These references to topics going on in Virgil's time would be of particular interest to his contemporary readers. ... The one thing I believe though is that Virgil did not consider these allusions critical to his poem. Yes, he did want to appease Augustus and stay in his favor, but more importantly, Virgil meant to glorify Rome. ... One way that the poem would be widely read was if there were references to the present time and those individuals in it (i.e. ... Even though Virgil wanted the poem destroyed while he was on his deathbed, Augustus wanted his contemporaries to read about the...

• Word Count: 927
• Approx Pages: 4

It's true that Aeneas' wanderings in the beginning of the poem are reminiscent of the same perils that Odysseus faced on his journey home to Ithaca, such as Aeneas' encounter with the Harpies (3:245) and the Cyclopes (3:760). ... At first all of these similarities may appear to be a poorly veiled appropriation of Homer's epics, but that is far from the actual purpose of Virgil's epic. Virgil seeks to reveal the true reason for the Trojan War and Aeneas' journey to Italy to found the predecessor to Rome. ... However, as Anchises describes "the glory that awai...

• Word Count: 707
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Virgil (70-19 B.C.), was a Roman poet, who wrote the great epic poem, the Aeneid (30-19 B.C.) during the last ten years his life. ... Virgil was patronized by Maecenas on behalf of Octavian (later the emperor Augustus). ... Virgil constructed this epic at the request of Augustus, to glorify Rome whereas, Homer chose to create based on societal morals. ... is told by Virgil's Aeneid, in the voice of the long dead defeated Trojans, describing Laoco? ...

• Word Count: 1000
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School