Roman Myth as Poetry: War in Italy

War is the central theme of Aeneid 7-12, as Aeneas faces opposition to his settlement in Italy, primarily from the Rutulian prince, Turnus. This lecture concentrates on books 7, 10 and 12, showing how Juno, via Allecto manipulates Turnus and other characters to create conflict and bloodshed in Italy. Throughout, Virgil reminds us of the sorrow and loss involved in warfare, concentrating particularly on the father-son relationship. However, unlike Homer's Iliad, Vergil gives no reconciliation at the end of his epic, leaving this poem open to multiple interpretations. Copyright 2013 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.