Nisus and Euryalus - Book Report/Review Example

Nisus and Euryalus in APA style Nisus and Euryalus The tale of Nisus and Euryalus is a tragic episode that is narrated in book IX of Virgil's Aeneid. It is about two friends who attempt to carry a message for help in the dead of the night across enemy lines, on behalf of their besieged comrades. They come heartbreakingly close to achieving their ideal and amassing untold treasures, but by a cruel stroke of fate they end up failing miserably in their mission and losing their lives in the process. And yet this poignant tale is a tribute to the enduring bond of friendship, indomitable courage in the face of insurmountable odds and the power of sacrifice. Therefore it has inspired many and continues to do so. A thorough analysis of this dramatic episode can be very illuminating as it emphasizes Virgil's narrative skills, tremendous powers of characterization, themes recurrent in the poem and the significance of this particular episode with regard to the rest of the epic. The ill - fated adventure of Nisus and Euryalus begins on a note of high tension. Aeneas is away and the Rutulians led by Turnus are baying for blood as they gather round the beleaguered Trojans. The situation is fraught with immense peril and the two protagonists standing guard at night are well aware of their precarious position. Nisus suggests a plan of action and from this point onwards the narrative gathers momentum and surges forward, with its crests and troughs, in a rising crescendo towards the shattering climax. Prescott's summation of the narrative is most precise, "the action moves with dramatic rise and fall; at the climax of their achievement their fortune is suddenly reversed; and from that point it rises to the close, the revenge and death of Nisus"1. The narrative style employed by Virgil in this episode is a departure from the clipped, dignified, rather detached yet passionate language he usually 1. As cited in the article, The Significance of Nisus and Euryalus for Aeneid IX - XII by Duckworth, 1999, p. 308. employs and which he resumes in the latter half of book IX. Here Virgil seems to want the reader to get caught up in the frenzied action of that fateful night, charged as it is with profound emotion and intensity. Williams reiterates this point when he says, "The first part has been taken up with the emotional story of Nisus and Euryalus, written in a style calling for the reader's personal involvement with the fate of these two young warriors"2. He seems to have had a twofold purpose in adopting this particular style - he seeks to drive home the pathos in this sad situation while making it gripping and tense for the reader; secondly this sets the tone for the bloody retribution the Trojans are destined to exact from their tormentors. This particular episode also helps the reader identify with the characters and more importantly, react to their actions. The star - crossed warriors (lovers) evoke a whole gamut of responses ranging from admiration to distaste and finally sorrow. Nisus and Euryalus are powerfully etched characters who create a lasting impression on the reader. Nisus is the older of the duo. He is a true warrior, as he is a man of action and great courage. The events leading up to the tragedy are instigated by Nisus, as he unfolds his plans for the daring mission, in exchange for nought but glory - "for myself the glory of the deed is enough"3. Euryalus is brave and reckless as befits his youth. He insists on accompanying Nisus on the doomed venture. Nisus, himself is unwilling to endanger his beloved companion thus, but the younger lad is keen to display his daring and reap rich rewards, with little regard for his life. Both men are warriors to the hilt and have the potential to be heroes and both come close to becoming the men they want to be but in the end their all too natural foibles deprive them of great renown as heroes and cost them their lives. It has been opined that the two of them lack the 2. Williams, in his The Aeneid, 1982, p. 342. 3. From the Aeneid, Book IX, lines 195 - 196, as translated by Lewis, 1998, p. 256. maturity, good judgement and innate refinement that are the defining traits of true heroes. Nisus and Euryalus stealthily kill the sleeping Rutulians, and soon the entire site is soaked with blood. Virgil compares Nisus to a "famishing lion, driven by insensate hunger, Run amok through the crowded sheepfolds"4. Euryalus, not to be left behind also leaves untold destruction and bloody mayhem in his wake. To cap such unseemly action, Euryalus plunders his fallen foes' most prized possessions, such as Messapus' splendid helmet and Rhamnes' personal adornments. The events outlined above reveal that the protagonists lost sight of their mission, as they were carried away by sheer recklessness and bloodlust. It would have been more logical for them to make their way past the sleeping enemy, rather than surprise them and risk capture and sure death. But both men allow their baser instincts to take over in a premature bid for glory and recompense for their deeds. Euryalus weighed down by his booty and betrayed by his newly acquired helmet is captured by his enemies and his fate is sealed. Nisus manages to escape, but he returns for his friend though it is a lost cause. In a vain attempt to first save then avenge his bosom companion, he throws away his life and any chance of successfully completing the task he was assigned. His good sense is clouded by his strong emotions. Therefore their actions in these situations reveal certain shortcomings in their otherwise admirable characters and which prove to be their undoing. As Hardie puts it, "The night in which Nisus and Euryalus run amok and then die may also symbolize their failure to emerge into the full daylight of the adult male hero"5. The slaughter of the sleeping Rutulians by Nisus and Euryalus has come in for a lot of criticism and censure. Their moral fibre has also been called into question. And it is assumed that their deeds were directly responsible for their untimely and brutal deaths as one merely reaps 4. From the Aeneid, Book IX, lines 339 - 340 as translated by Lewis, 1998, p.262. 