Turnus
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
Turnus (
.According to the Aeneid, Turnus is the son of Daunus and the nymph Venilia and is brother of the nymph Juturna.[1]
Historical tradition
While there is a limited amount of information in historical sources about Turnus, some key details about Turnus and the
In all of these historical sources, Turnus' heritage is unclear. Dionysius calls him Tyrrhenus, which means "
Virgil's Aeneid
Prior to Aeneas' arrival in Italy, Turnus was the primary potential suitor of Lavinia, the only daughter of Latinus, King of the Latin people. Upon Aeneas' arrival, however, Lavinia is promised to the Trojan prince. Juno, determined to prolong the suffering of the Trojans, prompts Turnus to demand a war with the new arrivals. King Latinus is greatly displeased with Turnus, but steps down and allows the war to commence.
During the War between the Latins and the Trojans (along with several other Trojan allies, including King
In Book X, Turnus slays the son of Evander, the young prince Pallas. As he gloats over the killing, he takes as a spoil of war Pallas' sword belt and puts it on. Enraged, Aeneas seeks out the Rutulian King with full intent of killing him. Virgil marks the death of Pallas by mentioning the inevitable downfall of Turnus. To prevent his death at the hands of Aeneas, Juno conjures a ghost apparition of Aeneas, luring Turnus onto a ship and to his safety. Turnus takes great offense at this action, questioning his worth and even contemplating suicide.
In Book XII, Aeneas and Turnus duel to the death; Aeneas gains the upper hand amidst a noticeably Iliad-esque chase sequence (Aeneas pursues Turnus ten times round, between the walls of Latium and the lines of men, much as in the duel between Achilles and Hector), wounding Turnus in the thigh. Turnus begs Aeneas either to spare him or give his body back to his people. Aeneas considers but upon seeing the belt of Pallas on Turnus, he is consumed by rage and finishes him off. The last line of the poem describes Turnus' unhappy passage into the Underworld.
Turnus' supporters include: his sister and minor river/ fountain deity,
, allies in Turnus’ fight against Aeneas, the Trojans, and their allies.In later literature
In the
Interpretation
Turnus can be seen as a "new Achilles," due to his Greek ancestry and his fierceness.[5] According to Barry Powell, he may also represent Mark Antony or local peoples who must submit to Rome's empire.[6] Powell adds that in the dispute between Turnus and Aeneas, Turnus may have the moral upper hand, having been arranged to marry Lavinia first. However, Turnus must be stopped since he is running counter to the force of destiny.[6]
References
- ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- .
- ^ Jasher, Chapter 60
- ^
Chapman, Coolidge Otis (Jan 1948). "Ticius to Tuskan, GGK, Line 11". JSTOR 2908652.
- ^ Virgil, The Aeneid, trans. Robert Fagles, Penguin Books, 2006, p. 422.; OCT 6.89.
- ^ a b Powell, Barry B. Classical Myth. Second ed. With new translations of ancient texts by Herbert M. Howe. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1998, p. 602.