Virgil's Epic: Was Turnus' Death Justified? - Essay Sample

Introduction

The social rule does not support murder in any way. The society equates it with disrespect of human life, which is religiously termed to be sacred. It is therefore believed that the creator is the only one responsible for ending it just the way He gave it out. The rule of law, to some extent, allows the process of execution, which is referred to as capital punishment. In this scenario, the death of Turnus is the one in the question of whether it was right or wrong. The "Aeneid," Virgil's epic poem, tells the tale of Aeneas, who was the Roman hero. On the journey of Aeneas to found the Roman race within Italy, he comes across King Evander. The King supports him in his exploit, plus his son Pallas. Pallas is given to Aeneas like his charge while the two go to battle the Rutulians. Regrettably, the Rutulian army leader, Turnus, kills Pallas on the battlefield. Following the death of Pallas, Aeneas is obligated to murder Turnus out of pietas to family, country, and the gods. Therefore, on the battlefield, Aeneas kills Turnus to meet the obligation resulting in many readers of the epic question of whether Aeneas' action of killing Turnus was warranted or not. A thorough investigation of Virgil's text shows that Turnus' death was not an acceptable action, despite Aeneas' right to anger. Based on the killing of Turnus by Aeneas, it is essential to put it in lame light that the action was wrong drawing from Virgil, Camps, and Brown's text.

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When Aeneas visits Anchises, his father, within the Underworld, he tells him to pursue the pious Roman ethic. Anchises says that "To spare the humbled and to conquer the proud" (Virgil, 2002). The author communicates to the readers within the epic that Turnus, at one point, "Sank on one knee... Humbled," and therefore, Aeneas ought to have spared him (Virgil, 2002). Through not saving Turnus, Aeneas both disobeys the ethic of the pious Roman heroic and the orders of his father.

If Aeneas could have spared Turnus, Rutulians that were conquered would have appreciated the mercy of Aeneas towards them. He would have possibly been more open to a peace treaty or uniting the Roman race. By sparing Turnus, Aeneas would have been conquering his private desires and the feeling of fury, vengeance, and grief for the superior-good of the competition. Therefore, Aeneas, because of self-subjugation, is a noble virtue, and he would have acted as a praiseworthy Roman hero.

As for the argument of the armor, W.A. Camps correctly points out within his book titled "An Introduction to Virgil's Aeneid'. At the begging of the book, Pallas himself utters that "May Turnus as he dies to see me tear the bloodstained armor off his body" (Camps, 1969). The entire actions of Turnus are commonplace within the Iliad plus part of the system of Homeric value. In contrast, the actions validate revenge in the fight as with Hector and Achilles, and it does not justify the killing of a defeated and helpless Turnus by Aeneas. Aeneas says, "It is Pallas who exacts the penalty in your guilty blood" (Virgil, 2002) appear wrong when Pallas was killed by Turnus in the battle heat, barely an offense to be guilty of pursing it. On the other hand, Aeneas is about to kill Turnus when he has him entirely at his mercy.

It leads to another point about Aeneas killing of Turnus not be justified since it served no purpose. The reason is that Aeneas had won the battle in front of hundreds of Latins and Trojans. Therefore, Turnus would not continue as a threat because he had no support. It was then expected Aeneas to observe the instructions of his father "... to pardon the defeated." Still, as an alternative, Turnus is killed in spite of Aeneas attaining all of the goals put by Jupiter within his prophecy found on book 1. The action is an awful beginning to the Roman Empire, Williams calls it "Future worth all the sacrifice and suffering" (Virgil, 2002). Williams' perception is significant here, as it reveals how the ending should be the climax of the heroic ideals to build Rome's greatness (Brown 7D, 2014). In its place, Rome begins, perhaps fittingly, on the defeated blood.

It must be considered whether Turnus acted on his initiative. Before the fury Alecto puts him to a war course, he appears content to wait before coming up with any significant decisions concerning the Trojans who had landed. He tells the camouflaged Alecto that "Do not invent these fears for me" (Virgil, 2002). It slower and more regarded Turnus is a stark comparison with the rage filed gentleman who demands war. It raises the question of whether Turnus was forced to fight by Juno's actions and if it is right for Aeneas placing all blame at his feet hence deciding to kill him. As the things appear to be, it is apparent that Aeneas was unaware that Alecto had undermined Turnus, but if he had pursued Anchises instructions from book six and stopped the defeated and the truth behind his acts would have won (Brown 7D, 2014). As an alternative, the hasty actions of Aeneas condemn Turnus to death, revealing just as much of a character change while the change Turnus follows being turned by the fury.

Aeneas killed Turnus while entirely at his mercy for primary revenge for Pallas. It was nearly identical to the way Achilles avenging Patroclus within the Iliad. In the final poem lines, Pallas Aeneas makes the majority mention in his very last words to Turnus, he said "... wearing the spoils stripped from the body of those I loved? By this wound, I now give it is Pallas, who makes the sacrifice of you" (Virgil, 2002). Though, it could have been in reply to the guilt he experienced rather than merely pure sorrow for Pallas. He failed to protect the warrior besides knowing his inexperience nature and now feels he ought to honor the wish of Evander for Turnus to be killed in turn. It is written that "... the reason, Aeneas lies in your right arm. You know it owes the life of Turnus to the son and the father" (Virgil, 2002). Therefore, Aeneas delivers it, in spite of this being against his father's wish. Also, the personal justification for killing Turnus by Aeneas was ultimately rooted within the vengeance of Pallas, which is still not enough reason to make the death of Turnus right (Brown 7D, 2014).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is vivid from the discussion that the action of killing Turnus by Aeneas was wrong, and it cannot be justified in any manner. At first, Turnus should have lived since she never deserved such a cruel act, making the claim vengeance for Pallas to appear just as an excuse rather than justification of the actions of Aeneas. It is because he died in battle, barely comparable Turnus cold execution, and also the task of Aeneas was already done hence fulfilling prophesy of Jupiter. The death of Turnus achieved nothing apart from reversing the steps that had been made by Aeneas from the frenzy, and wrath filled Homeric hero. Also, it might not be up to Aeneas, but fate demanded his death, and to that extent, so did Virgil. However, it is not a justifiable reason to make the killing action right since he executed it through his bare hands. Aeneas disobeys both the ethic of the pious Roman heroic and the orders of his father by not sparing Turnus. By not saving Turnus, his actions went against being recognized as an honorable Roman hero. Homeric value is against the killing of helpless and defeated Turnus, and finally, the execution was out of vengeance. Based on the following arguments, it can, therefore, be concluded that Aeneas' actions of killing Turnus are wrong and cannot be justified.

References

Brown 7D, C. (2014, April 30). Was Aeneas Justified in Killing Turnus 2? Retrieved December 12, 2019, from Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/document/221105935/Was-Aeneas-Justified-in-killing-Turnus-2

Camps, W. A. (1969). An Introduction to Virgil's Aeneid. USA: Oxford University Press.

Virgil. (2002). The Aeneid. (A. S. Kline, Trans.) Poetry In Translation.