Book 5 reminded me of the Olympics. Watching only the best compete for prizes, and weeding out the weak so only the strong continue on the journey.
The book opens with a minor reflection on Dido, which I suppose can somewhat foreshadow the women burning the ships later on, by emphasizing the idea of "what a woman can do in her fury"(because it is pretty amazing what they can do). It is interesting that Virgil choses the women to be swayed by Juno and Iris, possibly showing that he believes women are easily persuaded or fooled with, or also that women can do more damage than men when excited. Furthermore, they could have been chosen because if a man had committed this crime, he would have been punished for it, while the women wouldn't be. It's funny that Virgil portrays individual women (Dido, Creusa) stronger than they are in a group (such as this).I also found it interesting that during the games, there are no women that compete (which could have been from gender stereotyping or gender roles in ancient Rome), but also, that no women are chosen to go with Aeneas to Italy. Only the strongest are chosen and that does not include any women, but it could possibly be just because fate has other plans.
Fate still doesn't seem to always be fair, but it still dominates the characters and controls the plot line. However, for the first time in the epic, Aeneas doubts and questions whether to follow fate's plan for him or just "settle in Sicilian farmlands" (702-703). Nonetheless, he is steered back onto his path with the encouragement from the gods. Aeneas's lapse in faith makes him very relatable to the reader, because everyone has doubts about their lives and what they are meant for, but it also shows that Aeneas is hurt by and frustrated with all of the challenges he has been given. Fate does not seem to be fair, nor does it give anyone in the book an easy life. During the games, when the underdog would pull through to win, was that fair to those who should have one? Was it even fair to the underdogs, who won although they may not have actually been the most talented? Losing Palinurus for the good of the crew was not fair, but fate said it had to be so, and so it was. But why? What makes the mortals listen to fate? What makes the gods encourage the mortals to listen to fate? Is it just the knowledge that it cannot be changed no matter what, so it must be dealt with? Because Aeneas seemed to have the power to change his fate if he had decided to remain in Sicily. Aeneas seems to have that power as a human, but all Juno's efforts to stop him have had no effect at all, so she does not seem to have the power to change it. Do the gods keep the humans in line with fate because it is the one thing they cannot overcome, therefore humans cannot overcome it either? Is this a pride thing? Fate is a really tricky topic, and it's puzzling me to think about, especially when I do not view it in the same way the Romans might have.
When I look at the Gods as literary devices, it makes me realize how much they actually do move the story along, but also how much they are used to explain different phenomena. The gods do not really intervene until later on in this book, but the first to make a move is naturally, Juno. She is up to her usual scheme of trying to sabotage Aeneas's journey. What's interesting about her this time is that she recruits another goddess, and human women to get involved instead of doing it herself (explaining the women's unexplainable actions). Jupiter also, doesn't get involved directly, but instead sends Mercury (earlier) and in this book, Anchises; however, he does send a storm against his wife's fires (explaining the perfect-timing storm). Juno and Jupiter are very funny, because as a married couple, you'd think it'd be better for them to agree or at least talk about Aeneas's journey, but instead, they are going completely head to head and taking opposite sides, one helping and one hurting Aeneas. Venus is as persistent as ever with her never-ending love for Aeneas. She also involves another god, Neptune to watch over her son, because she is anxious for his safety, especially since she cannot protect him all herself, and this explains the unusually calms seas. The usage of the gods explains why unexpected events occur, and why fate is carried out by humans in the way that it was originally foretold, making them a crucial part of this epic.
Book 5 presents a few moral issues that are interesting to think about. For example, the first few we see are during the games. The games offer men prizes and glory and "for glory, they'd eagerly trade life"(230). The reader can see that because they'd be willing to give so much for glory itself, sacrificing their morals would not be of much concern for them. During the boat race, when Gyas tosses Menoetes out of the boat, he probably knows it's wrong, but he is so frustrated at losing, that he overlooks it to get what he believes is more important than a good, moral disposition. Also, during the boxing match, Entellus might have beaten Dares to a pulp, just from "shame and awareness of manhood," if Aeneas had not stepped in to put an end to it (making Aeneas look very righteous and moral) (455). Until I said this, I didn't realize how often people disregard morality. It really isn't valued much at all (in the book and in present day), because there are so many more things looked at as more important than making good choices for yourself and others. Even something as simple as laughing as someone is in trouble instead of helping is really disheartening. A different way to examine morality is to look at what is right and what is wrong in the name of love. Juno loves Carthage, Nisus loves Euryalus, and they both commit morally wrong deeds to protect/help what they love, but then is it really morally wrong? What takes priority? Love can cause a person to make a bad choice, but does it justify it? Also, is Aeneas leaving behind part of his crew for the betterment of Rome justified? He shouldn't leave them behind because they have relied on him thus far, but fate and the gods have told him to do it, so does that make it okay? Questions I must ponder...
For once, I don't really feel like writing about love, so I've saved it for last, and I won't write much. Nisus and Euryalus are super cute, but I haven't decided if they love each other "they way boys love boys," in a brotherly way, or in a romantic way (569). I suppose it doesn't matter much, because it doesn't effect the story immensely, just gives something added to think about. Dido herself is mentioned on page 118, which could be to simply keep her fresh in the minds of the reader (because she makes a reappearance in the next book), or to show that Aeneas still loves her, and love lives on, or maybe both or other reasons. I don't know. I talked a little about love in the last paragraph and how it effects morals and justifies not applying them. I think that's a good topic to think about because it is a major factor that blurs the lines between right and wrong, and also has the power to switch what was once wrong to something that is now right. When acting with love, you're not acting selfishly, but you are acting in a biased way, and therefore giving another shade of grey to the already unclear matter of right and wrong.
