Vergil

In the background are Zacynthos, Dulichium, Same, Neritus, and Ithaca, islands which Aeneas passes before he lands. He has landed at Mount Leucates near the shrine of Apollo, which Vergil claims is near Actium (274-5, 279-80), though they are not close to each other. Page suggests that this is a way to associate the games that Aeneas puts on here with the traditional games at Actium (1967, ad 280). In the lower half of the image are the games and sacrificing (278-83). A priest stands between an altar and a dying bull, and pairs of athletes are shown wrestling, swordfighting and throwing either a shotput or a discus. On the right, Anchises, already in a ship, urges Aeneas to gather his men and continue on toward the final destination (289-90). (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. 194r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the lower left, a few of Aeneas's followers stay behind in Pergamum, while in the middle right, Aeneas and his crew sail away from the doomed city. They are about to sail into a terrible storm; they have just sailed into range of the wind, but they have not yet sailed into the rain (192-208). Behind the storm sit the Strophades islands, where Aeneas's ships have landed after the storm (209-11). (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. 192r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

The scene is set in Crete, where Aeneas and his people have founded a city, Pergamum (132-4). In the background to the right are Paros, Olearos, Napos and Donysa, islands of the Cyclades, which Aeneid passed by on his journey from Thrace to Crete (121-7). On the left, Aeneas, asleep in his bed, is surrounded by the images of Pallas, Mercury, and Jupiter, in place of the Penates, who appear to Aeneas as he sleeps (147-53). Outside the house of Aeneas, people and animals lie dead from a terrible pestilence that has killed many of Aeneas's people and many of the crops (135-42). In the upper left corner, the moon valiantly shines down on the house of Aeneas, as mentioned by Vergil (151-2). The ships in the right foreground signify both the recent arrival of the people and their imminent departure. (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. 190r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Anchises, Aeneas and King Anius stand in the sanctuary of Apollo on the island of Delos and either beseech Apollo for an omen (85-9) or listen to the oracle they receive (94-8). They face a statue of Apollo placed atop a column, and face away from the the shrine behind them.  If they are in fact listening to the oracle, and not still asking for it, then Brant has not conveyed Virgil's description well. Virgil describes them prostrate, listening to a voice coming from the shrine, which should have its doors flung open (Vix ea fātus eram: tremere omnia vīsa repente, līminaque laurusque deī, tōtusque movērī mōns circum et mūgīre adytīs cortīna reclūsīs. Summissī petimus terram et vōx fertur ad aurīs 90-3). Aeneas's ships can be seen on the far side on the island (78-9). (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. 187v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

At the top left of the image, one of Aeneas's men digs a trench to begin founding a new city (16-8); the ship sitting in the harbor in the lower left shows that they have just arrived at this place. In the bottom right, a priest and an attendant prepare a sacrifice to Venus at an altar (19-21). Behind them, Aeneas is on one knee beside a stand of trees that turn out to be spears. He has already pulled up two spear shafts, and holds a third in his hand, and looks a bit surprised, as though the voice of Polydorus has begun to speak (22-46). In the middle of the image, Polydorus is shown lying dead with two women standing over him, a detail picked out from lines 62-8, in which the Trojans give Polydorus a proper burial (Ergō īnstaurāmus Polydōrō fūnus, et ingēns/ aggeritur tumulō tellūs; stant Mānibus ārae/ caeruleīs maestae vittīs ātrāque cupressō,/ et circum Īliades crīnem dē mōre solūtae). The city in the background is the home of the Thracian king (50-1); Virgil does not give it a name.

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. 185r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

On the right is a small hill labeled Mount Ida, and at the top of the image, Troy and Antandros stand next to each other. The city of Antandros is supposed to be across the mountain from Troy (5-6). Aeneas stands in front of the mountain surrounded by fellow refugees holding shipbuilding tools, directing them in the building of a fleet. So far, one ship is almost built, with one piece left to put on it, and sailors inside it ready to sail off. The other is still a pile of lumber. Behind Aeneas, Anchises urges the people to ready the fleet to sail once the summer has arrived (8-9). (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. 183v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

On the right, Ulysses and Phoenix stand in the sanctuary of Juno guarding their spoils, which include golden bowls, armor or clothing, and a woman and child (761-6). In the center, Aeneas looks up at Creusa who appears above the city wall and speaks to him (771-89). There is virtually no emotion expressed by either Aeneas or Creusa in the image, despite Virgil's decription of Creusa crying and Aeneas trying to hug the shade of his wife (790-4). On the left, Anchises sits with two other refugees. The baby figure holding a pennant next to Anchises' leg must be Brant's representation of the Penates. (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. 181v, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

Aeneas holds the hand of Ascanius and carries Anchises on his shoulders (707-10; 721-3) as they walk away from the city. Anchises carries the Penates (717), represented by an odd looking miniature bust. Behind Aeneas, Creusa stands with two attendants, not yet lost in the crowd, but standing far enough away from her husband to foreshadow the separation that happens in lines 730-46. Troy continues to burn in the background. (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. 180r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

On the right side of the image, Aeneas, Creusa, Ascanius and a few servants stand next to a seated Anchises and attempt to persuade him to flee Troy with them (651-54). On the left lie Polites and headless Priam, pitiful reminders of what will happen to the family of Aeneas if they stay; Aeneas mentions the king and his son while begging his own father not to stay behind. In the upper right corner, a storm cloud and a shooting star signify that Anchises has agreed to leave his home (692-4). In the upper left, Troy continues to burn. (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. 178r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.

In the top half of the image, Helen [Elena] sits near the altar in the temple of Vesta (567-9). To her left, Aeneas stands ready to charge at her, but Venus stands at his shoulder and shows him that the war is not the fault of Helen but of the gods. In each of the four corners a god is represented: in the lower left, Neptune shakes the walls and foundations of the city (610-2); in the lower right, Juno calls to a ship of Greek soldiers (612-4); in the upper right, Pallas Athena stands inside a storm cloud with light radiating from her (615-6); in the top left, the hand of Zeus shoots fire, apparently a visual representation of the courage which he gives the Greeks (617-8). To the right of Helen, a tower falls; to the left of Venus, Trojans jump from a flaming tower. (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. 176r, executed by an anonymous engraver under the direction of Brant.