--- title: The Aeneid author: William F. Cole source: https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Aeneid/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) updated: 2022-07-03 --- # The Aeneid _Authored by [William F. Cole](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/colewilliamf/)_ The *Aeneid,* written by the [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) poet [Virgil](https://www.worldhistory.org/virgil/) (70-19 BCE), is a twelve-book-long epic poem that describes the early [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/) of the founding of [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/). The eponymous hero [Aeneas](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aeneas/), a Trojan prince and son of [Venus](https://www.worldhistory.org/venus/), faces trials and tribulations as he escapes [Troy](https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/) as it burns and sails the [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/) searching for a new home. Virgil spent the last ten years of his life [writing](https://www.worldhistory.org/writing/) the *Aeneid*, only to die before its completion. The poem is written in dactylic hexameter, a meter known for its use in epic poetry. It also features themes of conflict and renewal, which parallel the decades of civil [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/) and strife the [Roman Republic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Republic/) endured before the establishment of the [Roman Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Empire/) under the rule of [Augustus](https://www.worldhistory.org/augustus/) and the peace ("[Pax Romana](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pax_Romana/)") that accompanied it. The *Aeneid* alludes to both the *[Odyssey](https://www.worldhistory.org/Odyssey/)* and the *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/)*, tales of the [Trojan War](https://www.worldhistory.org/Trojan_War/) composed as epic poems by the [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) poet [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/) in the 8th century BCE. The first six books of the *Aeneid* are the stories of Aeneas and other Trojan survivors travelling around the Mediterranean, in the style of [Odysseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/odysseus/) and his crew in the *Odyssey*. The latter half of Virgil's work focuses on [warfare](https://www.worldhistory.org/warfare/), as Aeneas fights Turnus, king of the Rutuli and a warrior said to be more powerful than [Achilles](https://www.worldhistory.org/achilles/). The *Aeneid* also contains epic tropes that hearken back to Homer. For instance, in Book V Aeneas puts on funeral games for his dead father, Anchises. These games are strongly reminiscent of the funeral games hosted in honour of [Patroclus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Patroclus/) in Book XXVIII of the *Iliad*. Later, in Book VI of the *Aeneid*, Aeneas descends into the Underworld where he encounters his father and [Dido](https://www.worldhistory.org/Dido/), his spurned lover and former Queen of [Carthage](https://www.worldhistory.org/carthage/); Odysseus makes a similar journey in Book XI of the *Odyssey*. Divine intervention is another prominent feature in the *Aeneid*; gods such as [Jupiter](https://www.worldhistory.org/jupiter/) and Venus compel and assist Aeneas to fulfill his destiny, while other divine figures, [Juno](https://www.worldhistory.org/Juno/), for example, actively plot against Aeneas, and attempt to thwart his attempts to reach [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/) and lay the foundations of Rome. ### **Books I – VI** The epic begins *in [media](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/media/) res* (Latin for "in the midst of things", another standard technique used in epic poetry) as Aeneas and his men wash up on an unfamiliar shore. He is whisked inland to the court of Dido, Queen of Carthage, where, in Book II, he tells the story of the fall of Troy from the Trojan perspective. In his account, he describes the Trojan Horse on the shores outside Troy, the warning of Laocoön (“Do not trust the horse, Trojans… I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts!” Aeneid 2.49-50), the Greeks' emergence from the hollow horse and the storming of the gates, the [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/) of King Priam at the hands of Neoptolemus (Achilles' nephew), and the annunciation of his quest to take the Trojan gods and found a new [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) in the West. Aeneas goes on to describe his journey across the Mediterranean Sea. As he finishes the story, Dido is struck by an arrow of Cupid, Aeneas' half-brother, and falls in love with the Trojan. (This scheme is hatched by Juno to keep Aeneas in Carthage.) Their love was not meant to be, as Jupiter, via Mercury, reminds Aeneas of his destiny and orders him to embark once again in search of his new home. After that divine reminder, Aeneas sets sail on the Mediterranean, still seeking the location of Troy's successor. Heartbroken by his departure, Dido commits suicide. [ ![Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/16056.png?v=1767801305-1767690171) Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-ND) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16056/map-of-the-voyage-of-aeneas-and-the-mythic-origins/ "Map of the Voyage of Aeneas and the Mythic Origins of Rome")In Book VI, Aeneas' journey takes him to Cumae (near present-day Naples). The Cumaean Sibyl, a priestess of [Apollo](https://www.worldhistory.org/apollo/), guides Aeneas into the Underworld. There, the Trojan encounters the shade of Dido, still heartbroken and silent, and his father, Anchises, who foreshadows the greatness of Rome. [Romulus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Romulus_and_Remus/), he foretells, a descendent of Ascanius, will found Rome, and the city will begin a Golden Age when a [Caesar](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/caesar/) (an obvious allusion to Augustus), another descendant of Ascanius, reigns over the city. Aeneas emerges from the Underworld now aware of the significance of the task charged to him. ### **Books VII – XII** Prompted by the gods, Aeneas settles the Trojans in Latium, a region in western Italy, at the invitation of Latinus, king of the Latin tribe. Aeneas begins to court Latinus's daughter, Lavinia, with her father's blessing. Turnus, king of the neighboring Rutuli tribe, also vies for Lavinia's hand in marriage; Amata, Lavinia's mother, supports his courtship. (This is another conflict engineered by Juno to prevent the establishment of Rome.) In the end, Aeneas marries Lavinia, a fact that spurs Turnus to arms. The king of the Rutuli raises an army against Aeneas and the Latins. Seeing that he is outnumbered, Aeneas turns to the Tuscans and the Arcadians for help. With their assistance and after much fighting, the forces of the Rutuli are turned back with many casualties on both sides. The epic concludes abruptly as, in one-on-one combat, Aeneas mercilessly strikes down an injured Turnus. #### Editorial Review This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## Timeline - **c. 30 BCE - c. 19 BCE**: [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) poet [Virgil](https://www.worldhistory.org/virgil/) writes his [Aeneid](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Aeneid/). ## Cite This Work ### APA Cole, W. F. (2014, August 17). The Aeneid. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/The\_Aeneid/](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Aeneid/) ### Chicago Cole, William F.. "The Aeneid." *World History Encyclopedia*, August 17, 2014. [https://www.worldhistory.org/The\_Aeneid/](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Aeneid/). ### MLA Cole, William F.. "The Aeneid." *World History Encyclopedia*, 17 Aug 2014, [https://www.worldhistory.org/The\_Aeneid/](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Aeneid/). ## License & Copyright Submitted by [William F. Cole](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/colewilliamf/ "User Page: William F. Cole"), published on 17 August 2014. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.