My last two paragraphs got me thinking, what if I did a research project on the factors that are to blame for making right and wrong so difficult to discern. That's a kind of cool idea. I'll keep my eyes out and my mind open.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Book 4 Reflection
My heart is broken for Dido. That was so painful to read, but I couldn't put it down. The best book so far.
Was Virgil married? He describes love vividly. I'm not really sure where to start with love, so I'll just take it from the top. First, I think it is interesting how seriously Dido takes her love for Aeneas in the beginning. She is very hesitant to marry him for fear of disrespecting her past husband. This is interesting to me because nowadays, you don't see this too much. People are eager for companionship and although they may not forget a lost spouse, sometimes they are quick to replace them. Next, I would like to relate Dido's kind of love with Apollo's kind of love in The Metamorphoses. They are both very similar to infatuation and obsession. "Each word [Aeneas speaks] is fixed in [Dido's] heart, each facial expression" (4). I mean, I may not know what love is, but that seems like an extreme love-potion kind of love. Dido's love is described as obsession on page 79, and it is given crazy-like qualities, such as hearing and seeing him when he is not there. This could be because it was a love created by Cupid and Venus and not one that grew naturally from her heart. This could also be the reason it was powerful enough to cause her to kill herself. Also, Virgil continuously describes Dido with her sanity fading, which could either mean that she is continuously falling deeper and deeper in love with Aeneas, or it could foreshadow her completely losing her mind and committing suicide. Her death is actually foreshadowed on page 79 during the simile about the deer with the arrow "barbed deep in her haunch...that will kill her". After Aeneas and Dido are married, they go through what present-day society would call a "honeymoon stage". At first, I questioned whether or not Aeneas actually loved Dido at all, but I realized, his love for her at one point totally steered him off the course of his fate, so he must have felt something for her. After the gods step in to bring Aeneas back to his reality, the dynamic of their love totally changes. Fate seems to be presented as stronger than love at this point because it pulls completely away from Dido. Naturally, she finds out his plan and the reader sees how crazy a woman with a "mind now out of control" and in love/hate can be (300). Dido is left heartbroken for the second time in her life. Now I've never been heartbroken, but I've heard heartbreak is the worst pain a human can ever go through, and to go through that twice could completely shatter a person. Dido is completely desperate now, and when all of her attempts to keep Aeneas (even for a short time) fail, her burning love turns to absolute loathing. Love is a cruel thing and if this chapter doesn't prove that it can destroy a person, I don't know what will.
Another aspect of love that comes up in this book is sisterly love. The reader can see, Anna just wants Dido to be happy as she encourages her to pursue her love for Aeneas, but in the last couple pages of the book, the true bond of sisters is really portrayed. As she watches Dido die, Anna says "you've killed me and yourself," indicating that their connection ran so deep that a part of Anna was destroyed in losing her sister. Dido is also described as Anna's "soulmate" to show that sisterly love runs deeper than blood. To this, I can relate. I love my sisters more than anything in the world and if I ever lost one of them, I know there would be a gaping hole in my heart that no one could ever fix. Sisters are irreplaceable, and this was hard for me to realize when I was younger, but it is becoming increasingly clearer to me as I get older.
(sorry that was a lot to write about love)
Divine intervention indirectly kills Dido. Venus and Juno's intervention, especially Juno, who joins them by marriage, making the betrayal even deeper, only hurt her more when it was time for her to go. Jupiter 's instructions to Mercury to pass on to Aeneas, ruin Aeneas's love for Dido; however, without them, Aeneas might have never moved on to found the city of Rome. The gods are needed here to move the plot forward, especially to make sure that Aeneas does not remain in Carthage indefinitely. A question I have about divine intervention in this book is, why doesn't Venus feel the need to help Dido get over her heartbreak? The goddess of love feels nothing while her daughter-in-law suffers heartbreak, partially because of her. The goddess that does feel for Dido is Juno, and she does send down Iris to help her soul escape her body. Another goddess I would like to examine in this book is Rumour. She is an interesting one because she gives a thing an actual divine form. But I'm not sure of the actual relevance of that.
Fate is a funny thing in Book 4. It overpowers love in Aeneas, which is interesting because love is so strong itself that it is said to overcome death. Furthermore, "Dido [is] dying a death that was never deserved not predestined," so what does that mean? Does Dido herself overcome fate while Aeneas succumbs to it? In that case, the emotional strength of a woman and the power of a woman's love takes on a whole new meaning. But it also means (if indeed Dido did overcome fate) that humans have the power to do that if our will is strong enough (and maybe with a little help from the gods). I could be reading that the wrong way though, and letting my imagination get away from me. As a side note, I think it's extremely ironic that in the beginning of the chapter Dido is commenting on "what a beating" destiny gave Aeneas when her life quickly turns to an emotional hell about 10 pages later.
