Monday, May 7, 2007

Vergil Journal 11: Fitzgerald...Books VIII and IX

Book 8:

1) What is Tiberinus' message to a sleeping Aeneas?

2) How does Evander greet Aeneas, what are his reasons, and why is this surprising?

3) Why all the Hercules talk?

4) Notice how important the Tiber and farming are in the descriptions.

5) How does Venus get involved?

6) Pay special attention to Evander's goodbye to Pallas starting on 760.

7) Itemize the incidents portrayed on the shield, starting on 860...you need no other histories of Rome. What is Aeneas' reaction to all this?

Book 9:

1) Juno meddles, what does she urge Turnus to do? Why now?

2) Nisus and Euryalus get involved again, what do they propose?

3) Check out Ascanius' speech 360ff., what's he proposing? Is he a "man" yet?

4) Describe the two men's mission, are they successful? What leads to their demise? Remember the race. Describe 660's ghastly sight.

5) Turnus enjoys some successdescrie the tone of any of his 'rousing' speeches.

6) What act rings Ascanius closer to manhood?

7) See 1031: "Achilles has been found again, and here" who said it & what's the point?

8) How does Turnus escape at the very end of this book?

6 comments:

Michelle said...

Vergil Journal
Book 8

Tiberinus tells Aeneas that this place is his fixed home. He says that now is not the time to let go or succumb to fear or threats of war, and that the gods’ anger has passed. Tiberiunus foretells of a white sow with 30 babies under a tree, saying that this spot will be where Ascanius will found Alba. He then tells Aeneas to rise and pray to Juno to melt her anger.

When Evander greets Aeneas, he tells him how much Aeneas reminds him of Anchises. Evander tells him how much he admired his father. Because of this, he says that he will join Aeneas’ side in war and send him back with troops and fresh supplies. He then invites him to dinner where Aeneas sits in the place of honor.

After the feast with Evander, honor is paid to Hercules because he killed the monster Cacus where Arcadia is now located.

Venus begs Vulcan, her husband, for arms to help Aeneas. She knows that there is going to be a great war, and she is concerned for Aeneas… “Look now, and see what masses throng together, see what cities lock their gates and whet the sword against me, to cut down my own!”

Upon seeing the shield that his father had given to him as a gift, Aeneas is struck by awe. “Knowing nothing of the events themselves, he felt joy in their pictures, taking up upon his shoulder all the destined acts and fame of his descendants.”

Mpasini said...

This is a Karen, Julia, and Mia combined effort. (and FYI we sincerely apologize for the delay...APUSH took over our lives last week!)

Book 8:

1) What is Tiberinus' message to a sleeping Aeneas?
Tiberinus tells Aeneas:
- He has finally reached his final destination (the Latin countryside, more specifically)
- The gods aren’t angry anymore…don’t worry about them.
- Under a tree on the shore lies a large white sow aka pig w/ thirty little piglets. After 30 years Ascanius will found Alba Longa (aka the White City)
- Form an alliance with the Arcadians and King Evander (despite the fact that Latins are always at war with them)
- Pray to Juno (?!?!?!) to make her less angry.

2) How does Evander greet Aeneas, what are his reasons, and why is this surprising?
Evander happily welcomes Aeneas, and talks about how much Aeneas reminds him of Anchises (in speech and in looks). Evander had actually met Achinses and Priam as a young man (and greatly admired them both)…he talks about his experience leading Achinses into Pheneus town, and how in the end, Achinses gave him some gifts that Pallas now has. In the end, Evander promises to unite with Aeneas against Turnus, and to even send him troops and fresh supplies!

3) Why all the Hercules talk?
Basically, this feast and worship sesh are performed annually as an offering of thanks to Hercules for killing Cacus (a fire-breathing giant who lived in a cave and who was a lot of trouble to Evander’s people…stealing their cattle and such).

4) Notice how important the Tiber and farming are in the descriptions.
Sounds like these people’s cattle/oxen meant a lot to them, and Cacus certainly enjoyed eating them! Something really weird happens with the river: Hercules kinda lifts it up and then the river splits apart, exposing Cacus’ cave…pretty awesome scene!

