The Aeneid BOOK FIVE

Book Five Aeneas sets off and although he doesn’t realise it, he leaves Dido’s funeral pyre burning behind him in the distance. Another storm breaks out and Aeneas redirects the ship to the Sicilian port of Eryx, where his friend and fellow Trojan Acestes rules. As it is the one year anniversary of his father’s death, Aeneas decides to hold games and celebrations in Anchise’s honour.

Book five However, Juno’s anger against the Trojans has not faded. She sends her messenger Iris, down to the Trojan women. While the men enjoy the festivities of the competition, Iris stirs the women to riot. Preying on their fear of further journey and more battles, she distributes flaming torches among them, inciting them to burn the Trojan ships so that the men will be forced to build their new city in Sicily.

Book five When Aeneas finds out his ships are burning he runs down and the women scatter. Though the men douse the ships with water the flames fail to extinguish. Aeneas prays to Jupiter to preserve the fleet, and immediately a rainstorm hits, ending the flames and saving four ships. Aeneas is very shaken by the incident and wonders if he should stay in Sicily. His friend Nautes, a seer, offers better advice: they should leave some Trojans – the old, the frail and the women weary of sailing – in the care of Acestes.

Book five Aeneas is still unsure what to do until his father appears to him in a dream and tells him to take the advice given to him by the seer, and to come and visit him in the underworld. Aeneas calls everyone together and those who are to remain are selected from the group. After a short sacrifice, Aeneas departs again. Venus, fearing more tricks from Juno worries about the group’s safety at sea.

Book five She pleads with Neptune to let Aeneas reach Italy without harm. Neptune agrees to give them safe passage across the waters, demanding however, that one of the crew perish on the voyage, as a sacrifice for the others. On the voyage, Palinurus, the lead captain of Aeneas’ fleet, falls asleep at the helm and falls into the sea.

Book five important points Book Five offers Aeneas and his weary crew some light respite from their hazardous and uncertain voyages up to date. His men have an opportunity to relax, enjoy themselves and unwind, before the next stage of that journey takes place. There are many moments of high comedy in this book (unusual for Virgil who is writing a serious epic about Rome’s founding story), Nisus slips on blood, Gyas hurls the helmsmen of his boat overboard so he can get ahead in the race, Entellus offers his boxing gloves to the gods – never to fight again.

Book five important points Anchises is just as important to Aeneas in death as he was in life – Anchises is still an important pillar of support to his son. Aeneas must consult him in the underworld! Juno – is up to her usual tricks attempting to thwart Aeneas by sending Iris to incite the Trojan women to burn the ships.

Book five important points Equally, Venus is on hand to ensure that Neptune helps Aeneas reach Italy. The bizarre episode of Palinurus being sacrificed to appease Neptune seems odd and unnecessary. Neptune willingly consented to Venus request, so why the sacrifice? Once again human lives seems meaningless to the gods and their whims.

Book five questions Summarise in your own words the following Funeral Games that take place in Book 5: The Boat Race The Footrace The Boxing Match The Archery