The Aeneid varies from Homer’s epics in ways that reflect the different cultures oftheir respective authors. Literary scholars still do not know for sure that Homer existed. There may or may not have been an individual author who put the Iliad and the Odyssey into the versions in which they have been handed down. In any case, storytellers told and retold the Greek epics over a long period before they were written down. Many features of their style, such as the frequent repetition of phrases and images, reflect memorization methods used by oral storytellers. Virgil, by contrast, was an educated man writing a poem for readers, not listeners. He studied the traditional legends of Greece and Italy, determined his plot, and polished his language.
Virgil first wrote the entire Aeneid in prose, using normal sentence structure and format, and then turned it into verse a few lines at a time. As he lay dying, Virgil requested that the manuscript of his still-unfinished work be destroyed. Nevertheless, the emperor Augustus preserved the work and had it published soon after Virgil’s death in 19 bce. Augustus’ decision was no doubt based on the unstable situation in late Republican Rome (91-30 bce) and the need for a unifying myth that all Romans could rally behind. Rome had gone through a chaotic period during Virgil’s life, including a series of civil wars, the assassination of Julius Caesar, and the fall of the Republic. Augustus, Julius Caesar’s adopted great-nephew and successor, had to battle powerful rivals, including General Marc Anthony, for complete control of the newly created Roman Empire. After he solidified his power, he declared it his goal to purify Rome and restore its morality. The Aeneid helped proudly define Rome and unify the many groups within the empire who had squabbled for so long.
World History
