The Shiny

All pride and no humility makes Jack a dead boy.

While reading Virgil’s Aeneid, I noticed a recurring theme: characters who desire bright, shiny objects for personal glory meet a violent end. The bright shiny objects attract attention, but it is negative attention, because the shiny objects represent the haughtiness of their vainglorious possessors. The Aeneid presents us with three proud characters who all share a desire for shiny things and their promise of glory: Salmoneus, Euryalus, and Turnus. The character of the Sibyl warns of the disastrous fate that befalls those who seek to possess shiny objects for their own fame.

In Book Six, the Sibyl tells Aeneas the story of Salmoneus, king of the city Elis and one of the sons of Aeolus, the lord of the winds. She explains to Aeneas that Salmoneus tried to replicate the lightning bolts and thunder of Jove by “‘flaunting torches” (6.680) and galloping his horses to produce a thunderous sound (6.684), “claiming as his honors the honors of the gods” (6.682). For this crime, Jove kills Salmoneus with the very things he attempted to mimic—lightning and thunder (6.684-686)—and condemns him to Tartarus, the most horrifying place in the Underworld where “no pure soul may set foot” (6.654). Salmoneus was killed because he pridefully desired to possess a shiny object that represents the power and authority of Jove–power that Salmoneus was not entitled to. This warning of the Sibyl is first manifested when the Trojan soldier Euryalus is killed.

Euryalus, a young Trojan soldier, is killed when a shiny object that he stole gives him away to his enemies. In Book Nine, Aeneas leaves his people encamped inside the walls of Latium while he goes to gather allies (9.9-13), charging his men to “guard the camp and ramparts” (9.49). Euryalus and his comrade Nisus are keeping watch at one of the gates, when Nisus informs Euryalus that he has a plan to attack the Rutulian camp since the Rutulians lie in their tents drunk and unconscious (9.225-233). Euryalus insists on accompanying his friend on the mission, “his heart pounding with love of praise” (9.235). Euryalus and Nisus make their way into the Rutulian camp and murder many of the sleeping men (9.394-404). Euryalus continues to slaughter people, when Nisus calls to him, “Call it quits, the dawn’s at hand … We’ve hacked a path /  through enemy lines—enough” (9.412-414). But instead of listening to his friend, Euryalus “tears off Rhamnes’ battle-emblems and gold-studded belt” (9.417-418) and “dons Messapus’ helmet crested / with tossing plumes” (9.424-425). Then the two of them attempt to escape from the camp, but as they are leaving, a large group of soldiers comes towards the camp with messages for Turnus, the leader and king of the Rutulians. Euryalus and Nisus try to evade them, but the soldiers see Euryalus because light reflects off the stolen helmet he is wearing: “the helmet—Euryalus forgot—it glints in the dark, / it gives him away” (9.434-435). The soldiers capture Euryalus and put him to the sword: “the sword plunges clean … / cleaving open his white chest” (9.496-497). Euryalus desired to have the helmet for himself out of pride, and this helmet is the very thing that gave him away to the soldiers.
Another shiny object taken out of pride is a golden belt. This particular belt is worn by Turnus, and is recognized by Aeneas, prompting him to stab Turnus through in a fit of rage. This belt originally belonged to Pallas, the beloved son of the Etruscan king Evander—a friend and ally of Aeneas. King Evander sends his son Pallas with Aeneas to help him win the war against Turnus (8.607). As Aeneas and his allies are fighting on the battlefield with Turnus and his army, Pallas kills several of Turnus’ men, and then Turnus shouts, “I will go after Pallas, / Pallas is mine now, my prize alone. If only his father were here now to watch it all in person” (10.521-523). They fight, and Turnus strikes his spear through Pallas’ shield, piercing through the boy’s chest (10.573-575). The wound is mortal, and as Pallas dies Turnus shouts over him, “Take a message home to Evander … / The Pallas I send him back will serve him right … the welcome he gave Aeneas costs him dear” (10.581-585). Then Turnus stamps his foot on Pallas’ dead body and strips off his sword-belt, which is made with “priceless gold” (10.591). Virgil says that Turnus “glories in that spoil, exults to make it his” (10.592). Later, in Book Twelve, Turnus and Aeneas are fighting a battle to the death. Aeneas strikes Turnus in the thigh (12.1076), and the blow sends him to the ground. Turnus admits defeat and appeals to Aeneas for mercy, saying that his father Daunus will be grieved by his death (12.1085-1089). This causes Aeneas to take a step back “as Turnus’ words began / to sway him more and more” (12.1094-1097). But then, Aeneas recognizes “the fateful sword-belt of Pallas / swept over Turnus’ shoulder, gleaming with shining studs” (12.1098-1099). Aeneas, overcome with grief and anger, shouts, “Decked in the spoils /  you stripped from one I loved—escape my clutches? … / Pallas strikes this blow” (12.1105-1107), and he buries his sword “hilt-deep in his enemy’s heart” (12.1110). The narrative suggests that if Aeneas had not seen the belt, he would have spared Turnus’ life.

When Salmoneus, Euryalus, and Turnus are killed because of their desire to possess shiny objects for their own personal glory, I believe Virgil is trying to teach his readers a vital lesson, the same lesson Jesus teaches in Luke 14:11: “All those who exalt themselves will be humbled.”  Virgil even makes a point of the tragedy yet to come for Turnus when he takes Pallas’ belt, writing, “Yes, the time will come when Turnus would give his all to have Pallas whole … when all this spoil, this very day he’ll loathe” (10.595-597). In Book Ten, Virgil teaches the follow-up of Jesus’ message—that “those who humble themselves will be exalted”—when Aeneas purposefully refrains from taking the armor of the young Lausus (10.978) saying, “What can Aeneas, in all honor, give you to match your glory now? / Keep your armor that gave you so much joy” (10.975-978). Aeneas has the opportunity to take a shiny object for his own glory—Lausus’ armor—but chooses to give glory to the boy instead. Aeneas doesn’t take the shiny object and is portrayed throughout the book as a hero who will become the founder of Rome, while Salmoneus, Euryalus, and Turnus all die needlessly. As Tamatoa the crab, from the movie Moana, sings, “here they come, come come, to the brightest thing that glitters, mmm, fish dinners”!

