Trust Your Fate
Faithful Fate
As the story of The Aeneid comes to an end, readers are left wondering why the book even matters in the first place. With a rather abrupt ending to the story readers are left with an incomplete feeling, as we aren’t given the resolution we had hoped for. Instead of a happy ending where all of our characters receive closer, we are left with Aeneas in battle, and we are left with a cliffhanger ending. This ending leaves the question, what is the point of this book? The point of this book was to teach readers to be loyal, faithful, and trust that it will work out for us all in the end, no matter how terrible our situation seems.
Aeneas is the main character of this story, and he is a very devout man. He is very loyal to his gods, and he does what they want from him even when it is hard for him. Aeneas leaves queen Dido when the fates tell him to, and in return the fates help him leave. “Heaven blocks his gentle, human ears”(4.554). Which helps Aeneas leave, and softens the fact he cannot be with Dido anymore. In a way this is the fates rewarding Aeneas for his loyalty. Although Aeneas did not know what would happen if he left Dido, when he was told to leave, he did. He trusted that the fates had a plan for him, and even though it was hard, he knew they would work it out. Just like us as Christians should have faith that even though times seem rough, God will never forsake us or leave us. Just like the fates did not abandon Aeneas, and they reward his loyalty to them.
Remaining faithful can be quite difficult, especially when you are in the middle of a war, and your men are dying all around you. Aeneas is a strong moral leader, as the Trojans are fighting with Italy many lives are being lost, and Aeneas could have easily given up faith, and surrendered. However, Aeneas does not lose faith, and he does not even think about giving up. Instead he rallies his men, and tries to improve their moral, “what magnificent things we’ve done, and my friends!” (11.17). He tells his men that they have done wonderful things, and they should be proud of all they have accomplished. “Sharpen your swords with heart and pin your hopes on war!”(11.23). Aeneas tells his men that they need to keep their hearts in the war, reminding them that warriors are only as strong as their reasoning for fighting. Aeneas is very passionate about his fate, and about building a great empire. He knows that having a strong army means having a strong reason to fight. Their fight is not their fight alone, it is the fight for the future of Troy, for the future of Rome, and the future of life itself. Aeneas is willing to do what he must to win, and he remains faithful to the god’s plans, and he does not allow the death of his people to faze him off the course. Aeneas as loss many people of the course of his life, but he knows that everything happens for a reason, and that the gods are working in his life.
Aeneas is a war hero who has survived many difficult battles, and he has survived many ordeals that would cause any man to lose faith, or to give up, but Aeneas seems to build off of his past, and get stronger. After losing his beloved city, his father, and his wife, Aeneas still does not give up on the fates, and he still goes on, continuing on the path fate set for him. In book six, Aeneas is in the underworld, and sees queen Dido wondering the fields of mourning. Aeneas tells her “The will of the gods, that drives me through shadows now” (6.536). He weeps for Dido and tells her not to leave, because that would be the last time they will see each other. Although Aeneas loves Dido he knows the fates will not allow them to cross paths again, and he accepts this fact, and moves on in his story. Aeneas has lost many people in his life because of the fates, but instead of hating the fates for his trials, he stays loyal to them, and continues to work towards building Rome. Even in the middle of the ending of Troy and Italy, Aeneas is praying to the gods, and telling the gods that if he wins he will make sure that Rome is built on a strong foundation of peace. “They sealed a pact of peace between both sides” (12.256). Aeneas knew the importance of Rome being a nation that was new, and free from the ideals of past nations quarrels.
Aeneas is man chosen by fate to build a great nation, and while he endures many difficult trials, he never wavers. Aeneas showed readers what true loyalty looks like, and how having faith will pay off in the end. Aeneas is known as a devout, courageous, and spiritual leader the whole story, which are all positive characteristics that he receives because of his faith. However, Aeneas also encounters his enemies who wish to stop him, just like we encounter people today who do not want us to live up to our full potential. Aeneas never stopped working towards his goal of building a great nation, and in the end his hard work pays off, and he defeats Turnus, and is a position for Rome to develop. While readers do not get closure with the ending, we are left with Aeneas winning, and we can assume that the fates rewarded him with his destiny of Rome becoming a great nation being realized.
