Chapter XI

THE AENEID AS AN EPIC POEM OF HUMAN LIFE.
I. General character of the action as affected by the 355-364
Age in which the poem was written, and by the author’s
genius
Dignity of the circumstances treated in the poem 355
Distinction of the actors 356
Interest to Roman readers of the revival of Homeric life 357
" " " of the new romance of Italy 358
Virgil’s narrative power 359
Inferiority to Homer in exhibiting a vivid image of life 360
" " from causes personal to Virgil 360
" " from the character of his Age 361
Virgil’s representation an artistic compromise 363
Sources of creative power in Virgil’s genius 364
II. Supernatural Agencies, Observances, and Beliefs 365-374
in the Aeneid
Part played by the Olympian Divinities in the Aeneid 365
" by the Powers of the Italian mythology 369
Survivals of primitive religious worship in the Aeneid 369
Belief in local deities 370
Worship of the dead 371
Virgil’s ‘Inferno’ 373
His exact acquaintance with religious ceremonial 374
III. Political and Social Life, etc. as represented 376-394
in the Aeneid
Idea of a Paternal Government in the Aeneid 376
Sense of majesty attaching to Government 378
Relation of States to one another 379
Material civilisation 381
Social manners 382
Sea-adventure 384
Battle-scenes 388
Appeal to local associations 392
IV. Conception and Delineation of Character in the 395-408
Aeneid
Weakness of dramatic imagination in Virgil 395
Conception and delineation of Aeneas 396
The minor characters of the poem 400
Turnus 402
Mezentius 404
Dido 405
V. On the Style, etc. of the Aeneid 408-423
Virgil’s imagination oratorical rather than dramatic 408
Characteristics of the speeches in the Aeneid 409
Descriptive faculty 410
Illustrative imagery 413
Rhythm and diction of the poem 418
Greatness of its style 421

THE ROMAN POETS OF THE AUGUSTAN AGE