Morals in this book were not quite as obvious to me, possibly because I was focusing on love. One could argue that Aeneas leaving is a moral issue, but it's a lot of issues combining. Love, morals, fate, and divine intervention all play contradictory roles in his departure, making it such a complex issue. Morally it is wrong for him to leave because he's married to Dido, and makes a promise to her through their marriage, but, morals are disregarded when it comes to a higher calling/power. Dido marrying Aeneas in the first place could be looked at as a moral issue as well. If she is expected to show a certain amount of respect to her former husband, then her marriage to Aeneas is wrong and very selfish of her. Moreover, Dido's suicide is morally wrong, especially because suicide is a selfish escape when she has a city to rule. She is leaving Carthage in a time where they will need a ruler and, although it's very understandable why Dido kills herself, it is wrong for her to not shoulder the pain and think about others. The last moral issue I found in this book is Juno's deal with Venus. Juno believes that Aeneas will not leave and establish Rome if he marries Dido, therefore this protects her city from its future destruction by Rome. Juno does not reveal her true intentions to Venus, but Venus and the reader can see right through Juno's deception and understand that, in whatever way possible, she wants to save Carthage from its fate.
Once again Virgil has filled my mind with only more questions and things to think about, I'm finding it hard to keep them all in mind.
Was Virgil married? He describes love vividly. I'm not really sure where to start with love, so I'll just take it from the top. First, I think it is interesting how seriously Dido takes her love for Aeneas in the beginning. She is very hesitant to marry him for fear of disrespecting her past husband. This is interesting to me because nowadays, you don't see this too much. People are eager for companionship and although they may not forget a lost spouse, sometimes they are quick to replace them. Next, I would like to relate Dido's kind of love with Apollo's kind of love in The Metamorphoses. They are both very similar to infatuation and obsession. "Each word [Aeneas speaks] is fixed in [Dido's] heart, each facial expression" (4). I mean, I may not know what love is, but that seems like an extreme love-potion kind of love. Dido's love is described as obsession on page 79, and it is given crazy-like qualities, such as hearing and seeing him when he is not there. This could be because it was a love created by Cupid and Venus and not one that grew naturally from her heart. This could also be the reason it was powerful enough to cause her to kill herself. Also, Virgil continuously describes Dido with her sanity fading, which could either mean that she is continuously falling deeper and deeper in love with Aeneas, or it could foreshadow her completely losing her mind and committing suicide. Her death is actually foreshadowed on page 79 during the simile about the deer with the arrow "barbed deep in her haunch...that will kill her". After Aeneas and Dido are married, they go through what present-day society would call a "honeymoon stage". At first, I questioned whether or not Aeneas actually loved Dido at all, but I realized, his love for her at one point totally steered him off the course of his fate, so he must have felt something for her. After the gods step in to bring Aeneas back to his reality, the dynamic of their love totally changes. Fate seems to be presented as stronger than love at this point because it pulls completely away from Dido. Naturally, she finds out his plan and the reader sees how crazy a woman with a "mind now out of control" and in love/hate can be (300). Dido is left heartbroken for the second time in her life. Now I've never been heartbroken, but I've heard heartbreak is the worst pain a human can ever go through, and to go through that twice could completely shatter a person. Dido is completely desperate now, and when all of her attempts to keep Aeneas (even for a short time) fail, her burning love turns to absolute loathing. Love is a cruel thing and if this chapter doesn't prove that it can destroy a person, I don't know what will.
Another aspect of love that comes up in this book is sisterly love. The reader can see, Anna just wants Dido to be happy as she encourages her to pursue her love for Aeneas, but in the last couple pages of the book, the true bond of sisters is really portrayed. As she watches Dido die, Anna says "you've killed me and yourself," indicating that their connection ran so deep that a part of Anna was destroyed in losing her sister. Dido is also described as Anna's "soulmate" to show that sisterly love runs deeper than blood. To this, I can relate. I love my sisters more than anything in the world and if I ever lost one of them, I know there would be a gaping hole in my heart that no one could ever fix. Sisters are irreplaceable, and this was hard for me to realize when I was younger, but it is becoming increasingly clearer to me as I get older.
(sorry that was a lot to write about love)
Divine intervention indirectly kills Dido. Venus and Juno's intervention, especially Juno, who joins them by marriage, making the betrayal even deeper, only hurt her more when it was time for her to go. Jupiter 's instructions to Mercury to pass on to Aeneas, ruin Aeneas's love for Dido; however, without them, Aeneas might have never moved on to found the city of Rome. The gods are needed here to move the plot forward, especially to make sure that Aeneas does not remain in Carthage indefinitely. A question I have about divine intervention in this book is, why doesn't Venus feel the need to help Dido get over her heartbreak? The goddess of love feels nothing while her daughter-in-law suffers heartbreak, partially because of her. The goddess that does feel for Dido is Juno, and she does send down Iris to help her soul escape her body. Another goddess I would like to examine in this book is Rumour. She is an interesting one because she gives a thing an actual divine form. But I'm not sure of the actual relevance of that.
Fate is a funny thing in Book 4. It overpowers love in Aeneas, which is interesting because love is so strong itself that it is said to overcome death. Furthermore, "Dido [is] dying a death that was never deserved not predestined," so what does that mean? Does Dido herself overcome fate while Aeneas succumbs to it? In that case, the emotional strength of a woman and the power of a woman's love takes on a whole new meaning. But it also means (if indeed Dido did overcome fate) that humans have the power to do that if our will is strong enough (and maybe with a little help from the gods). I could be reading that the wrong way though, and letting my imagination get away from me. As a side note, I think it's extremely ironic that in the beginning of the chapter Dido is commenting on "what a beating" destiny gave Aeneas when her life quickly turns to an emotional hell about 10 pages later.
