Chapter Synopsis of The Aeneid - Study Guide by Virgil

in his pride that it will be the cause of his doom. Aeneas, roused by the sad news of Pallas' death, hacks his way through the enemy to bring help to his men.

Jupiter points out the Trojans' success to Juno, who wheedles her way into gaining protection for Turnus. Jupiter allows her to delay, but not alter, his fate. As a result, she descends and fashions a cloud in the image of Aeneas which lures Turnus onto a boat and out to sea. The cloud then vanishes, leaving Turnus angry with the gods for causing him to abandon his men. Juno, though, checks him and guides the boat to Ardea.

Mezentius joins the fray and maintains his ground in the face of a Trojan attack. The slaughter becomes widespread and, as the gods observe, they pity both sides. Meanwhile, Aeneas prepares to meet Mezentius, who hurls a spear at him, which misses but kills Antores. Aeneas wounds Mezentius with a spear and is about to kill him with his sword, when Lausus, Mezentius' son, intervenes. The fighting continues and Aeneas kills Lausus, but pities the youth's pale dead face. Mezentius, resting by the Tiber, bursts into a passionate show of grief, when he sees the body of his dead son borne along on a shield. He calls for his favourite horse and appeals to him to help avenge his son or die with him. He then challenges Aeneas and showers him with darts, but Aeneas spears his horse and Mezentius is flung to the ground. He begs for no mercy, but asks only that he might share Lausus' tomb.

Book 11 - The Truce, Drances and Camilla

Day dawns, and Aeneas sets up a trophy with Mezentius' arms. He exhorts his men to bury the dead and prepare to march on Latium. He himself returns to his tent and joins in grieving over Pallas. He organises Pallas' funeral procession and he and his army accompany it as it starts. After a final farewell, they return to the camp.

Envoys from the Latins come, asking to be able to bury their dead. Aeneas agrees and a truce for twelve days is arranged for this purpose. He also laments that Turnus did not simply challenge him to a single combat, which would have averted the needless deaths of so many innocent men.

Meanwhile, Rumour brings news of Pallas' death to Evander. He hurries to meet the procession and makes a pathetic speech to his dead son, praying that he might live to see Aeneas avenge him.

The Trojans spend the next day burning their dead with due rites and sacrifices. The Latins also bury their dead and many are angry with Turnus. Drances says that it is only Turnus who is being called on to fight. Messengers then arrive from Argyripa to announce the failure of their mission: Diomede is tired of war and wants peace. They are succeeded by Latinus, who speaks in favour of peace. Then Drances speaks with bitter hatred and jealousy of Turnus, and challenges him to accept Aeneas' offer of single combat, at which Turnus angrily bursts out and proclaims warlike intentions. When news arrives of Aeneas' advance, amid general tumult, he scornfully quits the council and issues orders to his troops, while Latinus regrets his earlier rejection of the Trojans.

Turnus arms for battle, and is joined by Camilla, whom he bids engage the Trojans, while he prepares an ambush in a mountain-pass. Diana summons the nymph Opis and tells her the story of Camilla. She laments her taking part in the war, and sends Opis to avenge her death.

Meanwhile, the Trojan cavalry advance, meet the Latins, join battle and universal carnage ensues. Camilla fights on in the thickest of the fray, slaying to right and to left. Jupiter urges Tarchon to fight, who consequently rides about encouraging the Tuscans. Arruns prays to Apollo and, with his help, succeeds in killing Camilla. Opis sees her death and duly avenges her by killing Arruns, whose body is left uncared for.

Terror and confusion reign everywhere. The Latins shut the gates, excluding many friends, and in the fierce struggle to enter, ally slays ally. Women, in emulation of Camilla, throw missiles from the walls. Turnus, hearing what is happening, abandons his ambush in order to hurry to the conflict. Aeneas also