ÆNEAS.
_Ques._ Who was Æne´as?
_Ans._ He was a Trojan chief, the son of Venus and Anchi´ses. He was
born on Mount Ida, where he was nurtured by the Dryads until he had
attained his fifth year, when he was brought to his father. Anchi´ses
was not on friendly terms with the family of Priam, but this coldness
did not prevent Æne´as from exerting himself to the utmost in defence
of his country. Excepting Hector only, there was no Trojan who so
distinguished himself by his valor. When Troy was taken, Æne´as made
his escape from the burning city, bearing on his shoulders the aged
Anchi´ses, and leading his little son Ascanius by the hand. His wife
was separated from him in the confusion and darkness, and perished by
the sword of the enemy. Anchises bore with him the sacred Penates of
Troy, and his household gods. Æne´as was joined by the greater part of
the Trojans, both men and women, who had escaped from the horrors of
that fatal night. They concealed themselves in the neighboring
mountains until the Greeks had departed, after which they constructed
a fleet of twenty sail. In the second year after the destruction of
Troy, the remnant of the Trojans embarked under the guidance of Æne´as
in search of new settlements. After many wanderings and adventures,
they landed at Epi´rus, and were rejoiced to learn that Hel´enus, one
of the sons of Priam, was reigning in that country. He had married
Androm´ache, and the meeting of Æne´as with the widow of the great
Hector is the subject of a very beautiful passage in the Æneid. The
Penates of Troy had appeared at night to Anchi´ses, and revealed to
him that Italy was the land allotted by the Fates to the exiled
Trojans. Æne´as recalled a prediction of Cassandra to the same effect;
and Hel´enus, who was endowed with the gift of prophecy, now confirmed
what had been already foretold. He rendered his exiled countrymen all
the assistance in his power, and dismissed them at length, loaded with
costly gifts. Æne´as was destined to pass through many perils before
landing on the shores of Italy. In the seventh year of their
wanderings, the Trojans were driven by a storm on the coast of Africa;
here they were kindly entertained by Dido, who was then engaged in the
erection of her new city of Carthage. The queen admired the great
qualities of the Trojan chief, and felt her heart moved with
compassion at the sight of so much undeserved misfortune. She
resolved, therefore, to share her throne with the hero, and to offer
his followers a permanent settlement in the country. This proposal
seems not to have been displeasing either to Æne´as or to the Trojans.
Forgetful of the decrees of fate, they lingered many months in idle
pleasure, and Æne´as was only roused to action by the direct
intervention of the gods. Jupiter sent Mercury to the hero, commanding
him to embark without delay, and proceed to his destined settlement in
Italy. Æne´as obeyed, and made the necessary preparations for
departure, disregarding the tears and reproaches of the queen.
When Dido found that all was unavailing, and that the Trojans had
already embarked, she killed herself in despair.
Æne´as spent some time in Sicily, where he celebrated funeral games in
honor of his father, who had died there the preceding year. He left
with Acestes, a Trojan prince who governed a part of the island, the
women, the aged men, and all who were likely to be useless in the wars
which awaited him. Æne´as next landed at Cumæ, in Italy. This was the
abode of a famous Sibyl, of whom we will speak elsewhere. She foretold
to the hero much that was to happen during his settlement in Italy;
but in order that he might be fully informed of the future destinies
of his race, she offered to conduct him to the world of shades. Æne´as
having plucked, in the sacred grove, a golden bough as a gift to
Proser´pine, descended with the Sibyl to the dreary realms of Pluto.
After seeing much that was wonderful, and passing through regions
inhabited by different classes of departed souls, they entered the
happy plains of Elysium. This was the abode of the heroes and other
favorites of the gods. Here, in a fragrant meadow, Æne´as found the
shade of Anchi´ses, who showed him the souls which were destined to
return to earth, and become the future heroes of Rome. Anchi´ses also
recounted to Æne´as the glorious deeds which they were one day to
perform. In this passage, Virgil takes occasion to gratify the vanity
of Augustus and the great families of Rome, by introducing their names
and actions in the prophetic discourse of Anchi´ses.
Returning to upper air, Æne´as took leave of the sibyl, and pursued
his voyage along the Italian coast, anchoring at length in the mouth
of the Tiber.
The country around was governed by a prince named Latinus, the son of
Faunus and the nymph Marica. This prince had one child, a daughter
named Lavinia. Her hand had been promised to Turnus, prince of the
Rutulians, but Latinus was warned by an oracle that his destined
son-in-law was to come from afar, and that Lavinia was to wed a
foreigner. When Æne´as sent an embassy to Latinus, requesting
permission to settle in the country, that prince believed that the
Trojan chief was the person pointed out by the oracle, and invited
him to his palace. All now seemed to promise a peaceful settlement to
the harassed Trojans, but the enmity of Juno was not yet appeased. She
sent the Fury Alecto to the palace of Turnus, with orders to excite
this prince against the stranger, who was about to rob him of his
promised bride. A long war ensued, which forms the subject of the
concluding books of the Æneid. At length Turnus fell in a personal
combat with Æne´as. The hand of Lavinia was the price of victory, and
from the Trojan hero were descended the founders of Rome.
The Æneid concludes with the death of Turnus, but we have some further
particulars handed down by tradition. Æneas built a city, called from
his bride, Lavinium. Here he governed his Trojan and Italian subjects,
who became one people under the common name of Latins. The new kingdom
was attacked by several of the neighboring princes, led by Mezentius,
king of Etruria. Æneas defeated the allies, but was killed in the
moment of victory. The family of Julii, made illustrious by Julius
Cæsar, claimed descent from Iulus, grandson of Æneas.