Virgil [70-19 BCE], Aeneid, Book 8

Epic -- tragic, historical, philosophical

Pictures of Founding Force // Greek Origins at Rome [CULTURE on ROME’S MODEL]

Read Aeneid Book 8.
TO DO: FILL in BLANK spaces below & MARGINS of your text with main points.

LINE NUMBERS [Of the original poem: equivalents may vary from translation to translation]

1-17: THREATS -- What is Turnus up to?

[18-369: SEEKING ALLIES: Visit to Greek City at Site of Rome] [MAIN DIVSION]

18-101: Picture of the place, nature, river Tiber?

How does the place compare with Virgil’s own time?

[102-305: Heroic Friendship, Symposial Entertainment] in short, a serious party in Greek style on

the site of Rome]

102-83: WHOM does the feast celebrate & why?

184-279: THE STORY: saved by violence from violence -- How does this hero resemble

others that we have seen?

280-305: Who does the actual praising?

306-369: Sight Seeing at Rome before Rome: What do we learn from this account about the

appearance of Rome in Virgil’s own time?

What is on the Palatine hill (where Augustus lived)?

!485-590: Seductive Craft] 370-453: How does Venus obtain what she wants?

How does this compare with Thetis in Iliad 18?

454-607: ALLIES FOUND The Father’s parting words: WHAT does this forebode? [608-731: Venus’ to Her Son: God-made Gear] 608-25: What kind of place?

Emotions of Aeneas on seeing the work?

[608-731: Heavy History -- The Mirror Shield]

626-29: Main themes?

[630-670: Rome’s Founding to End of Republic -- Some Pointed Myths]

630-34: mother-wolf .. twin boys ca 750 BCE

635-638: Sabine women .. carried off illegally ca 750 BCE

639-41: Sabine men & Roman men .. pact .. peace

642-45: broken pact punished, Alba destroyed (cf. league) VII BCE

646-51: exiled Tarquin .. liberty

(defending new republic: male/female heroism) 508 BCE

652-62: Manlius .. Tarpeian Rock .. Capitol .. geese .. Gauls ca 390

663-66: nude Luperci .. dancing Salian priests continuing custom

666-70: underworld -- crimes (Catiline) vs laws (Cato) I BCE, civil wars

[671-728: New Foundation -- Victory at Actium & Triumphs of Augustus]

31-27 BCE

671-674:

[675-713: battle at Actium] 31 B.C.E.

678-684: On this side WHO?

685-699: And on the other side:

700-713: Who fights for WEST & who for EAST?

714-728: triumph (‘snowy threshold of Phoebus’= Apollo’s new temple on

Palatine hill, next to Augustus’ house)

How does this image of Palatine Hill compare with the earlier one?

729-731: Again, how does Aeneas look at a work of art?

How much does he understand of what he sees?

STUDY QUESTIONS: answer the following questions on the basis of your reading:

. Reread 1-17 above: In what respects does this confirm the prophecy of the Sibyl [Bk VI 84-97?

. How does Virgil’s picture of the pre-Roman past flatter his contemporaries?

In Virgil’s picture of the pre-Roman city, what elements recall cities in Homer or to Plato?

. When Venus procures a shield for her son, how do her reasons differ from the comparable situation in Greek epic?

. Compare the shield with other works of art in the Aeneid:

. And with art in previous works read?

. How does this book build on the theme of Fathers and sons?
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