Vergil's Empire: Political Thought in the AeneidIn Vergil's Empire, Eve Adler offers an exciting new interpretation of the political thought of Vergil's Aeneid. Adler argues that in this epic poem, Vergil presents the theoretical foundations of a new political order, one that resolves the conflict between scientific enlightenment and ancestral religion that permeated the ancient world. The work concentrates on Vergil's response to the physics, psychology, and political implications of Lucretius' Epicurean doctrine expressed in De Rerum Natura. Proceeding by a close analysis of the Aeneid, Adler examines Vergil's critique of Carthage as a model of universal enlightenment, his positive doctrine of Rome as a model of universal religion, and his criticism of the heroism of Achilles, Odysseus, and Epicurus in favor of the heroism of Aeneas. Beautifully written and clearly argued, Vergil's Empire will be of great value to all interested in the classical world. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
According Achilles and Odysseus Aeneas Aeneid Aeolia Aeolus Anchises anger angry appears arms arts Book Caieta Carthage Carthaginian catabasis causes claim cretius Dante death deeds Dido Dido's divine doctrine dream earth Epicurean Epicurus eternal Evander Evander's false fate father fear furor Georgics glory goddess gods Golden Age Greeks heaven Hector hero heroic heroism Homer human race Iarbas Iliad Ilioneus images immortal imperium Iopas Italian Italy Juno Juno's Jupiter Jupiter's king Latins Latium laws lopas Lucretian Lucretius means men's Mezentius mind Misenus mortal myth narrative nations nature of things nunc Odysseus Palinurus passions peace penates philosophic piety pious pleasure poem poet poetic poetry political prophecy punishment quae reason regime religion Rerum Natura Roman Rome rule Saturn Servius Sinon song souls speech Sychaeus teaching temple Teucer tion Trojans Troy true truth Turnus Underworld University Press Venus Vergil virtue winds words world empire