Annotations
The wounded Aeneas, who has removed his armor, leans on a spear, surrounded by Achates, Mnestheus and (far left) Ascanius, while the doctor Iapyx prepares a bandage, and warriors (front right) look through a drug case. Behind the back of the doctor a hovering Venus approaches with the miraculous healing herb Dictamnum.
Eine figurenreiche Szene mit mindestens 10 Gestalten im Vordergrund: Der verwundete Aeneas, dem man die Rüstung ausgezogen hat, stützt sich, umgeben von Achates, Mnestheus und (ganz links) Ascanius auf eine Lanze, während der Arzt Iapyx einen Verband vorbereitet und Krieger (vorn rechts) in einem Arznei-Koffer suchen. Hinter dem Rücken des Arztes schwebt die Venus mit dem wundertätigen Heilkraut Dictamnum heran. (Suerbaum)
Engraving from a German children’s picture-book version of the Aeneid by G. J. Lang and G. C. Eimmart, “A tapestry of Roman virtues as seen in Vergil’s Aeneas and his brave deeds, rendered in sparkling engravings, as illustrations of the remarkable deeds of antiquity, for the common benefit of noble youth,” (Peplus virtutum Romanarum in Aenea Virgiliano eiusque rebus fortiter gestis, ad maiorem antiquitatis et rerum lucem, communi iuventutis sacratae bono, aere renitens) (Nuremburg: J.L. Buggel, 1688), pl. 49.
This engraving deals with the scene from lines 383-424, where Aeneas deals with an arrow wound received in battle. Mnestheus, Achates, and Ascanius are all named at 384, the healer Iapyx at 391. Aeneas’ first reaction is to try and cut the arrow out with a sword (389). What follows is a scene in which Aeneas complains, Iulus cries, and Iapyx tries his best to get the arrow head out with a pair of forceps (404). The fighting approaches closer to camp (407-410), which Eimmart illustrates with smoke rising in the background and a group of warriors behind Ascanius preparing to fight again. Finally Venus intervenes to heal her son. In the engraving she is holding the healing plant dittany in her hand as she appears behind Iapyx; she is about to slip the plant into his basin of water. (Lucy McInerney)