Thanks for reading!
T.T.F.N.! Ta-ta for now!
-Nikki

Aen-Eas-y Lesson On Leadership

                              

He calls him “my captain, best of the men of Troy” (1.668).

To whom do these laudatory words refer? They refer to a great leader---a leader who himself practices submission to a higher authority. A leader who encourages his people and motivates them to choose the right path even when it is difficult. A leader who has a deep respect and reverence for human life. This great leader is Aeneas, the hero of Virgil’s Aeneid. Aeneas demonstrates the above characteristics essential for good leadership throughout Virgil’s epic.
Aeneas constantly shows his utmost respect for the gods by obeying their commands, invoking them in his prayers and offering sacrifices to them. Aeneas puts doing the will of the gods over even his own personal desires and wants. He tells Dido he must obey the command of Jove told to him by Mercury (4.446-450). In fact, he yearns to do what he is commanded (4.348) even though his heart is "shattered by his great love"(4.498) for Dido, and he leaves Carthage in anguish. Aeneas obeys the commands of the gods throughout the text; he is referred to as “duty-bound” (1.368) and “devoted to duty” (1.657). His duty, as decreed by the Fates, is to bring his people safely to Latium and there found what will become the city of Rome (1.309-317). Aeneas knows the decrees of the Fates because he is in constant prayer to the gods for their guidance. Aeneas prays to Apollo for direction, asking what he and his Trojans should do next: “Whom do we follow? Where do we go? Command us,/ where do we settle now?” (3.107-108). Aeneas begs for help from Jove when the Trojan women--influenced by Juno--set fire to the fleet (5.757-761), and when prayers are answered he gives thanks with joy (6.227-228). He also offers sacrifices to the gods with diligence (3.332-333) and libations in gratitude (7.149-151). These prayers and sacrifices affect his followers: “...shipmates/ gathered around [Misenus’] body and raised a loud lament,/ devoted Aeneas in the lead” (6.208-210). Aeneas sets a good example for his people and he urges them to bear hardships with fortitude.

Aeneas always motivates his people, exhorting them with rousing speeches to have courage and press forward, even in the most dire of circumstances. When the Trojans are exhausted after a harrowing journey at sea, Aeneas tells them, “My comrades, hardly strangers to pain before now… Call up your courage again… A joy it will be one day, perhaps, to remember even this” (1.233-239). When Troy burns and Aeneas is struggling to escape with his wife and son, he goes to find his father, Anchises, and discovers that Anchises has given up, resigned to dying in the ruined city. Aeneas implores him to come with them, telling his father that he must not desert his family (2.806-820). Aeneas highly values human life and will not allow his family to just give up and die.
Aeneas not only shows his respect for life as it pertains to his family, but often weeps for lost comrades and the fate of Troy as a whole. He shows his respect for the dead by honoring their remains according to the proper customs (3.74-82;6.208-213). When Aeneas and his Trojans arrive on the shores of Libya, they believe that several of their ships have been lost at sea and Aeneas deeply grieves along with his men: “Aeneas most of all, devoted to his shipmates,/ deep within himself he moans for the losses …” (1.260). Later, when the Trojans arrive in Carthage at Venus’ bidding, Aeneas and his right-hand man Achates see picture representations of the Trojan war crafted by the Carthaginians. Aeneas looks on these and weeps upon seeing depictions of friends who died fighting the Greeks: “groaning low, the tears rivering down his face … he knows them at once and sobs …” (1.564-568). Aeneas shows deep feeling and respect for human life— a reverence synonymous with humility.
As a leader, Aeneas has the wisdom to humble himself before a higher authority; he has the generosity to encourage those who despair and he remains humble in his respect for human life. For these reasons, Aeneas’ followers love him and are eager to follow where he leads. They willingly risk their lives for Aeneas because they know that Aeneas would never risk their lives recklessly. They have seen him acting in accordance with the will of the gods and pleading for help and guidance on behalf of his people. They have seen him mourning the dead and performing their rites. They know that their lives are important to him because they have witnessed his dedication to all of his people time and time again. Many people may have the responsibility of being a leader for reasons such as need, rank, or promotion, and people may follow them out of necessity, duty, or just to keep their jobs. But people will follow a great leader like Aeneas because they want to follow him. As military strategist and author Sun Tzu says in The Art Of War: “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valley; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.” May The Aeneid exhort all who read it to become the type of leader who would inspire this level of loyalty in their people…a leader like Aeneas.

GB Writer’s Workshop

           This past Thursday, on August 30th, I attended the first ever Great Books Writer’s Workshop for the freshmen in Great Books Honors. We started out with Dr. Jacobs explaining the difference between informal and formal writing and how interpretive writing falls in between these two. Next, Dr. Fullman spoke about writing a thesis statement (or argument)—the “roadmap” for your paper—and about the three questions your paper should answer:

           What am I arguing about?

           How does it work?

           Why is it important?

           Dr. Fullman also spoke about writing an outline, defining key words, using evidence to support your claim and using transitional sentences. Overall, I think the event was a great idea and a great success, and I’m excited to apply the guidelines to my writing!

           T.T.F.N.!

           Nikki