Virgil writes the Aeneid between the years 29-19 BCE. The Aeneid tells the legendary story of a man named Aeneas and how he found the city of Rome. Consisted of twelve books, the Aeneid is an epic poem. The Aeneid is considered one of the historically relevant works of Latin literature because it tells the story of the founding of Rome. Therefore, the literary device of ekphrasis describes a particular work of art in a more dramatic and vivid way. Ekphrasis originally comes from the Greeks and was made popular by Virgil. Ekphrasis occurs throughout the epic to describe how Aeneas feels about a particular piece of art or sculpture. One moment especially stands out. Near the beginning of book one, after Aeneas escapes from Troy, he stumbles across Carthage where he encounters a temple to Juno. As soon as Aeneas sees the frieze of this temple he recognizes that various scenes from the Trojan War are depicted. In the Aeneid, Virgil describes what Aeneas sees on the frieze on the Temple of Juno and how he feels when he sees the paintings. Aeneas reacts to these images emotionally, he feels great sorrow and weeps, as the images remind him of the Trojan war where he lost his fatherland.
In the Aeneid, ekphrasis fits into the surrounding narrative. Led to Carthage by Venus, Aeneas sees that the Carthaginians are building a temple to Juno. This is interesting because even though Juno hates the Trojans, the Trojans create sacrifices for Juno. Also, as Aeneas walks toward the temple, “Here in the grove new things that met his eyes/Calmed Aeneas’s fear for the first time./Here for the first time he took heart to hope,” (Aeneid 1.610-613). When he first sees the frieze, it amazes him. Aeneas distinctively identifies the pictures which causes him to reflect and describe his memories. The identification of the pictures exemplifies how Virgil uses ekphrasis; Aeneas describes his feelings towards the pictures that he identifies. Ekphrasis portrays more of Aeneas’s thoughts and feelings. Therefore, Virgil strengthens and illuminates the main themes of the epic. It was a way for Virgil to describe certain scenes in the epic without having to take on a full narrative style. This is the first time in the epic that Virgil allows Aeneas to speak for himself, resulting in a clear understanding of his state of mind. Furthermore, this scene alludes to books two and three, in which Aeneas narrates in the first-person point of view. Without ekphrasis, the reader would have to dig deeper and create more connections to discover more about Aeneas. Virgil uses ekphrasis in the Aeneid as a way to accidentally, on purpose, set the scene, and amplify the meaning of certain events. Ekphrasis helps the reader make invisible connections and highlights the unexpected.
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The sculpture itself that shows the paintings is Dido’s Temple. First, Aeneas sees the scene of the war with the Greeks, then Achilles pursuing the Trojans (Aeneid I. 636). This scene helps paint the picture for the following images. Next, Diomedes betrays and kills Rhesus, who fights on the side with the Trojans, and steals Rhesus’s horses (Aeneid 1.640). Following this, Dido’s Temple details Achilles killing Troilus as he is dragged by his chariot (Aeneid 1.646). The fourth scene shows the supplication to Pallas Minerva by the Trojan women (Aeneid 1.654). Next, the fifth image represents the ransoming of Hector’s body by Achilles (Aeneid 1.658). This is another parallel to Homer, as it closely relates to book 22 of the Iliad. In book 22 of the Iliad, “So shone the point of great Achilles’ spear… Where ‘twixt the neck and throat the jointed plate/Gave entrance: through that penetrable part/Furious he drove the well-directed dart,” (Iliad 22.394, 400-402). Like in the image that Aeneas identifies, there is a similar scene portrayed in the Iliad: Achilles knows the weak point in Hector’s armor and puts his spear through Hector’s throat, killing him instantly. These five episodes are highlighted: the battle, the killing of Rhesus, the killing of Troilus, the supplication to Pallas, and the ransoming of Hector’s body. “Of Rhesus, and more tears came: these, betrayed… And on another panel/Troilus, without his armor, luckless boy… And there was Hector, dragged around Troy walls/Three times, and there for gold Achilles sold him,” (Aeneid 1.640, 646-647, 658-659). Each of these images matters in their own way. Hector, the eldest son of Priam, was an ideal warrior, and the mainstay of Troy; one of the last images that Virgil describes Aeneas seeing.
Aeneas reacts to these paintings as expected. All these images from his past bring back terrible memories. When Aeneas sees the pictures, “He broke off/To feast his eyes and mind on a mere image,/Sighing often, cheeks grown wet with tears,/To see again how, fighting around Troy,” (Aeneid 1.632-635). Aeneas becomes emotional at seeing images of his very own friends being killed. It is as if Aeneas does not even have a second to process what he sees but immediately has tears rolling down his cheek. Aeneas realizes the impact the Trojan war has made. In addition, ekphrasis foreshadows future scenes in the epic, as well as touch on several parallels. All the scenes that Aeneas identifies on Dido’s temple depict events that will be mirrored by incidents occurring in the Italian War during books 9-12 of the Aeneid. A complete correspondence does not occur, but many similarities. More closely, when Aeneas describes what he remembers to Dido later in the Epic, he tells his story in the order of how he sees the images.
Throughout the Aeneid, Virgil uses the device of ekphrasis to describe different pieces of art and sculptures. Virgil does this as a way to provide greater meaning and provide connections into the epic. One of the most important scenes from the Aeneid occurs when Aeneas encounters the Temple of Dido and describes in detail how he feels to what he sees. Not only does this give a clear image, but also, sets the scene for the rest of the epic. One theme that is shown is: empty image. When Aeneas sees the images he says, “what region of earth, Achatës,/Is not full of the story of our sorrow?... Great valor has due honor; they weep here/For how the world goes, and our life passes/Touches their hearts. Throw off your fear. This fame/Insures some kind of refuge,” (Aeneid 1.625-626, 627-631). This scene is similar to a scene in J.K. Rowling’s book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, when Harry Potter sees the images of his dead parents in a mirror. As much as Harry misses his parents, he knows that they will never return. At the end of the book, when Harry completes his mission, he realizes that he should not dwell in dreams and forget to live. Instead, Harry should look ahead into the future and realize his purpose in life. Likewise, for Aeneas, he sees images of Troy. Troy is like Harry’s parents, in that Troy is gone and will never return; the images of Troy are mere images. Instead of dwelling on the past, Aeneas should attribute qualities such as valor, honor, and fame and look ahead into the future. Unfortunately, he does not immediately get this lesson, as he continues to stay with Dido through books 2-3 of the Aeneid. Finally, ekphrasis helps portray this message in the Aeneid: that through Aeneas’s bravery and tribulations, he will be able to found Rome and give hope for the future.
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