Virgil's Aeneid: Lines 402-429 Notes

Question 1

What ways can Venus be recognised?

Answer 1

‘rosea cervice’, ‘odorem’, ‘vestis defluxit’ and ‘incessu’

Question 2

What is ambrosia?

Answer 2

Perfume/ food of the gods

Question 3

How are gods often recognised?

Answer 3

By their fragrance, especially when trying to disguise themselves

Question 4

Where is there a hiatus?

Answer 4

‘Dea. Ille’ unusual break

Question 5

What is the effect of the hiatus?

Answer 5

Indicates Aeneas’ astonishment

Question 6

What else emphasises Aeneas’ astonishment?

Answer 6

Emphatic positioning of ‘matrem’

Question 7

What can we infer from ‘totiens’?

Answer 7

Aeneas is clearly used to this sort of treatment by his mother

Question 8

What can we say about the handshake Aeneas wants?

Answer 8

Handshakes were of greater significance than in today’s society. Offering a right hand showed warmth and high esteem

Question 9

The aspect of distancing is…

Answer 9

Unhomeric

Question 10

Which part of this story is a homeric imitation?

Answer 10

In Odyssey book 7, Odysseus is surrounded in a mist by Athena when he sets off for the city

Question 11

What does the mist allow?

Answer 11

Aeneas to be protected and for him to gain advantage and survey the city in peace

Question 12

What is tmesis?

Answer 12

Describing a verb which is separated from its prefix

Question 13

Where is tmesis present?

Answer 13

‘Circum… fudit’

Question 14

Tmesis is…

Answer 14

Homeric

Question 15

What does Sabean refer to?

Answer 15

Incense coming from Sheba (south west Arabia)

Question 16

What places does Aeneas see being constructed in Carthage? What is the pattern?

Answer 16

Holy senate; law making establishments; homes; defensive structures; harbour and theatre. These are the requirements for a ‘civilised’ nation

Question 17

Why does Virgil only mention the essentials when describing Carthage being built?

Answer 17

Romans were the great engineers not Carthaginians

Question 18

Why is there a series of infinitives?

Answer 18

Dependent on the idea desire is inherent on ‘instant’

Question 19

What is the epithet given of the Roman senate?

Answer 19

Sanctum

Question 20

What is the effect of the anaphora of ‘hic’?

Answer 20

Continue sense of buzzing work going on everywhere

Question 21

Why is the description of Carthage anachronistic?

Answer 21

Derived from Virgil’s mind of a city and therefore the Roman style at the time

Question 22

What evidence is there that Virgil made an anachronistic description of Carthage?

Answer 22

The theatres had a tall, pillared stage backdrop like Roman ones

Question 23

Where is synecdoche present?

Answer 23

‘Ad moenia’ to mean ‘to the city’

Question 24

When Aeneas says ‘you too are cruel’ who was already cruel?

Answer 24

Fate and the world- other gods

Question 25

Why does Virgil use 4 different words for ‘or’?

Answer 25

Adds diversity to what Venus is doing - trying to justify why she is doing this- interfering

Question 26

Where is the second piece of synecdoche?

Answer 26

‘Sedesque’ for ‘home’

Question 27

What is Paphos?

Answer 27

The traditional home of Venus in Cyprus

Question 28

What is suggested from Venus walking off?

Answer 28

She doesn’t understand Aeneas is annoyed with her. More interested in offerings than her son’s pleas. Makes Aeneas’ success more admirable as immortal do not help- Augustus is capable of looking after himself

Question 29

What is significant about ‘ascendebat’?

Answer 29

Unusual verb positioning

Question 30

Where else is there anaphora?

Answer 30

‘Miratur’

Question 31

There is alliteration of what sounds on lines 421-2?

Answer 31

‘St’ and ‘m’

Question 32

Where is the polysyndeton on line 422?

Answer 32

‘Strepitumque et’

Question 33

How does Virgil portray the city of Carthage?

Answer 33

Strong from the start - build the citadel early

Question 34

Where is a third piece of synecdoche?

Answer 34

‘Tecto’ for ‘house’

Question 35

Overall, there is anaphora of what?

Answer 35

‘Hic’, ‘alii’ and ‘pars’

Question 36

What is trade a sign of?

Answer 36

Wealth

Question 37

What is the double meaning of ‘future stage’?

Answer 37

A theatre or for the world to see