Morals in this book were not quite as obvious to me, possibly because I was focusing on love. One could argue that Aeneas leaving is a moral issue, but it's a lot of issues combining. Love, morals, fate, and divine intervention all play contradictory roles in his departure, making it such a complex issue. Morally it is wrong for him to leave because he's married to Dido, and makes a promise to her through their marriage, but, morals are disregarded when it comes to a higher calling/power. Dido marrying Aeneas in the first place could be looked at as a moral issue as well. If she is expected to show a certain amount of respect to her former husband, then her marriage to Aeneas is wrong and very selfish of her. Moreover, Dido's suicide is morally wrong, especially because suicide is a selfish escape when she has a city to rule. She is leaving Carthage in a time where they will need a ruler and, although it's very understandable why Dido kills herself, it is wrong for her to not shoulder the pain and think about others. The last moral issue I found in this book is Juno's deal with Venus. Juno believes that Aeneas will not leave and establish Rome if he marries Dido, therefore this protects her city from its future destruction by Rome. Juno does not reveal her true intentions to Venus, but Venus and the reader can see right through Juno's deception and understand that, in whatever way possible, she wants to save Carthage from its fate.
Once again Virgil has filled my mind with only more questions and things to think about, I'm finding it hard to keep them all in mind.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Book 3 Reflection
Book 3 took me a long time to get through. I'm not sure why, but this was a tough one for me.
Right in the beginning of this book, Virgil says "cursed hunger for gold, is there no crime you won't drive mortal hearts to attempt?"which to me, says that a person's greed is greater than their moral code (56). When some people are presented with the opportunity to gain just about anything (not only material wealth), they will ignore their morals and commit awful crimes to get what they want. You could almost relate this to the reasons wars are started. Usually one side fights for something they want and the other side, wanting to protect what they might have lost, fights back (this being a VERY simplified version of what actually happens during war, but is depicted through the "war" between the crew and the harpies). Furthermore, morals may also be forgotten or ignored when the greater good is in jeopardy. Virgil depicts this after the plague infests Aeneas's settlement in Crete and the crew leaves "leaving only a small group" behind (190). Morally, it is wrong to leave anyone behind to die, but to save the greater population (or follow fate's plan, it could probably be looked at either way) that small group had to be left behind.
Fate and destiny play another big role in this book, but I should probably stop saying that because they're going to play a big role in every book. Aeneas and Anchises seem to leave their whole lives in the hands of fate and accept that they have no free will at all. They follow and understand that fate has everything planned and take every prediction seriously. Another interesting aspect of fate in the book is that it is predicted by so many beings. Zeus and Apollo (Gods), Celaeno (a Harpy), and Helenus (a human), (although these are not the only ones) all predict the future of Aeneas and his men, but all say something a little something different about it. Short-term and long-term are two different ways to look at fate, but also how it is interpreted could differ. The harpy predicts "new omens, abhorrent," however, that could be her interpretation of what happens to Aeneas, or her trying to scare him (365). This could mean that predictions may not always be completely reliable way to predict the future, especially from a biased source.
Divine intervention is not quite as prominent in this part of the epic, because no Gods physically involve themselves in the humans' lives; however, there are many examples of praise and prayer to the gods for guidance and protection. Every time that Aeneas and his crew arrive at a new location, they give praise to their gods for surviving thus far. Furthermore, Apollo and Aeneas's "household spirits of Phrygia"give him advice on what to do and where to go next to go along with what fate has in store for them (149). In this way, it is obvious that Aeneas is favored by many gods and that his task will be supported by them as he goes alone.
Up to this point in the epic, Virgil shows some major ideas that would be relevant to Augustus's Rome. Because the epic was assumed to be a tribute to Rome and its founders, Virgil would be sure to include some ideas that would encourage pride and unity in Roman citizens. The persistence and courage of Aeneas and his crew, after everything they have been though, is admirable and something that Virgil might want to express to the Roman citizens to show that these traits will get you far in life. Furthermore, Virgil includes ideas about pride in and loyalty to one's city to the death. The Roman citizens came from Trojan citizens (or so it is believed) and Virgil might be making a statement in showing how brave and loyal our ancestors were right up until their deaths. Also, (whether intentionally or not) the epic hints that although things may be hard in the present, at times, fortune does favor you. For example, meeting Andromache on the beach, finding a Greek man to warn them of the Cyclops, and earning divine intervention whenever they might find it useful are all times when fortune favors Aeneas and his crew, although their present situation is pretty rough. The little rays of hope that shine through at these moments are enough to keep the crew from giving up and a way to remind them that at the end, a great prize awaits them.
The only human woman with a substantial role in this book is Andromache, and she hasn't exactly had a walk in the park lifestyle herself. She's been through a hard life, especially with the loss of loved ones, (similar to Dido!), but has found herself a good life in the end with Helenus. Moreover, Andromache is another example of a mother's love. When she gives gifts to Ascanius, who reminds her of her son, she addresses him in a very loving way and wishes the crew all of the best luck on their trip. Lastly, as they part, she tells the crew, when they succeed, she will be glad to bring together their two cities in the spirit of Troy which shows she is looking forward to a bright future where they can all be happy.
