Augustus and Aeneas Comparing Virtues
Augustus was gifted a shield made of gold in the first centuries, circa 27 B.C.E. (Augustus). The shield represented the Senate’s recognition of Augustus as Rome’s only ruler. On the shield, the “cardinal qualities of a ruler”, which are translated as virtue, piety and justice in English, were engraved. The virtues displayed were based on the assumptions of what a ruler’s ‘ideals were’ (Wallace Hadrill 299). A shield similar to that shown by Virgil in “The Aenied” is also depicted. Aeneas’ mother, Venus, gave him the shield just before he entered war. Aeneas is Virgil’s creation to show the ideal Roman, who followed Roman virtues. Augustus commissioned Virgil, who wrote “The Aeneid”, to describe these Roman virtues. However, how well do the Roman virtues etched on Augustus’ shield reflect Augustus? Aeneas does Aeneas reflect these virtues the same way Augustus? To examine this, I am going to compare Augustus and Aeneas’ lives to see how closely they match.
Aeneas has a strong character that embodies Virtus. Aeneas can be found in “The Aeneid’s” first book sailing through an awful storm. Aeneas remains calm and keeps his men going despite his men having accepted their deaths. Aeneas leads his men to safety after he has lost three ships. He also displays great courage. Aeneas shows his great character even though he is tired and beaten down from his journey. In his speech, Aeneas returns to the shore. He is afraid of the future, but he shows courage to persuade his men to continue. Aeneas fights with the Italians in books ten to twelve. They are standing between him and his goal of founding Rome. Aeneas shows courage and bravery in battle. In the midst of battle, Aeneas shows courage and valor. Aeneas is a manly man after reading about this battle. Aeneas’s Roman Virtus is unquestionably a shining example.
Augustus displays Virtus in the same way that a perfect ruler would. He set out shortly after his victory over Marc Antony during the Battle of Actium to conquer the world. It was a very different experience for him to conquer the world than Aeneas did when he conquered Italy. Augustus’s many military victories show that he fought with great courage and excellence. Augustus used eight passages in his autobiography Res Gestae to highlight his military achievements and show his valor. Res Gestae (3 Augustus) states that Augustus chose to preserve many of the nations he had conquered over destroying them. It shows the character of Augustus that he spared people who were seeking pardon from Rome. Augustus was not present on the battlefield for many of Augustus’s military victories. It may seem like cowardice to some, but this was the right thing for a ruler at his level to do. Augustus did, however, prove to be brave, capable, and a good soldier during the Illyrian Campaigns in 35-33 B.C., even before he came to power. (Benario 1). Augustus is the perfect example of this virtue.
Pietas or duty is not just religious piety. You can think of it as respecting the social, religious, and political order. The virtue is a combination of patriotism as well as fulfilling one’s obligations to the gods and family. Virgil calls Aeneas “pious” in the first two lines of his poem “The Aenied”. This adjective is used to describe him throughout the entire poem. Aeneas probably demonstrates Pietas in more detail in book two. Aeneas tells the story of Troy’s fall in this book. We see Aeneas doing his duty as a pious person to his family, allowing them to escape the city. Aeneas did this as a gesture of piety for his father. Aeneas began by fulfilling his duty of piety to his father, but after encountering the ghostly Creusa and learning of her death, his devotion shifts towards the gods. Aeneas had gathered and taken with him the household gods to fulfill his obligation. Aeneas has now refocused on his duty towards the city. He plans to obey Creusa and Hector and leave for a “new Troy” as per their commands. Pietas’ act is not a simple one. Aeneas’s duty to his fallen city and gods Troy will require him to undergo many hardships. Aeneas wrestled with his decision to leave the city. It was hard for him to see his fellow soldiers die with the city while knowing that he would have been there. Aeneas was not doing what it seemed. In fact, he did the opposite. Aeneas is renowned for his piety, as he sacrificed everything to fulfill the pious duties he had undertaken. The virtue Pietas appears most often in the poem. Virgil makes direct remarks about Aeneas that emphasize this virtue. Aeneas’s character is an excellent example of Pietas.
