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Poetic Appropriations In Vergil’S Aeneid: A Study In Three Themes Comprising Aeneas’ Character Development, Edgar Gordyn

Theses and Dissertations

In Vergil’s Aeneid, Aeneas’ character development into the leader of the new Roman race is depicted in light of three significant themes: the bees, whether they appear in the epic’s similes or in the prophetic vision in book 7, the theme of passion, particularly ira, and the theme of reason, whether in Aeneas’ spoken commands or in his increasingly purposeful actions in founding his intended city. These themes, I argue, are interdependent and together highlight Aeneas’ character development into a model Roman leader, as well as highlight significant depictions of Vergil’s vision of the model Roman state.