Virgil's Aeneid: Lines 1-11 Notes

Question 1

How does Virgil show that Rome was not founded by chance?

Answer 1

‘Fato’ goes more appropriately with ‘venit’ instead of ‘profugus’ to show it was Aeneas’ fate to found Rome, not to be an exile. He was chosen to leave Troy and go to Italy

Question 2

Which word is pleonastic in line 3?

Answer 2

‘Ille’

Question 3

What does the pleonasm in line 3 show?

Answer 3

Draws attention to the person spoken of. The delay in knowing their name builds tension

Question 4

What sort of device is pleonasm?

Answer 4

Rhetorical device

Question 5

Who actually are the ‘deos’ of Troy?

Answer 5

The household Gods which the royal family of each city was in charge of protecting

Question 6

Why was Aeneas chosen to make the journey from Troy?

Answer 6

He was the second cousin of Priam - king of Troy so the best hope for the future of Troy. The household Gods needed a new home and so did the people of Troy

Question 7

How do we know that all this is true about Aeneas?

Answer 7

We don’t. These are all theories. Virgil decided to write about Aeneas

Question 8

Why is ‘unde’ a deliberately vague word?

Answer 8

So it can refer to Aeneas and all his followers

Question 9

What do we have to insert into a Latin translation because they miss it out?

Answer 9

‘From whom the latin people came’

Question 10

Why does Virgil not include certain, unnesscary words?

Answer 10

To fit with the meter of the line

Question 11

What is the meter of the lines in the Aeneid?

Answer 11

6 feet per line, maximum 17 syllables a line

Question 12

Where is ‘Romae’ placed? Why?

Answer 12

At the end of the line and sentence. That is emphatic as that is what the audience will remember (beginning and end)

Question 13

Where is there a contrast in these lines?

Answer 13

Between the lexical field to describe Juno’s malevolence and the lexical field describing Aeneas’ suffering to make his journey more admirable

Question 14

Give some words in the lexical field of Juno’s malevolence

Answer 14

Dolens, irae, memorem, laeso

Question 15

Give some words in the lexical field of Aeneas’ suffering

Answer 15

Impulerit, volvere casus, labores

Question 16

Why did Virgil choose the word ‘volvere’ to show Aeneas’ suffering?

Answer 16

To imply a cycle of disasters as ‘volvere’ means ‘to turn’

Question 17

What is the Roman concept of piety?

Answer 17

Dutiful conduct to those who have a natural claim upon us

Question 18

What is the order in who we should be pious to?

Answer 18

Gods first, then country, then family

Question 19

What does Aeneas represent? Who does Aeneas have strong associations with? So who are we supposed to think of when we see him?

Answer 19

An ideal Roman. Augustus. Augustus

Question 20

What did Augustus try and instill into Roman culture?

Answer 20

Romans were taught to be selfless

Question 21

What is the reason for infinitives like ‘adire’ in poetry?

Answer 21

Suggests a completed action in fewer syllables than normally required in prose

Question 22

‘Profugus’ means ‘fugitive’ so what is it derived from?

Answer 22

‘Fugio’ meaning ‘to flee’

Question 23

Who was Lavinia?

Answer 23

Aeneas’ new wife. The daughter of the king Aeneas conquered trying to take over his city to build a new one

Question 24

Give two examples of poetic language here

Answer 24

‘Alto’ - ‘the deep’ but actually represents the sea; ‘superum’ - ‘the great ones’ but actually represents the Gods

Question 25

How do we know by the latin that Aeneas was going towards Italy?

Answer 25

‘Italiam’ is the accusative so means ‘going towards’

Question 26

Who is the anagonist in this extract?

Answer 26

Juno

Question 27

What is Virgil trying to make us think about the different characters?

Answer 27

Juno is unkind and we are supposed to dislike her from the start while Aeneas should be liked

Question 28

What does Alba Longa have to do with Aeneas?

Answer 28

Aeneas had a son called Ascanius who made his own city called Alba Longa

Question 29

Instead of ‘high walls of Rome’, it is ‘walls of high Rome’. What does this say about Rome?

Answer 29

It is high and renowned

Question 30

What sort of word is ‘memora’?

Answer 30

Imperative

Question 31

What is an enclitic word? Give two examples in the text

Answer 31

A word that is attached to another. ‘Quidve’ and ‘tantaene’

Question 32

What is the effect of the enjambment of ‘impulerit’?

Answer 32

Abnormal structure draws attention to the word to highlight Aeneas’ suffering