Aeneas is the protagonist of the Aeneid. He is the son of Anchises and Venus. He is the father of Ascanius, with his Trojan wife, Creusa, who died at Troy. He has a fling with Dido, the queen of Carthage, before leaving her (to her despair) and continuing on to reach his destined home in Italy, where he'll marry Lavinia and become the forefather of the Latin-Trojan people, whose descendents will found Rome and include Julius and Augustus Caesar. Aeneas is famous for his piety—his devotion to his friends, the gods, and, most important, fate. When he faces difficult decisions, he piously choses his fate over his own wants or any other human emotion. But at the end of the Aeneid, his anger overcomes him and he mercilessly kills Turnus. Despite his piety and great leadership, he's a complex and imperfect man.
Aeneas Quotes in The Aeneid
The The Aeneid quotes below are all either spoken by Aeneas or refer to Aeneas. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Book 1
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A joy it will be one day, perhaps, to remember even this.
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Aeneas (speaker)
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Even here, the world is a world of tears and the burdens of mortality touch the heart.
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Book 5
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You trusted—oh, Palinurus—far too much to a calm sky and sea. Your naked corpse will lie on an unknown shore.
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Book 12
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I shall not command Italians to bow to Trojans, nor do I seek the scepter for myself. May both nations, undefeated, under equal laws, march together toward an eternal pact of peace.
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Decked in the spoils you stripped from the one I loved—escape my clutches? Never—Pallas strikes this blow, Pallas sacrifices you now, makes you pay the price with your own guilty blood!
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Aeneas Character Timeline in The Aeneid
The timeline below shows where the character Aeneas appears in The Aeneid. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 1
..."Wars and a man I sing…" and says that he will tell the story of Aeneas, who has fled from Troy and is fated to eventually reach Latium in Italy, where...
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The winds blast the Trojan ships, and Aeneas prays to the gods. He then wishes that he could have died at Troy, killed...
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...land their remaining seven ships at a cove in Libya, and Achates, a friend of Aeneas's, starts a fire. Aeneas hikes up a mountain to try to see if any other...
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Returning with the deer to feed his men, Aeneas gives a stirring pep talk. He recalls their difficulties with Scylla and the Cyclops, but...
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...the scene from the heavens. Venus asks Jove when there will be an end to Aeneas's suffering. Jove tells her not to worry, and foretells more of Aeneas's fate. Aeneas will...
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Aeneas and Achates go into the woods, where they come upon a virgin warrior, who is...
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As he walks through Carthage, Aeneas envies the productive and happy town with its workers building up the city like busy...
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...the temple, and is not only beautiful but shows herself to be a capable leader. Aeneas (still invisible) is astonished to see friends whom he thought had drowned standing next to...
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Dido generously offers them land and help in finding Aeneas. Just then, the mist of invisibility breaks away, revealing them, and Venus uses her powers...
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Venus, still concerned about Juno's wrath and mistrustful of Carthaginian hospitality, sends Cupid, disguised as Aeneas's son Ascanius, to make Dido fall in love with Aeneas. Cupid brings the gifts to...
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Book 2
Aeneas begins to tell the story of his wanderings. (Book 2 and Book 3 are therefore...
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The bloody ghost of Hector, a great, deceased Trojan warrior, appears to Aeneas in a dream and warns Aeneas of a fire and the enemy within the city....
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A band of Trojans, led by Aeneas, slay a group of Greeks and disguise themselves in the Greeks' armor. They kill many...
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...kills Priam, telling him to complain to Achilles in the underworld about his bad behavior. Aeneas, horrified, fears for the safety of his own father, wife, and son.
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Returning to his house, Aeneas sees Helen, the woman whose beauty started the war. He envies her fortune and longs...
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...confirmed by a shooting star. Anchises changes his mind, and the family hastens to depart. Aeneas carries Anchises on his back, with Ascanius by his side and Creusa behind.
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In the confusion of fleeing, Aeneas loses Creusa. Leaving Anchises and Ascanius safely hidden, Aeneas seeks Creusa in the ravaged city,...
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Book 3
Aeneas's continues to tell his story to Dido, as before in first person from his point...
