Virgil, Lucan, and the Legacy of Latin Epic Poetry

Latin Epic Poetry: Origins and Influence

Found in Latin literature, the Latin epic tradition, facing the influence of the Greek oral tradition, is the result of poetic elaborations. The Latin writers who composed these important works endured and marked a milestone in Latin literature.

Defining Latin Epic Poetry

The sources of Roman epic are two:

• The Greek tradition (Homer's Iliad and Odyssey).
• The deeds of illustrious Romans in battle (e.g., the Punic Wars).

Virgil's Aeneid is the work that structures Latin epic poetry, marking a before and after in the genre.

Virgil's Aeneid: The Cornerstone of Latin Epic

Its author, Publius Vergilius Maro, was a distinguished person in the court of Emperor Octavian Augustus. His literary output was small but very diverse. His three major works—the pastoral Eclogues, the didactic Georgics, and the epic Aeneid—mark a milestone in Latin literature.

The Aeneid follows the adventures of Aeneas, the Trojan hero, son of Anchises and Venus, from his departure from Troy to his arrival on the shores of Italy. The Aeneid is composed of twelve books and is structurally based on Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

Key Protagonists of the Aeneid

• Aeneas: A warrior of the Trojan War, Aeneas is a hero different from those of the Iliad. He possesses freedom of movement, perseveres in his purpose, and his obedience to the divine is constant, sometimes obsessive.

• Dido: Queen of Carthage, Dido is a spirited woman—passionate, loving, and extremely vital. She is a character of Virgil's own creation.

• The Gods: The gods play an important role in the plot of the Aeneid, especially Jupiter, followed by Juno, Venus, and Minerva. Virgil's appeal to fatum (fate) and minor deities and family gods—the Lares, Manes, and Penates—are a constant throughout his work, not only in the Aeneid. Without the constant presence of divine and religious elements, the dramatic action of the poem could not be fully understood.

Poetic Style and Musicality

The Aeneid, a masterpiece of world literature, uses a poetic language that reaches perfection in simple sentences, devoid of affectation or baroque complexity. This allows the poem to be read quickly and enjoyed. The Aeneid is noted for its exquisite musicality.

The Epic Tradition After Virgil: Lucan's Pharsalia

The Latin epic tradition did not end with Virgil. Years after Virgil's death, M. Annaeus Lucan wrote an epic that posterity has immortalized under the name Pharsalia (or Bellum Civile).

It narrates the conflict between Caesar and Pompey, reaching its climax in the Battle of Pharsalia. It details Pompey's defeat, his flight to Mytilene (Lesbos), the encounter with his wife, Cornelia, and his subsequent flight to Egypt, where he would be killed.

Unlike Virgil, Lucan preferred and longed for the Republic. Pompey becomes the hero whom the author praises, while Caesar is treated in a negative way.

The poem walks with one foot in poetry and one in historical narrative. It is rhetorical, difficult, and full of speeches which add drama to the action.