Purpose of the Aeneid

Purpose of the Aeneid

1. to write a myth of Rome's origins to emphasise the grandeur + legitimise the success of an empire that had already conquered most of the known world

2. Aeneid points towards this already realised cultural pinnacle

   • works backwards
   • shows former as being historically derived from the latter

3. Aeneas justifies his settlement in Latium in the same way that the empire justified its settlement in numerous other foreign territories

4. connects political + social situation of his day with the inherited tradition of Greek gods + heroes

5. order + good government triumph emphatically over the latin people

6. Italian world prior to the Trojans arrival is characterised as a primative existence of war, chaos + emotional irrationality

7. empire under Augustus contrasts: generally a world of peace, order and emotional stability