Examples Of Camillius Actions In The Aeneid

The Roman historian Livy describes the aftermath of the Roman general Marcus Furius Camillius victory over the Gauls in 390 BC. The general attempts to persuade the Roman people to remain in Rome, instead of moving to nearby Roman controlled city Veii. Using Livy’s account of the speech, as well as the Virgil’s mytho-historical tale of Aeneas’ voyage from Troy to Italy, Camillius’ actions will be defended based on three points that he took during his speech; his presentation of Roman religious tradition, national pride, and historical Roman achievements. Camillius’ speech aimed to inspire the Romans that they were not defeated; their best days were actually ahead of them. Camillius begins with an appeal to Roman religious tradition. Starting with the actions taken by a member of the priestly caste during the Siege of the Citadel within Rome, when a priest left the Citadel, ignored the surrounding Gauls, and performed the religious rights that the Romans always performed. “…What Gaius Fabius [Dorsuo] did during the recent siege…He [quit the citadel] and performed the [religious] rights on the Quirinal Hill. ” Camillius then moves on to the permanence of

Aeneas’ actions during the fall of Troy help, in the mytho-historical tradition, contribute to the founding of the Roman people later. When Aeneas returns to the city to attempt to find his wife, Creusa, her ghost appears to dissuade him from continuing his frantic search. As she appears, she explains that he cannot stay in Troy, as he is destined for more important things, “You shall make landfall on Hesperia, where Lydian Tiber flows. ” This means that Aeneas will continue on to Italy, and his ancestors will continue to the banks of the Tiber River, where Rome will be founded. This virtue is initially described when Aeneas balks at the gods order to leave his city, where he believes he should be fighting alongside the other