Juno's Aeneid: A Battle for Heroic Identity

A new interpretation of Vergil's epic poem "The Aeneid" suggests that it is a struggle between two incompatible versions of the Homeric hero. According to Joseph Farrell, the poem presents an epic contest between Juno, who wants to transform the poem into an Iliad of continuous Trojan persecution, and Vergil, who wants to create an Odyssey of successful homecoming. Farrell explores how this struggle reflects on the ethical legitimacy of Romes emperor, Caesar Augustus, and how it prompts the reader to make an urgent decision between incompatible possibilities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: Princeton University Press

This captivating book presents a groundbreaking reinterpretation of Vergil's epic poem, the Aeneid, as a fierce clash between two incompatible versions of the Homeric hero. Widely regarded by scholars as an attempt to merge Homer's Iliad and Odyssey into a unified epic, Joseph Farrell challenges this conventional perspective. Through meticulous analysis, Farrell unveils how the Aeneid stages an epic contest, pitting Vergil against the transgressive goddess Juno. Juno, driven by her desire to transform the poem into an Iliad of relentless Trojan persecution, challenges Vergil for the soul of his hero and the very essence of his poem.

Farrell delves into the intricate dynamics of this conflict, exploring how it unfolds throughout the poem and how it profoundly impacts the ethical legitimacy of Rome's emperor, Caesar Augustus. He sheds light on how ancient critics viewed the flexible Odysseus as the ideal leader, while censuring the hero of the Iliad, the intransigent Achilles, as a flawed one. Farrell meticulously describes how this battle for the leadership qualities of Aeneas persists throughout the poem, resonating in diverse ways on the moral conundrums of the time.

By reorienting the Aeneid in this novel manner, Farrell unveils the profound purpose of the poem: to present the reader with an urgent dilemma between incompatible possibilities, eliciting a sense of uncertainty about whether the poem serves as a celebratory ode to Augustus or a melancholic reflection on the discontents of a troubled age. This thought-provoking exploration of Vergil's masterpiece offers a fresh perspective, challenging our understanding of classical literature and its enduring relevance.

Weight: 602g
Dimension: 162 x 234 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691221250