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[me]

Ok I think Aeneas deserves a little more respect. First of all, he survives the destruction of his city and country, and when he is escaping, Creusa follows at a distance. When he turns to look for her, she is gone, and he "called for Cruesa, my shouting filled the streets..." He is is visited by her ghost. When the ghost disappears... he says "When she was done with words- I weeping and wanting to say so many things..." SO he does not forget Cruesa!!<br><br>second, he's controlled by fate. pretty much, he say no say in the fact that he's supposed to found Rome. <br><br>and he does feel affection and remorse for Dido. He would have stayed and married her except that the gods wouldn't allow it; he had to go found Rome. when she curses him because she's so mad, he is overcome by sadness. "But though he longs to soften, soothe her sorrow and turn aside her troubles with sweet words, though groaning long and shaken in his mind because of his great love, nevertheless pious Aeneas carries out the gods' instructions." <br><br>He didn't even know that she had killed herself either.<br><br>Aeneas also endured Juno's threats and obstacles to his journey. He also fought and won a war to marry Lavinia. so that proves he was capable of love, loyalty, and respect. not selfishness!<br><br>give him a little more respect.

[Jen]

Why do you think it is unheroic of Aeneas to wish for death at Troy? Read the Iliad, that should straighten things up for you. THE way to get recognition in classic literature is to die during battle. Aeneas would have died in the Iliad had his mother, Venus, not removed him. He wants to have died in Troy in Book I because it looks like he is going to die at sea instead, without his companions, in a very dishonorable way. He is afraid he will become a nobody, his story lost to antiquity, instead of the founder of Rome he is supposed to become.<br>You think he does not feel love because he forgets Creusa. There is something called mos maioram, basically the value of one's ancestors, that is a classic Roman ideal. It involves being pious, grounded, and recognizing that you are part of a family chain. In the scene where he flees Troy, remember that his father is around his neck and he is holding onto his son's hand. They are a literal family chain. There is no reason for Creusa to be there; the chain is complete, the mos maioram is in place. Besides, when Virgil was commissioned to write this, he had to work Creusa's death into the story because it was known that Aeneas married Lavinia and already had one son from another wife. He had to let her die somehow, it may as well have been like this.<br>You are expecting Aeneas to be a hero like Odysseus or Achilles, Greek heroes. Remember that Virgil was a Roman, and was commissioned to write the national epic of Rome. The hero had to be the epitome of Roman virtues. Everything that you do not like about Aeneas makes him the ideal Roman. Many people have these problems when reading The Aeneid, but remember, as with anything you read, the author is at least as smart as you are. If there is something that catches your attention, like Aeneas wishing for death, that should send up a flag in your head that something important is happening, and there is something important to be learned.

[Unregistered]

Please- your idea of a "godly" figure comes from an entire mind set- christian, the Roman gods were not meant to be kindly, all knowing figures, they were meant to be personifications of human atributes. as for aeneas, it may have skipped your mind that at this time he was running from a city controlled by his enemy and was carrying his father on his back and holding the hand of his son- though you do make a point, virgil does stress the male bond far more than "love", romantic love at least which he thought of as destructive (just look at dido),and his suicidal thought during book one has to be seen in context with what he's gone through.

[kim]

What is to like about Aeneas? Positive aspects seem to be his acceptance of the call of duty and determination - but does that not equally show selfishness? Who wouldn't want to be the ancient founder of Rome, the holy city!<br>In Book 1 he wishes he'd died in Troy! Hmmm that's heroic!<br>In Book 2 he forgets about his family until Venus reminds him. He wants to kill Helen to win praise. He forgets Creusa, as he doesn't even look round to check she's still there!<br>He doesn't seem to fell any affection or remorse for Dido, who killed herself in the name of love...<br>Mind u, it's not like all the mythical Gods are mora Godly figures either!