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178 Pages·2012·1.27 MB·English

by  Angela Flint

THE INFLUENCE OF CONTEMPORARY EVENTS
AND CIRCUMSTANCES ON VIRGIL’S
CHARACTERIZATION OF AENEAS

ANGELA FLINT

Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
of

MPhil (Ancient Cultures) at Stellenbosch University

SUPERVISOR: DR ANNEMARÉ KOTZÉ

DECEMBER 2008
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Declaration

By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained
therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the
extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part
submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

Date: 22 December 2008

Copyright © 2008 Stellenbosch University

All rights reserved

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Dr Annemaré Kotzé (Department of Ancient
Studies, Stellenbosch University) for her dedicated guidance, help and
support.

I would like to thank Mrs Shielagh Bamber for her patient proofreading.

I would like to thank my husband Keith, children James and Margot and
sister Audrey for all their support.

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SUMMARY

Chapter 1 begins by giving the 21st century reader of the Aeneid insights
into the innovative socio-cultural environment of the Augustan Age.
Following this is an investigation into the societal and cultural
importance placed on the Four Cardinal Values in Augustan Age
society.

Virgil’s attitude to war has been a perennial topic of debate amongst
Virgilian scholars. The focus of chapter 1 becomes more specific as it
examines Virgil’s personal history, the socio-cultural environment of his
childhood and the influence this may have had on his adult opinion of
war and the way it is expressed in the Aeneid. An aspect of Virgil’s
personal history that is fundamental to understanding his social context,
is his relationship with Emperor Augustus. To conclude chapter 1, this
is investigated with specific reference to two episodes in the Aeneid.

In chapter 2, attention is given to particular aspects of Virgil’s portrayal
of Aeneas’ heroic nature. The chapter opens with an examination of
Virgil’s representation of Aeneas’ imperfect heroism, then suggests
possible reasons behind the inclusion of ambiguity in this
characterization. In addition to this, the question of Homeric
characteristics in Virgil’s Roman hero is investigated. Chapter 2 then
examines the more positive aspects of Virgil’s depiction of Aeneas’
heroism, concluding with a discussion on the favourable interpretation
by Augustan Age Romans of Virgil’s demonstration of Aeneas’ heroic
nature.

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Chapter 3 is devoted to a discussion of the manner in which Virgil’s
environment influenced his presentation of Aeneas’ personal
interactions. Prior to addressing the actual relationships, the chapter
explores the question of Virgil’s characterization of Aeneas as somewhat
uncommunicative in the epic. This chapter then concentrates on two
main facets of Virgil’s portrayal of Aeneas’ personal relationships, i.e.
those with family members and those with relevant non-family members
that illustrate the extent to which Virgil’s social context influenced his
composition of this poem.

In conclusion, this study summarises the importance of viewing the
Aeneid in its correct context. A bibliography is appended.

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OPSOMMING

Hoofstuk 1 begin deur die 21e-eeuse leser van die Aeneïs insigte te gee in
die innoverende sosiokulturele omgewing van die Era van Augustus.
Daarop volg ’n ondersoek na die gemeenskaplike en kulturele belang
geheg aan die Vier Hoofdeugde in die samelewing tydens die Era van
Augustus.

Onder Vergiliaanse geleerdes was sy houding ten opsigte van oorlog nog
altyd ’n blywende onderwerp vir debattering. Die fokus van Hoofstuk 1
raak meer spesifiek na mate daar ondersoek ingestel word na Vergilius
se persoonlike geskiedenis, die sosiokulturele omgewing van sy
kinderjare en die invloed wat dit op sy volwasse sienswyse van oorlog
kon gehad het en die wyse waarop dit in die Aeneïs tot uitdrukking kom.
’n Aspek van Vergilius se persoonlike geskiedenis wat fundamenteel is
tot die begrip van sy sosiale konteks, is sy verhouding met Keiser
Augustus. Om Hoofstuk 1 af te sluit word hierdie verhouding
ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na twee episodes in die Aeneïs.

