The Story of Troy

& The Sources of the Aeneid

Background Informationp. 18-26

#12) Theme and Purpose

• Theme: arma virumque cano• Glorification of Rome *

• Purpose: show the history was part of a divine plan• Founding of Rome - Empire

“No other literary work, with the exception of the Bible, has perhaps had such an influence

on so many generations of writers and thinkers.”

#13) Troy

• Location: Asia Minor• Today: Turkey

• Founder: King Ilus

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#14) Laomedon as King

• Goal: Build defense walls• Help of Apollo and Poseidon

• Error: Refused to pay promised reward to the gods

• Sea Monster to whom his daughter must be sacrificed

#15) Hesione and Hercules

• Rescue: Hercules destroyed the monster

• Hercules killed Laomedon and all of his sons except Priam and destroyed Troy

• Third King: PRIAM

#16) Priam’s family

• Daughters: Creusa, Cassandra, Polyxena

• Sons: Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Polites, Troilus, Paris

#17) Aeneas and Troy

• Creusa + Aeneas• Creusa is DAUGHTER of Priam• Son - in - law

• Venus and Anchises• Homeric Hymn

#18) Discovering Troy

• 1st excavator: Dr. Henry Schlieman• 19th Century

• 1937: Carl Blegen• Professor at UC

#20) Causes of Trojan War

• Start: Romance • Paris and Helen• Greeks v. Trojans

• End: Trick • Horse• Greeks defeat the Trojans

#21) Aeneas

• Aeneas represents an ANCESTOR OF AUGUSTUS and a model of PIETAS• Idealized leader• Ruler• Father (people, family)

Sources of the Aeneid

p. 23-26

#22) Homer

• Iliad:• Content:

• Odyssey:• Content:

#23 & #24 & #25) Sources

• Vergil used other Greek sources than Homer:• Agronautica• Naerius• Ennius

• Dido and Aeneas = Jason and Medea

• Some Roman sources used:• Naerius • Ennius

#26 & #27) Similarities and

DifferencesCOMMON WITH VERGIL

AND HOMER• Long speeches• Muse invocation• Flashback• Verse• 12 books• Divine intervention

• Extended similies

DIFFERENT BETWEEN VERGIL

AND HOMER• Prophecy• Concept of a hero

• Roman spirit