Aeneas as a Hero and Leader Essay Example

both of these virtues, and must deal with both the rewards and costs of them.

Aeneas is portrayed lesser a hero just to show that he is human, or so I believe, and humans make mistakes. Throughout the poem, Aeneas receives lots of decisions from both of his parents.Then I ask, should the hero not make his own way? In classical literature, there are two kinds of heroes: the hero-hero, and the tragic hero. In the Aeneid, Turnus is the hero-hero, and Aeneas is the tragic hero. The tone of the Aeneid is heroic, not tragic.

The opening lines-I sing of arms and the man-set the reader up for a tale of great deeds done well lets you assume that the Aeneas well do great deeds along his travels to Italy. In Book II, Aeneas attempts to demonstrate the appropriate (pietas). Devotion to one’s family, country, and mission for his father, and again for his son.When Anchises refuses to vacate his house, nobly choosing instead to commit suicide, Aeneas breaks down in tears and cries out that he could never leave his father. Aeneas is unwilling to abandon him, knowing that Greek warriors could break into the house at any moment and slaughter the man who gave him life.

His deep respect for Anchises is best demonstrated by his physically carrying him through Troy’s streets to the rendezvous point. It seems odd to me though, why wouldn't he care about his wife at all when they are fleeing the city?One would assume the hero of the story would be particularly interested in the woman who was his wife and mother of his only child. When

the Greeks raze the city of Troy, Aeneas escorts his father, Achises and his son, Ascanius, as well as other citizens of Troy to find another foothold for settling. During the journey to Italy, Aeneas shows his ability of leadership and decisiveness. They sail around for seven years after they set off from Troy.

On multiple occasions Aeneas is told where he needs to go, however he seems to ignore all the pointers he gets from everyone. Once Aeneas lands ashore in Carthage.He goes exploring with his faithful Achates, and meets his mother disguised as a young huntress nearby. She tells him the story of the founding of the nearby town, Carthage, by Dido, leader of Tyrians escaping the rule of Dido's brother.

As the two men go on into the town, Venus hides them in a mist. Poor Aeneas, as always needs someone to hold his hand and help him along the way. When Aeneas sees on one of the new buildings pictures of the Trojan War, he takes comfort in seeing that the history of the fall of Troy is known here, and so they care about such human suffering.As he is lost in gazing at these empty images of the past, Dido comes toward him in all her beauty, followed by her servents encouraging the work of building. The captains of the ships Aeneas had thought lost come to make peace with Dido. She immediately grants them the hospitality of the city and even invites them to become equal citizens, wishing that Aeneas himself were there.

Then out of the blue, Venus dissolves the mist that has hidden Aeneas and his companion

and Aeneas appears. His beauty increased by his mother's power.He thanks Dido with deep feeling for her readiness to welcome them. She is awed by the presence of Aeneas whom she has heard so much, and tells him that her own suffering makes her feel for his. She invites him to a banquet, and he accepts, sending Achates to bring his young son Ascanius and gifts for Dido to the feast.

Venus again interferes here to help Aeneas out again. She sends cupid to go instead to fetch the gifts to charm Dido to fall in love with Aeneas because he himself is incapabl of charming with such lousy tales of his adventure.So far at the end of book three, I do not believe Aeneas is a true hero-hero, but then again Virgil may have something in store that may change the outlook of Aeneas. One way of seeing the whole poem is that it is the story of a man becoming a true hero from all his mistakes and ordeals he goes though on his travels. For Aeneas the will of the Gods and the destined fate dominate all of his thoughts. He can sacrifice his romantic love, his happiness, and even his volition of doing things.