Aeneid

  • The Aeneid is an Epic Poem by Virgil composed of 12 books written between 29-19 BCE, using Dactylic Hexameter. All Romans had to read the Aeneid.
  • Virgil, through the story of Aeneas, links the myth of Troy to the founding of Rome simultaneously creating a national Founding Myth whilst glorifying Roman values.

Dactylic Hexameter

  • Dactylic Hexameter was considered by the Ancient Greeks and Romans to be the foremost method of recounting classical Epic Poetry.
  • In Dactylic Hexameter each foot contains three syllables, with six feet altogether, giving a total of eighteen syllables per line.

Description

  • The first 6 Books narrate the story of Prince Aeneas, a Trojan Hero who survives the Fall of Troy, and goes on a series of wanderings, similar to the wanderings of Odysseus in the Odyssey, until he ends up in Italy.
  • The next 6 Books describe how the Trojans establish themselves in Latium and ultimately conquer it.
  • Aeneas was already known to the Romans as he is mentioned in Homer‘s Iliad..

The Characters of the Aeneid

Characters from the Fall of Troy in Homer’s Iliad

The Achaeans: The Hellenes, The Danaans, The Argives

  • Agamemnon – King of Mycenae
  • Achilles – leader of the Myrmidons
  • Ulysses – King of Ithaca
  • Ajax the Greater – Son of Telamon
  • Menelaus – King of Sparta, married to Helen, and Agamemnon’s Brother
  • Diomedes – King of Argos
  • Ajax the Lesser
  • Patroclus
  • Nestor – King of Pylos

The Trojans

  • The Trojan Men
    • Hector – King Priam’s Son
    • Aeneas – Anchises’ and aphrodite’s Son
    • Deiphobus – Hector’ and Paris’ Brother
    • Paris – Helen’s abductor
    • Priam – King of Troy
    • Polydamas – Commander
    • Agenor – Trojan warrior who contests Achilles
    • Sarpedon, Son of Zeus
    • Glauchus, Son of Hippolochus
    • Euphorbus – wounds Patroclus
    • Dolon – a spy
    • Antenor – Adviser who reommends returning Helen
    • Polydorus – Priam’s Son
    • Pandarus – Lycaon’s Son
  • The Trojan Women
    • Hecuba – King Priam’s Wife
    • Helen – Zeus’ Daughter. The Trojan War starts when Paris abducts her.
    • Andromache – Hector’s Wife
    • Cassandra – Priam’s Daughter
    • Brisels – A Trojan Woman captured by Achilles.

