Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Adventures of Aeneas—The Harpies—Dido—Palinurus explained
This chapter follows Aeneas and the Trojan exiles as they flee Troy after its fall, seeking a new homeland.
What happens
This chapter follows Aeneas and the Trojan exiles as they flee Troy after its fall, seeking a new homeland. They encounter various trials, including a cursed land in Thrace, an ambiguous oracle at Delos, a failed settlement in Crete, and an attack by the Harpies. After being hosted by Andromache and Helenus in Epirus, they narrowly escape the Cyclops Polyphemus, survive a storm stirred by Juno and calmed by Neptune, and finally land in Italy. There, Aeneas seeks the Sibyl's aid to descend to the underworld to consult his father Anchises, first obtaining the golden bough as a gift for Proserpine.
Themes in this chapter
Heroism and the Quest
Aeneas's journey from Troy to Italy embodies the heroic quest for a new homeland, marked by divine obstacles, oracles, and personal sacrifice.
Fate and Free Will
The interplay of divine intervention (Juno's wrath, Neptune's aid) and Aeneas's determined actions highlights the tension between fate and human agency.
Hospitality and Its Violation
The murder of Polydore by the Thracian king violates the sacred bond of hospitality, causing Aeneas to flee the cursed land.
Characters to notice
- Aeneas
The Trojan hero leading the remnant of his people in search of a new home; escapes Troy with his father and son, consults oracles, battles Harpies, survives storms, and seeks the Sibyl's guidance to enter the underworld.
- Juno
Hostile goddess who revives her grudge against the Trojans and stirs up a storm to hinder Aeneas's voyage.
- Neptune
God of the sea who calms the storm raised by Juno, rescues the Trojan ships, and later ensures the ship steers safely after Palinurus falls overboard.
- Polyphemus
The one-eyed Cyclops encountered by Aeneas on the coast of Sicily; he is blind and wades into the sea after the Trojans, who flee in terror.
- Sir Palamedes
Mentioned as Palinurus, the faithful steersman of Aeneas who is tricked by Somnus and falls overboard while still clutching the helm.
- Sibyl
The prophetic priestess who guides Aeneas, instructing him to find the golden bough and offering cryptic advice about his future trials.
Key passages
“Spare me, Aeneas; I am your kinsman, Polydore, here murdered with many arrows, from which a bush has grown, nourished with my blood.”
Aeneas is horrified to discover that a bush he tears for sacrifice bleeds and reveals the voice of his murdered kinsman Polydore.
This prodigy warns Aeneas that the land of Thrace is cursed by the crime of violated hospitality.
“Seek your ancient mother; there the race of Aeneas shall dwell, and reduce all other nations to their sway.”
The oracle at Delos cryptically instructs Aeneas to find the original homeland of the Trojans, which they later interpret as Italy.
This ambiguous prophecy sets the course for the entire journey.
“Is it thus, Trojans, you treat us innocent birds, first slaughter our cattle and then make war on ourselves?”
A Harpy angrily accuses the Trojans of killing their cattle and attacking them, then predicts future sufferings.
The Harpies' curse foreshadows the hardships Aeneas will face.
“Yield not to disasters, but press onward the more bravely.”
The Sibyl encourages Aeneas to face his trials with courage and perseverance.
This proverbial advice encapsulates the heroic spirit of the Aeneid.
“The descent to Avernus is easy: the gate of Pluto stands open night and day; but to retrace one's steps and return to the upper air, that is the toil, that the difficulty.”
The Sibyl tells Aeneas that entering the underworld is simple, but returning is the true challenge.
This famous line underscores the peril of the journey to the realm of the dead.