Right in the beginning of this book, Virgil says "cursed hunger for gold, is there no crime you won't drive mortal hearts to attempt?"which to me, says that a person's greed is greater than their moral code (56). When some people are presented with the opportunity to gain just about anything (not only material wealth), they will ignore their morals and commit awful crimes to get what they want. You could almost relate this to the reasons wars are started. Usually one side fights for something they want and the other side, wanting to protect what they might have lost, fights back (this being a VERY simplified version of what actually happens during war, but is depicted through the "war" between the crew and the harpies). Furthermore, morals may also be forgotten or ignored when the greater good is in jeopardy. Virgil depicts this after the plague infests Aeneas's settlement in Crete and the crew leaves "leaving only a small group" behind (190). Morally, it is wrong to leave anyone behind to die, but to save the greater population (or follow fate's plan, it could probably be looked at either way) that small group had to be left behind.
Fate and destiny play another big role in this book, but I should probably stop saying that because they're going to play a big role in every book. Aeneas and Anchises seem to leave their whole lives in the hands of fate and accept that they have no free will at all. They follow and understand that fate has everything planned and take every prediction seriously. Another interesting aspect of fate in the book is that it is predicted by so many beings. Zeus and Apollo (Gods), Celaeno (a Harpy), and Helenus (a human), (although these are not the only ones) all predict the future of Aeneas and his men, but all say something a little something different about it. Short-term and long-term are two different ways to look at fate, but also how it is interpreted could differ. The harpy predicts "new omens, abhorrent," however, that could be her interpretation of what happens to Aeneas, or her trying to scare him (365). This could mean that predictions may not always be completely reliable way to predict the future, especially from a biased source.
Divine intervention is not quite as prominent in this part of the epic, because no Gods physically involve themselves in the humans' lives; however, there are many examples of praise and prayer to the gods for guidance and protection. Every time that Aeneas and his crew arrive at a new location, they give praise to their gods for surviving thus far. Furthermore, Apollo and Aeneas's "household spirits of Phrygia"give him advice on what to do and where to go next to go along with what fate has in store for them (149). In this way, it is obvious that Aeneas is favored by many gods and that his task will be supported by them as he goes alone.
Up to this point in the epic, Virgil shows some major ideas that would be relevant to Augustus's Rome. Because the epic was assumed to be a tribute to Rome and its founders, Virgil would be sure to include some ideas that would encourage pride and unity in Roman citizens. The persistence and courage of Aeneas and his crew, after everything they have been though, is admirable and something that Virgil might want to express to the Roman citizens to show that these traits will get you far in life. Furthermore, Virgil includes ideas about pride in and loyalty to one's city to the death. The Roman citizens came from Trojan citizens (or so it is believed) and Virgil might be making a statement in showing how brave and loyal our ancestors were right up until their deaths. Also, (whether intentionally or not) the epic hints that although things may be hard in the present, at times, fortune does favor you. For example, meeting Andromache on the beach, finding a Greek man to warn them of the Cyclops, and earning divine intervention whenever they might find it useful are all times when fortune favors Aeneas and his crew, although their present situation is pretty rough. The little rays of hope that shine through at these moments are enough to keep the crew from giving up and a way to remind them that at the end, a great prize awaits them.
The only human woman with a substantial role in this book is Andromache, and she hasn't exactly had a walk in the park lifestyle herself. She's been through a hard life, especially with the loss of loved ones, (similar to Dido!), but has found herself a good life in the end with Helenus. Moreover, Andromache is another example of a mother's love. When she gives gifts to Ascanius, who reminds her of her son, she addresses him in a very loving way and wishes the crew all of the best luck on their trip. Lastly, as they part, she tells the crew, when they succeed, she will be glad to bring together their two cities in the spirit of Troy which shows she is looking forward to a bright future where they can all be happy.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Book 2 Reflection
I want to start right off with love here. HOW DID AENEAS JUST LEAVE HIS WIFE TO FEND FOR HERSELF??????? I DONT UNDERSTAND. He does go back to look for her, which was a fairly depressing moment in the chapter, but I guess I don't see how someone could be so blinded in the face of danger to forget about someone they love. Also, when Aeneas single-mindedly leaves his home to go defend Troy, he totally leaves his family behind, and it takes his mother to call him back to reality. It's interesting how Virgil says that "youthful courage is thus augmented by rage," and rage also blinded Aeneas when it came to protecting the things that he loved. However, I guess it's fair to argue that Aeneas loved his city too, so he naturally went out to defend the one that was more in danger. So basically everything I've written up until this point has been crap. Okay, now I'll start to make sense. I'm sorry, it's late, but I just feel like writing now.
By the way, am I allowed to make these blogs semi-informal? Or are they supposed to be actual formal writing tasks...?
Back to love: My favorite part in the chapter was when Coroebus "hurled himself" at Cassandra's captors to protect her. His love for her was so strong that he didn't think twice about giving his life for her, but instead threw himself into the fight completely willing to die. Virgil already depicts love as something so strong it can kill you, which is a beautiful image, but also a really terrible image at the same time. Next, Venus's love for her son once again shows when she appears in the middle of the chaos to bring him back to reality. This is interesting because on one hand the reader sees Juno, who is a goddess with immense rage, but the reader also sees Venus, who is seen as a goddess with immense love, so the immortals are given a full span of emotions, which are very human-like qualities, making them very relatable. After Aeneas returns home, he almost leaves once again, but ends up taking his family and fleeing the city. My last example of love is when Creusa reminds Aeneas to take care of the son they both made. I thought her ending speech was amazing because she displayed no contempt for Aeneas after he semi-abandoned her. She completely forgave him, or possibly was never mad to begin with, but tells him to keeps going on with his life as he was fated to.
