THE AENEID Book Eleven

 The day after the battle Aeneas buries his fallen comrades and mourns the death of Pallas.  He arranges a funeral procession for Pallas, covering him with a garment given to Aeneas by Dido and sends him back to King Evander with 1000 mourners.

Book Eleven  When Evander hears of his son’s death, he is crushed and he and the city weep for the dead prince.  However, he is glad his son died fighting bravely alongside the Trojan warriors. He forgives Aeneas and wishes only for the death of Turnus.  Back at the battlefield, Latin messengers arrive and request a truce and the bodies of their comrades so that they can bury them.

Book Eleven  Aeneas agrees, telling the messengers that he wishes for peace with the Latin people and calls for a 12 day truce.  The Latins are impressed with Aeneas’ piety and one of the older envoys, Drances, say he wants the war to end and that he will bring this intention to the Latin people.  At a council called by King Latinus, others echo Drances’ sentiment.

Book Eleven  While discussing this point, ambassadors return from King Diomedes, a great Greek warrior who fought at Troy and reigns over a nearby kingdom with the message that he will not join in a war against the Trojans.  Diomedes says he has no quarrel with the Trojans since the fall of Troy and furthermore, anybody who attacked the Trojans at Troy suffered greatly on their way home.

Book Eleven  Diomedes begs the Latin people to makes peace with Aeneas and Latinus, reinforcing this message, tells the people that they cannot win the war against the Trojans.  Drances also suggests the Lavinia’s hand should be offered to Aeneas because this has the best chance of bringing lasting peace between the Trojans and the Latin people.

Book Eleven  When the council begins to turn against Turnus, he responds in anger. He dismisses Drances as a coward and begs Latinus to continue fighting.  Turnus says that if the council wishes him to fight Aeneas alone that he will do so without fear.  While the assembly quarrel among themselves, in the distance Aeneas is leading his army across the river Tiber.  When a messenger arrives to warn the Latins that the Trojans are marching towards the city, they forget their debate and rush in panic to prepare defenses.

Book Eleven  Camilla, leader of a race of warrior maidens, approaches Turnus, telling him to guard the city’s battlements while she confronts the enemy on the field.  Turnus is glad to see her. He explains that he is preparing an ambush for Aeneas. He hopes to draw the Trojans out to an area where he can use the mountains to defeat them.  At this point in the story Virgil gives us a background on the warrior Camilla.

Book Eleven  The goddess Diana explains to her handmaiden, Opis, the story of Camilla.  Her father, Metabus was exiled from his city years earlier. He carried his daughter until he came to a river where he tied the baby to a spear and flung her to the other side.  Evading his pursuers, he raised his daughter in the forest. Camilla vowed to never take a husband and remain a virgin. For this reason the goddess Diana is her patron.  Diana gives Opis and arrow and says, "Whoever kills Camilla, you kill him with this.

Book Eleven  Soon the Trojans reach the field in front of the city and battle begins.  Camilla proves the fiercest warrior present and the Latins manage to push the Trojans back from the gates of the city twice.  On the third occasion, the repulse of the Trojans is bitter and many are killed.  Camilla throws herself into the thick of the battle and slaughters many Trojans, including a soldier who challenges her to a fight and then tries to run away.

Book Eleven  As the Trojans begin to retreat, Tarchon, King of the Tuscans, rallies the men and encourages them to keep fighting.  Arruns sees Camilla in the distance and watches her movements, waiting for an opportunity to kill her. As Camilla is attacking a Trojan, Arruns prays to Apollo to help him.  He fires a spear at Camilla and then runs away. The spear lodges itself deep in her ribs and she instructs her sister to go back to Turnus and tell him she has fallen.

Book Eleven  Camilla’s death brings great excitement to the Trojans, who now find fresh inspiration in her defeat.  Unfortunately for Arruns, Diana promises to avenge Camilla’s death and finding him in the forest, Opis kills him as his followers flee.  Having lost their leader, the Latin troops scatter and flee back to the city, though only some make it through the gates before they are closed.

Book Eleven  When he hears of Camilla’s fate, Turnus rushes back to the city, forcing him to abandon his post just as Aeneas is about to pass by the ambush.  Aeneas and Turnus both return to their respective armies as night falls, bringing Book Eleven to an end.

Book Eleven Reading Read the following passages:  l. 1 – 99  l. 141 – 180  l. 241 – 459  l

Book Eleven Important Points  Aeneas’ piety is doubtless in this chapter. He returns the body of Pallas to Evander and joins in the mourning rituals, regretting the young man’s death and feeling somewhat responsible for it. He hangs Mezentius’ armour, ceremonially, on an oak tree. He recognises the truce and allows the enemy fallen to be buried.  The Rutulians are even surprised with this gesture. Interestingly, as if to contrast the two men, the suggestion to observe sacred burial rites are not initiated by Turnus. We suspect he would rather continue the war, regardless of the dead, right to its bitter end.

Book Eleven Important Points  Turnus, is as ever, single-minded and arrogant, is fixated on continuing the war and defeating Aeneas. He does not entertain a peace-treaty with the Trojan for one moment.  The death of Camilla is another example of a brave young warrior dying (perhaps senselessly) in battle; way before her time. The goddess Diana is upset and strikes revenge on Arruns. Her death is not even a fair duel – for she is killed in a rather underhand way, i.e. caught unawares.

Book Eleven Important Points  It is Aeneas who calls for a truce and a peaceful resolution to the conflict (duel with Turnus). Aeneas demonstrates many noble qualities in this chapter: piety, respect for the dead, a peace-maker etc. In contrast, Turnus appears to be bone-headed, one- dimensional and single-minded (no peace). The two heroes could not be more different.

Book Eleven Important Points  Note how Virgil address the pathos of war: returning the body of Pallas to Evander, the father’s heart ache, the death of Camilla: These deaths only makes sense in the sure knowledge that both of them died honourably in combat. Each being a credit to their family and a shining example of personal bravery.  It is also worth noting that the major gods: Venus, Juno, in particular are absent in this book. They, temporarily, refrain from interfering in the affairs of the mortal below.

Book Eleven Reading Questions 1. Describe in your own words what Aeneas does for Pallas after his death. 2. What is Evander’s reaction to the loss of his son? 3. Summarise the points that King Latinus, Drances and Turnus make at the war council. 4. What brings the council to an end? 5. Describe in your own words how Camilla is depicted as a warrior. 6. Describe the circumstances of Camilla’s death.

Book Eleven In Depth Questions 1. What do the steps Aeneas takes after Pallas’ death show us about him as a person? 2. In what other way does Aeneas show himself to honourable in this scene? What significance does it have for the story? 3. Why do you think Aeneas so readily agrees to a truce between both sides? 4. What effect does Camilla’s death have on the war? Explain your answer.