The Aeneid - Blog Posts

pussy so good he forgets about his gods-given quest

I WAS TRANSLATING THE AENEID AND GOT TO NIMBŌ AND I WAS LIKE BRANDON IS THAT YOU???

haec rursus patienda manent, hoc ordine belli ibitur, hic stabit civilibus exitus armis [lucan, pharsalia], or alternatively titled, Aeneas Kills Turnus

there’s a million and seven things that went on in the ‘dialogue’ of figuring this painting out, but it’ll take like, literally 15 pages to explain, so instead I’ll pull together a thread of quotes that rattled around in my head while I made this and hope that the dots are all connectable

the aeneid, tr. fagles

the iliad, tr. fagles

blood in the arena, alison futrell

@thoodleoo​‘s tags on this post

the epodes: horace’s archilochus?, lindsay watson

the memory of philippi in horace and the interpretation of the epistle 1.20.23,  mario citroni (you know, because philippi is where the republic dies, and functions as a spectacle, funeral, and foundational sacrifice for empire, which circles back to—)

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i just want to work in a small museum in italy where i translate latin manuscripts and talk to college kids about the ancient world before walking to my little apartment by the sea to drink tea and watch the sunset while chopin plays in the background. is that too much to ask?

Can’t lie Dido’s suicide is the best thing to happen to both Dido and (kinda) Aeneas. Cuss like listen okay Dido lusting over Aeneas is not his fault! It was the Gods work and then Dido’s sister that convinced her to act on her divine feelings.

Is Aeneas still kind of an ass? Yes. He still took her univera status from her, allowed her kingdom to collapse since she was following him like a duck, and then go on to denounce their (tbf unofficial) marriage . These aren’t great things but they also wouldn’t have happened without Juno, Venus and Cupid.

Anyway the reason why it’s good is cuss Dido gets to be with her husband- her one *true* love. The person she swore off men for. The person who even in death she craves to be in his arms! Like sorry but her suicide is what allowed her to return to him. Not to mention it’s what broke cupids spell AND brought her so much sympathy from Juno (who yes… is to blame) that she sent Iris to cut her life thread short. Ya know. BREAKING FATE! Her death is horrible but it’s also the kindest fate she could ever have once the Gods caught sight of her.

For Aeneas it’s not so much her suicide but the leaving, he does it for his son! It’s not even for himself he doesn’t care, mercury ‘manipulates’ Aeneas using his fatherhood and leader role against him to not only force him out of Carthage but to leave THEN and there. I mean come on, Aeneas isn’t pleased with Didos death, in book 6 he uselessly reached out to talk to her and in book 11 he buries his surrogate son, Pallas, in robes SHE gifted. He doesn’t forget her. Her last mention is with the son that he could never truly have. The family he could never have *because* of Rome. It’s depressing.

But it’s better than loving a man because the Gods forced you. It’s better than watching your kingdom slowly crumble around you and you not having the ability to care. It’s better than failing as a father and the carrier of your cultures future. It’s better than ignoring the call of the Gods.

love reading the aeneid when i'm having a bad day because no matter what kind of day i'm having aeneas is having a worse one