Archive for November, 2012
279–295: The Great Escape
184. Draw the facial expression of Aeneas in the wake of Mercury’s theophany as visualized by Virgil at 279–80: At uero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens,/ arrectaeque horrore comae et uox faucibus haesit. 185. What do we learn about Aeneas’ character and values from lines 281–82 (ardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras,/ attonitus tanto monitu imperioque […]
259–278: Back to The Future
175. What does Mercury see (261: conspicit) upon touching down in Carthage? Why would he have deemed the sight scandalous? What stylistic devices does Virgil use to reinforce the atmosphere of scandal? 176. Mercury is supposed to deliver Jupiter’s message to Aeneas. But he does not simply reproduce Jupiter’s speech verbatim to the Trojan hero. […]
238–258: Mercury Descending
167. Why is the tense of parabat (238–39: ille patris magni parere parabat/ imperio) funny? 168. Compare Mercury’s preparations for departure and subsequent descent at 4.239–58 with Homer’s description of Mercury’s Greek alter ego Hermes at Odyssey 5.43–54: So he spoke, and the messenger, the slayer of Argus, did not disobey. Straightway he bound beneath […]
219–37: Jupiter’s Wake-up Call
156. How does Jupiter respond to Iarbas’ prayer? Does he listen to his son? 157. Just like Iarbas in 209, Virgil calls Jupiter Omnipotens (220): is the epithet ‘all-powerful’ entirely justified? Put differently, in what ways are the powers of Jupiter limited in the Aeneid? 158. Identify the six imperatives in lines 223–26. 159. At […]
198–218: In Dad I Tru$t
146. Virgil begins this section with Iarbas’ genealogy. What kind of ablative is Hammone (198)? And how does Iarbas’ mother feature in the text? 147. Analyse the design of lines 199–202 (templa Ioui centum latis immania regnis,/ centum aras posuit uigilemque sacrauerat ignem,/ excubias diuum aeternas, pecudumque cruore/ pingue solum et uariis florentia limina sertis), […]
173–197: The News Goes Viral
130. Lines 173–83 contain a description of the personified concept Fama, to whom Virgil—following precedents in Homer and Hesiod—grants a divine lineage and existence. Try to draw the goddess on the basis of his verses. Inspiration could come from J. Paul Weber’s painting, Das Gerücht (‘The Rumour’), which is easily located via Google Images. 131. […]
129–172: The Hunting Party
105. 129–72 recount the events that Juno had anticipated in 117–27: compare and contrast the divine plan with how it unfolds. 106. Who is the goddess Aurora (129: Oceanum interea surgens Aurora reliquit) and where else does Virgil mention her in Aeneid 4? Do the various instances add up to a pattern? 107. What are […]
90–128: Love and Marriage, or: A Match Made in Heaven
82. Where does Juno come from, all of sudden? When did she last make an appearance in the narrative? How does Virgil re-introduce her? 83. Explain the syntax of Quam (90) and famam (91). 84. What does tali … peste (90) mean? 85. Discuss the design of 92: talibus adgreditur Venerem Saturnia dictis. 86. Analyse […]
54–89: ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ (Queen)
57. Manuscripts and commentators disagree which text to read in line 54. Possible options are: (a) his dictis incensum animum flammauit amore; (b) his dictis impenso animum flammauit amore; (c) his dictis incensum animum inflammauit amore. Which one do you prefer and why? 58. Discuss the rhetorical design of lines 54–55, with special attention to […]
31–53: Sister Act II: Anna’s Reply
44. Outline the structure of Anna’s speech. What devices does Virgil use to mark the different segments? 45. Identify the different arguments that Anna musters to convince Dido to give in to her feelings for Aeneas. What rhetorical devices does she use to make them sound compelling? Are they compelling? Does Anna truly understand her […]
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