The Aeneid is an epic poem of Rome’s founding history written during the Roman Empire’s reign. The poem follows Aeneas and his fellow Trojans as they flee Troy following its destruction from the Trojan War. Aeneas searches for a way to fulfill his destiny, to set sail to Italy and found the Roman people, as told by Jupiter, King of the Gods. However, minor deities of the Roman Pantheon come forth and disrupt his path, taking him across the Mediterranean, explore the Underworld, and have his lover curse him to her dying breath. To fulfill his destiny, he arrives in Latium and wages a war to conquer the land. Many lives are lost and both sides have made sacrifices, but Aeneas wins, chopping his enemy’s head off. The poem ends there as Virgil died of fever before finishing the poem, but we do know that Aeneas or his family go on to found Rome, and thus change the tides of history as we know it.
I find myself coming back to The Aeneid whenever I can. I first had to read this for my history class, but I soon found myself completely invested in Aeneas’ journey. I found the part where he had to leave his lover behind to be the most compelling and irritating part of his journey. It’s the first time we see someone being negatively affected by him that isn't through a battle. Their slow buildup and the eventual fall out had me hooked in, and honestly, I was not rooting for him there. This may be a small part in the poem, but it just highlighted what Aeneas is willing to do to create Rome, and I found myself admiring his determination and willingness to do whatever it takes for him to take care of his people.