 JNxkNSDs JNxkNSDs

 The Aeneid is Virgil's masterpiece, the product of eleven years of intensive work.Virgil  Legend has it that Virgil wrote this epic out of order, separating it into twelve books and working on each one whenever he pleased.  Still unfinished at the time of Virgil's death in 19 B.C.,  Virgil, it seems, had declared in his will that it must be burned should anything happen to him.

 The Aeneid, in essence, is Virgil's answer to Homer's Odyssey and Iliad.  Much as Homer's great epics tell the story of the Greeks, the Aeneid is the tale of the founding of Rome.  Although largely fictitious, the narrative interweaves historical elements with the popular mythology of the era - a technique that speaks to the poet's power to transform the fruits of imagination into popularly accepted fact.

 The driving force behind the Aeneid is the will of the gods.  These beings, with their capricious tendencies and unpredictable personalities, shape the voyage of Aeneas and his companions.  Interestingly, the one thing that they cannot do (with the exception of Jupiter, king of the gods) is dictate the outcome of the events: the text repeatedly refers to Aeneas's fate as the founder of Rome, clearly playing to a Roman audience that would have enjoyed the notion of being a people destined for greatness.Jupiter

 More abstractly, the Aeneid is ultimately about virtue: › Aeneas is an idealized hero, almost too good to be true, who embodies nearly all of the virtues most prized by the Romans of Virgil's day: › courageous, › kind, › respectful of the gods & of his ancestors, › pious, › a skilled warrior › an inspiring leader.  The epic is not only the tale of the heroic origins of the Roman people, but also a story about the triumph of morality.

 Read the book given to your pod.  Draw, comic-book style, the plot of your book.  Be prepared to present it to the class.  Answer these questions on the back of your comic after the presentations: › Where do you see the importance of home in the Aeneid? › How do you see the triumph of morality in this story? › How does Aeneus fulfill the role of the weak hero, tender hero, and the hero without free will? › Why did Virgil craft such hero? › How do you see those characteristics in our heroes?

 The main character is a hero, who is often possessed of supernatural abilities or qualities.  The hero is charged with a quest.  The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness of himself and his quest.  The presence of numerous mythical beings, magical and helpful animals, and human helpers and companions  The hero’s travels take him to a supernatural world, often one that normal human beings are barred from entering.  The cycle must reach a low point where the hero nearly gives up his quest or appears defeated.  A resurrection.  Restitution. Often this takes the form of the hero regaining his rightful place on the throne