Aeneas Dipiction of Himself

When depicting events that one has lived through it is often difficult to remain impartial. In such cases the story tends to be in the point of view of the teller, and thus shows the teller as the protagonist. Meaning usually their views are considered the right ones, and for all intent and purpose they are the “good guys”. This is the case in Virgil’s Aeneid when Aeneas narrates the fall of Troy to Dido and the Carthaginians. Aeneas’ narration of the events presents him in a fairly positive light. It shows his courage and his leadership among other attributes. Although Aeneas may try and depict himself as a golden boy, the narration also illustrates Aeneas as hypocritical, impulsive, and vain.

Aeneas is hypocritical. Throughout the book Aeneas speaks of the Trojan horse as treachery and a ruse . He does not commend his foe for their strategically brilliant idea, but rather calls them callous and ruthless . Yet, he and his comrades make a very similar move in dawning Danaän armor. After he suggests switching equipment with the fallen Argives, Coroebus says “ruses or bravery, who cares which when you’re dealing with foemen?” While these are not Aeneas’ words, Aeneas does not protest this plan of action; in fact he goes along with it. Nor does he show regret for deceiving the Argives when later retelling the events to Dido. Holding ones foe to different standards than one holds themselves is hypocritical. If the Trojan horse was treacherous and deceitful, so too is wearing the Danaän equipment. Should Aeneas find the former immoral, he should find the latter the same. As he does not, this shows his hypocritical nature.

Aeneas is impulsive. His first course of action when he awakes preceding the Argive attack is to take arms. In his words “mindlessly, I seize arms, without thinking too clearly what purpose arms should serve.” He goes to fight, his mind on bloodshed. After fleeing for the mountains Aeneas notices that Creusa