The Definition Of Justice In Virgil's The Aeneid

Improved Essays
The question of justice in any situation concerning warfare is a difficult one to address, as many people hold opposing views on the righteousness of war itself. In the Aeneid, Virgil proposes a new question for readers to consider as he allows the main character, Aeneas, to undergo a change in mentality throughout the epic. The reader is forced to decide whether the killing of an opponent is deemed as just or unjust. Although many scholars have proposed differing definitions of justice, Plato provides one of the most reputable descriptions. When one utilizes the definition of justice that Plato proposes, he or she will acknowledge that Turnus and Aeneas both abide by the gods’ authority, thus promoting justice; however, after the gods’ influence …show more content…
128-129). Turnus is fated to fight Aeneas; therefore, if Plato’s argument of justice is used, Turnus could be deemed as just, simply following his duty to Iris and the rest of the gods. Another argument posits that Turnus deserves to die as his attitude is overly aggressive in his dealings concerning Pallas after conquering him in battle. The prince of the Rutulians not only utters insolent words against Pallas and his father, but also “stamped his left foot on the corpse and stripped away the sword-belt” defiling Pallas’ broken body (Aen. 10. 586-587). Although this can be cited as a factor that justifies Aeneas’ murder of Turnus, one also has to analyze Aeneas’ attitude in battle. After murdering Tarquitus, Aeneas vaunts with all the hatred in his heart, “Now lie there, you horrific sight! / No loving mother will bury you in the ground / or weight your body down with your fathers’ tomb” (Aen. 10. 659-662). If one were to deem Turnus deserving of death due to his arrogant regard of Pallas, then that same ideology would have to be reciprocated toward Aeneas, as he mercilessly shouts insults against the slain Tarquitus. Not only should the actions of Turnus be analyzed to determine the justice or injustice of his death, but the actions of Aeneas should be examined before he is called a truly just …show more content…
This adherence, by Plato’s definition, is justice. And although Aeneas is described as “duty-bound” multiple times in the opening chapters of the epic, he eventually loses his rationality after the gods are no longer influencing his decisions. “Duty bound” is a misnomer to fully describe Aeneas as he no longer utilizes the three main features of justice and succumbs to his emotions, which results in the unjust slaying of

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Though god-like Aeneas embodies the mold of Roman piety, this does not prevent him from going down a path of hatred. Turnus begs for mercy when the instrument of death lies in Aeneas’ hands saying, “go no further out of hatred” (Fitzgerald 402). Aeneas contemplates his words, but is eventually…

    • 1083 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Human agency is demonstrated in Homer’s The Odyssey and Virgil’s The Aeneid through the story arcs of the characters of Odysseus and Aeneas. In the Odyssey, although Odysseus’ fate seems to be predetermined by the gods, it is actually influenced entirely by Odysseus’s own choices. In the Aeneid, however, Aeneas does not possess the same free will as Odysseus; his destiny is determined by the will of Zeus. Homer establishes the independence of the choices of mortals over the preordinations of the gods, while Virgil emphasizes the control the gods exercise over the fates of mortals.…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Justice has been an evolutionary concept that has been forever evolving for thousands of years. However, in order for the modern deduction of justice to have been made by modern standards, the concept of justice itself needs to be established. Although its formal understanding may have been unclear during their time period, Hesiod and Homer both attempt to understand and exert their opinions as to what justice is through their epic poems and other works. Even though some of their views on justice conflict and others compliment each other, they both laid a foundation to explain what justice meant in Greek society.…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nothing is better than to read a story of great battles between two opposing forces, especially if there are from ancient Greece. Great Aeneas was such a selfless and geat warrior compared to Hector of the Trojans who fought to be a loyal defender of his city. This will show how Aeneas is shown to be similar but better then Hector in the way that Virgil made him a mirror image of Hector from the Iliad. Aeneas is a democratic and selfless leader to his people. He demonstrates this when he finally lands in Italy.…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The epic has a similar feel to the Odyssey, the only difference being the Aeneid is written from a Trojan’s perspective. The gods, however, are portrayed in a similar light of causing destruction for personal gain or simply for fun. The gods are displayed by having very distinctive personalities and taking a more active approach in fulfilling their wishes. This can be shown when Jupiter calls a council on Mount Olympus to mediate between Venus and Juno to discuss the fates of Aeneas and Turnus, the leader of the Latin warriors. This shows how the god’s alliances drive the plot of the story.…