The Story of the Aeneid

Book I: Aeneas meets Queen Dido of Carthage

  • The Background to the story:
    • The three Goddesses, Venus, Juno and Minerva had competed to be the most beautiful Goddess. The prize was a golden apple presented by Eris, the Goddess of Discord. They had selected the most handsome of men, Paris of Troy, to judge the contest.
    • Then they each offered him a bribe to win. Venus offered Paris the most beautiful woman, Helen of Troy, and Paris declared her to be the winner. Then Paris went and stole Helen from her husband, King Menelaus, who pursued them back to Troy with an army, starting the ten year Trojan war.
    • The Gods then take sides, Juno and Minerva, back the Greeks, and Venus backs the Trojans as her son Aeneas is a Trojan. Both the Gods and the mortals are in discord.
  • The Poem starts with a Muse relating the reasons for the Goddess Juno's anger towards Aeneas.
  • Aeneas has survived the Fall of Troy, and has set sail with the survivors in a fleet of ships.
  • Juno bears strong animosity towards the Trojans. Firstly, because she supports Carthage, secondly, because Juno was considered inferior in beauty to Venus by the Trojan Paris, and thirdly, she is aware of a prophecy that a race descended from the Trojans’ will vanquish Carthage.
  • Juno has decided to sink Aeneas’ fleet before they can cause any damage, and orders Aeolus, the God of Winds, to send a storm. South of Sicily, Aeneas observes the storm heading straight towards them. The ships start to sink, but Neptune overrules Aeolus, and calms the sea. The seven remaining ships are blown towards Libya, where Aeneas and his men go ashore, safe and sound.
  • Back on Mount Olympus, the Gods debate the scene below. The King of the Gods, Jupiter, reassures a worried Venus, that her son Aeneas will not only survive, but his descendants, Romulus and Remus will found a great empire. Nonetheless, he intervenes by sending a God to make the Carthaginians offer hospitality to the Trojans.
  • Aeneas is then told the story of the founding of Carthage by his mother Venus, wearing a disguise. She relates how her brother Pygmalion, murdered her husband Sychaeus, King of Tyre, for his gold, becoming King himself. Sycheus’ ghost visited Dido encouraged her to take the Phoenicians who were against Pygmalion and found the new city of Carthage in Libya.
  • Venus then cloaks Aeneas and his companion Achates in a mist, and sends them into the court of Queen Dido of Carthage unseen. After seeing the story of the Fall of Troy depicted on a wall, they are amazed to find their other companions already in the palace, being offered help by Dido. Achates urges Aeneas to make himself visible, at which point Dido recognises him as a Trojan hero, inviting all the to heroes to supper.
  • To protect Aeneas from the vengeful Juno, Venus sends down the God of Love, Cupid. Cupid appears to Dido disguised as Ascanius, Aeneas’ son. Whilst Aeneas relates the adventures of the last seven years since the Fall of Troy, Dido falls in love with him.

Book II: The Trojan horse

  • Aeneas then relates the story of the Trojan horse.
  • Conceived by Odysseus, the Achaians build a wooden horse as an offering to Athena, Goddess of War, and leave it in front of the city gates, as a present to the Trojans. They then sail away to the island of Tenedos leaving Sinon behind. Sinon then explains to the Trojans, that it is an offering that will help make Troy invincible, and that the Greeks have given up the war. Sinon was to have been sacrificed with the horse, but he escaped. The Trojans fall for the bait, despite warnings by the Priest Laocoon and Cassandra, and haul the Wooden Horse inside the city, locking the gates behind them.
  • However, inside the wooden horse is a hand picked group of Greek warriors, who’s mission it is to open the city gates. During the night, whilst the city is sleeping, the Greeks descend from the horse, open the city gates and let the Greek Army in, which meanwhile has sailed back to Troy. Troy is then burnt to the ground and its inhabitants slaughtered, led by the Goddess Minerva.
  • Aeneas tells the story of how two sea snakes swallow up Laocoon and his two sons for attacking the wooden horse. When the snakes place themselves before Minerva’s Temple, the Trojans decide it is an Omen, and bring the wooden horse into the city in order to placate Minerva.
  • The ghost of Hector appears to Aeneas in a dream, warning him that the Greeks are inside the city. Despite an attempt to counter attack, Aeneas and his men are too late to save King Priam when they reach the palace, and see Pyrrus kill first his son Polites, then King Priam.
  • In revenge, Aeneas goes to kill Helen, but she is saved by his mother Venus who advises him that the Gods are to blame, not the mortals. Venus urges Aeneas and his men to escape immediately. Aeneas visits Anchises his father, and after two Omens appear, Anchises reluctantly joins them.
  • Aeneas and his men escape, along with his wife, Creusa, and his son, Ascanius. However, Creusa disappears, and Aeneas goes back to find her in Troy. Her spirit appears and advises him that he must forget her and that he will find a new wife in a new land.

