The Aeneid: Rome’s founding myth based on Homer’s poetry

The Aeneid, written by the Roman poet Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, is an epic poem that tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan who fled the fall of Troy and travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. The Aeneid is widely regarded as Virgil’s masterpiece and one of the greatest works of Latin literature.

The Aeneid is heavily influenced by Greek mythology, literature and poetry, especially by Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The Aeneid can be seen as a continuation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, which are both epic poems that tell the story of the Trojan War and its aftermath. In the Aeneid, Virgil draws heavily on the Homeric tradition, borrowing characters, themes, and motifs from the Iliad and Odyssey. For example, the Aeneid begins with a reference to the Odyssey, and the character of Aeneas is modeled on the Homeric hero Odysseus.

Virgil also borrowed many characters, episodes, themes and motifs from the Greek epics, such as the Trojan War, the wooden horse, the underworld journey, the storm at sea, the prophecy of the founding of Rome, the shield of Aeneas, the love affair with Dido, the intervention of the gods, and the concept of fate. Virgil also incorporated elements from other Greek sources, such as the Argonautica, the Hesiodic Theogony, and the Homeric Hymns.

However, Virgil also adapted and transformed the Greek material to suit his own purposes and to reflect the Roman values and ideals of his time. For example, he portrayed Aeneas as a model of piety, duty, and leadership, who sacrificed his personal happiness for the sake of his divine mission. Virgil’s aim was not only to emulate and surpass his Greek predecessors, but also to create a new and original epic that would celebrate the glory of Rome and its destiny.

In addition to the Homeric tradition, the Aeneid also draws on other Greek myths and legends. For example, the story of Dido, the queen of Carthage, is based on the Greek myth of Phaedra and Hippolytus. The character of Aeneas is also associated with the Greek hero Achilles, and the Aeneid contains many allusions to the Greek myths of the Trojan War.

The influence of Greek literature on the Aeneid is also evident in its style and structure. The Aeneid is written in dactylic hexameter, the same meter used in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The poem is divided into twelve books, each of which corresponds to one of the books of the Odyssey. The Aeneid also contains many epic similes, a literary device used extensively in the Iliad and Odyssey.

To learn more about the Aeneid, watch the videos below. The last video is the 1962 movie The Legend of Enea (known as The Avenger in some countries). It is strange to think that no major modern Hollywood movie has been made about the Aeneid, maybe somebody reading this post will be inspired to do it!