Aeneid

This image portrays a portion of what is illustrated on the shield that Vulcan has made for Aeneas. In the upper right, Romulus and Remus are nursed by a wolf in a cave by the river (630-4). In the upper middle, two Roman men take two Sabine women into the city by force, and the Sabine king Tatius [Tacius], leads an armed cavalry toward the city (635-8). Below the city, on the left, Tatius and Romulus stand before the altar of Jupiter holding vessels, while an attendant sacrifices a sow, to solemnize the treaty between them (639-41). At the bottom of the image, Mettus Fufetius [Metius Suffetius], is about to be pulled apart by two chariots moving at top speed in opposite directions (642-4). Tullus Hostilius [Mostilius] looks on, though not mentioned specifically by Vergil. It is a bit disappointing that Brant's illustrator did not attempt to fit more scenes in the image, and that he did not depict anything from the most prominent scene, the Battle of Actium (675-713). (Katy Purington)

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. 326r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Aeneas prepares to depart from Pallanteum. A number of Evander's men set out in a boat down the river to alert Ascanius and the Trojans of the latest development in the impending war (545-50). To the right, Evander bids a tearful farewell to his son Pallas, who is preparing to follow Aeneas into battle (558-84). Two weeping women stand by the gate. They are either the attendants who will escort Evander back into the palace (783-4) or the mothers weeping to see their sons depart from the city (592-3). A head peering out from behind the wall may also represent a distraught mother. Pallas rides on horseback away from the city toward Aeneas and Achates, who prepare to start the march toward the Latins. In the top left, Tarcho and his Etruscan forces come to join Aeneas (603-5). (Katy Purington)

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. 324r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Evander, wearing a simple tunic and sandals (457-60), accompanied by Pallas and two dogs, meets Aeneas and Achates in an open space in the middle of Pallanteum (461-68). Evander explains to Aeneas the nature of his aid in the war: he will appoint Aeneas leader of an army of Etruscans who have all come together to wage war on Turnus (470-519). In the upper left corner, storm clouds represent a massive thunderclap unleashed by Venus as a sign to Aeneas (523-9). A full set of arms hangs from the cloud (528-9), held in the image by a hand that perhaps belongs to Venus. The four men all react to the omen; while Evander looks worried, Aeneas appears to be explaining that this is a good omen (530-40). (Katy Purington)

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. 322r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

On the right, Venus approaches Vulcan in their bedroom, seducing him in order to convince him to make special armor for Aeneas to wear in battle (370-87). Vulcan does not appear to be resisting Venus's seductions, since he is facing toward her and has his hand on her shoulder. On the left is the forge of Vulcan under Mount Etna. Here, three Cyclopes, Brontes, Steropes, and Pyracmon, hammer out what appears to be a piece of armor. Brontes holds it in a pair of tongs, while he and the other two swing their hammers in rhythm to beat out the metal into shape (452-3). The workshop floor has various other metallic objects scattered on it. The chariot in the lower left must be the war chariot of Mars mentioned in lines 433-4: Parte aliā Martī currumque rotāsque volucrīs īnstābant, quibus ille virōs, quibus excitat urbēs.

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. 319v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Evander, Aeneas and Pallas walk from the grove to the city of Pallanteum (306-9). As they walk, Evander recounts the lore and history of the land on which he built his city (310-3). In the lower left, two Fauns represent the first inhabitants of the land, which also included Nymphs and a race of men born of the trees (314-8). Near the Fauns and also behind the three men herds of cattle and goats graze in the fields very near the city.  (Katy Purington)

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. 317v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Pallas holds the hand of Aeneas in a gesture of good will and leads him to King Evander (124). In Vergil, Evander is still in the grove, and Pallas and Aeneas go to him there, leaving the river (125). In the image, however, Evander approaches them near the shore. After Aeneas and Evander exchange speeches agreeing to an alliance (126-71), Evander points toward the top of the image, where the feast has finished and a few men still sit at the table in front of empty dishes (172-4). On the right, a few bulls wait to be sacrificed on the freshly lit altar to renew the rites of the festival (175-83). (Katy Purington)