Book III: The Harpies, Scylla and Charybdis, The Cyclops

  • Aeneas continues telling the story. After they escape from Troy, Aeneas and his men construct a new fleet of ships in Antander. They set for Thrace, where they stop to sacrifice to the Gods. As Aeneas brings down a tree, blood oozes out, and the tree tells Aeneas, that it is the spirit of Polydorus. King Priam had sent his son Polydorus into the safety of the king of Thrace. But after Troy fell, the King of Thrace changed sides and executed Polydorus, breaking the concept of hospitality.
  • Aeneas buries Polydorus and depart Thrace for Delos. Here Apollo advises Aeneas to travel to the land of his forefathers. Anchises believes this to be Crete, so Aeneas sails his fleet to Crete, where the men set about constructing a city. Shortly afterwards, an epidemic starts to wipe out the city. In a dream, Aeneas is told by the Gods, that Anchises made a mistake. Apollo meant Italy, home of the Dardanians, not Crete, home of the Teucrians, where they must found a great nation.
  • Aeneas and his men set sail, but are blown by a storm to the Strophades, land of the Harpies. Furious at the intruders, the Harpies attack them. One Harpie then places a curse on the Trojans, confirming they will reach Italy, but before they can build their city, they will be forced to eat their wooden tables.
  • Aeneas sets off for Leucata, where they sacrifice to Apollo. They then sail on to Buthrotum in Chaonia. Here Aeneas is astounded to find Andromache and Helenus, King Priam’s wife and son. Andromache relates how they were prisoners of Pyrrhus, but after Pyrrhus died, they took over the Greek kingdom, and Helenus was now the king. Helenus advises Aeneas how to reach Italy. Andromache then advises the southerly route around Sicily. They must specifically avoid the strait between Italy and Sicily where two sea monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, will destroy them.
  • They then sail along the southern coast of Sicily, observing Mount Etna erupting. When they stop to rest a dishevelled stranger arrives and tells them his story. He was with Ulysses when they were taken prisoner in a cave by a Cyclops. They managed to escape when Ulysses blinded the giant. Just then, the blinded Cyclops emerges and heads towards them. They beat a hasty retreat and escape from the other Cyclops who have also appeared.
  • They continue sailing before arriving at Drepanum. Here, Aeneas loses his father, Anchises.
  • Aeneas ends his story by telling Dido the Gods have decided to bring them to her land.

Book IV: Queen Dido and Aeneas

  • Dido is falling more and more in love with Aeneas, whilst he was telling his story. She has resolved never to remarry, after losing her husband, Sychaeus. Anna, her sister, tells Dido that marrying Aeneas would make Carthage strong, once all the Trojan heroes have joined. But Dido is undecided whilst besotted by Aeneas.

At this point Juno sees her chance to prevent Aeneas ever reaching Italy. Juno suggests to Venus that they try to bring Dido and Aeneas together, pointing out a union would prevent war between the Trojans and the Carthaginians. Venus knows why. but agrees.

  • The opportunity arises during a hunt where Aeneas and Dido are forced to find cover from the storm Juno has sent. They find a cave, and after an amorous tryst, return to Carthage and live together. The Carthaginians become concerned that they are not married. Dido neglects her duties as a Queen, and the construction of her city comes to a stop.
  • Jupiter decides to intervene, and sends Mercury to remind Aeneas that his future lies in Italy. Aeneas agrees, prepares his fleet to depart, but is unable to tell Dido. Eventually, Dido discovers his plan and confronts him, but Aeneas is resolute. A final attempt by Anna, Dido’s sister, fails, and Aeneas’ fleet sets sail.
  • Dido asks Anna to build a bonfire so she can forget Aeneas, by burning all his clothes and possessions. However, Dido intends to commit suicide on the bonfire, and spends a sleepless night. Aeneas is visited in his dreams by Mercury. He tells Aeneas to set sail immediately, and Aeneas obeys. When Dido realises, she falls on her sword, and Juno ends her life to prevent further suffering.