Fate once again plays another big role in this book. I started to notice that the humans in the book keep referring to "god-given fates" and I was wondering if the Gods actually do have something to do with fate. I always thought it was a force above even the Gods, but maybe they play a bigger role than I originally thought. Whoever controls it, Virgil still implies that it completely controls the way life turns out, and there is no use in being mad when it doesn't go your way, because that is how fate wanted it to be. After Creusa dies, she certainly just accepts that it was fated to be this way and has no hard feelings. I don't think I have much more to say about fate that I haven't already covered, but this topic seems to be growing on me more and more.
Is line 66 an unfinished line??? There was a star next to it in my book, but I never looked it up because I didn't want it to give it away!!
For the women in the Aeneid, I'm mainly going to focus on Creusa and Hecuba in this chapter. When she stands up to Aeneas and tells him that his duty is to protect his home, it showed a moment of strength that we've seen in other human women in the epic. So far, I don't think we've encountered a woman who does not have a fairly strong, independent demeanor. Hecuba I think is an interesting woman to look at just from her one line. I may be reading a little too into this, but I know Virgil put her in here for a reason. She tells her husband to give up the fight and join her at the altar, which could either show that women have a tendency to give up when they think all hope is lost and are not brave enough to fight until the death, or show that women are logical and know when a good time to give up is. I haven't decided which one works yet, but I think both are feasible. Last line I chose was "you don't win a glorious name if you punish a woman" which could either portray women as weak and easy to beat, or something to be respected and cherished.
My last topic for tonight, or this morning is morals. I don't really have much to say, just a little to ponder about. Mr. V somewhat brought this up in his comment on my second blog, (By the way Mr. V, I commented back on your comments to the first blog, can you look at them??), but I was wondering if morals changed when you were put in different situations (such as war) or if a person just disregarded them to do what is appropriate at the time. The way the Greeks destroyed Troy was in my mind similar to the rape of Nan King or a genocide. What happens inside a person's head to make them do awful things to another person? Do people just blot out what they're doing in their mind and assume because they didn't think about it, it was acceptable? I feel as if there is a difference to defending or fighting for your country and totally wreaking havoc on the other side, but I'm not sure where people draw that line or how they do. Do the havoc wreakers know what they do is wrong and absolutely repulsive? I'm not sure.
Okay, it's time for me to sleep now. I'm going to post this and edit it in the morning. It's 2:04 and I'm tired.
By the way, am I allowed to make these blogs semi-informal? Or are they supposed to be actual formal writing tasks...?
Back to love: My favorite part in the chapter was when Coroebus "hurled himself" at Cassandra's captors to protect her. His love for her was so strong that he didn't think twice about giving his life for her, but instead threw himself into the fight completely willing to die. Virgil already depicts love as something so strong it can kill you, which is a beautiful image, but also a really terrible image at the same time. Next, Venus's love for her son once again shows when she appears in the middle of the chaos to bring him back to reality. This is interesting because on one hand the reader sees Juno, who is a goddess with immense rage, but the reader also sees Venus, who is seen as a goddess with immense love, so the immortals are given a full span of emotions, which are very human-like qualities, making them very relatable. After Aeneas returns home, he almost leaves once again, but ends up taking his family and fleeing the city. My last example of love is when Creusa reminds Aeneas to take care of the son they both made. I thought her ending speech was amazing because she displayed no contempt for Aeneas after he semi-abandoned her. She completely forgave him, or possibly was never mad to begin with, but tells him to keeps going on with his life as he was fated to.
Fate once again plays another big role in this book. I started to notice that the humans in the book keep referring to "god-given fates" and I was wondering if the Gods actually do have something to do with fate. I always thought it was a force above even the Gods, but maybe they play a bigger role than I originally thought. Whoever controls it, Virgil still implies that it completely controls the way life turns out, and there is no use in being mad when it doesn't go your way, because that is how fate wanted it to be. After Creusa dies, she certainly just accepts that it was fated to be this way and has no hard feelings. I don't think I have much more to say about fate that I haven't already covered, but this topic seems to be growing on me more and more.
Is line 66 an unfinished line??? There was a star next to it in my book, but I never looked it up because I didn't want it to give it away!!
For the women in the Aeneid, I'm mainly going to focus on Creusa and Hecuba in this chapter. When she stands up to Aeneas and tells him that his duty is to protect his home, it showed a moment of strength that we've seen in other human women in the epic. So far, I don't think we've encountered a woman who does not have a fairly strong, independent demeanor. Hecuba I think is an interesting woman to look at just from her one line. I may be reading a little too into this, but I know Virgil put her in here for a reason. She tells her husband to give up the fight and join her at the altar, which could either show that women have a tendency to give up when they think all hope is lost and are not brave enough to fight until the death, or show that women are logical and know when a good time to give up is. I haven't decided which one works yet, but I think both are feasible. Last line I chose was "you don't win a glorious name if you punish a woman" which could either portray women as weak and easy to beat, or something to be respected and cherished.
