Stage 1Magistra Kelleher

Aeneas

According to Greco-Roman mythology the hero Aeneas was the founder of Roman civilization in Italy. Aeneas was the son of the goddess Venus and the Trojan man Anchises. During the Trojan War he was a lieutenant in the Trojan army commanding the Dardanian men. Following the Trojan War and the fall of Troy, Aeneas fled from Troy with his father, his son (Ascanius), and his band of men.

Aeneas’ destiny was to found a state in Italy which would become the city of Rome. In order to fulfill this destiny, Aeneas sailed across the Mediterranean Sea toward Italy. However, the goddess Juno, who hated the Trojans, called a storm which blew the Trojan ships to Carthage in North Africa. Dido, the queen of Carthage and a favorite of Juno, was in the process of constructing a great city. Dido fell in love with Aeneas and Juno manipulated Aeneas’ affections so that he returned her love. Aeneas then began to help Dido build her city and started to forget about his own destiny. Jupiter sent Mercury to remind Aeneas of his destiny in Italy and Aeneas decided to heed the gods and leave Dido and Carthage. However, Dido did not accept Aeneas’ departure and killed herself rather than face the pain of living without him.

Having left Carthage, Aeneas sailed toward Italy and landed in Sicily where he visited the Sybil of Cumae. She took Aeneas on journey to the Underworld. First Aeneas crossed the river Styx on Charon’s boat. The Sybil drugged the guard dog Cerberus and they entered into the Underworld. On his journey Aeneas encountered many people including his father Anchises and Dido. Aeneas, who did not know of Dido’s suicide until that moment, tried to speak to her, but she fled from him. Not only did Aeneas see the dead, he also saw a vision of the civilization that would spring from him. After he saw this vision he left the Underworld and journeyed on to Latium.

Latium was ruled by King Latinus who had a daughter Lavinia. Lavinia was engaged to marry Turnus the ruler of the Rutulians, a neighboring community. Aeneas wished to marry Lavinia and build his city in Latium, and Latinus decided that he would prefer Lavinia to marry Aeneas. However, Turnus did not wish to relinquish his claim on Lavinia and war broke out between the Dardanians and the Rutulians. Finally Aeneas and Turnus faced one another in single combat and Aeneas killed Turnus and ended the war. After the battle, Aeneas married Lavinia, had a son Silvius and founded the city of Alba Longa.

While Aeneas did not found the actual city of Rome, he is credited with beginning the civilization which would one day become Rome. Many later Roman figures, including Julius Caesar, trace their lineage to Aeneas. Aeneas’ story is recounted in the epic poem the Aeneid written by the poet Vergil during the reign of the emperor Augustus.