In Hoofstuk 2 word aandag geskenk aan bepaalde aspekte van Vergilius
se uitbeelding van Aeneas se heroïese karakter. Die hoofstuk begin met
’n ondersoek na Vergilius se voorstelling van Aeneas se gebrekkige
heroïsme, en suggereer dan moontlike redes vir die insluiting van
dubbelsinnigheid in hierdie karakterisering. Daarby word die kwessie
van Homeriese eienskappe in Vergilius se Romeinse held ondersoek.
Hoofstuk 2 verken dan die meer positiewe aspekte van Vergilius se
uitbeelding van Aeneas se heroïsme, en sluit af met ’n bespreking van
die positiewe interpretasie deur Romeine in die tyd van Augustus van
Vergilius se uitbeelding van Aeneas se heroïese karakter.
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Hoofstuk 3 word gewy aan ’n bespreking van die wyse waarop Vergilius
se omgewing sy voorstelling van Aeneas se persoonlike interaksies
beïnvloed het. Voordat die wesenlike verhoudings aangespreek word,
verken die hoofstuk die kwessie van Vergilius se karakterisering van
Aeneas as ietwat teruggetrokke in die heldedig. Hierdie hoofstuk
konsentreer dan op twee hooffasette van Vergilius se uitbeelding van
Aeneas se persoonlike verhoudings, d.i. dié met gesinslede en dié met
relevante nie-gesinslede wat die mate waartoe Vergilius se sosiale
konteks sy komposisie van hierdie gedig beïnvloed het, illustreer.

Ten slotte som hierdie studie die belangrikheid daarvan op om die Aeneïs
in sy korrekte konteks te beskou. ’n Bibliografie is bygevoeg.

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 9

CHAPTER ONE: VIRGIL AND THE AUGUSTAN AGE

1 Introduction 12
1.1 Augustan Age Society 15
1.1.1 Religion 20
1.1.2 Religion and Philosophy 24
1.1.3 Family and Women 27
1.1.4 East and West 33
1.1.5 Heroism 36
1.1.6 The Four Cardinal Virtues 43
1.2 Virgil’s Early Life and Personal History 49
1.3 Virgil’s Attitude to War 52
1.4 Virgil’s Relationship with Augustus 55
1.4.1 The Hercules/Cacus Episode 57
1.4.2 The Return of the Golden Age 60
1.5 Conclusion 63

CHAPTER TWO: SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS THAT
INFLUENCED VIRGIL’S PORTRAYAL OF AENEAS’
HEROISM

2 Introduction 66
2.1 Virgil’s Portrayal of Aeneas’ Imperfect Heroism 69
2.2 Ambiguity in Aeneas’ Heroism 83
2.3 Homeric Characteristics in Aeneas 87
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2.4 Aeneas as a Roman Hero 93
2.5 Conclusion 101

CHAPTER THREE: AENEAS’ PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS

3 Introduction 104
3.1 Portrayal of Aeneas as Uncommunicative 105
3.2 Socio-cultural Influences in Aeneas’ Family Relationships 109
3.2.1 Aeneas and Anchises 110
3.2.2 Aeneas and Ascanius 118
3.2.3 Aeneas and Creusa 124
3.2.4 Aeneas and Caieta 128
3.3 Aeneas and Other Characters in the Aeneid 130
3.3.1 Aeneas and Dido 130
3.3.2 Aeneas and Pallas 148
3.3.3 Aeneas and Turnus 154
3.4 Conclusion 159

CONCLUSION 160

BIBLIOGRAPHY 162

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INTRODUCTION

This thesis focuses on the socio-cultural context of Virgil’s world and
how it influenced his characterization of Aeneas in the Aeneid. In an
effort to enhance the enjoyment of Virgil’s epic masterpiece, I suggest
that the contemporary reader should take into consideration Virgil’s
cultural framework, his personal history and a number of socio-cultural
and socio-political factors in Augustan Age society that present
themselves in his work. Towards fulfilling the aims of this thesis specific
socio-cultural customs, attitudes, behaviours and circumstances of
Roman Augustan Age society, which appear to be significant and bear
relevance, have been selected for examination. Chapter 1 introduces the
modern Virgilian scholar to the complex, unique cultural traits of
Augustan Age society fundamental to understanding the nuances of the
Aeneid. The chapter then focuses on specifics within Virgil’s personal
history that may have influenced aspects of his composition. Chapter 2
explores the manner in which Virgil portrays Aeneas’ heroic nature.
Controversial issues in Virgilian scholarship, for instance whether
Aeneas’ heroism could be seen as imperfect and/or ambiguous in
nature, and the inclusion by Virgil, of Homeric heroic characteristics in
one of the greatest Roman heroes are assessed in this chapter. The
above points are evaluated through the cultural framework of an
Augustan Age Roman. Continuing with this perspective this chapter
concludes by illustrating how the Augustan Age Roman interpreted
Virgil’s representation of Aeneas’ heroic nature to be ideal for that
cultural era. Chapter 3 explores Aeneas’ interactions with other
characters in the Aeneid. The first discussion examines scholarly criticism
of Virgil’s characterization of Aeneas as being uncommunicative.
Through close inspection of the text, this criticism is evaluated. Chapter
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