My last topic for tonight, or this morning is morals. I don't really have much to say, just a little to ponder about. Mr. V somewhat brought this up in his comment on my second blog, (By the way Mr. V, I commented back on your comments to the first blog, can you look at them??), but I was wondering if morals changed when you were put in different situations (such as war) or if a person just disregarded them to do what is appropriate at the time. The way the Greeks destroyed Troy was in my mind similar to the rape of Nan King or a genocide. What happens inside a person's head to make them do awful things to another person? Do people just blot out what they're doing in their mind and assume because they didn't think about it, it was acceptable? I feel as if there is a difference to defending or fighting for your country and totally wreaking havoc on the other side, but I'm not sure where people draw that line or how they do. Do the havoc wreakers know what they do is wrong and absolutely repulsive? I'm not sure.
Okay, it's time for me to sleep now. I'm going to post this and edit it in the morning. It's 2:04 and I'm tired.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Book 1 Reflection
So Book 1 is completed, and I had very little trouble reading it. I found it really interesting and I actually can't wait to go on. As of right now, I think it's just a bit too early in the epic to look at plot inconsistencies and the Aeneid in Augustan Rome, but it is possible that I've just missed them in the book. With that said, let me go on to my research topics and how they're developing.
Already, any reader can see that the role divine intervention will play in the novel will be a major one. On the first page alone there is already an explanation of "savage Juno's anger" and just a few pages later, Juno is hurling Jupiter's lightning bolts, and asking Aeolus to wreak havoc for Aeneas and his men. This is totally ironic because Juno is the goddess of marriage, which is a happy event (for most people), yet she has so much rage inside of her, which she projects on helpless humans. Juno will be a major obstacle for Aeneas and his men throughout the epic, making their journey much more difficult than it would otherwise be. Furthermore, in this book we see Venus and Cupid aiding Aeneas when he arrives on Dido's territory. Venus gives Aeneas, her son, the background information about Dido that he'll need to know, but also shields him from view as he walks into the city to protect him. She also sends her son Cupid down in Aeneas's place to ensure that Dido falls in love with Aeneas, eventually leading to her downfall. The Gods intervening in a human's life can be a curse or a blessing, but it certainly drastically alters life on Earth for all humans.
The Gods may play around with life on Earth as much as they desire; however, Virgil implies that there is a greater force that governs all life, which is Fate. Just like divine intervention, Fate is brought up on the first page of the epic as a force that will govern the events in the book no matter what anyone does to stop it. When Jupiter tells Venus about the "fates and their secrets" he is revealing what fate has planned for the future and reassures her that no one can change that (262). From this speech, the reader sees that even the greatest God of all, although he knows fate's plan, understands that it cannot be changed, even by him. All beings have a specific role to play and influence one another's fate, but there is a set plan for life before it begins.
Dido is the first mortal woman that we meet in the novel and from the intervention of Venus and Cupid, the reader can tell she will play a big role in the epic. Because the Gods cause her to fall in love with the protagonist, who has a destiny to fulfill, Dido will be left heartbroken again after living an already tough life. The Gods fool around with love, which is a big emotion to fool around with; however, the Gods also feel love. Venus loves her son, and Juno loves Carthage which is the reason they both mess with mortals. They want to protect what they love, which Virgil depicts as an instinct that comes with love. Furthermore, when Jupiter reassures Venus it is similar to the way Aeneas reassures his men and reassuring is a form of protecting, an instinct of love. Love is a powerful emotion, and it'll be interesting to see how it effects the characters more as the book goes on.
There weren't a ton of moral issues that I identified in the first book; however some of the actions performed by the characters could be looked at in a critical manner. First, Juno, who seems to have no moral code whatsoever, seems to be doing everything she can to protect her city of Carthage, regardless of how it hurts others. Actually, she intends to hurt others without feeling any sense of guilt or sadness, unlike Venus who intervenes on Earth without losing good morals. Moreover, when Dido accepts Aeneas's men into her kingdom, it could be looked at as her having a moral disposition. She acts as a very good host and sees to it that all of the men's needs are fulfilled. My favorite example from the book is Pygmalion, who demonstrates that morals may be ignored when one is faced with great power or money. He kills his sister's husband simply to keep his place as ruler and retain his riches within the kingdom. I'm sure that there are other examples within this book, but these were the three that stood out to me, so I chose to examine them.
Alright, Book 1 down. Onto book 2.
Already, any reader can see that the role divine intervention will play in the novel will be a major one. On the first page alone there is already an explanation of "savage Juno's anger" and just a few pages later, Juno is hurling Jupiter's lightning bolts, and asking Aeolus to wreak havoc for Aeneas and his men. This is totally ironic because Juno is the goddess of marriage, which is a happy event (for most people), yet she has so much rage inside of her, which she projects on helpless humans. Juno will be a major obstacle for Aeneas and his men throughout the epic, making their journey much more difficult than it would otherwise be. Furthermore, in this book we see Venus and Cupid aiding Aeneas when he arrives on Dido's territory. Venus gives Aeneas, her son, the background information about Dido that he'll need to know, but also shields him from view as he walks into the city to protect him. She also sends her son Cupid down in Aeneas's place to ensure that Dido falls in love with Aeneas, eventually leading to her downfall. The Gods intervening in a human's life can be a curse or a blessing, but it certainly drastically alters life on Earth for all humans.