Book V: the Games in Sicily

  • Aeneas’ fleet sets sail for Italy, but is forced by storms to make port at Eryx in Sicily, the city of his Trojan friend, King Acestes. To mourn his father’s death a year earlier, Aeneas conducts eight days of mourning, with a ninth day of games consisting of rowing, running, throwing the javelin and boxing.
  • The first game is rowing using four galleys, officered by four of Aeneas’ captains. Gyas in Chimaera leads, then it’s the turn of sergestus, but he goes aground. Finally, Cloanthus and Mnestheus are neck and neck, Neptune pushes Cloanthus over the line into first place. Aeneas gives everybody a prize.
  • The next game is running, and despite Eurylus winning because Nisus fell, Aeneas again gives a=everyone a prize.
  • Then it is the turn of boxing. Dares challenges anyone to fight him. The more senior Entellus is persuaded to compete, but slips and falls to the ground. He bounces back with such determination that Aeneas must intervene and stop the contest. Furious, Entellus punches the bull which was supposed to be the prize, and destroys its head.
  • In the archery game, Eurytion wins by downing a dove. But Acestes holds everyone’s attention when his arrow miraculously bursts into flames during flight. The games end in a mock battle between the Trojan and Sicilian teams.
  • Juno hits on a plan to prevent the Trojans reaching Italy. She sows panic into the Trojan women, convincing them that continued travelling will only lead to more war and loss of life, and that they should settle in Sicily instead. She gives them flaming torches, and the women set fire to the fleet. At this point the Trojan men cease their games and return in haste to pour water over their ships. Aeneas invokes Jupiter to extinguish the flames, thus saving the fleet.
  • Aeneas starts to have doubts about continuing, but a Seer called Nautes suggests to Aeneas that he leave Acestes behind in charge of the elderley and the infirm. That night during a dream, Aeneas’ father persuades him to adopt this strategy, but advises him in order to fight a dangerous enemy in Italy, he must first visit the Underworld and speak with Anchises. Aeneas tells his dream to Acestes, who agrees to stay with the Trojans left behind.
  • Venus intervenes to protect Aeneas from Juno. She asks Neptune to guarantee the safety of the fleet. Neptune agrees, but demands the life of one sailor in exchange. Captain Palinurus, who commands the fleet, duly falls into the sea whilst steering his ship.

Book VI: Aeneas goes to Dis

  • Finally, the Trojans arrive in Italy and beach their ships at Cumae, near Naples. Aeneas enters the Temple of apollo. The priestess invites Aeneas to make a wish, and Aeneas wishes for the Trojans success in settling in Latium. The Priestess warns Aeneas of two dangers, a powerful enemy similar to Achilles, and Juno’s continued interference.
  • Aeneas asks the priestess if she can guide him to Dis, the underworld, to visit his father’s spirit. The priestess tells him he cannot enter Dis without a good Omen. The Priestess advises Aeneas to search the nearby forest for a golden branch. If it breaks off easily, he may travel to Dis, if it doesn’t, he cannot.
  • Aeneas goes to the forest but it is too huge. He then prays for help, and two doves guide him to the golden bough which breaks off easily. Aeneas shows the golden bough to the priestess, and she guides him to the entrance to Dis.
  • Aeneas enters Dis and sees the river Acheron. He sees Charon, who ferries the souls of the dead across the river. Aeneas observes that some spirits are denied boarding, and the Priestess tells him this is because their bodies have not yet had an official burial.
  • Aeneas is shocked to see Palinurus is standing with those spirits who are not allowed to cross. Charon then tells them that no living mortals may cross. Aeneas displays the golden branch and Charon agrees to accept them.
  • On the far side Aeneas is shocked to hear the crying of thousands of spirits lining up before Minos to receive judgement.
  • At the Fields of Mourning, roam the spirits of mortals who died for Love. Aeneas is shocked to see Dido and tries to explain his departure, but she moves away from him to be beside Sychaeus, her husband, leaving Aeneas in tears.
  • At the Field of war heroes, Aeneas finds the spirits of the dead from the Fall of Troy. The Greek warriors run away at the sight of him. Then Aeneas and the Priestess enter a huge castle. Inside, Rhadamanthus is passing Judgement upon the worst of the evil-doers, who are then horribly tortured.
  • Finally, the Priestess and Aeneas arrive at the Fields of Goodness, reserved for the spirits of the good. Here Aeneas finds Anchises, his father, who gives him a warm welcome and congratulates him on reaching Dis. Anchises explains how Dis works, with the Good reaching their final destination in the Fields of Gladness.
  • Eventually, Anchises explains to Aeneas how his descendants will rule Italy. Rome will be founded by Romulus. Acsanius’ descendants will produce a Caesar who will preside over a golden age of a huge empire.
  • Anchises then leads the Priestess and Aeneas out of Dis. Having at last understood the reason for his expedition to Italy, Aeneas returns to his fleet and departs for Italy.

