Aeneid Group

Question:

jaycel
jaycel
Student
College - Junior

Which deity is the most powerful in "Aeneid"? Which has the most influence over Aeneas and his companions?

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Posted by jaycel on Friday September 12, 2008 at 6:50 AM and tagged with aeneas, aeneid, deity, power.

Answers:

  1. lit24
    lit24 Teacher
    Doctorate

    eNotes Editor

    AEOLUS the god of the winds is the most powerful of all the gods. At Juno's request Aeolus raises the waves and creates a storm in an attempt to capsize Aeneas' boat.

    JUPITER also known as Jove.  He is the king of all the gods. Although he cannot alter destiny, otherwise he is all powerful and regulates all the actions of all the gods. He is on the the side of Aeneas in "Aeneid." 

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    Posted by lit24 on Friday September 12, 2008 at 7:03 AM


  2. hosni Student
    College - Senior

    Here I will disagree with lit24. The most powerful deity in The Aeneid and in all Graeco-Roman mythology is Zeus (Jupiter or Jove) He controls heaven and earth with his nod and thunderbolt, and his authority is supreme, though as lit24 said he cannot alter destiny, at least this one point is controversial. Aeolus is a powerful god but he is not as powerful as Zeus since in the beginning he was a mere mortal. Yet, the most influencial deity in the Aeneid is Venus (Aphrodite) the mother of Aeneas. She guides him and his people towards Latium and helps him establish the foundations of what will be Rome. This goddess relatively weak in Homer's Iliad is in Vergil endowed with a great power while even Zeus seems to be somehow only a spectator, and other strong and mighty deities like Apollo and Athene are absent.

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    Posted by hosni on Thursday November 6, 2008 at 4:40 PM