Aeneas Duty

Aeneid book II In book II Aeneas fulfills his pietas, his overall duty towards Anchises, the gods and his wife Creusa, by saving them. Saving them was his main priority; he wanted them safe and away from being taking from the Greeks and turned into possible slaves. Aeneas also seemed to have further duties to his wife and father. His first duty to his father, Anchises, was to forgive him for having an affair with Venus. This affair caused the gods to despise him and making Jupiter cast a thunderbolt causing Anchises to be disabled. Aeneas enquires “Did you, my own father, dream that I could run away and desert you here?” (Line 815-16) This quote serves as evidence that Aeneas still cares about his father even though he did his family wrong. It is also serving as evidence that he is trying to save his father and fulfilling his pietas towards him. …show more content…
However his wife thought that his first duty was to protect their home, but if he was not going to do this then he had to take Creusa with him and protect her. With his heart on his sleeve Aeneas states, “This labor of love will never wear me down.” (Line 881-82) This quotes provides an example of how he is trying to protect his family. But in the end he does not necessarily fulfill his pietas towards her because she end ups falling behind. He Aeneas never looked back, completely forgot about her and she was killed. He soon finds out that it was never in the gods plan to let her leave home with her husband after his wife’s ghost appears and informs him of this . They were never destined to be together