1. We may choose between various vantage points: do we want to read Aeneas' words on Creusa's disappearance as modern readers? Or as Romans? Or as Dido and the Carthaginians (to whom these words are directed)? Or some combination of all this? It is important, I believe, to define where we want to stand.
2. We must remember that Aeneas is a VIP. It is not only him, Anchises, Iulus and Creusa; there is an unspecified number of warriors, perhaps their families, servants, and assorted persons; cf. 2,743-44 hic demum _collectis omnibus_ una / defuit, et _comites_ natumque uirumque fefellit. We are speaking of a military situation, or of an evacuation. It was in the _Air Force One_ movie, I think: Harrison Ford, as the president of the US, in the confusion under attack gets separated from his wife and daughter _unvoluntarily_, mainly thanks to his security service. This is not to excuse Aeneas, simply to remember that there is more to the picture than meets the (reader's) eye. Because Aeneas dismisses his entourage in a word or two, it does not mean it is not there. Also, I do not think 2,712-16 proves _definitely_ that Aeneas and his three go totally alone. 3. What of Aeneas' panic in 735-36? And do we hear his conscience in 726-29? He _knows_ he failed Creusa, and probably lost face in front of his _comites_, too. An interesting topic! Neven ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
