Virgil's Aeneid: Lines 372-401 Notes

Question 1

Does Aeneas accept Venus’ protestations or still refer to her as a goddess?

Answer 1

He still refers to her as a goddess

Question 2

What justifies what Aeneas says about the length of his story?

Answer 2

It takes books 2 and 3 for Aeneas to recount his story to Dido

Question 3

What sort of term is ‘annalis’?

Answer 3

Anachronistic

Question 4

What does ‘annalis’ technically mean?

Answer 4

Annals/ yearly register of events

Question 5

What does the anachronistic term of ‘annalis’ suggest?

Answer 5

A slight weariness on Aeneas’ part

Question 6

Why is Aeneas expressing an ethereal tone to describe the night as closing the sky and day opening the sky?

Answer 6

He is talking to a god

Question 7

What was Olympus?

Answer 7

The heavens

Question 8

What was Vesper?

Answer 8

Goddess of the evening and the evening star

Question 9

Why is ‘componet’ in the indicative rather than the subjunctive here?

Answer 9

To convey greater certainty

Question 10

Why does Aeneas refer to Italy as his origin?

Answer 10

A Trojan ancestor was Dardanus (as explained by Venus in book 3) and he was from Italy and a son of Juppiter so Aeneas is returning the Trojans to their homeland

Question 11

Why is the Trojan heritage important?

Answer 11

For Aeneas in forming various alliances with Italian leaders

Question 12

Where was Phrygia?

Answer 12

The the centre and west of Asia Minor - a Trojan region

Question 13

Why does Venus cut Aeneas off?

Answer 13

Aeneas suggests Venus gave him instructions and is consequently to blame for what goes wrong which saddens Venus so she can’t stand it any longer

Question 14

Does Venus listen to Aeneas’ identification of himself?

Answer 14

No

Question 15

Which word in line 387 is emphatic?

Answer 15

‘Haud’ goes with ‘invisus’ not ‘credo’

Question 16

What does ‘qui’ mean on line 388?

Answer 16

Since

Question 17

What is the emphatic imperative on line 389?

Answer 17

‘Perge’ - this is not a suggestion and is duplicated on line 401

Question 18

What type of statement is ‘reduces … relatam’?

Answer 18

Indirect statement

Question 19

What is elided in the indirect statement? What is the effect?

Answer 19

‘Est’ hampers it’s identification as an indirect statement

Question 20

What is augury?

Answer 20

A Roman technique of deciphering bird movements as a prophesy

Question 21

What is Venus’ bird symbol?

Answer 21

Swan

Question 22

What is Juppiter’s bird symbol?

Answer 22

Eagle

Question 23

What do the twelve birds relate to?

Answer 23

The number of lost ships

Question 24

What does ‘ut’ introduce?

Answer 24

A comparison

Question 25

What does the scattered and then ordered arrangement of birds relate to?

Answer 25

Aeneas’ ships after the storm

Question 26

What is significant about the ‘o’ at the beginning of Aeneas’ speech?

Answer 26

Adds weight and is prayer-like and dramatic

Question 27

What does Aeneas joke about?

Answer 27

It will be night by the time he finishes his story

Question 28

What is significant about the style of his speech?

Answer 28

It is disjointed- still not sure if she is a goddess

Question 29

What does ‘a storm drove us’ suggest?

Answer 29

Outside forces

Question 30

What does it suggest with ‘patriam’?

Answer 30

He seeks ownership before he arrives

Question 31

What does it mean by ‘a people born of Juppiter on high?

Answer 31

Direct descendants of Juppiter through Venus therefore Augustus is too

Question 32

Virgil rarely quantifies but what does he quantify here?

Answer 32

Twenty ships and twelve swans

Question 33

What is significant about the positioning of the word ‘dolore’?

Answer 33

It is in the middle of the phrase to represent how she has interrupted him in the middle of his speech

Question 34

Where is the irony in this speech?

Answer 34

He has just introduced himself but she already knows who he is

Question 35

Why does Venus mention her parents and other reasons why Aeneas is not hated by the Gods?

Answer 35

She does not want to appear too omniscient which would give away her disguise too much

Question 36

Why does Venus give him good news?

Answer 36

To encourage him to continue his journey

Question 37

Where is litotes present?

Answer 37

The double negative of ‘don’t’ and ‘hate’

Question 38

What are the swans a metaphor for?

Answer 38

The storm Aeneas was in when the ships scattered

Question 39

Where is there anaphora?

Answer 39

‘Aut … aut’

Question 40

What is the effect of the anaphora?

Answer 40

Brings symmetry

Question 41

What else creates symmetry?

Answer 41

The phrase ‘only carry on’ is repeated at the end