However, Aeneas must defeat Turnus if he is to marry Lavinia and found Rome. Here he shows pietas to the will of the gods and to future Rome. Evander instructed him to avenge his son's death, this is what he does when he kills Turnus. Don't you think that his hesitation before killing Turnus says something about his humanity? Turnus calls on Aeneas' pietas in mentioning his father. His vain hopes that he will be spared are not answered though. The pietas Aeneas has towards Evander, Pallas (a near father/son relationship) and towards future Rome is greater than the sympathy he has towards a fallen hero. We have to remember that our idea of destruction of a foe on the battlefield, and concepts of revenge are probably very different to those of the ancients. I think that Aeneas expresses pietas in just thinking about sparing Turnus, where else in the epic does he do this- certainly not in Book 10 when he is begged by numerous men to spare their lives (Magnus, Tarquinus, Lucagus...). The love he felt towards Pallas and the debt he felt he owed to Evander is evident in his slaying of Turnus.
>From: Catherine H Tate <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: RE: VIRGIL: Re: Aeneas' 'greatest labour' ? >Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 02:08:13 -0400 > >Aeneas becomes "DUX" at the end of the Aenead. He is definitely no longer >"pius" or "pietas" (which ever) if for some reason you think that he is >then pius near the end Aeneas is no longer a `how would you say a >fledgling' he is a `dux' pietas matters no more the objective must happen > and as a man I suppose he does what "HE" feels should be done , but under >no reasoning can he be "pietas" or "pius"! Thats how I see it in a very >short discussion. > >-----Original Message----- >From: Sarah Dever [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 5:19 AM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: VIRGIL: Re: Aeneas' 'greatest labour' ? > >Possibly the idea of the second half of the Aenied being described as >Vergil's 'greater labour' is to do with the struggle of Aeneas in >fighting the violence and anger (furor)of others with his >strengthened pietas. Before his visit to the underworld in Book 6, >Aeneas was unable to look forward clearly, he was too concerned with >founding a 'New Troy'. He is given insight into a prosperous Roman >future and emerges more confident and mature. In books 1-6 Aeneas has >to battle with his pietas, which he is famed for and the furor which >is brewing within himself. Despair and confusion often trigger >outbursts of furor, but after the revelations in Hades Aeneas becomes >more rational. >The task for Aeneas in books 7-12 is to use his strengthened pietas >against the furor of others on the battlefield. This is the ultimate >test, if he can emerge as the victor then it is a truly a heroic >achievement. > >What do others think of this point I have raised? Are Aeneas' actions >at the end of the epic fit to be called pious? Is his killing of >Turnus justified, and if so what does this say about pietas? >I would appreciate any responses, as I find this topic of great >interst. > Sarah. > >>From: "Jessica Latimer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: VIRGIL: virgil >>Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 02:01:23 -0400 >> >>I heard an interesting quote where Vergil describes the second half >of the Aeneid as his "greater labor". I don't suppose by this he >means that it is better than the first half, but then I wonder what >exactly he does mean. Personally, I enjoyed the first half more, as >I am more of a romantic. As well, the first half is when the >character of Aeneis really forms. For the same reason, I enjoyed the >Odyssey more than I did the Aeneid; however, Virgil is said to have >believed that the Aeneid was greater than the Odyssey. Perhaps, it >is the theme that is greater, as the theme of heroic warfare is more >noble than that of homecoming. Could this be said to be the same >with differing themes of the Aeneid? I would be very curious to hear >what someone else has to say about this "greater labor" business. >> > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >--------------------------------------------------------------------- -- >To leave the Mantovano mailing list at any time, do NOT hit reply. >Instead, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message >"unsubscribe mantovano" in the body (omitting the quotation marks). You >can also unsubscribe at http://virgil.org/mantovano/mantovano.htm#unsub > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- -- >To leave the Mantovano mailing list at any time, do NOT hit reply. >Instead, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message >"unsubscribe mantovano" in the body (omitting the quotation marks). You >can also unsubscribe at http://virgil.org/mantovano/mantovano.htm#unsub ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To leave the Mantovano mailing list at any time, do NOT hit reply. Instead, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message "unsubscribe mantovano" in the body (omitting the quotation marks). You can also unsubscribe at http://virgil.org/mantovano/mantovano.htm#unsub
