Aeneid Symbolism and Augustan Regime - Book Report/Review Example

 Aeneid Symbolism and Augustan Regime The symbolic connection between the Aeneid and the Augustan regime is evident in the parallels between events, characters, the poet’s experiences, and setting as represented in the epic and actual historical events. The epic of Aeneas recounts the turbulent times of the Trojan survivor who follows through the course of destiny, fate, and prophesy with sheer determination and supernatural support towards a promised future of a great empire and dominion over a vast territory1. The triumphs, conquests, challenges, and agonies that Aeneas endures are captured in a manner that casts the hero into some form of a superhuman favored by both the gods and fate in the pursuit of a priceless glory. Symbolically, the course of the epic mirrors the real historical events that connect the death of Julius Caesar, the chaotic struggle of power that followed, and the rise to of the Augustan regime. The establishment of the Augustan regime was a culmination of political tragedies and uncertainties that followed the death of Julius Caesar. The demise of Caesar led to the emergency of power struggle between Augustus on the one hand, Antony, and Cleopatra on the other. The lengthy power struggle led to the emergence of Augustus as the lone victor. He proceeded to consolidate power and establish a prosperous reign over the Roman Empire. In the estimation of many historians, the triumphs and challenges that he encountered and his eventual end as the ruler was not only a testament of his bravery and fighting spirit but also a measure of wisdom and courage, which comprised the hallmark qualities of leadership as understood within the Roman context. As such, it might be argued that many of the challenges encountered by Caesar were a manifestation of his drive towards the establishment of a strong empire that would quell the unease and the unrest that followed the assassination of Julius Caesar. Comparably, the character of Hector, as understood within the element of symbolism, stands in for Julius Caesar. Although Julius Caesar is remembered more for his wisdom than for war antics, the great respect, admiration, and adoration, he commanded mirrors nearly perfectly with the kind of honor that Hector enjoyed among the Trojans. Repeatedly, Virgil shows the manner in which Hector’s spirit helped propel Aeneas to great heights of victory and courage2. In essence, a part of Aeneas was attached to Caesar in a way that affirmed the latter’s support and endorsement to the former. Aeneas derived courage and strength from the inspiration impacted on him by the great deeds of the Trojan hero. In similar manner, Augustus enjoyed great favor from Caesar to the point that he endorsed him as his heir. These parallels significantly illustrate the level of symbolic closeness between the epic and the historical establishment of the Roman Empire. Augustus is regarded as the actual founder of the Roman Empire. Under his rule, the Roman Empire flourished in all spheres of life in terms of economic prosperity, regional power, territorial expansion, and social life. Similarly, the epic considers Aeneas as the force behind the establishment of Rome and its flourishing powers in different spheres of life. It would seem that the epic anticipated the rise and triumph of the Augustan regime. The connection between the various attributes might be understood in terms of the various factors that defined the establishment of a Troy after the ruins of the Trojan War. The epic seems to connect the Roman Empire to Troy, in the sense that Aeneas was destined to move to Italy and establish another strong Kingdom after the fall of Troy. The literal connection between Troy and Rome are achieved through the consistency of action and intention of the two lead actors, Aeneas and Augustus. The sequence of the events in the epic as illustrated through the linear plot capture the historical developments that led to the rise of the Augustus regime. The connection becomes even more evident from the fact that some of the issues that were covered in the epic show significant historical resemblance with aspects of the Augustus regime3. The probable intention of the epic, according to some critics, is to show the fact that Augustus rise to power and his influential reign was not by fluke. The critics contend that the Virgil sought to redeem Augustus from the fact that his dominion was birthed through bloodshed but rather it was a combination of fate and personal strengths that led him towards the establishment of a strong Kingdom. On this score, it might be argued that some of the issues that connect with the desire to build a great nation were basic manifestations of the greater powers and hereditary fortunes that worked together in his Augustus’ favor. Normally, epics like other works of literature are born out of the influences that filter onto the imagination of the poet. In the case of the Aeneid, the poet lived at a time of great turmoil and witnessed first-hand the establishment and prosperity of the Augustan regime. Some of the disturbances that were occasioned by the bloody wars had some direct impact on the poet. It was because of this reason that he authored the epic in a way that reflected the happenings of the time as understood from personal experiences. On this score, it might be argued that the Aenied represents a significant aspect of historical realism. This is because part of the happenings of the time could be connected to the central themes that feature in the epic. The epic equally provides significant hints of the level of closeness between the poet and Augustus. The admiration and endorsement that the poet projected towards the Augustan regime provides clues on the level of influence that led to the development of the epic. In some sense, the thematic content of the epic closely mirrors the social and historical realities that thrived at the height of the Augustan regime. The themes of warfare, conquest, deceit, betrayal, power struggle, and love cut across both the epic and the historical facts of the Augustan regime. Bloodshed in the epic is represented as a necessary fact for any person or group that aspires for political power. Warfare and conquest are necessary engagements for all men of honor and valor4. In the