Vergil didn't leave out the history, or the politics, even if people can't agree what to make of them, or even whether they're *meant* to agree. It is surely a legitimate question to ask whether Aeneas' abandonment of Dido, at divine behest, for his higher destiny, is to be read not merely as a fusion of the Calypso and Circe episodes (or even in relation to Naevius, if we think we know enough about him to debate Horsfall's account of the matter), but as a pointed comment on Antony's adherence to the national enemy Cleopatra; at least that how I reacted to it at school.
One thing I've thought about doing is bringing in some slides of ancient Rome; my hope is that this will make the history a bit less abstract. I'm wondering, though, whether I might have more success if I simply left the history alone and focused on the literary elements.
Leofranc Holford-Strevens -- *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Leofranc Holford-Strevens 67 St Bernard's Road usque adeone Oxford scire MEVM nihil est, nisi ME scire hoc sciat alter? OX2 6EJ
tel. +44 (0)1865 552808(home)/353865(work) fax +44 (0)1865 512237 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (home)/[EMAIL PROTECTED] (work)
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