5. From Hardie's Virgil Aeneid Book IX 1994, p. 16. what one sows. There are some who take a more lenient approach to the episode. It has been argued that their actions were in keeping with the spirit of the war they were in and besides as the common adage goes all is fair in love and war. Moreover their actions may have been motivated by a desire to lessen the odds of losing for the Trojans. However that may be, Virgil seems to allow a touch of reprimand to seep into the tone of his narration as he graphically depicts the senseless bloodshed and unspeakable violence. But as the events unfold one also sees the merit in the supreme sacrifice made by Nisus and his dauntless courage in the face of death. Virgil's epitaph to the dead men and his promise of immortality to them succeeds in moving one to tears. Therefore readers though repelled by the cruelty and greed exhibited by the pair cannot help but hope they escape despite the odds stacked heavily against them. The sheer hopelessness of their expedition, as they are drawn inexorably to their deaths is most likely brought on by their preceding deeds, prompted by raw emotion, bereft of any amount of intelligence. One feels distaste as well as pity for Nisus and Euryalus. Like Putnam says, "It is Virgil's most vivid presentation of life as an enclosure, a hemming in of man by man himself, proof of the human inability to surmount our emotionality"6. Nisus' emotional and as it turns out unwise response to Euryalus' capture raises questions about the nature of their relationship. This is a crucial point as it is the nature of their relationship that provokes extremity in their behaviour. While ostensibly platonic, it appears that they are lovers. Virgil is very vague about the sexual orientation of the duo, but whether as friends or lovers, theirs is an exalted relationship, which takes on a sublime aspect as events proceed. It is as far removed as possible from all that is mundane and crude. Nisus and Euryalus spur each other on in their quest for great glory and riches. As Pausanias says in Plato's Symposium 6. From Putnam's Virgil's Aeneid: Interpretation and Influence, 1995, p. 297, "The love between a younger and an older man spurs each to greatness, the former out of desire to imitate, the latter from a desire to please and instruct"7. It is this particular attribute that accounts for the lack of restraint, evident in their behaviour and that costs them so dear. Virgil seems to have taken pains to establish the purity of the relationship, particularly Nisus' feelings for Euryalus, which is described as a completely unsullied devotion, bordering on pious. The reason for this ambiguous portrayal can be explained in terms of the social and political climate prevalent at the time. According to Oliensis, " unlike Greece, Rome never sanctioned sexual love between free men"8. However regardless of Virgil's depiction of the nature of their relationship, which prompts both men to show great valour as well as senseless excesses, one wonders if they were merely victims of fate, thereby absolving them from responsibility for their tragic deaths. The supremacy of fate in governing the lives of individuals is one of the major themes in the Aeneid. Everything that happens to the characters in the epic have been preordained by fate and even the Gods are shown as powerless in changing the course of destiny as charted by the fates. From the very onset, Virgil makes it clear that Nisus and Euryalus are doomed as they set out on their disastrous expedition. As they make their way towards the enemy camp, Virgil suggests they will not return - "Towards the fatal camp - fatal for them, though first They would be death to many"9. When viewed in this particular context, it appears that through their inevitable deaths Virgil seems to drive home the sheer futility of efforts to alter one's fate. This is a recurring theme throughout the epic. Aeneas is destined to be a hero and all his trials and tribulations merely postpone the inevitable or perhaps they are simply the designs or machinations of cruel fate. The Goddess Juno, Aeneas' chief antagonist attempts to fight fate at 7. As cited in Petrini's The Child and the Hero: Coming of Age in Catullus and Virgil, 1997, p. 24. 8. From Oliensis' Sons and Lovers: Sexuality and Gender in Virgil's poetry, 1994, p. 309. 9. From the Aeneid, Book IX, lines 315 - 316 as translated by Lewis, 1998, p.261. every turn but her efforts come to nothing in the long run. It is at her bidding that the Rutulians under the leadership of Turnus attempt to take advantage of the absence of Aeneas. But there are several divine portents that suggest that this attempt like the many before which served to hinder Aeneas from claiming his destiny was doomed to failure in the long run. Similarly the deaths of Nisus and Euryalus have been preordained. As the two of them embark on their mission, filled with dreams of glory and determinedly unaware of the horror awaiting them one cannot help but feel sorry for the two. The hand of fate is obvious when Euryalus is betrayed by his newly acquired and prized helmet. Nisus as he makes his escape successfully seems to have thwarted fate but this of course is temporary, because he returns as if drawn irresistibly towards a powerful magnet. As he tries in vain to save Euryalus, he invokes the Gods to help him succeed, but as the events reveal, they can do nothing but watch in helpless consternation as he meets his death, immediately after avenging his dead friend. Vengeance is another recurring theme in the Aeneid. Avenging the death of a loved one is practically a prerequisite in order to be honoured as a hero. The epic is littered with characters seeking revenge for wrongs done to them. A powerful