Aeneid Book 6

Aeneid Book 6

1. Characterisation

   • The Sybil
     • Wise
     • Authoritative
       • Has go at Palinarus & oarsman
   • Aeneas
     • "devout"
       • "poured out prayers from the depth of his heart"
     • Strong leader - took lead in preparing burial of Misenus
     • Impatient - abandons funeral to take golden branch to the Sybil
     • Distressed to Find Dido dead
       • Cries and tries to comfort her
   • Dido
     • "burning spirit"
       • Death has not dulled her
     • "unhappy Dido"
     • Refuses to look Aeneas in the eye
       • Runs away from him
     • Pityable
       • Aeneas was "pitying her as she went"
     • Hates Aeneas
       • "she rushed away, hating him"
   • Anchises
     • Loyal to family
       • "reviewing his dear descendants"
     • Loves his son - tries to hug him 3 times
     • wise
   • Helen
     • "the Murderess from Sparta"

2. Heroism

   • Elysium is where heroes go when they die
     • "great hearted heroes born in a better time"
   • The only people who have succeeded in leaving the underworld have been the "sons of gods" favoured by Jupiter, or virtuous
   • Misenus described as a"hero"
   • Aeneas joins company of Hercules and Theseus in being transported into the underworld
   • Separate field for "brave warriors"

3. Honour and Reputation

   • Aeneas' Descendants will be warriors with great strength - reflects well on Aeneas
   • Aeneas' descendants will have many victories in battle
   • The reputation of the line of Teucer lives on
     • "the fairest of all families"
   • Aeneas chastised by the Sybil for being slow to offer his vows and prayers
   • Palinarus is pleased to know they will name a land after him

4. Family

   • Aeneas will have a second son - Silvius
   • Venus Helps Aeneas find the golden branch
   • Aeneas goes to the Underworld to seek advice from his father
   • Deiphobus Referred to as "the son of Priam"

5. Women

   • Blamed for Deiphobus' death
   • The Sybil is treated with respect
     • Boatman accepts her authority in allowing Aeneas to enter the boat
   • Dido is portrayed as someone worthy of pity
     • Aeneas gets more emotional at seeing her than she does at seeing him
   • Lots of the gods of the underworld are female
   • Only people mentioned in the "mourning plains" are female, & Caenus - who has been restored to the form of a woman. In all the other parts of the underworld it is only men who are mentioned
     • Idea of only women being victims of their hearts

6. Role of the gods

   • Virgil makes prayer to the "gods who rule the world of the spirits" and Chaos and Phlegethon
   • Venus Helps Aeneas
   • The Sybil is relating Apollo's prophecies
   • Gods are less directly involved in this book
   • Porsepina must have her branch in order for Aeneas to enter the underworld

7. Power of Fate

   • What the Sybil Prophesies will happen
   • Aeneas is feels he is owed by the fates
     • "The Kingdom I ask for is no more than what is owed to me by the fates"
   • Fate owes some souls a second body
   • Romans would know that what Anchises said was fated to be Aeneas' legacy would come to pass

8. Portrayal of war

   • Anchises implores the Romans not to "turn your strong hands against the flesh of your motherland"
     • Civil war = bad
   • Anchises talks of Marcellus quelling a great uprising, and laying low the Gauls and Carthaginians
     • War to protect Rome = good

9. Rome's Imperial Destiny

   • "glory" awaits the "Sons of Dardanus" (Aeneas' descendants)
   • Aeneas' son Silvius will rule Alba Longa
   • Mention of Romulus - he will found Rome
   • The coming of Augustus Caesar is "often prophesied"
     • The Caesars are descended from Iulius

10. Moral Values

    • People must be buried
      • Otherwise they are stranded on the banks of the Styx
    • Even those who died on false charges must be retried
    • Cruelest punishments reserved for those who have sinned against the gods
    • Suicide seen as sad, prevents people from living in Elysium
    • Only the worst go to Tartarus
      • Frauds - those who have bragged and cheated in life
      • People who hated their brothers & beat their fathers
      • People who were greedy with wealth
      • Adulterers
      • Traitors