5) How does Venus get involved?
Frightened momma Venus goes to her husband, Vulcan (the blacksmith of the gods), and begs him to make weapons for Aeneas’ troops…he is really sweet and makes this little speech about of course he’ll make the weapons, especially on account that this matter has been causing Venus so much pain.

6) Pay special attention to Evander's goodbye to Pallas starting on 760.
Well, its already set up to be an emotional scene, as Evander sends his son out to war…he prays to the gods on site to help Pallas survive the war (saying that he’ll “pray for life” if he does survive)…then Evander collapses (poor guy…tough day).

7) Itemize the incidents portrayed on the shield, starting on 860...you need no other histories of Rome. What is Aeneas' reaction to all this?
- Well, if we were to start slightly above 860, we would see Vulcan making the she-wolf, who gave birth to Romulus and Remus…etc.
- War b/t Romulus and Old Tatius of Cures
- Romulus’ defeat of the Gauls
- Augustus Caesar’s victory over Antony and Cleopatra at the battle of Actium.
All these images were “wonders” to Aeneas (but its not like he hadn’t heard of them before…Achinses told him most of this stuff in the underworld!). But anyways, he is happy to be a part of a legacy that will be passed on to his “famed” descendants.

Book 9:

1) Juno meddles, what does she urge Turnus to do? Why now?
She sends Iris to urge Turnus to rally his men to fight Aeneas and his allies now, because he will catch them by surprise, before they are ready.

2) Nisus and Euryalus get involved again, what do they propose?
Nisus and Euryalus guard a gate at the Trojan encampment as Turnus’ army approaches. Nisus proposes that he go and surprise the enemy, while they sleep, to break through their camp so he can go take messages to Aeneas, as well as plunder and slaughter, since he loves glory and cannot bear sitting and doing nothing, and he can see a way to Fort Pallanteum. He discourages Euryalus from coming, but Euryalus will not hear of it.

3) Check out Ascanius' speech 360ff., what's he proposing? Is he a "man" yet?
Ascanius depends very much on Aeneas being brought back safely, and he asks Nisus and Euryalus to rescue him. He propopses a gift of two silver cups, two gold bars, a winebowl from Dido, everything Turnus is now wearing in battle if Turnus is killed/captured, twelve beautiful women, and twelve captured men, plus lands. Ascanius also promises he will be Euryalus’ friend forever and will look to him with admiration and trust. This shows that Ascanius is still a dependent person, especially on his father, Aeneas, and is not a “man” yet.

4) Describe the two men's mission, are they successful? What leads to their demise? Remember the race. Describe 660's ghastly sight.
Nisus and Euryalus take the camp by surprise, and kill a good amount of the sleeping guards, as they get carried away by blood lust. They take booty from teh camp and dress in their enemy's gear, but Turnus and his men spot them for Trojans because of Euryalus' helmet. The Trojan men flee into the woods, but Turnus' men surround the forest. Nisus escapes, but Euryalus, weighted by the booty, is captured. Nisus kills some captors, so they kill Euryalus. Mad with rage and grief, Nisus blindly runs at the Rutulians and kills Volcens, Euryalus' killer. However, right after, Nisus is killed himself.

5) Turnus enjoys some success..describe the tone of any of his 'rousing' speeches.
One of Turnus' short speeches takes place from lines 1030 to 1040. It is used primarily to scare the Trojans, but also must have helped his men want to fight harder, and must have made them feel sure of themselves. Turnus essentially states that he is not scared by Pandarus' attempts to frighten and threaten him. Turnus brags that he is as fearsome as Achilles, and that there is no escape from death while he is fighting.

6) What act rings Ascanius closer to manhood?
Ascanius kills Turnus' brother in law, Numanus, also called Remulus, during the war. This is his first attempt at shooting an arrow at anyone in battle, and he is successful because he prayed to Jove. Afterwards, he gets cocky and brags about it.

7) See 1031: "Achilles has been found again, and here" who said it & what's the point?
Turnus says this because he knows of Achilles' fame and success in the battle of the Trojan war agaist Troy, and so he is trying to scare his enemy with this lofty claim of cool, conceited words as well as his calm smile.

8) How does Turnus escape at the very end of this book?
Turnus escapes by jumping in the river Tiber, and then he swims down the river, back to his comrades.

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