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)