    • 1271 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Augustine And The Aeneid

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Aeneas was filled with rage, and his desire to avenge Pallas’ death overtook him (Lecture 10/28) Even Aeneas, the symbol of pietas, could not keep himself back from his desire for revenge when provoked (Lecture 10/28). There is a deep conflict between the desire to avenge the death of Pallas and being the ideal “roman” as outlined by Aeneas’ father in the underworld (Aen.…

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Cephalus’ justice poses more harm than good since the concept of “giving back what is owed” hold extreme and unforeseeable…

    • 1361 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After news of the massacre had spread, Antionous’s father, Eupithes, persuades the families of the suitors to murder Odysseus in order to avenge their children. However, Athena intervenes by killing Eupithes and removing the memory of the massacre from the families. Athena goes this far to protect Odysseus because the reason for Eupithes malice was unjust. When comparing the rationale for vengeance, Odysseus killed the suitors because they disrespected him and his property while Eupithes only wanted to kill Odysseus for killing his son. Although both were acts of vengeance, one was perceived to be more justified than the other.…

    • 1282 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He has a love towards pietas. Aeneas is devoted to his family and has a devote respect for the gods. Both of these are seen when he is fleeing Troy. To Anchises he said “Come dear father, onto my shoulders now. You will not weigh me down” showing how he cares for his father is old and will not make it by himself (Aen. 2.833).…

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Duty In Virgil's Aeneid

    • 1711 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Aeneas tells Dido that he must leave to found Rome, leaving her depressed and angry. Aeneas is obviously in pain, as expressed by, “But though he longs to soften, soothe her sorrow / and turn aside her troubles with sweet words” (Virgil 94). Virgil describes how deeply Aeneas cares for Dido, how much he wants to stay with her; yet, Aeneas must fulfill his…

    • 1711 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Over the course of the plays, the understanding of justice shifts from personal vendetta to the administration of justice by trial, culminating in the final trial of Orestes in the Eumenides. It is the contention of this paper that the trial in the final play is foreshadowed by a…

    • 2715 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Elaborating the Definition of Justice Plato, the Republic is about the history of political thought, it includes long conversations and arguments among several intellects. Thrasymachus, a fierce fighter, argues that justice is what is good for the stronger and that the unjust man lives a more profitable life than the just man does. Socrates, Plato’s teacher, play the role in defending justice in all these arguments. He praises justices for itself and its consequences. Next, Glaucon and Adeimantus, sons of Ariston, restore Thrasymachus’s argument in a different prospect of perfectly unjust life is better than a perfectly just life.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In many novels and plays the protagonist faces the greatest injustices cases they have dealt with. Oedipus Rex is a play where the protagonist, Oedipus, is clearly affected by the injustice he plays himself. Oedipus’ justice beliefs are what sets him off to create a bunch of injustice around the actions he takes. Oedipus searches for justice all along the play but does not realize all the injustice he had created and had been affected. Oedipus believes that people should feel justice and that it should be enforced.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Aiding and defending, the gods appear to respect Aeneas because of the Roman characteristics he…

    • 1741 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Roman Strengths and Weaknesses One essential element of the epic is the catalogue, which is a long list describing persons, places, or events placed in the catalogue for a specific reason. The Aeneid, written by Virgil, is exceptionally accomplished in creating a certain perception of his catalogues in The Aeneid. Virgil’s reason for having the prophetic catalogue in Book VI take place in the underworld is to place an emphasis on how the future of Rome will have its dark and light spots, just as the underworld has dark and light areas. Virgil chooses to include the dark parts of Roman history in this catalogue to remind Romans, including Aeneas, that, although they are powerful, they also have their weaknesses. To start the catalogue of Book…

    • 1320 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays