Aeneid

The Fire Imagery in Virgil 's Aeneid

2006

The Fire Imagery in Virgil 's Aeneid

Virgil 's Aeneid is pregnant with symbolic images much like its inspiration the Homeric poems . However , the presence of the image of fire fuels and dominates the entire story with its different traditional and metaphorical functions

In the first four books of the Aeneid fire is used to denote strong passions like hate , rage , revenge , love , and to show destruction Foremost , the destructive usage of fire is shown through Troy 's sad fate as narrated

by Aeneas to Dido in many lines in Book II : Troy sunk in flames I saw (nor could prevent (Line 844 , Thus , when a flood of fire by wind is borne / Crackling it rolls , and mows the standing corn (Lines 406-407 , when Pantheus says of Troy , The fire consumes the town , the foe commands (Lines 440 , .we , feeble few , conspire / To save a sinking town , involv 'd in fire (Lines 473-474 , when the remaining deceitful Greek finally opened the Trojan horse fire signals Troy 's impending fate , Within the gates , proud Sinon throws out / The flames and the foes for entrance press without (Lines 443-444 , and

The palace of Deiphobus ascends

In smoky flames , and catches on his friends

Ucalegon burns next : the seas are bright

With splendor not their own , and shine with Trojan light (Lines 417-430

A conflagration consumes Troy . From Anchises ' home he says . The crackling flames appear on high

And driving sparkles dance along the sky

With Vulcan 's rage the rising winds conspire

And near our palace roll the flood of fire (Virgil , Aeneid , Book II , Lines 958-961

Also , when Aeneas realizes that he has lost Creusa , he narrates how he goes back to Troy

In shining armor once again I sheathe

My limbs , not feeling wounds , nor fearing death

Then headlong to the burning walls I run

And seek the danger I was forc 'd to shun (Virgil , Aeneid , Book II Lines 1018-1021

Upon reaching his father 's house in the hope of finding his wife , Aeneas sees

The house was fill 'd with foes , with flames beset

Driv 'n on the wings of winds , whole sheets of fire

Thro ' air transported , to the roofs aspire (Virgil , Aeneid , Book II , Lines 1029-1031

Fire also denotes blessing such as the halo of fire that came from young Ascanius ' head in Book II

Strange to relate , from young Iulus ' head

A lambent flame arose , which gently spread

Around his brows , and on his temples fed (Virgil , Aeneid , Lines 930-932

Furthermore , the fire image as symbols of hope and escape are exposed as when after they saw the fire from Ascanius ' head , Aeneas and his father Anchises saw something in the sky

There shot a streaming lamp along the sky

Which on the winged lightning seem 'd to fly

From o 'er the roof the blaze began to move

And , trailing , vanish 'd in th ' Idaean grove (Virgil , Aeneid , Lines 942-945 Fire also symbolizes safe deliverance...