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Ancient Literature Essay

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Ancient Literature Essay

Ancient literature includes many themes that are relevant today. Many of these stories include a hero, villain, and epic battle or journey that leads to a resolve. Often, you can see similar characteristics among these ancient writings. These ancient peoples were not much different than we are today, and that is depicted by the themes that continue to be relevant in the Common Era. An analysis of the two ancient writings The Aeneid and Agamemnon show many similar themes and blatant differences apparent in each story. By examining these two stories in detail, a greater understanding and appreciation of ancient literature can be acquired. Since man first began engaging in religious practices, stories with religious elements and themes have resulted. These two stories are no exception. Ancient Greek and Roman religious themes are present in both The Aeneid and Agamemnon. Both stories revolve around the philosophy that what we do with our lives is controlled by the Gods and to disrespect and dishonor the Gods is blasphemy, which will automatically lead to punishment. Both stories are similar in that the Gods are the beholders of the ultimate supreme power and the deciders of our hero’s fates. In other words, if it is not written by the Gods, then it is not the will of the Gods, and is therefore not to be done. It is also apparent in both stories that pleasing the Gods is everything to the characters and ultimately a deciding factor in their roles. Without the acceptance and pleasing of the Gods, the characters see their actions as not worthy and show the Gods ultimate power to keep them in line to fulfill their desires. It is seen as best to follow what the Gods lay down for your fate rather than deal with the unpleasant consequences ahead if you do not. In the story The Aeneid, Aeneas is faced with temptation and has to decide whether to continue with the fate that has already been predetermined by the Gods for him, or to fall for the temptation of his desires. Aeneas is a demi-God due to his mother being Venus, and therefore he feels much added pressure to follow suit with what the Gods hold in store for him. The Gods give him the task of leaving Troy to travel to Italy in order to spread the Roman empire. As Virgil describes, “they wandered, dogged by Fate, across the seas. Such matter it was to found our Roman race” (Virgil: The Aeneid, Book 1, p.1183). While on his journey to Italy, Aeneas is thrown into Carthage due to a storm and is quickly enamored by queen Dido's beauty. She attempts to seduce him and convince him to stay in Carthage by stating, “I’ll help you, keep you safe, and send you on. Or will you settle here and share my realm? The city I build is yours; pull up your ships. Trojan, Tyrian, all shall be one to me” (Virgil: The Aeneid, Book 1, p.1190). Aeneus respects the Gods fate chosen for him and knows he must continue on the path laid out for him, but he decides to stay longer, and ponder on what to do. In that time, Aeneas begins to submit into Dido's seduction tactics and ultimately allows for her to take over his mind. As Virgil states in regard to this matter, “Dido had deemed him worthy mate and man. Now they were warming the winter with rich exchange, forgetful of thrones, ensnared by shameful lust” (Virgil: The Aeneid, Book 4, p. 1227).
When Iarbas the king realizes that Aeneas is starting to surrender to Dido, he prays to Hammon, the son of Jupiter, to find someone to snap Aeneas back into reality and to set him straight on the path he is meant to follow. The Gods send Mercury to tell Aeneus of the Gods unhappiness with his actions and request he leave Carthage immediately to return to his duty. The plea goes as follows:
Aeneas! In Carthage now do you lay foundations and plan a handsome town for a wife? Your throne, your state- are they forgotten? From shining Olympus he has sent me down- the kind of gods, whose nod makes heaven roll. He bade me fly with the wind to bring his word: what plans, what hopes hold you at leisure here? If nothing of promised glory moves your heart, and for your own renown you'll spend no toil (Virgil: The Aeneid, Book 4, p. 1229). Mercury is attempting to tell Aeneas that not following the will of the Gods, will not bring glory to him. Aeneas is determined to sail once more, and follows Mercury's advice and demands of the Gods. In the time of the ancient Romans and Greeks, the ultimate goal was to be important and have fame follow them and enrich their lives forever; not obeying the will of the Gods would impede on this desire. The will of the Gods in the mind of these ancient people was deeply intertwined and show how they just saw fate as predetermined. Their Gods were viewed as the ultimate masters and deciders. In the work Agamemnon, written by Aeschylus, the importance of the will of the gods is predominantly found. In this story, King Agamemnon of Argos and the Greeks fight a ten year long battle for the city of Troy. Before going to war the king sacrifices a stag to the goddess Artemis in hopes the sacrifice would grant him good winds for him and his fleet to sail safely to Troy, but he sacrificed a creature that was held sacred to her. In doing this, the goddess demanded that Agamemnon sacrifice something he held to be sacred; his only daughter Iphigenia. Agamemnon wrangles with the decision; it is either sacrifice his one and only daughter and live with her blood on his hands, or not slaughter his daughter and abandon his fleet and sail home unglorified. In response to this situation Agamemnon states:
What can I say? Disaster follows if I disobey; surely yet worse disaster if I yield and slaughter my own child, my home's delight, in her young innocence, and stain my hand with blasphemous unnatural cruelty, bathed in blood I fathered! Either way, ruin! Disband the fleet sail home, and earn the deserter's badge- abandon my command, betray the alliance- now! The wind must turn, there must be sacrifice, a maid must bleed- their chafing rage demands it- they are right! May good prevail and justify my deed! (Aeschylus: Agamemnon, p.813).
Agamemnon decides to give in to the will of the Gods and slaughters his daughter, in order to sail safely onto Troy. This too, shows once again, that what the Gods desire the Gods get due to their divine power. The Gods must grant and deem all actions okay before it can be obtained which Agamemnon realized when Artmeis gave him his fate and followed her commands. Some differences that are apparent in these ancient writings have to deal with these stories. In the story The Aneid Aeneas is aware of his fate from the beginning and knows what his duty is at all times and follows his fate gracefully. In following the will of the Gods, Aeneas end up with good results in that he live s. Aeneas is able to accept his predetermined destiny and despite his own emotions, he still is a good servant and is worthy of the honor the gods bestow on him. A difference in the story Agamemnon Agamemnon is not aware of his fate at the beginning of the story and is reluctant about following the will of the Gods and in doing so dies from the result of displeasing the Gods. Both works show us that the ancient people were both similar and different than we are today in numerous ways. They lived in a world where they were not the sole decision makers and that fate was not always theirs to decide, but that fate is often predetermined by the Gods and the power of the Gods is seen as supreme reign over everything else. It was important for the people to please their Gods, since they could easily destroy them if they did not follow direction. The Gods set a fate for each and every person and often were given superior fates that would lead them to fame and success; which is what everyone ultimately wanted. These works also show us the importance of fame and having a good reputation. The Gods chose the heroes, and these people were given a fate made especially for them, a fate made to bring them glory. These people desired to be remembered and their name to be forever honored in their society and known across the land. The will of the Gods was holy and always to be honored and followed.

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