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...king killed him and took his gold. The spears that struck Polydorus became the plants Aeneas uprooted. Aeneas gives Polydorus a proper funeral before setting sail again.
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...island, Ortygia, blessed by Apollo, to a city ruled by Anius, a friend of Anchises. Aeneas goes to pray for guidance from Apollo. Apollo speaks to him, telling him to find...
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...return to Ortygia to consult Apollo again. But that evening, the household gods appear to Aeneas in a dream, and tell him that their homeland is actually the distant Italy. Aeneas...
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...they enjoy themselves with games and wrestling, happy to have sailed unnoticed past Greek territory. Aeneas leaves a shield he took from a Greek he fought as a symbol that he...
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Andromache, Hector's widow, is so shocked to see Aeneas that at first she thinks he might be a ghost. Andromache explains that she was...
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Before leaving, Aeneas asks Helenus what the future holds, and how he can avoid Caelano the Harpy's prediction...
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At Drapenum, Sicily, Anchises dies. Aeneas mourns that his father survived such great risks only to die. Aeneas then sadly remarks...
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Book 4
Anna encourages Dido to let herself love. Anna argues that a marriage with Aeneas makes emotional sense (since Dido won't waste her youth in loneliness) and tactical sense (since...
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...realize that a hunter's arrow is still stuck in her side. Dido makes sure that Aeneas sees how wealthy she is, yet, love-struck, she can hardly bring herself to speak with...
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...addresses Venus for putting Dido in such a state. Hoping to protect Carthage and block Aeneas's fate, Juno asks to solidify a balanced union by getting Aeneas and Dido to marry....
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Juno explains the wedding plans to Venus. When Aeneas and Dido join a hunting group tomorrow, Juno will create a huge storm. The couple...
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...rumor, the "swiftest of all the evils in the world," spreads gossip about Dido and Aeneas's shameful union around the entire region, and about how they've forgotten their leadership roles, shirked...
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...spurned, hears the rumors and, jealous, appeals to his father Jove to intervene. Iarbas criticizes Aeneas for becoming like a woman, perfuming himself and letting his men become "eunuchs." After checking...
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Aeneas struggles to decide how to break the news of his departure to Dido. He decides...
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When Dido hears rumors that Aeneas is leaving, she comes to him in a rage, railing against him for planning to...
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Aeneas is sorry, but he suppresses his emotions as he remembers Jove's orders. He tells Dido...
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Dido insults Aeneas, saying that he's not a goddess's son, but was instead born from the earth and...
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Meanwhile, Dido asks Anna to hurry to the shore and ask Aeneas to remain in Carthage until the winter ends and better sailing weather arrives. Anna attempts...
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...Trojans sleep in their ships, planning to leave the next day. Dido endures nightmares about Aeneas. Dido prepares for her death, hiding her intentions from Anna and pretending to be happy....
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During the night, Mercury again appears to Aeneas, telling him to leave quickly, before the Carthaginians come to attack their ships. Aeneas wakes...
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...dawn, Dido sees the ships have sailed away. Crazy with heartbreak, she wishes she'd killed Aeneas when she had the chance. She prays that he will have to fight and watch...
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...wishes that the Trojans had never come. She will die without having gotten revenge on Aeneas, but hopes he's sorry to hear of her death. Finally, she stabs herself.
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Book 5
As Aeneas's ships sail from Carthage, he and his men notice a bright point in the city,...
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...offerings to him, and comes from behind to win. At the end of the race, Aeneas gives all the captains gifts. Sergestus is the last to return, embarrassed by his crash....
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...two great Trojan friends, join the race, as well as five others. Before they start, Aeneas reminds them that they'll all get a prize. Nisus slips and knows he can't win,...
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...to shoot the targeted bird. Acestes shoots last, and his arrow catches fire in midair. Aeneas interprets this as a sign from Jove, and gives Acestes the first prize, Anchises's decorated...
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Aeneas prays to Jove to either stop the fire or to kill him now with lightning....
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Aeneas still isn't sure, until Anchises's ghost appears to him at night. Anchises tells Aeneas to...
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...to doze off. Palinurus falls overboard and calls for help, but no one hears. Eventually, Aeneas takes over steering, and grieves for his friend, but blames him for putting too much...
