Download Augustus the `Second Aeneas`

Augustus the ‘second AeneAs’
Augustus is honoured in the Aeneid as a ‘second Aeneas’ and this parallel would not have been lost on Romans of
the time. (Indeed, when it was feared that Virgil might burn the poem, Augustus ordered that it be retrived for
safe keeping, no doubt very conscious of its political significance). The parallels between these two ‘national heroes’
are outlined below.
Aeneas
Augustus
Founder of a ‘new Troy’ in Latium. Ancestor of
the Roman people.
Founder of a new ‘golden age’ in Rome. Saviour of
the Roman people.
Has divine origins. Venus was his mother. She in
turn sprang from Jupiter.
Has divine origins. Julius Caesar ‘the deified’ was
his adopted father. Augustus belonged to the Julian
line, descended from Iulus who in turn was
descended from Aeneas, Venus & Jupiter.
Lead his followers from the destruction of Troy to
peace in Latium. A saviour to his Trojan people.
Destined to rule and lead Trojans to a better future
in Latium.
Guided by Apollo throughout his journey. Aeneas
offers sacrifices to Apollo for his assistance.
Receives Apollo’s messages via the Cumaen Sybil.
Aeneas overcomes many journeys, battles and
individuals in the pursuit of his destiny. Aeneas
overcomes his Latin rival Turnus and the African
queen Dido.
Lead his fellow Romans out of the civil war that
had plagued Rome throughout the 1st century BC to
peaceful, prosperous Rome united under his rule.
A saviour to his nation.
Destined to rule and lead Romans to a better future.
Apollo was Augustus’ favourite deity. Augustus
believed Apollo had guided him during his military
campaigns. Augustus build a mighty temple to
Apollo and housed the Sibylline Books there.
Augustus overcame many journeys, battles and
individuals in pursuit of his imperial throne.
Augustus overcame his imperial rival Mark
Anthony and the African queen Cleopatra.
Augustus shows pietas to the gods and his
Aeneas shows piety to the gods and his followers.
followers. He restores Roman traditions and
He restores the old traditions and religious beliefs of religious practices after years of neglect. He rebuilt
Troy in Latium.
hundreds of temples and resurrected religious
practices.
Aeneas learned to resist his personal fulfillment.
From Book Seven onwards he led his followers
with honour and justice. He reconciled with his
defeated enemies, showed them compassion and
put aside bitterness and vengeance. In these ways
he established a Roman nation that has lasted from
1200 years.
Virgil implies that if the Roman nation is to
continue to rule the world in peace its leaders
(including Augustus) must do so in the manner of
Aeneas. They must not rule with self-indulgence,
but rather with justice and ‘… graft tradition onto
peace, … show mercy to the conquered, and …
wage war until the haughty are brought low’
(p.173). In this way Rome will peacefully rule the
world for as long as it has since Aeneas’ time.
Augustus the ‘second AeneAs’
Augustus is honoured in the Aeneid as a ‘second Aeneas’ and this parallel would not have been lost on Romans of
the time. (Indeed, when it was feared that Virgil might burn the poem, Augustus ordered that it be retrived for
safe keeping, no doubt very conscious of its political significance). The parallels between these two ‘national heroes’
are outlined below.
Aeneas
Augustus
Founder of a ‘new Troy’ in Latium. Ancestor of
the Roman people.
Founder of a new ‘golden age’ in Rome. Saviour of
the Roman people.
Has divine origins. Venus was his mother. She in
turn sprang from Jupiter.
Has divine origins. Julius Caesar ‘the deified’ was
his adopted father. Augustus belonged to the Julian
line, descended from Iulus who in turn was
descended from Aeneas, Venus & Jupiter.
Lead his followers from the destruction of Troy to
peace in Latium. A saviour to his Trojan people.
Destined to rule and lead Trojans to a better future
in Latium.
Guided by Apollo throughout his journey. Aeneas
offers sacrifices to Apollo for his assistance.
Receives Apollo’s messages via the Cumaen Sybil.
Aeneas overcomes many journeys, battles and
individuals in the pursuit of his destiny. Aeneas
overcomes his Latin rival Turnus and the African
queen Dido.
Lead his fellow Romans out of the civil war that
had plagued Rome throughout the 1st century BC to
peaceful, prosperous Rome united under his rule.
A saviour to his nation.
Destined to rule and lead Romans to a better future.
Apollo was Augustus’ favourite deity. Augustus
believed Apollo had guided him during his military
campaigns. Augustus build a mighty temple to
Apollo and housed the Sibylline Books there.
Augustus overcame many journeys, battles and
individuals in pursuit of his imperial throne.
Augustus overcame his imperial rival Mark
Anthony and the African queen Cleopatra.
Augustus shows pietas to the gods and his
Aeneas shows piety to the gods and his followers.
followers. He restores Roman traditions and
He restores the old traditions and religious beliefs of religious practices after years of neglect. He rebuilt
Troy in Latium.
hundreds of temples and resurrected religious
practices.
Aeneas learned to resist his personal fulfillment.
From Book Seven onwards he led his followers
with honour and justice. He reconciled with his
defeated enemies, showed them compassion and
put aside bitterness and vengeance. In these ways
he established a Roman nation that has lasted from
1200 years.
Virgil implies that if the Roman nation is to
continue to rule the world in peace its leaders
(including Augustus) must do so in the manner of
Aeneas. They must not rule with self-indulgence,
but rather with justice and ‘… graft tradition onto
peace, … show mercy to the conquered, and …
wage war until the haughty are brought low’
(p.173). In this way Rome will peacefully rule the
world for as long as it has since Aeneas’ time.