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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Nisus and Euryalus do as they move through Turnus' camp?

2. What pictures are shown on the shield Venus gives to Aeneas?

3. What is Iulus' first feat of arms?

4. To which goddess is Camilla dedicated?

5. What reason does Latinus give to Turnus for why the Rutulians got involved in bloody wars with the Trojans?

Short Essay Questions

1. Did Nisus and Euryalus act wisely when attempting to carry out their mission? Why or why not?

2. How does Jupiter ensure that Aeneas will win the combat with Turnus?

3. How has King Latinus' method of dealing with the war changed since Book VII?

4. Describe Latinus' actions once he sees his people fighting with the Trojans.

5. What arguments does Sacës use to persuade Turnus to return to the fight?

6. Examine the advice and prophecy that Faunus gives his son Latinus. Rewrite in your own words what he is saying.

7. What does the use of Iris as a messenger at the end of Book IX tell the reader about the balance of power between the gods?

8. What is the difference between what Arruns prays for and what he actually receives?

9. What transition occurs around lines 46-47 in Book VII and how does Virgil handle this shift?

10. How does Jupiter become involved with the war in Book XI, and does this seem fair after he said before in Book X about being the same king to both Trojans and Rutulians?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Latinus as a leader with Aeneas as a leader, taking into account what characteristics a leader should possess and examining each man's actions as a leader at different times in the story.

Essay Topic 2

The Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar asked Virgil to write The Aeneid to celebrate his recent victory at the Battle of Actium, in which Augustus (then called Octavian) and his forces beat Mark Antony and the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra. This victory brought peace to the empire, and Octavian/Augustus worked thereafter to rule well. Looking at details in The Aeneid such as the subject matter depicted at the center of Aeneas' shield and all the references Virgil makes to the Rome of his time, discuss what purpose Virgil's work might have served at the time.

Essay Topic 3

The proper disposal of the dead is an important issue that runs throughout The Aeneid. Use examples from the work to explain how one should dispose of one's own dead and how one should allow one's enemy to dispose of their dead, and why.

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