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Book 6
Aeneas and the Trojans arrive at Cumae. While his men go hunting and exploring, Aeneas climbs...
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The Sybil urges Aeneas and Achates to sacrifice animals to Apollo. They do, and she calls out, her voice...
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Aeneas asks how he can descend to the Underworld to see Anchises again. The Sibyl answers...
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...body of their countryman Misenus on the shore, the Trojans build a tomb for him. Aeneas prays to find the tree with the golden bough, and Venus sends two doves to...
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The Trojans bury Misenus, then Aeneas performs sacrifices for good luck in the Underworld. The Sibyl leads Aeneas to the Underworld's...
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...were not properly buried and therefore must wait a hundred years before crossing the river. Aeneas sees the ghost of Palinurus among those who are waiting. Aeneas says that Palinurus shouldn't...
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Charon tells Aeneas he cannot take a living person across the river, but the Sibyl displays the golden...
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The fascinated ghosts crowd around Aeneas—except for the fallen Greeks, who are frightened of him and avoid him. Aeneas speaks with...
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Aeneas leaves the golden bough at the gate to the happy part of the Underworld, the...
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Aeneas then notices the souls crowded near a river. Anchises explains that those souls have passed...
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The time comes for Aeneas to leave the Underworld. There are two exits to the underworld. One is the gate...
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Book 7
The Trojans sail towards Italy. Caeita, Aeneas's old nurse, dies and the Trojans name the land where she's buried after her. Not...
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...tables—so the Harpy Caelano's prophesy of famine has been harmlessly fulfilled. Anchises had also told Aeneas in the Underworld to build his home on the spot where he eats his tables....
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A delegation of Trojans (without Aeneas) journeys to Latinus's city. Latinus invites them to the palace, which is richly decorated with...
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Latinus realizes that Aeneas must be the foreigner destined to marry Lavinia. He tells the Trojans they may stay,...
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...each other. Allecto throws one of her evil magical snakes at Amata, poisoning her against Aeneas and making her angry that Lavinia won't marry Turnus. Amata tries to convince Latinus to...
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Book 8
...to win him as an ally. Meanwhile, the spirit of the Tiber river appears to Aeneas in a dream, and tells him not to fear the war—he's finally reached his homeland...
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Aeneas thanks the Tiber god and sails with some of his men along the river. They...
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...arriving, Pallas, Evander's son, goes to greet them so that the feast won't be interrupted. Aeneas explains he wants to ally with Evander in the coming war. Pallas is immediately impressed...
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Evander gives Aeneas a tour of his city, and tells its history. During the peaceful, plentiful Golden Age,...
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Venus asks her husband Vulcan to build a set of armor for Aeneas, and kisses him as encouragement. Vulcan says he would even have built armor for Aeneas...
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In the morning, Evander and Aeneas meet to talk war. Evander says he would like to fight but is too old,...
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Red light, accompanied by thunder, appears in the clear sky. Aeneas explains that it's a sign from Venus that war nears. Evander passionately prays that Pallas...
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Aeneas's group finds the Tuscans and camps with them. As they camp, Venus comes down from...
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Book 9
Iris, sent by Juno, instructs Turnus to attack the Trojans' camp, since Aeneas has left it to find Evander. Turnus thanks the gods for the help and prepares...
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...act. Nisus wants to sneak out through the Rutulian camp surrounding the fortress to find Aeneas and get help for the upcoming battle. Euryalus thinks it's a great idea and wants...
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...middle of a nighttime meeting trying to decide who should go as a messenger to Aeneas when Nisus and Euryalus come to volunteer. Aletes and Ascanius praise and encourage them, and...
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Mnesthus, a Trojan, encourages his friends, telling them to remember Aeneas and Troy. The Trojans manage to stop Turnus's progress. Jove sends Iris down to tell...
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Book 10
...begs Jove at least to save Ascanius, saying he can do whatever he wants with Aeneas. She proposes that the Trojans return home to rebuild Troy.
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Juno angrily responds that Aeneas chose to make Turnus his enemy, and that he brought war to a peaceful land....