instance of vengeance is seen when Dido kills herself to avenge the perceived wrong done to her by Aeneas. And the powerful love she bore him appears to have curdled and taken on the attributes of hate as she curses him before dying. Juno's virulent hatred for the Trojans stems from her injured pride and desire for revenge brought on by Paris' judgement. In the episode of Nisus and Euryalus, the former's quest for revenge is brought on by the heat of the moment, as the trauma of watching Euryalus die before his very eyes is more than the powerful warrior can bear. Throwing caution to the winds, he throws himself upon his beloved's killer and has the savage satisfaction of knowing he has exacted his vengeance even as his own life slips away. This is one of the most powerful moments in the epic as the reader witnesses revenge in its most gory and destructive form. This chilling scene is also the precursor to Aeneas' own quest for revenge following Pallas' death at the hands of Turnus, which has an equally violent and destructive conclusion. Revenge therefore is reminiscent of war as both prompt heroism and villainy in equal measure. The debilitating effects of war even as it goads man into performing unequalled acts of heroism is beautifully brought out in this epic poem. According to Putnam, "the fullness of the narrative dwells on the relentless futility of unceasing loss that war engenders".10 Virgil depicts how it is usually the cream of the populace that is sacrificed on the altar of war, cut down in the prime of life. The loss of the young and noble to war is felt acutely throughout the poem. War has a peculiar quality in that it seems to reveal the lofty heights man is capable of scaling while simultaneously sounding out the depths of evil man is capable of sinking to. This aspect of war is apparent in the character of Turnus as he embodies the best and worst of the human spirit. His valour is apparent in many instances and is worthy of admiration, but his treatment of the body of a fallen adversary is reprehensible. On a similar note, Nisus and Euryalus' bloody rampage in the Rutulian camp is shocking in the extreme but their rare courage and spirit endears them to the reader. The underlying themes evident in this tale are the threads that connect it to the main body of the text and enable the reader to interpret it in terms of the rest of the story. The story of Nisus and Euryalus has "wrongly, been termed 'a separate story of romantic adventure', one of Vergil's 'embellishing incidents', or 'ornaments', a 'self contained story'". 11 There is evidence to suggest that this is not merely an isolated story that Virgil added as an 10. From Putnam's Virgil's Aeneid: Interpretation and Influence, 1995, p. 85. 11. From Duckworth's The Significance of Nisus and Euryalus for Aeneid IX - XII, 1999, p. 304 afterthought and which is unconnected to the rest of the plot. As Horsfall states, "however formally self - contained an episode may be, it will never prove bereft of links (thematic, 'ideological', linguistic, imagistic) to other episodes and contexts" 12. Initially the characters are introduced in book V, where they are participants in a race during the funeral games of Anchises. Nisus employs trickery to sacrifice his place and to ensure Euryalus' victory. By a strange culmination of events he makes another sacrifice for his beloved companion but this time it is in vain. This establishes continuity in the plot. Moreover Virgil has condensed many of his themes into this story to accentuate them against the larger canvas of the poem and this further enhances the significance of Nisus and Euryalus. In addition, this tale sets the tone for the rest of the narrative, while triggering a chain reaction that culminates with the victory of Aeneas and has the result of establishing his superiority. The death of heroes from the Rutulian side, engineered by Nisus and Euryalus provokes their fury and they impale their heads and display it to the horrified Trojans before launching a savage attack. The grisly sight of the familiar faces triggers the rage of the Trojans as they repel the attack. The stage is set for a big battle, which takes place following the return of Aeneas and hastens the fate ordained for all concerned. Nisus and Euryalus is one of the great tragic episodes in literature and it is a celebration of friendship, love, heroism and courage. Their story is a legacy from the pages of history and a wonderful past that serves as a source of inspiration to many and which occupies a prominent place in the annals of literature for its sheer merit as a literary piece. It also bears testament to the power of Virgil's skill with words because like the great poet promised both characters have become immortal like their creator himself. 12. From Horsfall's A Companion to the Study of Virgil, 1995, p. 173. References Duckworth, G.E. (1999). The significance of nisus and euryalus for aeneid IX - XII. In P. Hardie (Ed.), Critical assessments of classical authors (pp. 304 - 321). London: Routledge. Hardie, P. (Ed.) (1994). Virgil aeneid: Book IX. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Horsfall, N. (1995). A companion to the study of virgil (2nd ed.). Leiden: BRILL. Oliensis, E. (1994). Sons and lovers: Sexuality in virgil's poetry. In C. Martindale (Ed.), The Cambridge companion to virgil (pp. 294 - 311). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Petrini, M. (1997). The child and the hero: Coming of age in catullus and vergil. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Putnam, C. J. (1995). Virgil's aeneid: Interpretation and influence. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Virgil, H. (1998). The aeneid. (C. D, Lewis, Trans.). Oxford: Oxford World Classics. Williams, D. (1982). The aeneid. In E.J. Kenney & W. V. Clausen (Eds.), The Cambridge history of classical literature: Volume 2 (pp. 337 - 369). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More