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. 313v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Aeneas arrives with his two ships at Pallanteum (107-8). The city, shown at the top center, does not have very large walls, and its towers are not very tall, indicating that the city is well-built with necessary defenses, but without any excess. When Aeneas arrives, Evander is holding a ritual sacrifice to Hercules in a sacred grove, attended by his son Pallas [Palas], and the top men of his city (102-6). Upon seeing the strangers approach their shore, the men have stopped eating (107-10). Pallas has run to a high mound above the shore, and even before the strangers disembark, he points his spear at them and begins questioning Aeneas (110-4). Aeneas holds out an olive branch in an offering of alliance with King Evander (115-20). This image is one of a handful that have some degree of color beyond the usual black and white. Pigments of brown and green have been used to color in the legs of Aeneas, the clothing and hat of Pallas, the hat of one prominent citizen, and the coat of another. The coloring was most likely added to the image at a later date. (Katy Purington)

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. 312v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the lower middle of the image, Aeneas lies sleeping by the ships (26-30). The River God Tiber appears to him in a dream, wearing a wreath of poplar leaves and a light flowing garment (31-5). He reassures Aeneas that he is meant to found a city here and tells Aeneas to look for a white sow with thirty piglets as proof of the prophecy (36-49). He points, urging Aeneas to sail to Pallanteum, which may be the city in the upper right corner (51-64). To the lower left, Aeneas and a crew have boarded one of two ships that will make the journey up the river to Pallanteum (79-80). In the upper left, Aeneas stands holding an axe between a large altar and a sow with a litter of thirty offspring. He prepares to sacrifice the pigs to Juno, in an attempt to appease the goddess's anger (81-5).  (Katy Purington)

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. 310v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the lower left of the image, two heralds stand in front of Laurentum, the city ruled by Turnus, and blow horns to alert the region of impending war (2-6). Within Laurentum, which is the large walled city in the upper left of the image, someone has raised the flag of war, bearing a dragon (1-2). On the left, a handful of soldiers led by Venulus set out toward Argyripa, the city of Diomedes, to bring news of Aeneas and seek an alliance (9-17). The two ships in the background might belong to Aeneas. (Katy Purington)

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. 309v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

This image illustrates the catalogue of the Italians who fought in the Latin war. In the lower right, Mezentius is shown mounted on his horse, and to his left, his son Lausus (647-54). Their standard is a scorpion. In the lower left is Aventinus, who is said to be beautiful, but his entire upper body is covered in the lion-skin of Hercules, which obscures his face. His men carry javelins, and his standard and shield bear the symbol of the hydra (655-69). On the right, above Mezentius, is a group of soldiers led by twin brothers Catillus and Coras. On their standard is a centaur, because Vergil compares their fighting style to the stampede of centaurs (670-7).

In the upper right corner, the general whose name banner is smudged must be Caeculus, king of Praeneste, whose standard is probably meant to be a wolf, in reference to the wolf-skin caps worn by his men (678-90). To his left is Messapus, whose standard-bearer, next to him, carries a standard with an emblem of swans, the animal to which Vergil compares Messapus' troops (691-705). Next to the left comes Clausus, linked to the Claudian dynasty (706-22), whose standard is a more official looking symbol, perhaps a griffin or an eagle. Directly behind him, Umbro bears a banner of snakes, symbolizing his race's ability to enchant snakes (750-60). To his immediate left is Virbius, son of Hippolytus, the only general in this image without a standard (761-82).

In the upper left corner is Halaesus [Alesus], in a sturdy war car; the tree in his standard represents the fertility of the land he governs (723-32). Between Virbius and Halaesus, Camilla rides ready for battle, with long flowing hair marking her as female; her standard has two arrows, signifying a bow and arrow as her weapon of choice (803-17). To the left, below Halaesus, stands Ufens; his standard is a boar, potentially a reference to his race's skill at hunting in the woods (744-9). To the right of Ufens is a general labelled Cetalus, which must be a mislabelling of Oebalus, general of the Sarrastians. His standard is a person holding what may be the artist's rendering of the cateia, an unknown weapon that Vergil mentions as a primary weapon of the Sarrastians. (733-43) In the center of the image, Turnus sits on the back of a well decorated horse. His helmet is elaborate, with the bust of a chimaera in place of a plume on top (783-802). His standard is also a chimaera, and he is flanked by a cavalry soldier and two foot soldiers. (Katy Purington)

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. 305r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.