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Back on earth, as the battle rages on, Aeneas continues to search for allies. He finds Tuscans (also called Etruscans), whose king, Tarchon, along...
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Aeneas and the Tuscan troops arrive at the battle in the morning, and Aeneas's Vulcan-made shield...
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When Aeneas hears of Pallas's death, he goes into a killing frenzy. He takes several Latins alive...
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...to use this as an excuse to change the whole war. Juno sends a phantom Aeneas down from the heavens. Turnus throws his spear at the fake Aeneas, then chases the...
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Aeneas searches unsuccessfully for Turnus. Meanwhile, Turnus realizes he's floated away, and makes a desperate speech...
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...battlefield like the giant Orion, so tall that his head is in the clouds. When Aeneas catches up with Mezentius, Mezentius throws his spear at Aeneas. Aeneas deflects it with his...
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...and Virgil praises Lausus's bravery as deserving lasting recognition. Lausus jumps in to protect Mezentius. Aeneas tells Lausus he's being foolish. Lausus refuses to move, and Aeneas kills him, stabbing him....
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...acknowledging that his son's sacrifice saved him. Mezentius gets on his horse, ready to kill Aeneas or die trying. He finds Aeneas and denounces him for taking his son, and fails...
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Book 11
The next morning dawns. Aeneas sets up a display of Mezentius's armor as an offering to Mars. Despite his sadness...
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Returning to the camp, Aeneas finds a delegation of Latins carrying olive branches, asking for a temporary truce during which...
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...to ask King Diomedes, a Greek now living in Italy, to ally with them against Aeneas. Now that delegation of Latins returns with news that Diomedes doesn't want to ally, because...
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...hates Turnus, and with an angry, convincing speech, he tells Latinus to promise Lavinia to Aeneas. Then he speaks directly to Turnus, telling him either to surrender or to go meet...
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...like Camilla, a ferocious warrior and queen of the Volscians. He declares that he'll fight Aeneas, even though Aeneas wears Vulcan-made armor just as Achilles did in the Trojan war.
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A messenger arrives with news that Aeneas's army is on the move. The townspeople are in chaos, and Turnus uses the moment...
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...about the unfortunate turn from Acca and returns to the city. Just after Turnus leaves, Aeneas and his men march through the gorge. He sees Turnus from afar, but night is...
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Book 12
...the turn of events against the Latins, Turnus announces to Latinus his intention to fight Aeneas and win Lavinia's hand. Latinus begs Turnus to reconsider, but Turnus is resolute. He says...
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On the Trojan side, Aeneas accepts Turnus's challenge, and comforts his friends and Ascanius by talking about fate. Morning comes...
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Latinus, Turnus, and Aeneas enter in separate chariots. Aeneas prays and asks Juno to be more kind. He says...
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...see how uneven the duel will be, with Turnus looking scared and weak compared to Aeneas. Juturna sees her chance, and, disguising herself as the soldier Camers, she tells the Rutulians...
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...and then invisibly mixes it into Iapyx's treatment. The arrow now comes out easily, and Aeneas feels well enough to fight. Iapyx realizes that his human skills couldn't have cured Aeneas—it's...
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Aeneas's return to the battle demoralizes the Latins and the Trojans kill many enemies. Juturna sees...
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Messapus, Turnus's ally and a son of Neptune, knocks off Aeneas's helmet with a spear. Aeneas, frustrated by this and by Turnus's flight, gives up just...
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Venus suggests to Aeneas that he attack Lavinium. Aeneas agrees. As the Trojans rush into Lavinium, Aeneas yells to...
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Aeneas halts the assault on the city when he hears that Turnus is coming. The armies...
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Aeneas chases Turnus, like a hunting dog chasing a deer. Aeneas pauses to try to pull...
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...when this will all end, and what hope she still has. They both know that Aeneas is fated to win. So why bother to get Turnus back his sword? He tells...
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Aeneas asks Turnus why he's dawdling. Turnus says he fears Jove, not Aeneas. Turnus picks up...
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Aeneas then strikes Turnus with his spear. On his knees, Turnus reaches up to Aeneas. He...
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Aeneas considers Turnus's pleas, but then he sees Pallas's belt that Turnus had removed and wears...
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