Divine intervention plays a major role in most ancient literature. The Aeneid, by Vergil, is an example of ancient literature and is an epic poem in which divine intervention plays a significant role. Divine intervention is the interference of gods with the mortal world. A person who conducts himself with honor does so, by going along with what the gods want. In The Aeneid, this person is Aeneas, and it is only then that he goes on to pave the way for the Roman Empire. His deeds, actions, and leadership would never have come to be if it were not for the gods. The gods took special interest in Aeneas, causing him misfortune in some cases, giving him assistance in others. Overall, the gods constantly provide various outcomes by actions in which they hope to change the fate of a person that they care for, despite knowing that a person's true fate is inevitable. Throughout The Aeneid, by Vergil, divine intervention plays a major role in the shaping of the epic and is a major influence on all characters, especially Aeneas.
             The first significant impact the gods have upon Aeneas and the Trojans comes when Juno intervenes in their trip towards Italy. She does this by asking Aeolus to make severe winds and thus cause a storm that eventually destroys one ship and leaves the rest of the ships separated in Africa. The Art of the Aeneid discusses this situation. "Although Aeneas is helpless at this stage, Juno's irrat ionality and Aeolus' unkinglike acts do not prevail. Neptune rises to calm the storm and rescue the fleet from danger."(p. 24)
             "Haec ubi dicta, cavum conversa cuspide montem
             impulit in latus: ac venti velut agmine facto,
             qua data porta, ruunt et terras turbine perflant."
             (The Aeneid, by Vergil lines 81-83, Book 1)
             This passage is translated," This as soon as the word, turn the vaulted point and drive the side toward the mountain: And just as I make the course, in any way t...