epic, Aeneas is portrayed as a virtuous and pious individual whose calm and measured demeanor earned him the blessings of both man and the gods. Similarly, Augustus is portrayed in historical details as a leader who aspired to unite his people and preside over a flourishing economy. Wisdom and courage are the fundamental attributes that connect both the epic character and the Augustus. Other characters in the epic reflect the nature of historical personalities who played significant roles in the establishment of the Augustan regime. In the epic, the character of Junus played the role of a detractor with a willful intent of sabotaging Aeneas mission of reaching Italy. Junus endeavored by every means to stop the fulfillment of Aeneas mission. The mission entailed leading the Trojans in his charge to Italy where he would establish a string Kingdom. According to Junus, the establishment of the Kingdom would necessarily imply the fall of Carthage, which was her favorite city. At many points throughout the play, it became obvious that the eventual success or failure of Aeneas mission was significantly dependent on the nature and consequence of Junus mischievous activities and calculated sabotage. Junus represents the malevolent forces that worked in the character of certain individuals after the death of Julius Caesar. The antagonistic role played by such characters is important in determining the stature, importance, and challenges of the leader. In the same way, the Augustan regime had to endure various attempts of sabotage that threatened to tear the whole Kingdom apart at different stages of its growth and development. Internal dissent, jealousies, and official sabotage are some of the challenges that the regime had to endure. Despite the fact that Augustan and Mark Anthony fought on the same side against the assassins, they had to part ways as the former begun laying out secret plans with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra to wrest the control of Rome from the control of the Roman authorities. Many other obstacles sprung up throughout the Kingdom in ways that posed significant challenges to the establishment and growth of the Augustan empire. In many ways, the Aeneid symbolizes the structure, leadership, and formation of the Augustan regime. The many obstacles are used to illustrate the efforts of the founders and the role of leadership in the establishment of a stable political foundation. The character of Aeneas is comparable to the character of Augustan in terms of the seemingly limitless wisdom and judgment, which enabled both of them to overcome great personal odds towards the fulfillment of a promise. The strenuous journey that Aeneas undertakes and the challenges he faces are symbolic of the pains that must necessarily accompany the efforts of establishing a kingdom5. The journey could be understood in metaphorical terms as a search for a difficult objective that must involve some degree of suffering and torment. For instance, Aeneas loses many brave warriors in the raging battles that take place on his way to Italy. These losses signify the importance of the mission and the necessity of sacrifice on the part of the hero. Aeneas fights valiantly in his effort to establish a firm hold on his kingdom. He serves as a role model to his foot soldiers and encourages them through word and action to stay the course of the struggle. He finds himself in positions that require great sacrifices, which involve the parting with loved ones and accepting the fate of the gods in the pursuit of his mission. In this regard, he epitomizes the central power that is necessary for establishing a strong empire from the ruins of a collapsed Trojan establishment. Aeneas roles symbolically reflect the high social station that informed the life and times of Augustus. The future of Augustus illustrated his life in ways that show the various ways in which he could use the force of character to determine the conduct and destiny of the people under his care. As a great admirer of the character and actions of Augustus, Virgil attuned the Aeneid to some of the multiple factors that worked together to create a harmonious continuum between his main hero and the demeanor of his cherished ruler. However, some literary scholars of the Aeneid contest this view by suggesting that the character and flow of the Aeneas is independent of any immediate influences. The critics argue that the Aeneid is a reflection of various forces that worked in the course of history and the information sourced from similar stories as sourced from some important sources such as Homer. The fact of symbolism is to be understood from the manner in which Virgil shows the regeneration of Troy in a much fuller and prosperous image of the Augustan regime. Just like in Homer, the Aeneid can be divided into two main parts. The first part represents the journey towards Italy for the fulfillment of the promise of creating a flourishing empire. The second part of the epic focusses largely on the struggles and the wars that Aeneas and his men engage into as they seek to establish a lasting regime as promised by the gods and in prophesy. The first part illustrates the difficult process of searching while the second part of the story represents the life-threatening dangers that nearly end the pursuit of a promised mission. On this score, it becomes evident that most of the issues brought out in the story have to be understood in terms of the long search and torturous endeavors that informed the establishment of the Augustan regime. The building of the Roman Empire was a task that required great personal sacrifice and dedicated leadership on the part of the ruler. It is within this dimension that the close connection and symbolic link between Aeneas and Augustan is to be understood. Bibliography Galinsky, K The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Augustus. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2005. Littleton, S C Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology. New York, Marshall Cavendish, 2005. Smith, A The Primacy of Vision in Virgil's Aeneid. Austin, University of Texas Press, 2005. Stahl, H and Fantham, E Vergil's Aeneid: Augustan Epic and Political Context. Swansea, Classical Press of Wales, 2009. Virgil and Dryden, J The Aeneid. Waiheke Island,The Floating Press, 2009. Read More