Module 22

Final Exam Notes from Module 13 - 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

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

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

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

Ascanius founds Alba Longa in Latium
Romulus and Remus found Rome, are royal line of Alba Longa, four cenuturies after the death of Aeneas
said to founded in 753 BC
Romulus and Remus are twin brothers, son of Mars and Rhea Silvia
exposed by their great uncle Amulius, who took throne from their grandfather Numitor
Romulus and Remus were supposed to be thrown in the river Tiber, but servants pitied them and left them next to the river
saved by a wolf, and found by Faustulus, a shepherd of Amulius
brought before Numitor, help him regain the throne of Alba Longa and go to found their own city
found the city on the banks of the Tiber, the spot they are rescued by the wolf
omen of birds, and watched birds, Romulus received the favourable omens
other version Remus argued and was killed, Remus jumped over the walls of the city which Romulus is building on the Palatine and Romulus interprets this as hostile and kills his brother