War and Peace

Question 1

Virgil’s experience

Answer 1

had seen Italy torn apart by civil war and this is reflected through images of peaceful world of trees and rivers being destroyed by storms and raging torrents

Question 2

quote about nature and war

Answer 2

“the trees shivered at the noise, and the whole forest rang to its very depth”

a simile in bk 2 about felling of an ash tree is used to evoke destruction of Troy

Question 3

Rivers and war

Answer 3

rivers in spate represent the fury of war against which man is powerless

Question 4

Winds/storms and war

Answer 4

used to suggest destruction of peace

Bk 1 - winds brawling, howling, chained and bridled and full of angry passions conveys well their destructive force

Question 5

Greek tragedy

Answer 5

Passions conveyed through images of Greek tragedy

Dido rushes through streets like a Bacchant when she has been hit by Cupid’s arrow, and when Aeneas is leaving, she rages like Pentheus or Orestes pursued by Furies

Both Helen and Amata are described as pretending to be Bacchants, and Rumour runs raving like a Bacchant with the news of Dido’s death