The Gods may play around with life on Earth as much as they desire; however, Virgil implies that there is a greater force that governs all life, which is Fate. Just like divine intervention, Fate is brought up on the first page of the epic as a force that will govern the events in the book no matter what anyone does to stop it. When Jupiter tells Venus about the "fates and their secrets" he is revealing what fate has planned for the future and reassures her that no one can change that (262). From this speech, the reader sees that even the greatest God of all, although he knows fate's plan, understands that it cannot be changed, even by him. All beings have a specific role to play and influence one another's fate, but there is a set plan for life before it begins.
Dido is the first mortal woman that we meet in the novel and from the intervention of Venus and Cupid, the reader can tell she will play a big role in the epic. Because the Gods cause her to fall in love with the protagonist, who has a destiny to fulfill, Dido will be left heartbroken again after living an already tough life. The Gods fool around with love, which is a big emotion to fool around with; however, the Gods also feel love. Venus loves her son, and Juno loves Carthage which is the reason they both mess with mortals. They want to protect what they love, which Virgil depicts as an instinct that comes with love. Furthermore, when Jupiter reassures Venus it is similar to the way Aeneas reassures his men and reassuring is a form of protecting, an instinct of love. Love is a powerful emotion, and it'll be interesting to see how it effects the characters more as the book goes on.
There weren't a ton of moral issues that I identified in the first book; however some of the actions performed by the characters could be looked at in a critical manner. First, Juno, who seems to have no moral code whatsoever, seems to be doing everything she can to protect her city of Carthage, regardless of how it hurts others. Actually, she intends to hurt others without feeling any sense of guilt or sadness, unlike Venus who intervenes on Earth without losing good morals. Moreover, when Dido accepts Aeneas's men into her kingdom, it could be looked at as her having a moral disposition. She acts as a very good host and sees to it that all of the men's needs are fulfilled. My favorite example from the book is Pygmalion, who demonstrates that morals may be ignored when one is faced with great power or money. He kills his sister's husband simply to keep his place as ruler and retain his riches within the kingdom. I'm sure that there are other examples within this book, but these were the three that stood out to me, so I chose to examine them.
Alright, Book 1 down. Onto book 2.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Introduction
I have just over two weeks before school starts as I sit down to write this blog, (I wrote it on paper a few days ago and I’m only just now putting it up) and for the first time I’m realizing that my Latin assignment might not be my biggest challenge. The introduction to the Aeneid absolutely sucked to read (and in all honestly it was closer to skimming than reading); however, the Vandiver lectures actually were enjoyable to listen to and made me excited to read the Aeneid.
When I read/skimmed the introduction, I noticed that the author brought up a few topics that interested her, and I picked out a few that interested me as well. Here was my list:
- Divine intervention
- Nature of the Gods
- Love/sex theme
- Similarities between the Aeneid and the Odyssey
- Relations to Augustus's and Virgil’s Rome within the book
- Morality as a theme
- Hera (and how she's so very ironic)
- Fate and destiny as a theme
- The role of women in the epic
- Plot inconsistencies (and other evidence that the book was incomplete)
- Nature references (metaphors and similes)
Some I found more enticing than others, but for the most part, I think I could do a research project on any of them. I’ve always found Roman and Greek mythology fascinating and just recently I’ve developed an interest in ancient history, (although I have not done anything to pursue it) so any of my topics relating to mythology and history came about that way. Fate/destiny, the role of women, morals, and sex/love are common literary themes still today, and they are ones that I also find myself drawn to. When Elizabeth Vandiver talked about the plot inconsistencies, that popped into my mind as a potential topic, but I’m not sure if there is enough evidence in the book to make a research project out of it. I don’t remember why at the time of skimming the introduction I wrote down nature references, because I’m actually not overly interested in looking them up or analyzing them. Furthermore, I never fully read the Odyssey (we didn’t have to, I didn’t slack off, I swear) so the similarities between the two epics could be hard for me; however, if part of my research task throughout the year was to read the Odyssey, I suppose I’d be more interested because I loved what I did read. I think I’ve covered all of my longer list topics, but now I’m going to narrow it down to my top 5.
In no particular order:
- Divine intervention/nature of the Gods
- The role of women in the epic
- Love/sex as a theme
- Morals
- Morals
- Relations to Augustus and Virgil’s Rome within the book
However, I also really like the Hera topic, fate and destiny, and plot inconsistencies. I’m really indecisive, and wouldn’t have a problem with any of these, so this is really hard for me, sorry! Now I’ll go through and explain why these make my top 5.
I knew from the beginning that something about the Gods would make the list, because ever since I was little I've always loved Greek and Roman mythology. Seriously though, I think it's awesome. So naturally, this is a topic I'd be cool with. Next, the role of women would be a good topic for me because I consider myself a pretty strong, independent woman as most of the women in this book are. Love/sex is always a winner for me because I'm totally a sucker for anything romantic. I LOVE love (as Aquamarine would say), and I'd love to examine the role love plays in the Aeneid. I think morality would be a great topic to research, especially because it will always be an issue present in the world. Choosing between what is wrong and what is right is sometimes the hardest decision someone can make and it'd be interesting to see how Virgil addresses that throughout the poem. Last, the little bit of a history nerd I have in me appears when I say it'd be really cool to look through the book and see where and how Virgil relates his epic to his present Rome as both Vandiver and the introduction pointed out.
So that's that and my first blog is done. Yes, it was a little long and I apologize.
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