Vergilian Mythology and the Influence of Vergil pg

#28 & #29) Mythology Purpose: to interpret important experiences, beliefs or aspirations Is the Aeneid itself a myth? Greek myth: gods and goddesses in our own image and humanly attractive…feel emotions and desires Manipulate humans Unquestionable Belief Taught lessons

#30) Roman Religion First worshiped numina (spirit in everything) No stories to start with Became familiar with Greek religion and picked up their deities Gods responsible for looking out for the people and their needs in return of sacrifices DO ET DAS

#31) Breakdown in Religion “If we do not learn from history, we are destined to repeat ourselves!” 1. Materialism: pleasure, wealth 2. Foreigners 3. Disintegration of family and personal responsibility

#32) Hellenism Hellenism: Greek mythology became incorporated in Rome’s mythology

#33) Aeneid and Augustus Aids in religious revival Shows Rome was in care and special guidance of the gods mores majorum Re-institutes values (ancient)

#34) Vergil’s Success Accepted by Roman public as a national epic In textbooks Influence Latin literature Ranked with Homer Famous BEFORE the work was published STILL READ AND TRANSLATED!

#35) Oracles of Vergil Definition: future secrets Also another name for the poem Used as a means of telling fortunes and predicting the future

#36) The Christians and Vergil Vergil is accepted as the last pagan of pagan authors Rewarded with the foreknowledge of the coming of Christ? “Prophet” - birth of a child

#37) Middle Ages and Vergil Dante’s Divine Comedy Vergil is an actual character within the book Underworld This work credits Vergil and the Aeneid

#38) English Renaissance Writers and Vergil These authors were influenced by Vergil: Chaucer (Canterbury Tales) Spencer Shakespeare Milton

#39) Tennyson Lord Tennyson wrote as a tribute to Vergil Predecessor and inspiration 19th Century of Vergil’s death

#40) Aeneid in Education The Aeneid holds preeminence in American and European education Universal appeal Artistic perfection Man’s humanity and relation to the universe Mankind lives on - human problems and needs are everlasting