Book VII: The Trojans arrive in Latium

  • The second half of the Poem continues with a Muse introducing the Kingdom of Latium and its goings on. Aeneas and the Trojans are approaching the Tiber river. Lavinia, the daughter of the King of Latium, is undecided who of her suitors she should marry, but the neighbouring King Turnus is the prime candidate. Her father, King Latinus, consults the Oracle of Faunus. Latinus is aware of a phrophecy that Latium will fall to a foreign army, and wants reassurance. However, the Oracle confirms that his daughter should marry a foreigner.
  • Meanwhile, Aeneas and his fleet land, and eat a meal of fruit laid out on a table of bread loaves. After finishing the fruit, they consume the bread, and Ascanius observes that they have fulfilled the Harpies’ phrophecy of eating their tables. It dawns on Aeneas that this is the land that has been destined for them.
  • Aeneas sends word to King Latinus, that they require land to build a new city. Mindful of the phrophecy that his land will be taken over by a foreign army, King Latinus decides to avoid conflict and offers not only land, but his daughter Lavinia to Aeneas.
  • However, Juno is not going to let the Trojans win so easily. She sends the Fury Allecto, to force the Latins to resist the Trojans. First Allecto makes King Latinus’ wife, Queen Amata, object to her daughter’s marriage to Aeneas. Then Allecto enrages King Turnus, the prime suitor, who gathers his army to oppose the Trojan invaders.
  • The first conflict is between the Trojans and King Latinus’ shepherds. Juno sends Ascanius into the woods, and he injures a stag. The stag struggles back to its shepherd master and dies. In his fury, the shepherd assembles the other shepherds and they pursue Ascanius. The other Trojans rally around Ascanius, and several shepherds are killed in the fight.
  • The shepherds then carry the bodies of the fallen shepherds to the court of King Latinus where they demand he crush the Trojans completely. Queen Amata and the court back the shepherds’ demand. But King Latinus is torn between them and the prophecy, and refuses to make a decision. As a result, King Turnus, who has now collected all the heroes of Italy, and his army proceeds to meet the Trojans.

Book VIII: Arcadia becomes a Trojan ally

  • Aeneas prepares for battle but sends messengers to nearby cities to request allies. The river God Tiberinus, appears to Aeneas in a dream, and advises him to form an alliance with the Arcadians who are already at war with the Latins. Aeneas rows up river to meet with their King Evander. The Trojans are welcomed and invited to a feast.
  • Afterwards, King Evander sacrifices to Hercules, the patron of the Arcadians. It was here that Hercules performed his tenth labour of the Twelve Labours of Hercules and killed the fire breathing monster Cacus in order to collect the cattle.
  • King Evander reveals that Saturn created the nation of Latins, but the Arcadians prefer to continue a simple life with few possessions, himself included. King Evander agrees to an alliance with the Trojans.
  • Meantime, Aeneas’ mother, Venus, decides to persuade her husband Vulcan to intervene before the forthcoming battle. Vulcan instructs his blacksmith Cyclopes, to forge new armour and weapons inside Mount Etna.
  • King Evander sends an army with Aeneas consisting of his own troops and those of his allied kingdoms. The whole force of thousands marches all day back towards the Trojans, before stopping to make camp for the night. Here Venus appears to Aeneass with the gifts of armour which includes a dramatic shield showing Romulus, the defeat of the Gauls, and Augustus defeating Mark Anthony and Cleopatra.

