Role of immortals, relationship between mortals and immortals: Classicist Opinions

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Camps
What happens to Dido is an accidental result of scheming among the gods, obsessive love is a demonic force. Suicide a result of her own free will. Story of Dido's dangerous love would have evoked for the Roman reader the memory of Cleopatra.
1 of 10
Quinn
Virgil keeps Homer's divine machinery, work largely in the same way: anthropomorphic, intervene in the narrative, work with fate. Gods less present: fewer scenes, less incidental, arbitrary reference. Divine conversations are used for Roman historical and
2 of 10
Sowerby
Aeneid not a weak and artificial imitation of Homeric epic but a creative reinvention of mature values of civilisation (pietas, triumph over furor). However poem exists in a twilight world with insubstantial encounters, promise of fulfilment never realise
3 of 10
Gransden
Most of the plot is generated by Juno: both halves agree with a soliloquy by her in which she reflects angrily on her humiliating failure. Reconciliation to Roman destiny, rather than killing of Turnus, is true resolution of the poem.
4 of 10
Gransden pt 2
Odyssey - divine intervention in human affairs is direct, frequent and unpredictable. Aeneid - gods intervene less frequently, sheer frivolity and irresponsibility does not belong in Virgil. Jupiter for example is a more dignified version of Homer's fathe
5 of 10
Gransden pt 3
Gods in Aeneid work through human wills and desires. Make use of inherent emotions (but work contrary to wishes of Aeneas, who wishes he had stayed at Troy).
6 of 10
Williams
Stoic philosophy present to an extent. 'Men should live in accordance with God's plan, devoting their lives to following it, never questioning why it involves human suffering'.
7 of 10
Williams pt 2
Gods are people in their own right, less vivid than in Homer but still with strong characters of their own (Juno as contradiction).
8 of 10
Williams pt 3
Gods' interventions are symbols for bursting out of latent human emotions: Venus putting love into Dido represents her attraction for Aeneas. Juno putting furor into Turnus represents anger already in him coming out (Aeneas used as counterargument).
9 of 10
Pattie
Purpose of including gods was to mirror Homer and indulge delight in depicting scenes of fancy and imaginations to vary more realistic passages of man's activity.
10 of 10

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Virgil keeps Homer's divine machinery, work largely in the same way: anthropomorphic, intervene in the narrative, work with fate. Gods less present: fewer scenes, less incidental, arbitrary reference. Divine conversations are used for Roman historical and

Back

Quinn

Card 3

Front

Aeneid not a weak and artificial imitation of Homeric epic but a creative reinvention of mature values of civilisation (pietas, triumph over furor). However poem exists in a twilight world with insubstantial encounters, promise of fulfilment never realise

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Most of the plot is generated by Juno: both halves agree with a soliloquy by her in which she reflects angrily on her humiliating failure. Reconciliation to Roman destiny, rather than killing of Turnus, is true resolution of the poem.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Odyssey - divine intervention in human affairs is direct, frequent and unpredictable. Aeneid - gods intervene less frequently, sheer frivolity and irresponsibility does not belong in Virgil. Jupiter for example is a more dignified version of Homer's fathe

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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