As the story of The Aeneid comes to an end, readers are left wondering why the book even matters in the first place. With a rather abrupt ending to the story readers are left with an incomplete feeling, as we aren’t given the resolution we had hoped for. Instead of a happy ending where all of our characters receive closer, we are left with Aeneas in battle, and we are left with a cliffhanger ending. This ending leaves the question, what is the point of this book? The point of this book was to teach readers to be loyal, faithful, and trust that it will work out for us all in the end, no matter how terrible our situation seems.
Aeneas is the main character of this story, and he is a very devout man. He is very loyal to his gods, and he does what they want from him even when it is hard for him. Aeneas leaves queen Dido when the fates tell him to, and in return the fates help him leave. “Heaven blocks his gentle, human ears”(4.554). Which helps Aeneas leave, and softens the fact he cannot be with Dido anymore. In a way this is the fates rewarding Aeneas for his loyalty. Although Aeneas did not know what would happen if he left Dido, when he was told to leave, he did. He trusted that the fates had a plan for him, and even though it was hard, he knew they would work it out. Just like us as Christians should have faith that even though times seem rough, God will never forsake us or leave us. Just like the fates did not abandon Aeneas, and they reward his loyalty to them.
Remaining faithful can be quite difficult, especially when you are in the middle of a war, and your men are dying all around you. Aeneas is a strong moral leader, as the Trojans are fighting with Italy many lives are being lost, and Aeneas could have easily given up faith, and surrendered. However, Aeneas does not lose faith, and he does not even think about giving up. Instead he rallies his men, and tries to improve their moral, “what magnificent things we’ve done, and my friends!” (11.17). He tells his men that they have done wonderful things, and they should be proud of all they have accomplished. “Sharpen your swords with heart and pin your hopes on war!”(11.23). Aeneas tells his men that they need to keep their hearts in the war, reminding them that warriors are only as strong as their reasoning for fighting. Aeneas is very passionate about his fate, and about building a great empire. He knows that having a strong army means having a strong reason to fight. Their fight is not their fight alone, it is the fight for the future of Troy, for the future of Rome, and the future of life itself. Aeneas is willing to do what he must to win, and he remains faithful to the god’s plans, and he does not allow the death of his people to faze him off the course. Aeneas as loss many people of the course of his life, but he knows that everything happens for a reason, and that the gods are working in his life.
Aeneas is a war hero who has survived many difficult battles, and he has survived many ordeals that would cause any man to lose faith, or to give up, but Aeneas seems to build off of his past, and get stronger. After losing his beloved city, his father, and his wife, Aeneas still does not give up on the fates, and he still goes on, continuing on the path fate set for him. In book six, Aeneas is in the underworld, and sees queen Dido wondering the fields of mourning. Aeneas tells her “The will of the gods, that drives me through shadows now” (6.536). He weeps for Dido and tells her not to leave, because that would be the last time they will see each other. Although Aeneas loves Dido he knows the fates will not allow them to cross paths again, and he accepts this fact, and moves on in his story. Aeneas has lost many people in his life because of the fates, but instead of hating the fates for his trials, he stays loyal to them, and continues to work towards building Rome. Even in the middle of the ending of Troy and Italy, Aeneas is praying to the gods, and telling the gods that if he wins he will make sure that Rome is built on a strong foundation of peace. “They sealed a pact of peace between both sides” (12.256). Aeneas knew the importance of Rome being a nation that was new, and free from the ideals of past nations quarrels.
Aeneas is man chosen by fate to build a great nation, and while he endures many difficult trials, he never wavers. Aeneas showed readers what true loyalty looks like, and how having faith will pay off in the end. Aeneas is known as a devout, courageous, and spiritual leader the whole story, which are all positive characteristics that he receives because of his faith. However, Aeneas also encounters his enemies who wish to stop him, just like we encounter people today who do not want us to live up to our full potential. Aeneas never stopped working towards his goal of building a great nation, and in the end his hard work pays off, and he defeats Turnus, and is a position for Rome to develop. While readers do not get closure with the ending, we are left with Aeneas winning, and we can assume that the fates rewarded him with his destiny of Rome becoming a great nation being realized.
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