Side notes on Virgil and the Aeneid

Background on Virgil and The AeneidVirgil Born 70BC and died 19BC Born in Mauritua His earlier works = Eclogues + Geogics Started off writing pastoral poetry The Aeneid Written from 30/29BC- 19BC & is a piece of Roman literature An epic written in dactylic hexameter Virgil's patron for the Aeneid was Augustus' propaganda man (Maecenas) Political context key in Aeneid Was published as Virgil wrote it Unliker Homer, Virgil wrote it down so no unintentional repetitions 12 books 1-6 reference the Odyssey 7-12 reference the Illiad

Background on Rome at the time the Aeneid was writtenDuring Virgil's time there was the civil war of Caesar and Pompey In 44BC Caesar was assassinated in 31BC there was the Battle of Actium (which involved Anthony and Octavian) 27BC - Octavian 'restores' republic Octavian takes Egypt as his personal property = controls food supply to Rome Pays all legions personally = richest man in the Empire Worshipped as a God in eastern provinces All foreign Ambassadors go to him not the senate All senate decrees start with his title

Roman Ideals

Roman Ideals 1= state/gods 2= Pater familias 3= you Roman always bound by duty n.b relates to Aeneas as his epithet is pius Aeneas In the eyes of a Roman a good stoic follows their fate Romans believed true happiness came from being in line with your fate

Mystery surrounding Virgil's deathVirgil had completed most of the epic when he went to Greece (where he met Augustus)On the way back he suddenly fell ill and died Theory that Augustus had Virgil killed because he disagreed with parts of the Aeneid But if that is the case why would he have it published? Answer = publishing happened as you went along so most people would had read or heard about bits of the Aeneid & if he'd burnt the book and stopped it from circulating then he would look like an oppressive dictator