From: Adrian Pay <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 23:53:19 -0000
I find Mezentius a very interesting character in the Aeneid. One bit that's
particularly striking is lines 10.689f "At Iovis interea monitis Mezentius
ardens / succedit pugnae Teucrosque invadit ovantis" ("But meanwhile on the
*instructions of Jupiter* burning Mezentius...". Now have a look at the
scene where Jupiter replies to the complaints of Juno and Venus at the
beginning of book 10. Jupiter says at 104ff that he will be completely
impartial in the coming fight - "Tros Rutulusne fuat, nullo discrimine
habebo ... rex Iuppiter omnibus idem" and he swears this by the Styx.
The way I read it, bits like this undermine the superficial picture of a
"moral" Jupiter; the deaths of both Trojans and Rutulans are part of the
plan of Jupiter, just like the "countless deaths of Greeks" are part of
Zeus' plan in the Iliad (1.1 and elsewhere).
Have a look also at the bit where Jupiter holds up the scales to decide
whether Turnus or Aeneas is to die (12.725ff). And its by *Jupiter's* th
rone that the Dirae sit (one of whom is sent against Turnus) not, as one
might expect, Juno's.
I think you're quite right that this is intimately connected with Vergil's
Augustan agenda. Generally speaking there is a balance in the Aeneid
between patriotic pro-Augustan stuff (which I find a genuine and integral
part of the poem) and a deep exploration of the negative side of
imperialism. The death of Turnus is an excellent example - it is the
crowning moment of the Aeneid and marks both Aeneas' success and the
founding of Rome, but the tone is disquieting. Homer's Iliad finished with
the incredible scene of reconciliation between Achilles and Priam - the old
Trojan king eats with the Greek who killed and mutilated his best son and I
think Vergil wanted his readers to bear in mind how that epic finished.
Remember as well Anchises words to Aeneas at 6.852f "Remember, Roman, to
rule over peoples with 'imperium' (these will be your arts), and to add
civilized values to peace, *to spare those who are thrown down* ["parcere
subiectis"] and war against those who are arrogant". And Aeneas almost does
have mercy on Turnus (lines 12.938ff). But it is noticing Pallas' belt
which incenses him ("saevi...doloris"; "furiis accensus et ira terribilis";
"fervidus" - words with great resonance through the Aeneid).
I hope some of that will be thought provoking.
Adrian Pay
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