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Summarizing Virgil's Aeneid- Book 3

 


Book 3 continues the story of Aeneas’ flight from Troy and the events that occurred before he and his men were washed ashore in Dido’s lands.

The remaining Trojans set out from the harbors, not knowing exactly where they were going, but knowing they couldn’t stay in Ilium. They sail to a nearby land and, soon after coming ashore, Aeneas uproots a bush and it bleeds. Filled with horror, he pulls up another plant which also bleeds. He prays to the gods to give him a good omen on the next one, but when he uproots a third bush, it bleeds as well. It is then that a voice on the air tells him the story of Polydorus, who had departed from Troy with gold to go live in Thrace. However, Thrace joined with Agamemnon, murdered Polydorus, and stole all of the gold. Aeneas tells the elders what happened and they decide to leave that land, calling it cursed. They hold a proper funeral for Polydorus, then set sail. 

They arrive next in Delos, an island. There they meet with a priest of Apollo, Anius, who greets them. Aeneas prays in the Temple, asking Apollo for a new home where they can build a great city. Apollo directs them to seek their ancient Motherland. They interpret this to mean Crete, so they set out to go build a new city in Crete. 

They arrive in Crete and begin to establish themselves there. They build homes and begin farming. However, they are afflicted by plagues and diseases. People and crops die. Aeneas, urged on by his father, asks Apollo to put an end to their fate and what they should do next. It is then that Aeneas discovers Apollo hadn’t been referring to Crete, but to Hesperia, which is another name for Italy. 

They depart from Crete and start to make their way to Hesperia. They land on a Greek island inhabited by Harpies. They see some cattle and slaughter them and begin a feast. The Harpies arrive and steal their food. The Trojans fight the Harpies. The Harpies scold them for stealing their cattle. Celaeno, one of the Harpies, then tells them they will arrive in Italy, but it will be a long time before there is a wall around their city. Following this, they depart from that island and continue on.

They sail past many Greek islands before arriving at a land ruled by Helenus, a son of Priam, who is now married to Andromache, who had been taken by Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles. Andromache had been the wife of Hector, who had been killed back in Troy. While spending time there, Helenus prophesies to Aeneas about his fate. He gives detailed instructions about how the Trojans can arrive safely in Italy. Helenus and Andromache shower them with gifts and send them on their way.

Following the instructions from Helenus, they get lost and arrive on the island which is home to the Cyclopes. They come across a Greek man, Achaemenides, who had been accidentally left behind when Ulysses (Odysseus) and his men escaped from the Cyclops Polyphemus. He tells them his story, and once he is finished, Polyphemus himself appears. The Trojans rush to escape on their ships and manage to get away.

The group sails along, but is eventually caught in the storm that washes them to Dido’s land. Aeneas finishes his story, and sits down to rest.


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