waged that were necessary to found the

eternal city

• Aeneas was main character b/c he was in Homer and Ennius (father of Latin poetry-Annales about Aeneas)

More Similarities

• Hexameter

• 12 Books

• Divine intervention

• Allegories and extended similies

• Long rhetorical speeches

• Muse Invocation

• Flashback “in medias res”

#11) Differences:Vergil vs. Homer*

• VERGIL Subjective and literary Main focus: purpose

and style Serious and

propagandistic Problems and

solutions Literary NOT oral art

• HOMER Objective Main focus:

entertainment Lessons are by

products of the story Primitive people ORAL

More Differences

• Prophecy

• National Hero with Romanitas

• Roman spirit and character in Aeneas (Augustus)