Paper Example on Major Conflicts in the Aeneid

The Aeneid by Virgil is a legendary Latin poem that tells of Aeneas, a Trojan, and his voyage to Italy. The narrative recounts the many trials he faced in finding Rome together with the Trojans who survived the war with the Greeks. Aeneas has the mandate from the gods of Troy to discover another city for the Trojans after King Priam and his family were killed, and the Greeks burnt the city. They flee Troy through the Mediterranean Sea towards Italy, where they are destined to find Rome. Close to their place of destination, a fierce storm disrupts them, and they land in Carthage, where Dido is the founder and queen. She is hospitable to them, and Aeneas narrates their adventure. Later on, they fall in love, but Aeneas has to fulfill the promise of finding a new city for his people. Guided by the gods and his father's advice, he arrived in Italy after conquering many battles and conflicts along the way. The Aeneid is characterized by disputes and resolutions throughout.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

First, there is a moral conflict between prophesy and love. The Italian Ruler King Latinus extends his hospitality to Aeneas. Calling upon his council, he requests that they offer Aeneas peace offerings (Virgil, p. 211). He hopes that his daughter Lavinia will marry the foreigner as it had been prophesied. ‘A foreign son is pointed out by fate; And, till Aeneas shall Lavinia wed’ (p. 218). This creates animosity with Turnus, whom Amata wanted to marry her daughter. She believes he is the ideal suitor for her daughter. This makes Amata and Turnus hate the intruders, that is, the Trojans. The queen was protecting Turnus' fame (p.218). To resolve this conflict, therefore, the two warriors, Turnus, the Latino, and Aeneas, the Trojan, were asked to battle it out, and the princess would marry the hero who wins. 'Let the fair bride to the brave chief remain' (p. 222). The two men met in the open field where a public battle was held. Aeneas, who had experienced wars and their impacts, warned Turnus about the consequences. As he says, they have felt the extent of the conflict and would rather wish for peace (p.222), but Turnus was in for way. They battled it out, and Aeneas won the battle. The two champions matched in an open battle (p. 256) which Turnus loses by death (p. 257)

Consequently, Ascanius, the son of Aeneas, causes a physical conflict when he injured a pet stag of Silvia, the daughter of the royal herdsman (p. 139). While Ascanius was drinking water from the riverside, he was eager to continue playing. Shooting his arrow, he pierced the creature's bowels, making Silvia cry aloud (p.139), thus attracting a crowd of angry neighbors with weapons. The crowd's rage provoked the goddess and trembled the mountains. The war began with Almon dying from a distant arrow to the throat (p. 140). It marked the beginning of a battle between the Latins and the Trojans. The dead soldier was Turnus' relative making the war personal as he was now riding in anger. However, the Trojan soldier retrieves Ascanius from the battlefront protecting him as he was inexperienced. The war ended with Turnus' death by Aeneas.

The immortal and mortal women in the poem have significantly caused an internal conflict in the poem. Juno, who is angry with the Trojans, sends her messenger Iris disguised in a woman's body. She appears to be the matrona Beroe and persuades the women to set the ship on fire (p. 96). She makes them believe the journey is tiresome, and Aeneas should make camp in Sicily. Distributing torches, they heed and burn the ships. He Trojan men tried to put it off, but it proved impossible (p. 97). Aeneas makes a prayer to Jupiter for help, requesting for pity and to save the Trojan’s fleet and let the fury fall on him instead (p. 97). Storms began immediately putting out the fire (p. 98). Thus proving again, Aeneas was an ordained leader who would sacrifice his own life for peace and the prosperity of his people.

Work Cited

Virgil. “The Aeneid” 80-268