Dies Lunae
a.d. III Kalendas Martias

Lege Latine: Aen. 3.294–355

Lege Anglice:

Aen. 3.1–293 (Mandelbaum, pp. 55–64 [English vv. 1-379])

Selections from Euripides, Hecuba, Andromache, & Trojan Women (The Ghost of Polydorus; Laments by Hecuba and Andromache)

Scribe: Parsing Sheet

Meditare:

Remember that it is Aeneas who narrates the events in Books 2 and 3. How does Aeneas characterize the Trojans at the very beginning of Book 3?

Aeneas attempts unsuccessful to found cities in Thrace and Crete. What omens encourage him to withdraw from each? Note the names Aeneas gave to each settlement. What do these reveal about Aeneas' mindset, and consequent;y, why must these cities must fail. N.B. The story of Polydorus is told in Euripides’ Hecuba.

Throughout this section, notice the importance of Anchises, especially his interpretation of omens and prophecies as Aeneas' future is slowly revealed.

Why do you think some of the Trojans remain at New Pergamum?

How is the Trojan's cursing of Ithaca as they sail past particularly poignant?

How is Helenus' city a diminuative version of Troy? Beyond simple fate, why can the Trojans not remain in Helenus' “Toy Troy”?

As Book II retold the events of the climax of the Trojan War, Book III deals largely with its aftermath, note whenever Greeks are mentioned and how it seems all corners of the Eastern Mediterranean and its peoples remain infected by it. Notice the neat symmetry of a Trojan coming into possession of Pyrrhus’ city after Pyrrhus’ death.

Memento: Probatiuncula Sexta

Dies Mercurii
a.d. Kalendas Martias

Lege Latine: Aen. 3.612–658, 707–718

Lege Anglice:

Aen. 3.356–611 (Mandelbaum, pp. 66–75 [vv. 462-792])

Aen. 3.659–706 (Mandelbaum, pp. 76–78 [vv. 854-914])

Homer, Odyssey 9.241–562 (Odysseus & Polyphemus)

Scribe: Scan 3.655–659 (Scanning Worksheet)

Meditare:

Polyxena and Andromache appear in Euripides tragedies Hecuba, Andromache, and Trojan Women. Many of the stories and figures in Book III inspired Attic tragedeians. In Book IV, we will see how Attic tragedy is sublimated into the story of Dido's love for Aeneas.

Helenus prophecy provides an optimistic counterweight to Calaeno's. Be sure to note the details of each.

Aeneas retraces much of the wandering that Odysseus made. Vergil does, however, include a lengthy account of Odysseus’ blinding of the Cyclops. Of all the possible points of contact Aeneas could make with Ulysses, why linger over on this tale?

The closing of Book III would have had greater resonance for its original audience, who would have been familiar with the topography and geography of Sicily and Italy. For example, Drepanum was the site of a naval battle in the First Punic War (264-241 BC), one of Rome’s greatest defeats. In addition to the loss of Anchises, what other elements of Aeneas’ voyage did Helenus not inform Aeneas?

 

Dies Veneris
a.d. V Nonas Martias

Lege Latine: Aen. 4.1–53

Scribe: Scan 4.9–14 (Scanning Worksheet); Parsing Sheet

Meditare:

Note how love is described. Recall the characterization of love in the Eclogues (esp. Eclogues 2 and 10) and compare it to its description in Book IV.

While Dido's mind is set on love, Anna is focused on more practical concerns. Marriage in Rome (at least among the elite) was above all about fashioning politcal and commerical alliances first, with love a distant second. What threats that face Dido's new kingdom could a marriage with Aeneas ameliorate?