Myth Anon #3: What's The Aeneid? Never heard of it. How is it a spin off?
The Aeneid is the coolest mythological story that also happens to be SUPER boring to read. Seriously just read the cliffs notes, itâs super dry (but a really cool story).
A âKeep Readingâ this time for the sake of mercy. In my Advanced Feature Writing course at Uni I was #1 in my class for my 138 page screenplay of âThe Aeneidâ (written in 8 hours), covering just the Aeneas/Dido story (which is a teeny part of the book itself).
So basically, Iâm mildly obsessed with it and can go on for hours.
And now, the conclusion (Paraphrased to hit the biggest moments):
The Aeneid is the story of Prince Aeneas of Troy, son of King Priamâs brother (so like, a super minor prince as Priam had 50 kids).
Aeneas survives the sack of Troy, partly thanks to the fact that his mother is Venus (Aphrodite) and she helps watch his back. As the ranking Trojan to survive, Aeneas leads the remainder of his people on a 4-6 year journey around the Mediterranean while Juno (Hera) tries desperately to kill him.
âThe Aeneidâ is a long story, seriously, go read one of the summaries for all the details. There is no way to describe it quickly~Â
These bullet points do not do it justice in any way, theyâre just my favorite thingsâŠ
âThe Aeneidâ is Roman propaganda against the Greeks, as the Romans have always claimed to be descended from the survivors of Troy.
âI sing of arms (weapons) and of a man, who first from the boundaries of Troy, made fugitive by cruel fate, came to Italy and the Lavinian shores. He was tossed (harassed) much both on land and on sea, by the power of the gods, on account of the mindful anger of savage Juno/Hera. He having suffered much in war, until he could found a city, and bring his gods to Latium, from whence came the race of Latins (a tribal people), and Alban fathers (the city-state Aeneasâ son rules), and the high city walls of Rome.â
Aeneas & Dido was considered an epic love story wherein Aeneas is forced to leave her, the first woman he loved since his beloved wife was killed in the escape from Troy. In her grief, Dido curses the Trojan survivors by saying, âThen do you, Tyrians (Carthaginians), persecute with hate his stock and all the race to come, and to my dust offer this tribute! Let no lover or treaty unite the nations! Arise from my ashes, unknown avenger, to harass the Trojan settlers with fire and sword â today, hereafter, whenever strength be ours!âShe then kills herself. The words âprophesiedâ the three Punic Wars Rome and Carthage would fight for supremacy over the entire Mediterranean. While âThe Aeneidâ was written during the reign of Emperor Augustus Caesar (therefore hundreds of years after the Punic Wars), there is evidence that the Dido/Aeneas story was also held by Carthaginians as a traditional reason for their conflict, so the story did exist already.
At one point Aeneas loses faith in his mission to find the Trojans a home. The stuff with Dido really broke something in him when he was forced to leave. He goes to the Underworld to seek guidance from his father and the Seer who opens the door for him has my absolute favorite quote in the entire world (I used the poetic translation, not direct one)::It is easy to descend into Hell,all day and all night the dark doors of Hades stand open.But to retrace your path, to emerge once again in the sweet air of heaven-This is your task, that is your burden.When Aeneas enters the underworld he sees everyone heâs loved and lost. Dido (how he finds out she died), Creusa (his first wife he loved so much), and all of his family and friends slaughtered in the Trojan War. He also sees the spirits of future Romans, waiting to enter the world he will help create. Famous generals, Romulus (founder of Rome), and of course Julius Caesar (The book âThe Aeneidâ was commissioned by Augustus so of course heâs in it).Aeneasâ great burden isnât entering the Underworld, itâs seeing the people he loves most and yet forcing himself to turn back and return to a world of war and pain so that the Roman Empire can one day rise.
The Trojans eventually land in Italy and fight a great war against a tribe riled up by Juno in a last-ditch attempt to kill him. Aeneas marries a chieftainâs daughter and the Trojans fold into their tribe, bolstering their numbers so they win the final battle.While Aeneas dies from injuries sustained in battle, he does kill Junoâs champion, thus earning the respect of the Gods (I think Jupiter/Zeus stepped in and made her stop trying to kill the Trojans). His son becomes king of the city Alba Longa.
Fast forward 6-7 generations in Alba Longa and the daughter of the King is raped by Mars and gives birth to twin boys, Romulus and Remus. Romulus goes on to found Rome.
Fact Check Because People Fudge This Up: Rome was a Monarchy for the first 7 Kings, then after multiple weak kings in a row (and the rape of a prominent manâs massively popular wife (she committed suicide)) became a Republic with elected officials. Once the senate got too cocky and took too much power for themselves, Julius Caesar rose up as a Dictator. His heir Augustus gave power back to the Senate and elected officials and ruled as Emperor.
