Book 9 Summary

Question 1

define aristeia

Answer 1

the heroic exploits of individual combatants for personal glory

Question 2

What event prompts Turnus to attack the Trojan camp?

Answer 2

• Juno sends her messenger, Iris, to inform Turnus that Aeneas is away,
• leaving the Trojans vulnerable to attack

Question 3

What heroic deed do Nisus and Euryalus undertake, and what is its significance?

Answer 3

• Nisus and Euryalus volunteer to sneak out and report on the Latin army’s movements
• —an early example of Homeric aristeia—though both eventually are killed

Question 4

How does Turnus initially attempt to exploit Aeneas’s absence?

Answer 4

• With Aeneas away, Turnus leads his army to attack the Trojan camp,
• trying to infiltrate it and set fire to the defenseless ships anchored on the shore

Question 5

What divine intervention saves the Trojan fleet from destruction?

Answer 5

• Sybils ancient blessing renders the ships immortal;
• as they burn, they submerge and reemerge as sea nymphs, thwarting Turnus’s plan

Question 6

How do the Trojans attempt to gather intelligence on the Latin forces?

Answer 6

• Nisus and Euryalus sneak out under cover of night to scout the Latin camp,
• killing several Latin captains before being ambushed

Question 7

What happens during the reconnaissance mission of Nisus and Euryalus?

Answer 7

• While the duo manages to kill several enemy leaders and seize a prized helmet,
• Euryalus is eventually captured and, despite Nisus’s attempt to save him, both are killed

Question 8

How do the Latins display their victory over the Trojan scouts?

Answer 8

• The Latins put the heads of Nisus and Euryalus on stakes and parade them before the Trojan fortress,
• aiming to demoralize the Trojans

Question 9

Describe one key moment in the ensuing battle between the Latins and Trojans

Answer 9

• The Latins attack by crossing the trenches and targeting a weak spot in the Trojan fortress walls;
• Turnus even sets fire to a high tower near the main gate, killing many Trojans inside

Question 10

What role does Ascanius play during the Latin assault?

Answer 10

Ascanius renews the Trojans’ hope by firing an arrow that kills Remulus, one of the Latin captains, sparking a brief surge in Trojan confidence

Question 11

How does Turnus ultimately escape after his attack on the Trojan camp?

Answer 11

• Although he nearly overwhelms the Trojan defenders inside the camp,
• Turnus is outnumbered and narrowly escapes by plunging into the Tiber and floating back to his troops