The Aeneid: Analysis Essay

In the Aeneid, many Gods play a role in the story. The king of all deities, Jupiter, the divine antagonist of the destiny of Aeneas, and Venus, his main protector and his mother are the main Gods. Lesser Gods such as Mercury, Neptune, and Aeolus serve as instruments for the main Gods to interfere with during the story. The role of the Gods in The Aeneid play a major part in intervening in certain events and delaying Aeneas journey, but nothing can change what Jupiter has decreed will happen, although they alter the way the events transpire.
In book one, the interactions of Gods is clear when Juno is angry that the Trojans are prophesized to destroy her favored city, Carthage. Already having hatred toward the Trojans, to keep Aeneas and his crew from reaching their destiny in return for the most beautiful nymph, Juno calls on Aeolus to let loose “brawling winds and howling storms”(Book 1). However, God of the ocean, Neptune calms the storms down because he does not appreciate this, and says this of Aeolus, “He is not the one who has jurisdiction over the sea or holds the trident that knows no pity. That is my responsibility, given to me by my lot”(Book 1). This shows that even Gods with higher power (Aeolus and Juno in this case) cannot just order anything to happen or have power over other Gods because they must treat them equally. This also indicates that lesser Gods can cancel out orders from even the Queen of Gods.
‘Pious Aeneas’ is what they often refer to as Aeneas in The Aeneid. Aeneas says of himself “I am Aeneas, known for my devotion”(Book 1). In Latin, ‘pious’ is ‘pietas’, which is defined as piety, loyalty, dutifulness. It is Aeneas’s duty to the Gods, his country, and his family, which is displayed throughout the epic. As the purpose of the epic is to make the finding of the Roman Empire illustrious, it would make sense