As their saga unfolds, we realize that Turnus does not experience the same protection as Aeneas and we can even say that while fate is working for Aeneas, it is working against Turnus. Aeneas never looses sight of the prize and Turnus' death provides even more confirmation that his life is indeed in the hand of protective fate.
It is important to realize the significance of how the gods intervene in human fate. While we have established that human fate can indeed be altered it is done almost always through the actions of a god. Some events are predestined to occur and only the circumstances relating to them can be altered or influenced by the gods. Free will without the intervention of the gods reveals itself most predominantly when Jupiter chooses not to become involved with the war between the Trojans and the Latins. With this example, Virgil allows human
Here human choice is allowed and the final analysis will be revealed when the gods establish anger or pleasure over the choice. The significant aspect here is realizing that while man is allowed free will in certain instances, it does not always go unpunished.
It is important to note that individual fate is not what we would determine as set in stone. An individual's fate can be changed and sometimes avoided, which is demonstrated through Juno's constant intervention into human affairs. This is best demonstrated with the character of Turnus, who acts on his free will. This is an example of how individual fate can be altered while universal fate remains on track. Turnus makes some bad decisions, influenced by none other than Juno, therefore sealing his own fate. It takes a fair amount of destruction for many of the characters to realize their place and that of
At the end of the story, Aeneas no longer resists his fate and Juno even seems to undergo a similar transformation in that she finally surrenders to the notion that there are forces larger than her at work and despite her best efforts, she will never win. He resignation slows to action of the plot in that she was responsible for much of Aeneas' hardships.
The gods, through their constant intervention in human affairs establishes their significance in the story. Virgil wanted them to be active in this epic rather than passive characters that looked down upon humanity and offered occasional assistance. These characters are strong and emotional and from the first pages of the poem, we cannot escape their presence and humanity cannot escape their favor and/or wrath. They are firmly established as real aspects of life that cannot be avoided. From Mercury, the Juno to Jupiter, we see the gods playing an active role in Aeneas' life. Virgil's goal was to establish them as characters that deserved not only a place in
literature but also in the establishment of
Rome. Individual fate was theirs with which they could
play while universal fate, governed by Jupiter, could not be challenged successfully. Aeneas, child of Venus, was destined to greatness and while gods may thwart his mission, they could never alter his destiny. Fate and death also hold hands in the Aeneid in that neither one is a random act. The death of Dido, Camilla and Turnus illustrate how the future does not include warfare and chaos. The
theme of necessary sacrifice reinforces Aeneas' fate and these characters are not compatible with this fate and Virgil emphasizes this through their demise. Fate becomes not just a literary technique in the Aeneid but a formidable force that deserves recognition for its importance.
Works Cited
Virgil, the Aeneid. Allen Mandelbaum, trans. New York: Bantam Classics Books. 1981.
