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Aeneid: Dying in Troy more pious or Homeric?

I'm trying to work out whether the fact that initially Aeneas wanted to die in Troy is more a show of
pietas (i.e. he is fighting for the love and loyalty to his home)
or is more homeric (brave, reckless, and seeking honour)

or both
or neither

anybody have any thoughts?
Reply 1
Original post by EmergencyBagels
I'm trying to work out whether the fact that initially Aeneas wanted to die in Troy is more a show of
pietas (i.e. he is fighting for the love and loyalty to his home)
or is more homeric (brave, reckless, and seeking honour)

or both
or neither

anybody have any thoughts?


To be honest, I think it's more homeric and Greek rather than Roman as you see him get more Roman througout the book, and it is in book 2 where the fall of the Troy, so he is yet to go through the Roman Transformation.
It's a homeric trait as he wishes to gain kleos rather than show pietas towards his family. Venus gives him divine vision so he can see that Troy's fall is inevitable due to the actions of the other gods and so staying to fight and die isn't showing loyalty to his home, his home is gone, his new home is in Italy and thus where he should be striving to reach. The fact that Hector's ghost has instructed him to leave/pardons him of choosing to leave yet he chooses to fight doesn't display stoicism, but we can pardon Aeneas because at this point he is a transitional hero who displays characteristics of both Roman and Homeric heroes.
Original post by Sneferu
To be honest, I think it's more homeric and Greek rather than Roman as you see him get more Roman througout the book, and it is in book 2 where the fall of the Troy, so he is yet to go through the Roman Transformation.


Original post by Shaughney
It's a homeric trait as he wishes to gain kleos rather than show pietas towards his family. Venus gives him divine vision so he can see that Troy's fall is inevitable due to the actions of the other gods and so staying to fight and die isn't showing loyalty to his home, his home is gone, his new home is in Italy and thus where he should be striving to reach. The fact that Hector's ghost has instructed him to leave/pardons him of choosing to leave yet he chooses to fight doesn't display stoicism, but we can pardon Aeneas because at this point he is a transitional hero who displays characteristics of both Roman and Homeric heroes.


yup ok good points, thank you for replying
Reply 4
Original post by EmergencyBagels
yup ok good points, thank you for replying


No worries :smile:

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