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The Aeneid and Medea

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The Aeneid and Medea
The Aeneid and Medea
Book IV of The Aeneid is an epic poem that is considered one the best known works of Virgil in 20 B.C for the Roman civilization. On the contrary, Euripides was known throughout Troy for one of his tragic epic’s named Medea. Virgil and Euripides are from different civilizations and wrote the plays in different years, they might not have known each other but in both works they describe the dangers of excessive pride. Hubris is another word for pride by the Greeks. Book IV of The Aeneid takes place in lands such as the Mediterranean, Carthage and various islands. After the Greeks destroyed the city of Troy Aeneas and the Trojans traveled throughout the Mediterranean Sea finally ending up in Carthage where from there he meets Dido, the queen of Carthage. Dido falls in love with Aeneas. Subsequently, Aeneas is told to go find the city of Rome and must leave Dido to pursue his duties. Dido is filled with rage she tells him to go but threatens to haunt him with revenge whens she says “I shall repay my debt and with full interest, by my death” (lines 599-601). Virgil shows excessive pride, with Dido quickly wanting to end her relationship with Aeneas and her wanting to kill herself. With a representation of Aeneas Dido Climbs on top of the pyre and stabs herself with his sword. In addition Virgil also shows excessive pride in his works of Medea. Jason is leaving Medea and their children to marry Creusa, daughter of Creon King of Corinth. To one day be king himself. King Creon banishes Medea because he believes that she will plot evil against him. She is promised one more day to stay in Corinth and it is on that day Medea plans to get revenge on Creon, Creusa, and Jason. Virgil reveals how excessive pride is being shown when Medea says, “Annihilation. The world is pure music. To annihilate the past“(142). Also she plans to kill their children because making Jason mourn their deaths out ways the pain she will feel for killing her children.

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