Augustus is well known for his Pietas. But he also did his duty as a pious Roman to his family. In his Res Gestae, Augustus wrote that “I punished the criminals who murdered my dad with a legal decree and, later, I defeated them in 2 battles when they waged civil war” (Augustus 2). Werner Eck argues in “The Age of Augustus” that this act was not merely revenge, but rather an obligation of piety to his adoptive father. In his book, “The Age of Augustus”, Werner Eck argues that it was more an obligation of piety towards his adopted father (Eck 11). This isn’t just revenge; it’s a noble act. Augustus also showed the virtues Pietas and duty by improving Rome. In two ways, he did this. Augustus expanded his empire in several places, including Egypt, Spain and Illyria. Augustus did his duty by building many temples. Augustus also built 82 other temples. These included the temples of Mars and Jupiter Subduer & Thunderer. Augustus claimed that he was Rome’s paterfamilias – the “father”. He took full responsibility for Rome. He also felt a religious duty to do so, which he mainly fulfilled through money. In the Res Gestaeas unnumerable (Augustus A4), he describes how much money he spent in Rome. Augustus has clearly put in a lot of effort to achieve the virtue Pietas. His example is a very realistic representation of Roman virtue. Aeneas is a good example, but Augustus should also be considered a great example.
The Roman virtue Clementia also known for its mildness, gentleness or forgiveness, is missing from “The Aeneid.” Aske POULSEN, in an essay entitled “Why No Mercy?” points this out. A Study of Clementia from the Aeneid shows that, in “Aeneas: A Study of Clementia”, there are not any episodes where Aeneas has been praised by others for exhibiting the virtue of Clementia. Aeneas is only portrayed in two episodes, according to some. Aeneas first kills Lausus in Book 10. Aeneas is moved by the man’s plight and promises him a proper funeral. Aeneas is clearly sympathetic, but his killing of Lasusus shows that he was not gentle or merciful towards Lasusus. Therefore, this act can be dismissed as Clementia’s (Poulsen 16,). Aeneas is shown to be acting with Clementia in book 11, when he accepts an interim truce. Aeneas does not represent the Roman virtue Clementia in the best way.
Augustus’ display of Clementia was much more varied than Aeneas. His first act of displaying Clementia was to pardon deserters in Lucius Antonius’s Army (Vahl 14). Augustus later, when fighting foreign enemies, was merciful, and would spare them if he could. Clementia, a Romanized slave girl, was a vital element of wars with enemies from other countries. Augustus, who was known for his kindness, was immortalized in bronze as he extends the right hand of a kneeling Parisian barbarian. Augustan created this right-hand gesture that now represents Clementia, the kindness he showed his conquered. Jessica Vahl’s “Imperial Clementia: from Augustus to Marcus Aurelius”, in which she discusses “Clementia as a virtue, was integral to Rome’s peace”. Vahl, 15) points out that “clemency was a virtue that led to peace, prosperity, and security” [during Augustus’ rule]. Suetonius tells us that Augustus showed clemency in his biography. He pardoned, spared and allowed many to hold positions of power in the state. Augustus did some impressive things with Clementia. Augustus’ Clementia is superior to Aeneas in nearly every aspect.
Aeneas is also lacking in the Roman virtue Iustitia (justice and moral sense). Aeneas killed Turnus, in the book 12. Turnus, already mortally wounded, begged Aeneas not to kill him. Aeneas contemplated whether to spare or kill Turnus, but was then reminded of his murder of Pallas. Aeneas was not willing to let Turnus go without punishment for Pallas. Aeneas could only have committed the act as an example of Iustitia, if it was to avenge Pallas. Aeneas did not demonstrate Iustitia much other than in this instance.
Tranquillus lauds Augustus in his biography for his acts. Tranquillus wrote that Augustus was “highly conscientious” and “very lenient”. His justice can be seen in the case of a forged document, where all signers were subject to punishment. In addition to the two tables of condemnation and acquittal he gave out a third one, which was a pardon, in case someone signed it without realizing the circumstances (Tranquillus 179). This is a stunning display of both mercy and justice. Augustus, in a slave-led war against Rome sought justice for the rebellious slaves. Augustus punished all captured slaves, who numbered approximately 30,000 (Augustus 25,) in a just manner. Augustus’ Iustitia was much more numerous than Aeneas. Augustus was more just than Aeneas, not the other way around.
Augustus is, therefore, the superior example of Aeneas’ “cardinal virtues as a ruler”. Vergil praises Aeneas for his Virtus and Pietas but fails to match Augutus in Clementia or Iustitia (Poulsen 16,). Augustus mentions this event in his Res Gestae. The shield was given to Augustus because it symbolized all the virtues that a perfect ruler should possess.