Book IX: King Turnus besieges the Trojan Fortress

  • Seeing that Aeneas has still not rejoined his Trojans, Juno sends Iris to inform King Turnus that this is an opportune moment to attack. King Turnus arrives at the Trojan fortress, but the Trojans decline to fight, preferring to wait for Aeneas to return. After circling around the fortress but unable to entice the Trojans to come out, King Turnus decides to burn the Trojan fleet instead.
  • To the amazement of the Latins, the fleet suddenly sinks into the sea and reappears as a group of sea nymphs. This is because the Goddess Sybele had asked her husband Saturn to make the fleet invincible. The trees the ships had been made from, came from Cybele’s sacred forest. This was an ill Omen for the Latins, but nonetheless, they make camp around the Trojans’ fortress.
  • The Trojans decide they must send a message to Aeneas warning him of their predicament. Nisus and Euryalus are chosen for the task. They secretly escape through the fortress’ defenses, and to their astonishment discover the Latin army has fallen asleep. They immediately set about killing as many as they can, until dawn breaks, and they escape into the woods. However, a returning cavalry patrol, encounters them, and despite an initial escape by Nisus, both are captured, killed and their heads placed on spikes and displayed in front of the Trojan fortress.
  • The battle then begins with king Turnus sending his Latins across the trenches and up against the walls looking for a way to breach them. They soon reduce a gate tower to flames, killing the Trojans inside it. Just as the Trojan morale reaches rock bottom, Ascanius kills a Latin captain called Remulus.
  • The Trojans then burst out of the fortress gates in a frenzied attack against the Latins. After initial success, the Trojans are forced back when King Turnus joins the battle. Pandarus decides he must close the gates quickly, but unfortunately allows Turnus in just before they close. Turnus kills many Trojans, but before he can be surrounded, he escapes by diving into the Tiber.

Book X: Aeneas defeats Turnus on the beach

  • The God Jupiter assembles a council of all the Gods in Mount Olympus. He had thought the Trojans would assimilate peacefully and is upset to find a major war taking place in Latium. Venus immediately points the finger of blame at Juno, who replies that it was not her that pushed Aeneas to settle in Italy. Jupiter tells them that the mortals must now decide their own fate without his help.
  • King Tarchon of Tuscany now joins Aeneas and provides the Trojan army with a fleet and a great army. The Trojans board the fleet and sail back to their coastal fortress, helped by the sea nymphs who formed their original fleet. King Turnus sees the fleet approaching at dawn, and prepares to do battle on the beach. The battle begins as soon as the Trojan army lands.
  • Aeneas battles the Latins successfully and cuts a swathe through their warriors. Then Pallas leads the Arcadians and is similarly successful. But as the battle appears to be being won by the Trojans, Turnus challenges Pallas to a duel. Pallas spear only wounds Turnus, but Turnus’ spear kills Pallas outright. When Aeneas is informed, he starts hunting down Turnus, massacring Latin warriors who get in his way, even those offering to surrender. The Trojans regain the upper hand.
  • At this point Juno recognises that the Latin army has lost and endeavours to save Turnus. She creates a double for Aeneas, and when Turnus sees the double boarding a vessel, he mistakenly chases after it, and boards the vessel. Juno immediately cuts the anchors and Turnus drifts safely far away from the battle.
  • Meanwhile the Latin warrior Mezentius fills the void left by Turnus, with great success, until Aeneas kills Lausus, his son. Mezentius confronts Aeneas, but cannot penetrate his armour created by Vulcan. When Aeneas kills Mezentius, the Latin army is defeated.

