AENEAS A DEVOTED HERO
In Virgil's Aenied, he illustrates the hero and central character, Aeneas, as a man who presents piety and duty. This human emotion piety, pietas in Latin, is duty towards family, country, and gods. Aeneas always fulfills his duty to his family, his fated city, and his gods. This piousness is what keeps him going through the grueling journeys and challenges, even when things are not going perfectly. Pietas is the characteristic that makes Aeneas stronger through each trial as he makes personal sacrifices and never wavers from his duties to his family, his country, and most of all to the gods.The complete devotion to Aeneas' family is a commendable trait of piety. Aeneas' love for his kin is exemplified in his fleeing of falling Troy. He was recalling his story to Dido about how when he realizes that there was no use fighting any longer, and that he must leave Troy; he hurries off to find his family. Once he reaches his family, he has his father, Anchises, on his shoulder, Iulus, his son's little hand in his own, and Creusa, his wife close behind as they head off for the ships. When he reaches his destination at the funeral mound, he realizes that his wife was missing. Aeneas "turn[s] back alone into
Aeneas' duty to the gods exemplifies his piousness. During the stay at Carthage, the love between Dido and Aeneas bloomed. He sends out his messenger to scold Aeneas and remind him that he has duties to accomplish. Virgil idealizes Aeneas as a model of great leadership, firm on his beliefs, but also a compassionate person. Knowing that he will hurt Dido and leave his happiness, he is being dutifully follow the words of Mercury, who represents the Jove. Through his journeys and challenges, he prays to his gods and asks for blessing. His pietas was confirmed when he put aside his heart to comply with the wills of the gods. comb of all Troy, and put [his] life in danger as before"(975-979 II). In book II, during his recollection of the end of Troy, he tells Dido that even though he was told to flee, he did stay back for a short while and fought. He is a symbol of the great Roman virtues of pietas. His pieta here is what kept him going through the grueling time. Every battle that Aeneas fights, is a battle fought for his country. Aeneas' victory at the end venerates his piousness.
Common topics in this essay:
Virgil's Aenied,
Mars239-243 XII,
II Creusa,
Aeneas Mezentius,
Dido Aeneas,
Rome Aeneas,
Carthage Mercury,
Troy Aeneas,
Cumae Aeneas,
III Aeneas,
family country,
family country gods,
journeys challenges,
duty gods,
battle italians,
country gods,
aeneas kills,
devotion gods,
dido aeneas,
love dido,
aeneas stay,
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