Book 8

• What is the name of the site upon which Rome will be built?

  Pallanteum
• Where are Evander, Pallas and their people from originally?

  Arcadia, Greece
• What causes confusion at the beginning of Book 8?

  Turnus 'raised the flag of war' + 'clashed his sword on his shield'
• Who are the great leaders of Latium mentioned at the start of Book 8?

  • Messapus
  • Ufens
  • Mezentius
• What are Messepus, Ufens and Mezentius doing at the start of Book 8?

  'Stripping the fields of those who tilled them' to recruit them for battle
• Who is sent to Argos and why at the start of Book 8?

  • Venulus
  • To ask Diomede for help against the Trojans
• Why would Diomede help the Latins in Book 8?

  He has fought Aeneas before -> he hates Aeneas + would probably help the Latins kill him
• How is Aeneas feeling at the start of Book 8?

  'Great tides of grief flowed in his heart' + 'his thoughts moved swiftly' -> he is greatly conflicted + panicked but calm
• Which god comes to Aeneas in his sleep in Book 8?

  The River Tiber -> he wears a 'blue-green' cloak of 'fine-spun flax' + 'dark reeds' in his hair
• What does Tiber say to Aeneas in his dream in Book 8?

  • "This is the home that is decreed for you"
  • "All the angry passions of the gods are now spent"
  • "Ascanius will found the city of Alba, white in name and bright in glory"
  • "Offer due prayers to Juno and overcome her angry threats with vows and supplications"
• What value does Aeneas show towards Tiber?

  Pietas
• What was the prophecy that Tiber gave Aeneas in Book 8?

  Aeneas will see a white sow with 30 white piglets beneath ilex trees on a shore

  • This means that in 30 years, Ascanius will found Alba
• How does Evander show pietas in Book 8?

  • Performing 'yearly rites' to honour Hercules
  • Sacrificing to gods in a grove outside of the city
• What foreshadows the Roman political system in Book 8?

  Pallas is with senators -> shows that Rome has strong political roots
• How does Pallas show bravery in Book 8?

  • Tells his companions not to fear the approaching ships + not disturb their 'holy feast'
  • Calls out to ships asking where they are from + where they are going, and if they bring 'peace or war'
• What does Pallas tell Aeneas after the Trojans moore?

  "Come as a guest into our house"
• What virtues does Aeneas show towards Evander when they first meet?

  • Virtus
  • Friendship/allyship
  • Family values
  • Military strength
  • PIETAS
• What does Evander do while Aeneas speaks to him for the first time?

  "Gazing at his face and his eyes and his whole body"

  • Sizing Aeneas up
  • Telling the reader he is impressive to look at
• What does Evander offer Aeneas at the start of Book 8 and why?

  • Xēnia (by extension)
  • They have family connections -> Evander used to know Anchises
• What does Evander give the Trojans to eat?

  The backbone + entrails of a sacrificial ox
• What story does Evander tell the Trojans at the feast?

  The story of Hercules and Cacus
• What is the literary technique used when Evander tells the Trojans Hercules + Cacus' story?

  Ekphrasis
• What is the story of Hercules + Cacus?

  • Cacus, son of Vulcan, killed many men + stole from the people of Italy
  • Cacus steals Hercules' bulls + heifers (dragged them back in reverse to his cave = to not leave hoof prints)
  • Hercules' remaining cows start lowing + one cow in Cacus' cave responds
  • Hercules angrily runs to the cave but he can't get in
  • He eventually unroofs the cave + kills Cacus
• Why do the Latins worship Hercules?

  He saved them from Cacus
• What are the priests of Mars called?

  The Salii
• What was Zeus' reign over the earth called?

  The Golden Age

  • Destroyed by 'madness of war' + 'lust for possessions'
• What did Evander do that parallels Aeneas in Book 8?

  • He was 'driven' from his 'native land'
  • "Fortune, that no man can resist, and Fate, that no man can escape, set me here in this place"
• Who is Carmentis?

  • Evander's mother
  • Fordyce: primative Italian deity -> still worshipped in Virgil's time
  • Goddess of prophecy + childbirth
• What was the Lupercal?

  • Ancient Roman festival
  • Fordyce: young noblemen dressed up in goatskin, striking bystanders with goatskin whips
  • Lupercalia rites
• Where is Evander's home in Virgil's Rome? Why?

  • Roman Forum + Carinae district (VERY expensive part of Rome)
  • Even though his home is 'humble', he has lasting virtuous influence
• What is the parallel between Aeneas + Hercules?

  • Hercules was also hated by Juno
  • Hercules saved the Latins
• Why is Evander made so humble?

  • His home is 'poor' + 'humble'
  • BUT, he builds lots of extravagant temples for the gods
  • He is supposed to parallel Augustus -> little material wealth unless it is for the gods = PIETAS
  • Augustus doesn't want to look wealthy and king-like because of what happened to Caesar
• What does Venus do for Aeneas in Book 8 and why?

  • Seduces her husband, Vulcan, into agreeing to make Aeneas divine armour + shield
  • Parallel with Book 18 of Iliad
• What is the suggested role of women in Book 8?

  • "So she can keep her husband's bed chaste and bring her young sons to manhood"
  • Women = homemakers + mothers -> live to serve husband/children
• What else are the cyclopes forging in the caverns of Vulcan?

  • Jupiter's thunderbolt
  • Attached 3 shafts of lashing rain, heavy rainclouds, glowing fire + south wind to it
  • Athene's armour -> aegis with snakes, golden scales + the Gorgon
  • Mars' wing-wheeled chariot
• What does Vulcan tell the cyclopes?

  To build Aeneas' armour + shield, prioritising it over the gods' weaponry
• What does Evander do before meeting Pallas + Aeneas in Book 8?

  • He is awoken by the sun + birds chirping
  • He puts on his 'tunic' + 'bound Etruscan sandals on the soles of his feet'
  • More humble motifs
• What does Evander tell Aeneas to reinstate his faith in the Trojans?

  • "I shall never accept that Troy and its kingdom are defeated"
  • "Fate was calling you when you came to this place"
• Who was the previous king of Etruria?

  Mezentius
• Why did everyone hate Mezentius?

  • He was cruel
  • He would kill people by tying them to decaying corpses (mouth to mouth) until they too succumbed to disease