The Belief System: The Aeneid And The Belief System

724 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An essay on religion and politics

The Aeneid and The Belief System
Much like the belief system in this day in time, the story of Aeneas and how he felt compelled to follow the gods and their direction, shows us that in any time period there were beliefs that mattered to all people of all cultures. In “The Aeneid” there are numerous mentions of gods and how their influence convinced Aeneas to travel until he had arrived in Italy and started the new Rome. Though today most of us only believe in one god and numerous gods, “The Aeneid” gives an insight into what Trojan life was like and how important the role of the Gods really was to the Trojans.
In the Story of “The Aeneid”, Aeneas speaks of how he escaped the burning city with his father and his son. He talks as well about the hearth gods that represent their fallen city. Confirmed by the gods that a glorious future waits for Aeneas in Italy, he sets sail with a fleet containing the surviving citizens of Troy. Aeneas relates the ordeals they face on their journey in this epic tale. Twice they attempted to build a new city, only to be driven away by bad omens and plagues. He also tells of his way to Carthage where he meets Dido. Even though Cupid has had a hand in the love relationship of Aeneas and Dido, Aeneas still feels that he needs to move
Articles such as “Religion, Roman” tell that Roman religion was more of a performed ritual versus faith or deity. However, Virgil shows faith and deity more than rituals in his writing of “The Aeneid”. They also mention that religion and politics were closely related. (Religion and Roman, 1998) We know that political connections to religion exists in our current time as well. It is more so in Catholic religions such as the Pope and not in other religions like Baptist or Methodists but still it is, and has been around since colonial days and the early beginnings of

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Dreams In Virgil's Aeneid, Dido, And Turnus

    1835 Words  | 4 Pages

    For example, Dido fled Tyre and founded Carthage because of a dream. Her husband, Sychaeus, warned her that his brother Pygmalion became greedy and murdered him for the gold in the altar and was looking to kill her too. Helpfully, Sychaeus also informs Dido about the location of the treasure that she can use in her journey to escape Tyre and found a new colony. Her prior history of love and her distrust in other men was a prominent section of her personality before she met Aeneas, and their romantic relationship, caused by the scheming of Venus and Juno, demonstrates the futility of the efforts of men in the face of the power of gods and that the mortals are merely pawns in the great game of the gods. Another example of character development from dreams occurs at the beginning of Book 8 when Aeneas dreams of Tiberinus, the river god of the Tiber. The god first tells Aeneas about the future site of Alba, a city which his son Ascanius will found. Then, Tiberinus informs Aeneas about the Arcadians and their king Evander who continuously fights against the Latins, and recommends that he allies with them although they are Greek colonists. Thus, the relationship between Aeneas and Evander was initiated, which would become vital to the war effort between the Trojans and the Latins. In addition to this advice from Tiberinus, he prophesies about a white sow suckling thirty young piglets marking the site for Alba, Ascanius’ future city. Prophecies are a common theme in dreams in the Aeneid, and it also appears in Dido’s story and Aeneas’ vision of Hector. The involvement of the divine in dreams to advise characters is omnipresent throughout the Aeneid, and an example of that occurs in Book 3, when the Trojan colonists arrived on Crete, set up a new colony, but it started failing due to starvation and disease. During this failure, the penates appear to Aeneas and clarify

    Read More

  • What Are The Similarities Between Sundiata And Aeneid?

    796 Words  | 2 Pages

    After the city of Troy is taken over, Venus comes down to tell Aeneas that he must leave the city. Anchises is finally able to convince him, and so Aeneas takes his family and attempts to flee. However, his wife is unable to escape (Aeneid II. 800-840). Apollo tells Aeneas and Anchises to go “to the land of their ancestors.” Anchises takes this to mean that they should go to Crete (Aeneid III.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Piety In The Aeneid

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    Aeneas’s piety is a common theme throughout the Aeneid. In fact, it is even mentioned among the first few lines of the prologue. In fact, Vergil describes him as “insignem pietate virum” or “a man known for piety” (1.10). This piety is later reinforced that he specifically takes the household gods with him as he

    Read More

  • Minority Rule in America

    389 Words  | 1 Pages

    Religion has ingrained itself into mainstream American politics. The current Reform Party and many portions of the Republican party platforms evidence this.

    Read More

  • The History of the Roman Government

    4408 Words  | 9 Pages

    When the Greeks finally entered Troy after ten long years of siege, a man named Aeneas escaped the city with his father, Anchises, and his son, Ascanius. They went to Mt. Ida, where they were to meet Aeneas' wife, Creusa, but she never showed up. Saddened, Aeneas acquired a boat and sailed around the Mediterranean. He bounced around from Asia Minor to Greece to Crete looking for a place to found a new Troy, but he couldn't find a satisfactory place. As told by Homer in the Aeneid, Aeneas was cared for by the gods. Venus, in particular, was very worried about him. She asked Jupiter, king of the gods about him, and he said this:

    Read More

  • Piety In The Aeneid Analysis

    263 Words  | 1 Pages

    In ancient republic Rome, piety was one of the highest virtues. The concept of pietas was a driving force in ancient republic Rome. Pietas was very important in Roman society and many romans lived revolved around it. Pietas means “dutifulness” (Sayre 86) but also has many other meanings. The meaning of “pietas” shaped the literature as shown in the pieces, such as a poem written by Vergil, called “The Aeneid”. As well as “On Duties” an essay by Marcus Tullius Cicero.

    Read More

  • Odysseus and Aeneas Similar with Important Differences

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aeneas also went to fight in the Trojan War. He also was a national hero. He was a great warrior. Both Odysseus and Aeneas were trying to head home.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Odyssey And The Aeneid

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Odyssey and The Aeneid are both classic pieces of literature that have impacted the modern academic world. These two stories have compelling similarities, however, they also have copious differences. Both stories follow a hero after the Trojan War, one searching for the comfort of his wife and son, another determined to establish an empire and fulfill his destiny.

