Sebastian Brant

On the right, one of the Dirae, the Dread Ones, appearing as a bird, specifically an owl, flies around the head of Turnus, filling him with fear (843-68). Aeneas pursues Turnus with his large spear, and Turnus holds a massive rock which he attempts to throw at Aeneas (895-914). In the upper left, Juturna sees the owl by Turnus's head and knows it is a sign that Turnus will die (869-84). Grieving, she sinks down into her river (885-6). On the left, Aeneas has hit Turnus with his spear and kneels over the Rutulian hero (919-27). Turnus begs for mercy (929-39), which Aeneas almost grants. Then Aeneas sees the belt of Pallas (940-4) which, in this image, Turnus wears around his waist, and he plunges his sword into the chest of Turnus.

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 408v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the fighting ring, Aeneas struggles to retrieve his spear from the stump of an olive tree (766-76). Turnus prays to Faunus, to whom the tree was sacred, to delay Aeneas's success in obtaining the spear until he himself is armed (776-9). Above this scene, Jupiter confronts Juno, who watches Turnus from the clouds (791-806). She agrees to stop thwarting Aeneas and helping Turnus as long as the victory of Aeneas does not create a new Troy, but instead a stronger Latium (808-42). In this image, the artist has placed the fighting ring right at the edge of the water, though other images do not show it anywhere near the water, and Vergil makes it clear that the fighting happens on a large plain. The water may be intended to enhance the fenced-in feeling of the ring itself.

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 407v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the center of the image, Aeneas and Turnus face off in their duel. In the upper right corner, Jupiter's hand holds a set of scales in which he weighs the destinies of the two men (725-7). In the fighting ring, Turnus's sword has snapped (728-41) and he turns away, looking to flee, but the spectators block his escape. He appears to be asking the closest spectator for a sword (758-9), as Aeneas stands ready to attack both Turnus and the spectator (760-5).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 406v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

On the right, Turnus runs into the midst of the battle at the wall of Laurentum and declares himself ready to properly start the duel (676-96). Aeneas agrees to the challenge (697-703) and soldiers on both sides begin to take off their armor (704-7). Surprisingly, the city is not depicted on fire or at all structurally impaired, though the fire was one of the things that convinced Turnus to face Aeneas.

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 405r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the foreground, two groups of foot soldiers face off against each other. Behind them, Aeneas approaches the city of Laurentum with some of his men to attack the city (554-73). He shouts out criticisms of Latinus and Laurentum for breaking two treaties. Latinus appears above the gate of his city as Laurentum burns behind him. In the upper right, Amata, who thinks Turnus has been killed, hangs herself (595-603).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 403r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the lower left, Aeneas talks to Ascanius, an intimate moment with his son before he goes to battle (432-40). To the right, Aeneas fights against Messapus and some Rutulian soldiers (486-99). In the upper right corner, Juturna takes control of Turnus's chariot and drives him away from Aeneas (468-85). Aeneas's body language and facial expression indicate that he sees Turnus but cannot chase him (480-90).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 401r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the center of the image, Achates and Mnestheus [Mnesches] escort Aeneas away from the fighting (383-6). Ascanius is present in the text, but is not shown in the image. In front of him Iapyx attempts to pull out the arrow and heal the wound with the herbs in the medicine jars at his feet, but in vain (391-410). In the upper left, Venus holds a flower, dittany, which aids in removing arrows from wounds (411-5). To the right of the main scene, and at the bottom of the image, Turnus is shown killing two victims, a representation of his killing spree that occurs from 324-382. The victim in the lower left is most likely Eumedes, whom Turnus attacked first with a spear and then with his sword (346-61).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 399r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the center of the image, Turnus kneels in front of the altar and appears resigned to losing the combat. In the lower right, Camers [Camertes], who is Juturna in disguise, urges the Rutulians to break the treaty and defend Turnus from certain death at the hands of Aeneas (222-37). In the upper right, a large bird, which is supposed to be an eagle, chases several shore birds (247-9). In the upper left, the same eagle carries in its beak a swan, and all the shore birds attack it to save the swan (249-56). Below the birds, Tolumnius the augur points to the birds pursuing the eagle and urges the Rutulians to be like the shore birds, and attack the eagle, Aeneas, before he can harm the swan, Latinus (257-65). On the left, below the birds, a fight has broken out, and the armies are in turmoil (277-310). In the lower left corner, Aeneas sits on his horse with his head bared and his sword drawn and shouts to his men to stop fighting (311-7). An arrow lodged in his shoulder has injured him (318-23).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 397r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the upper right of the image, Venus, who should be Juno, stands next to Juturna, the goddess sister of Turnus, and tells her of Turnus's fate (134-60). Latinus rides in a chariot toward the ring wearing a crown made to look like the Sun (161-4). He makes a sign of blessing with his hand. Turnus rides in next to him, holding two spears (164-5). On the left, a priest sacrifices two boars (169-71). Below this, Aeneas raises his sword and swears an oath that he will abide by the terms of the combat, however fate decides the outcome (175-94). Latinus's raised hand may signify his own oath sworn after Aeneas's, but it is unclear, since he does not hold a sceptre (195-211).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 395v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the image, men build a fighting ring, a contemporary equivalent to Vergil's description of soldiers measuring out a field for the combat (116-7). The ring is placed directly outside the walls of the city.  In the middle of the ring, a priest holding fire in a bowl and standing near a pail of water prepares an altar for a joint sacrifice attended by both the Trojans and the Rutulians (117-20). Next to the priest, an attendant holds what appears to be a statuette of one of the gods shared by the two groups. In the upper right corner, a few Trojan soldiers and women stand to watch the rites, while in the top center, a few Latin townspeople watch from the city (121-33).

Woodcut illustration from the “Strasbourg Vergil,” edited by Sebastian Brant: Publii Virgilii Maronis Opera cum quinque vulgatis commentariis expolitissimisque figuris atque imaginibus nuper per Sebastianum Brant superadditis (Strasbourg: Johannis Grieninger, 1502), fol. 394v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.