Contrast with Iliad:
- characters in Iliad have more development in the story, a narrative character sketch, here we know them more by their actions than their descriptions.
Where did Aeneas go to get help?
- Pallanteum, nearby, later Rome, Evander helps, a former Arcadian (Greek)
Contrast Turnus and Aeneas as Heroes
- Turnus was a Roman, wanted to marry Laviniam (no fault in that),
- Aeneas is more noble a hero because he’s unselfish, puts the needs of the kingdom over his personal needs.
Role of the gods
- Jupiter steps out of the picture in X.464, he defers to the Fates
- How powerful is he? Not as powerful as the Fates, which are never overturned
Truth in Aeneid
- widely held and endured, so some portions must be true
- did the Trojans really found Rome? not sure