Final Exam Notes from Module 13 - 22
Module 22
Foundation of Rome - the Aeneid
- Ovid narrating innovative and adapted versions of original Greek myths
- foundation of Rome
- blend of Greek and Roman Mythology
- Homer’s Lliad, Aeneas is said by poseidon to escape from Troy when it is sacked and become ruler of the Trojans
- in fifth century BC Greek historians connected Aeneas with Italy
- Early Romans looked back to Greek Mythology to identify the Trojan warrior Aeneas
- Vergil who in first century BC most developed, drew upon Homeric Iliad and Odyssey as well as Greek myths such as Jason and the Argonauts
From Troy to Italy
- Aeneas escapes as one of the few Trojans to escape after Greeks sack the city of Troy
- Poseidon helps him escape because it is fater
- he founds Rome
- takes Anchises, his father on his back
- Ascanius, his young son also comes
- Aphrodite/Venus is the mother of Aeneas
- stops at island of Delos, cult of Apollo, he would found the city
- thinks it is Crete, but searches for Italy, original home of Dardanus
- Epirus and Sicily, where his father Anchises dies
- ends up in Carthage, queen Dido
Dido and Aeneas - Tragic Love
- tragic love affair
- Venus and juno make her fall in love with Aeneas (similar to Aphrodite and Hera make Medea fall in love with Jason)
- Aeneas also loves her, but Mercury tells him he must move on, dido kills herself in despair
- burns all the gifts given to her by Aeneas, but kills herself with a sword Aeneas gave to her
- she curses Aeneas and his descendants
- prophecy of war between Romans and the Carthaginians
War at Latium
- goes back to Sicily briefly before going to Cumae
- he goes to the underworld to meet his father Anchises
- then goes to Latium
- king Latinus, who gives his daughter Lavinia in marriage, originally bethrothed to Turnus, prince of a tribe called Rutuli, oracle of Faunus said to Latinus to give Lavinia to a foreigner
- Juno sends one of the furies to anger turnus, who opposes the union and starts a war
- latins fight the Trojans, who are helped by Etruscans, another tribe in Italy
- Aeneas defeats Turnus in individual combat
- founds Lavinium after marrying Lavinia
- Aeneas dies three years later in battle and becomes a god
Romulus and Remus
Sabine Women
- shortage of women
- requests women from surrounding tribes refuse
- Romulus brings women to the city through violence and trickery
- invites the Sabines to a festival and takes many woman starting a war
- Romans and Sabines fight until the Sabines eventually attack Rome
- Sabine women now mothers of Roman children, bring a truce
- Sabine women play a pwoerful role in bringing peace