Aeneas As A Turning Point In The Heroic

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The Aeneid by Vergil is a long-standing epic poem with brief historical connections that was contributed to the Roman people’s beginnings. Of course, the main character, Aeneas has to have had some turning point within the poem that he became Roman rather than Trojan, at least within the eyes of the readers and listeners. This turning point is within Book IV when Aeneas has remembered his fate of creating a great city in Italy, and has to leave Dido and Carthage behind. This scene contributes to Aeneas now becoming a true Roman, at least in the ideals of one, because he has continued to be ‘Pious Aeneas’ and is securing his son’s future with following his fate. As an extra factor, Aeneas is also persisting as a heroic character by putting …show more content…

Heroes, a concept that was important to Romans, were supposed to be pious, fate-followers, and have good morals when it comes to those that they are supposed to be taking care of. Aeneas knows, after the message from Jove, that it is no longer morally right or pious to stay in Carthage just because of his affair with Dido and because he enjoys the ‘sweet’ land of the city. On leaving Carthage, Aeneas has put everyone above himself, and this can further be seen in Book VI, when Aeneas is in the Underworld and is hurt by the fact that Dido has passed because of him, and that she no longer cares about him (Aeneid, VI. 455-460). Aeneas even tries to explain to Dido (and the readers) that he did not leave Carthage under his own self, that he only did so because the gods said that he had to . As a Hero, Aeneas does not act exactly as he wants to; as a Hero, Aeneas does all that the gods tell him to, in order to achieve the greater good, in this case: giving Ascanius his fated future …show more content…

It also explains as to why some of the things—like having Carthage as the enemy—happened. Vergil gives the Romans a past that includes the characterizations that they hold dear, as well as a historical past that explains the present, including why Carthage and Rome are enemies . Further, the Aeneid including the importance of Roman standards throughout the epic poem establishes the continuity of what he has said is important to the Romans. From this point on, Aeneas’s piety and heroism is continually mentioned and is brought to light as exceptional parts of ‘good’ Aeneas’s character. Aeneas has become both the cause of Rome’s creation through his following of his fate as well as the symbol of the perfect Roman and what Romans should be like or what type of person they came from, the good and pious

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