    Read More

  • Authority In The Aeneid By Virgil

    1201 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Aeneid In the Aeneid, the author Virgil outlines the significance of authority by reiterating the need for Aeneas to fulfill his destiny in relation to pietas, devotion to family and country, as the central Roman virtue in the underworld. Virgil successfully uses the underworld to capture and dramatize the importance of authority by allowing Aeneas to see the future Rome due to his leadership through many forms and histories of Roman authority. Once the Trojans were on the shores of Italy, Aeneas had yet another duty to fulfill: a visit to the underground, where he met Sibyl, the "holy prophetess (pg. 149). " After the God Delian (pg.149) breathed "visionary might" into Sibyl, she and Aeneas were able to visit the Earth's hidden world. In this world, he learned what happens to the souls of the dead.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Myth Of Romulus And Remus And Aeneas

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    The myth of Romulus and Remus, as well as the myth of Aeneas contribute to the emergence of Rome and its people. Romulus and Remus are credited with founding of the city of Rome itself, while Aeneas was credited with the founding of the Roman race (Ott, 105). The history of Rome cannot be told without both of these myths being a part of the story. Each has both similarities and vast differences to the other. When Gods are involved punishment and reward seem to go hand-in-hand.

    Read More

  • Role of the Gods in Virgil's The Aeneid

    1234 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... attempts they do just the opposite. With Venus’ many interventions, Aeneas is prevented from making mistakes and is guided to his fate, from not killing Helen [book 2] to leaving behind the old and the weak for Italy [book 4] . He is shown enough times to be the puppet of their play: from obeying the will of the gods while enduring the wrath of other gods, all this in order to set the wheels in motion for the far off future Roman race. However, there are also times when he is also shown to be exerting his won free will. For example, in book 12, killing Turnus when he is begging for mercy, something not heroic and which Susanna Braund debates the positive and negative aspect of in her essay on Virgil and the Meaning of the Aeneid [1.17-18]. nonetheless, this act demonstrates that even the gods and the fates require his cooperation to fulfil his destiny.

    Read More

  • Religions of the Ancient World

    597 Words  | 2 Pages

    Religion is an ever-growing idea that has no set date of origin. Throughout history religion has served as an answer to the questions that man could not resolve. The word religion is derived from the Latin word “religio” meaning restraint in collaboration with the Greek word “relegere” which means to repeat or to read again. Religion is currently defined as an organized system of beliefs and practices revolving around, or leading to, a transcendent spiritual experience. Throughout time, there has yet to be a culture that lacks a religion of some form, whether it is a branch of paganism, a mythological based religion or mono/polytheistic religion. Many religions have been forgotten due to the fact that they were ethnic religions and globalizing religions were fighting to be recognized, annihilating these ancient and ethnic religions. Some of these faiths include: Finnish Paganism, Atenism, Minoan Religion, Mithraism, Manichaeism, Vedism, Zoroastrianism, Asatru, and the Olmec Religion. Religion is an imperative part of our contemporary world but mod...

    Read More

  • Free Will vs Fate: Analyzing the Character of Aeneas in 'The Aeneid'

    1904 Words  | 4 Pages

    When discussing the fate of Aeneas, a thought provoking question is posed that is commonly debated. If Aeneas is commanded by fate, does he have free will? It is important to approach this question with a solid understand of fate. There are two common sides to the debate of whether Aeneas had free will or not. One view believes Aeneas had no choice but to follow his destiny because he was commanded by fate, and prophesied to found the race that will one day build Rome. The other side states Aeneas did indeed have free will, and even though his fate was set, room is available within his fate for events to change. One can argue Aeneas makes some of his own choices, but no particular detail of his life is untouched. Destiny determines that the Trojans will found a city in Italy, but it does not stipulate how that will happen. This is where room is left for free will. After much research and considering the views of many commentators and the proof they showed, the answer can simply be found by going back to the text of The Aeneid.

    Read More

  • Religion : Religion And Religion

    1514 Words  | 4 Pages

    For thousands of years, religion has exerted a great influence over economic and political life. Even today religion is called upon to support rulers, contacts and other legal procedures.

    Read More

  • The Role of Religion in Politics

    2726 Words  | 6 Pages

    The role of religion in politics is a topic that has long been argued, and has contributed to the start of wars, schisms (both political and religious), and other forms of inter and intra-state conflict. This topic, as a result of its checkered past, has become quite controversial, with many different viewpoints. One argument, put forth by many people throughout history, is that religion and the government should remain separate to avoid any conflicting interests. This view also typically suggests that there is one, or several, large and organized religions like the Roman Catholic Church, which would be able to use their “divine” authority to sway the politics of a given state by promising or threatening some form of godly approval or disapproval. By leveraging their divine power, individual figures within a religion, as well as the religion as a whole, could gain secular power for themselves, or over others. A second view, which was developed by many theologians through history, suggests that that without religion there would be a general lack of morality in the people and leaders of a given state, which would give way to poor political decisions that would not be in the interest of the people and perhaps even God (or the gods). This argument, however, does not address the fact that morality can exist without religion. In sociology, it is commonly accepted that social norms, which include morality, can result from any number of things. Religion, laws, or the basic desire of survival can all create these norms, so it suffices to say that as a society, our morals reflect our desire to live in relative peace through the creation of laws that serve to help us to survive. The argument of whether or not religion and politics should mix...

    Read More

More about The Belief System: The Aeneid And The Belief System

Open Document