=
the games in honour of Patroclus in _Il._ xxiii.; the shield of Aeneas
(viii. 626-731) = the shield of Achilles in _Il._ xviii.; (_b_)
Apollonius Rhodius, for the passion of Dido = that of Medea; (_c_)
Greek tragedies, _e.g._ the lost _Laocoon_ of Sophocles for ii. 40
_sqq._

_Religion in the Aeneid._--1. The mythology is mainly from Homer. From
Latin myths come Faunus, Saturnus, Janus, Picus. Euhemerism is shown
by the last three being represented as originally kings of Rome.

2. The power of the gods is denoted by _fatum_ or _fata_; cf. x. 112-3,

'rex Iuppiter omnibus idem:
fata viam invenient.'

3. The description of the lower world in Book vi. is from the descent
into Hades in _Od._ xi., but is modified by Pythagorean ideas (vi.
748-751, metempsychosis), Stoic ideas (vi. 724 _sqq._, pantheism, cf.
_Georg._ iv. 219-227) and Platonic myths (_e.g._ in the _Gorgias_,
_Phaedo_, and _Republic_), and rendered more definite by the
introduction of heroes of the Republic. Note that Virgil emphasizes
its mythical nature by dismissing Aeneas through the ivory gate (of
false dreams).

4. Other beliefs: (_a_) The golden bough (vi. 203-9) compared to the
mistletoe, the symbol of the lower world with many Indo-European
peoples; (_b_) Divinities attached to special places, _e.g._ viii.
349-354 of the _religio_ attaching to the Capitol, ii. 351-2 guardian
deities: cf. Carmentis, pater Tiberinus, etc.; (_c_) Worship of the
dead, and belief in their continued influence on human affairs, iii.
66-8, 301-5.

_Political significance._--1. The pre-eminence of the Julian race and
of Augustus himself. Cf. i. 286,

'Nascetur pulchra Troianus origine Caesar,
imperium Oceano, famam qui terminet astris,
Iulius, a magno demissum nomen Iulo.'

So vi. 789 _sqq._

2. The idea of empire: cf. i. 33,

'Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem';

and of Rome as the conqueror and civilizer of the world: vi. 851,

'Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento:
hae tibi erunt artes, pacisque imponere morem,
parcere subiectis et debellare superbos.'

3. The unity of Italy with Rome is seen in Aeneas and Turnus,
representing respectively the _pietas_ and the martial courage of a
past age. This is brought out also by the introduction of local names.
Cf. vii. 682-5, 710-7, 797-802.

4. Virgil shows here and there contempt for pure democracy: vi. 815,

'iactantior Ancus
nunc quoque ia