Lines 289-301 Flashcards
Spoils of the East/ Gates of War
Most likely refer to Octavian’s conquering of the east, starting with Egypt and the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and the closing of the gates of war in Rome, which was performed by Augustus.
Suggests our Caesar is in fact almost certainly Augustus.
‘Aspera tum positis mitescent saecula bellis’
Then with wars abandoned, the harsh ages will grow mild
Golden line.
Emphatic.
Climax of Jupiter’s speech.
Quirinus, Remus, Truth and Vesta
Four gods chosen to represent the golden age of Rome – Quirinus is another name for Romulus, his brother Remus, Trust and Vesta (goddess of hearth and family).
‘dirae ferro et compagibus artis
claudentur Belli portae; Furor impius intus,
saeva sedens super arma, et centum vinctus aenis
post tergum nodis, fremet horridus ore cruento.’
The gates of War, grim with iron, and narrowed by bars, will be closed: inside impious Rage will roar frightening from blood-stained mouth, seated upon savage weapons,
hands tied behind his back, with a hundred knots of bronze.
Field of destructive and abhorrent words used in this section.
This demonstrates how damaging the Romans viewed war to be.
The Gates of War
The Gates of War referred to here did exist in Virgil’s day.
They formed the entrance to the Temple of Janus in Rome.
There was a myth at the time that throughout Rome’s history these doors were only allowed to be closed during times of peace.
Augustus closed them in 29BC, apparently for only the third time in Rome’s history.
Supposedly they were not opened for another 250 years – peace was Augustus’ enduring legacy.
‘dirae’
grim
Hypallage
fits better with war
Hypallage
Transferred epithet; grammatical agreement of a word with another which it doesn’t logically qualify.
Hendiadys
The expression of a single idea by two words connected with ‘and’.
‘dirae ferro et compagibus artis’
grim with iron,
and narrowed by bars
Hendiadys
Mean the same thing
