The Aeneid by the great Roman poet Virgil can be acclaimed as a tribute of Homeric style and poetic language along with its appeal to the epic themes of heroism and performing feats. The poem can be described as a great heroic epos dedicated to aggrandizement of such values as courage, power, endurance and bravery. In the poem’s prologues, the author alludes to numerous themes and aspects which are related in his masterpiece. The main theme of the poem is describing the events from the life of a legendary man of ancient times called Aeneas. With the development of the poem’s story plot, the reader follows Aeneas from his heroic fights in Troy to his final destination in the territory which is now known as the country of Italy, and founding the mighty Empire of Rome.
Examining the poem, a row of the main themes can be noticed. First of all, the theme of heroism during endless wars of ancient times aimed for repartition of the world comes through the whole poem as the main canvas. This theme is very common for Greek and Roman literature and art, in general. The cult of human power, mightiness and grandeur was prevailing in those cultures. “I sing of arms and of a man”, read the first words of the poem’s prologue showing the main theme tendency of the whole opus. Singing and praising mighty men of arms, this is what the reader is to expect on every page of the poem (Virgil 1).
Secondly, the theme of divine can be also explored both in the prelude and all over the poem. The reader is constantly impelled to think over the great and exalted position of gods who affect human life to the extent they want. The reader can see this tendency in the following words, for example: “he was battered beneath the violence of High Ones” (Virgil 1). The main character Aeneas along with the other characters depicted in the poem has to face his weakness as a human being at the face of super human deities and the ill fate prepared for him from above.
Finally, the theme of the world’s redivision can be also explored in the poem’s prelude. This theme is considered to be very timely for the historic period when Vergil lived, and it is no wonder that he puts it on such an important level; even nowadays the theme is in the same position of current interest. We read in the prelude about “the Latin race” which is described by Vergil in details (Virgil 1). This race which had been initiated by Aeneas later turned into the expansion of Roman Empire which continued during countless centuries of human history. Roman Empire in contrast to Babylonian Empire rein along with Assyrian and Persian ones ruled the world for more than fourteen centuries.
Concluding on all the information related above, it should be stated that in the Aeneid poem’s prelude Virgil put a lot of work to inform the reader about all the main theme developments during the whole poem. In particular, such major themes as aggrandizement of heroism, courage, endurance and bravery, the theme of divine fate and the rule form above, and the theme of the world’s redivision by the ancient cultures and Empires can be seen in the poem’s prelude.
Works Cited
Virgil. Virgil’s Aeneid. United Stated: Penguin Classics, 1997. Print.