book 1

avatar
Created by
Ruby Squires

Cards (25)

  • the reference to Carthage hits a patriotic note
  • Romans were proud of their victory in the Punic wars and the destruction of Carthage
  • Scipio appears in the procession of heroes in book 6
  • anything which is patriotic will highlight common ground, and will help with the unification after the CW
  • the simile likening the calming of the winds by Neptune to a noble Roman calming a mob can bee seen as a reference to Augustus addressing the populations in the civil wars
  • Augustus was sometimes portrayed as Neptune in art
  • N. Africa reference- Egypt and Actium?
  • Venus asks why her son has to suffer, and Jupiter's answer is one of the key passages about Augustus and the empire
  • Virgil manages to fuse the 2 legends about the origins of Rome, those of Aeneas and Romulus, so that they both get a place in the foundation story
  • the Aeneas link is important as, through Iulus, Augustus can trace his origins back to Venus - temple to Venus in Rome is important in his propaganda
  • references to the extent of the empire
  • Augustus is mentioned by name
  • victories in Greece and 'spoils in the East' reflect the riches gained from the victories
  • the Augustan peace is praised in the words 'wars will laid aside' and 'dread gates of war...will be closed'
  • the toga was used to celebrate the Roman character - more folds the better
  • Aeneas is introduced as a pious figure and caring the penates
  • Aeneas is the pious figure repping Augustus' desire to return to trad. religion
  • Augustus is built a new temple to house the Penates
  • the emphasis on building a new city will perhaps recall how Augustus is rebuilding Rome
  • the scene of the fall of Troy may recall the civil wars, and the fact that Augustus has brought peace
  • Dido explains that she is obliged to post guides because of harsh necessity
  • Augustus had to be harsh through necessity
  • here and elsewhere there are descriptions of purple and gold and rich fabrics
  • these are the riches of the east - been flooding into Rome and making Romans too materialistic
  • Carthage will be destroyed