Book XI: Aeneas marches towards King Latinus’ city

  • The following day, Aeneas assembles a thousand men to carry the body of Pallas back to his father, King Menander. Although very distressed, Menander remains loyal to Aeneas because his son died an honourable death.
  • Meanwhile the Latin messengers arrive at the battlefield. They request a twelve day ceasefire in order for both sides to bury their dead, to which Aeneas agrees. At this point the Latin messengers ask themselves whether it might be better for King Turnus to give up Lavinia, and stop the bloodshed.
  • When the messengers return to King Latinus, they suggest that the war should end, and many Latins agree with them. News arrives that the neighbouring Kingdom of the Greek War hero, Diomedes, has declined to ally with the Latins. King Latinus then proposes giving land to settle to the Trojans. A councillor called Drances blames the whole disaster on Turnus, and points out that the Latins have lost their fighting spirit.
  • King Turnus returns from his vessel, in time to find he has lost the support of the council. He insults Drances and begs King Latinus to continue fighting the Trojans, even if it means a duel between himself and Aeneas. In the middle of this debate, a messenger announces that the Trojan army is about to arrive.
  • King Turnus is informed that Aeneas’ army has divided into two. Aeneas is marching through the mountains whilst his cavalry has gone straight to the city. Turnus devises a plan to ambush Aeneas at a mountain pass. The city is left defended by a nation of warrior women called the Volscians, commanded by their queen, Camilla.
  • When the Trojan cavalry arrive, Camilla and her Volscians, cut the Trojans down in swathes. Finally a Tuscan warrior called Arruns kills Camilla. A furious Juno intervenes and sends the God Opis to kill Arruns. Without a leader, the Latin army starts to fall back to the city. King Turnus is informed of the dire situation by one of Camilla’s warriors, Acca, and Turnus aborts the ambush and rushes back to defend the city. As night falls, Aeneas and Turnus rejoin their armies and prepare for the following day.

Book XII: Aeneas and Turnus duel to the death

  • King Turnus then proposes a single combat between himself and Aeneas for Lavinia’s hand in marriage and the kingdom of Latium. King Latinus and Queen Amata object at first, but Turnus is adamant as it is now a question of honour. Latinus sadly prepares the agreement between Aeneas and Turnus.
  • The next day, both armies assemble in front of the city to watch the duel. However, Juno is determined to save Turnus, and sends his sister, Juturna, to protect him. Aeneas and Turnus face each other and announce each will uphold the agreement. But Juturna takes on the disguise of a Latin officer called Camers, and urges the Latins to fight the Trojans. The Latins throw a spear, killing a Trojan, and both armies wade into battle. Aeneas is wounded in the leg by an arrow, and when he retires, Turnus imagines the Latins can win, cutting down the Trojan warriors before him.
  • Although the doctor is unable to remove the arrow from Aeneas’ leg, Venus sends down an ointment, and the arrow is finally pulled out. Aeneas then returns to the battle, and he and Turnus kill many enemy warriors. The end is undecided until Aeneas realises the city is undefended, and rushes in with his warriors. Queen Amata commits suicide and the population cries out in anguish. When Turnus realises what has happened, he offers to end the battle by proposing a duel with Aeneas as originally agreed.
  • Surrounded by their soldiers inside the city walls, Aeneas and Turnus face each other. After the spears have been thrown, the swordfight begins. Turnus’ sword breaks. He realises it wasn’t his sword and asks the men for his real sword. Juturna reappears with his proper sword.
  • Jupiter asks Juno why she continues to intervene when she already knows the outcome. Finally, Juno concedes defeat, but she obliges Jupiter to agree that the victorious Trojans assume the name and language of their defeated adversaries, the Latins.
  • Jupiter then intervenes by sending a Fury disguised as a bird to terrify Turnus. Aeneas catches him offguard with his spear, bringing him to the ground. Turnus begs for mercy and Aeneas agrees at first. But on seeing Turnus still wearing the dead Pallas’ belt, Aeneas kills him in a blind rage.
  • Aeneas now goes on to become King of Latium, with Lavinia as his queen, and the Trojans become the Latins.

 

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