Analysis Of Virgil 's The Aeneid

I have always been drawn to the beautiful sights and the knowledge acquired from traveling. This gift is meaningful to me because it allows me to explore different cultures of this century that are unbeknownst to my own. Traveling also allows me to see the glorious quests and accomplishments of men who lived in the ancient world, far before my time. The renowned poem, The Aeneid, illustrates a beautiful entry into my strong desire to explore the world.  

“Wars and a man I sing – an exile driven on by Fate . . . destined to reach Lavinian shores and Italian soil . . . the source of the Latin race, the Alban lords and the high walls of Rome” (Virgil 1.1-8). Thus run the opening lines of Virgil’s Aeneid. Aeneas, however, would not seem to be the prime example of the joys of travel. After all, he has no choice. He is an exile, driven by fate onto an adventure that, although extremely inspiring to humanity for centuries afterward, is not a pleasant experience for Aeneas himself. Surely, he would stop wandering in exile if he could?

I disagree. I think that Aeneas would not stop seeking his destiny. He was offered a happy place to settle down numerous times, yet he pressed on to the promised Lavinian shores. Why? He could have founded a great people anywhere, but he sought out Italy, the land prophesied to become the empire of his descendants. He wanted to see his destiny: the destiny promised to him by the gods. Aeneas very much represents humankind; he represents me. I love traveling because it is not enough for me to be told. I need to personally explore the greatness of the world and the accomplishments of men before me. It is not enough for me to accept my future on a silver platter; I need to seek it out and create it myself. 

Traveling is a large part of who I am because there is an inherent desire in my soul to do so, just as there is an inherent desire in the soul to think – to ask questions, to reason out the way of the world, to explore the unknown. In traveling, I feel myself seeking my own truths – ones that I can only find in places that I have never been. 

Visiting foreign countries opens a gateway to an abundance of knowledge. Who are we to refuse this wonderful opportunity laid out before us? Socrates, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Plato, and many other great philosophers sought wisdom, and they took every chance they had to learn. Traveling allows me to discover the truth for myself through seeing, questioning, thinking, and reasoning. The better that I understand myself and my beliefs, the better I will be able to serve the people around me. Wanderlust is a part of who I am. My desire to know and serve others has drawn me to the high walls of Rome. They have driven me to the pillars of the Parthenon. To the buried town of Vesuvius and the ancient cave of Delphi. To the beauty and greatness of past centuries; to the journey that will bring me to the wisdom and understanding of who I am and who I’m meant to be. 

Aristotle once said, “The ultimate value of life depends on awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” Peregrinating is a quest for self-discovery. If I want to live a valuable life for others, as well as for myself, then I must always be in the pursuit of such wisdom, for this has grounded me and will continue to ground me in the firm awareness of who I am and who I have the power to become. 

Work Cited

Virgilius, Publius. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fagles, New York: Penguin, 2006.