The Aeneid: Roman Virtues Critical Thinking

Aeneas is the main character of the Virgil’s Aeneid. He is famous and brave warrior, acknowledged by his deeds during the Trojan War. In the epic, he leaves his native city and sails to Italy. According to Virgil, Aeneas is a founder of the future Roman Empire. In their everyday, life Romans follow so-called mos maiorum, the unwritten code based on valued virtues. The author imbued his main character with virtues of the ideal Roman citizen in order to show the inherence of the Roman social norms.
Secondly, Aeneas always understands the importance of the matter. He understands how vital his mission is for the future, and he bears responsibility for that. He is serious about all his deeds. This means that he has gravitas, gravity. Because of this virtue, Aeneas leaves Dido. The possible marriage is not as important as the future of the whole nations. However, Mercury needs to remind him of his duty.
Another important Roman virtue demonstrated by Aeneas is called severitas. It is the ability to overcome own emotions and feelings and perform the duty, as well as keep promises. Aeneas kills Turnus despite he wants to forgive him. He should do this to commemorate the memory of his son.
The character of Aeneas is complicated but interesting. He is strong, brave and decisive. Yet sometimes, he lacks the virtues valued nowadays. All in all, he is a virtuous as he should be for the Roman Empire.

Response

In this paper Aeneas seems to be too dependent on gods and their decisions. Yet the obedience to god’s will was only the literature tradition. Every deed should be somehow explained, and intrusion of gods was the best choice. The character is more complicated and dramatic. He makes uneasy decisions and takes responsibility for them. He cannot be called loyal to Dido, but he just sets nation’s well-being before his own feelings. The last paragraph of the essay confirms the idea that pietas is the brightest and the most definite characteristic of Aeneas.