Meta Description: Join Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe in Ad Navseam Episode 105 as they delve into Vergil’s Aeneid Book 7. Discover the fury of Alecto, the tragic albino stag, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, and resources to master the Latin language.
Introduction: Holiday Malaise and Aeneid Fatigue
Welcome back, classical gourmands, to Episode 105 of the Ad Navseam Podcast! Broadcasting directly from the subterranean depths of the bunker (also known as Vomitorium South), your hosts, Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe, return to the microphones after a brief hiatus.
The hosts open the episode by acknowledging a bit of holiday malaise that temporarily disrupted their recording schedule. Jeff is sporting a deep purple fleecy zippered pullover, which prompts a pop culture tangent. Jeff claims the color choice honors Glenn Hughes of the rock band Deep Purple, though Dave admits he associates the band more closely with David Coverdale.
As they prepare to dive back into the text, Dave confesses to feeling a slight case of “Aeneid fatigue”. However, he finds strength to push through Book 7 by clinging to the words of the Italian scholar Gian Biagio Conte, who famously declared that by common consent, the Aeneid is the best poem written by the best poet of all time.
Listener Mail: Anniversary Tin Foil and the Classics
Before tackling the epic poetry, the boys open the mailbag to deliver a special shout-out to Trent and Alicia HordYke, who are celebrating their very first wedding anniversary.
The hosts joke about the traditional gifts given for anniversaries, noting that while twenty-five years gets you silver and fifty gets you gold, the first year usually involves something cheap like tin foil or papier-mâché. Trent is a relatively new listener who started with an episode featuring the fan-favorite guest “Lazy Steve”. Interestingly, Trent asked Dave if a person needed to know Latin to enjoy the podcast. Dave assured him that while knowing the ancient tongues is a nice bonus, it is absolutely not a prerequisite for diving into Greco-Roman culture. Trent also submitted a sweet quote, noting that by giving him baldness, the Lord taught him humility, and by giving him Alicia, the Lord taught him beauty.
The Shield of Turnus and Classical Archetypes
The primary academic focus of Episode 105 is the second half of Vergil’s Aeneid Book 7. The Trojans have arrived on the Italian peninsula and formed a shaky alliance with King Latinus, much to the absolute dismay of his wife, Queen Amata. Amata desperately wants their daughter, Lavinia, to marry the local Rutulian warrior Turnus instead of the Trojan interloper Aeneas.
Dave introduces a quote from an article by M.R. Gale titled The Shield of Turnus, published in the Journal of Greece and Rome. Gale analyzes the specific armor worn by Turnus, noting his helmet features a fire-breathing Chimera, while his shield depicts the metamorphosis of Io. Gale argues these two distinct images represent the dual nature of Turnus: the Chimera symbolizes his uncontrollable rage and battle lust, while Io represents him as a helpless, innocent victim of the gods’ cruel machinations.
Jeff agrees that Vergil is playing with established archetypes. Because Book 7 begins the “Iliadic” phase of the epic, readers might expect the invading Aeneas to mirror Achilles, while the native defender Turnus mirrors Hector. However, Jeff observes that Aeneas acts much more like the domestic, sympathetic Hector, while Turnus embodies the pure, uncontrollable rage of Achilles. Dave adds that Aeneas is also frequently compared to Paris, since he arrives in a foreign land and essentially steals another man’s betrothed bride, igniting a massive war.
One-Dimensional Villains and the Descent of Alecto
The conversation naturally shifts to the primary antagonist of the epic: the goddess Juno.
Dave asks if Juno feels a bit “one-note” in her endless quest to torture the Trojans. Jeff agrees that she often functions as a traditional, mustache-twirling villain. This leads to a fascinating discussion about the evolution of antagonists in modern media. Jeff notes that recent television shows, like The Sopranos, have made villains incredibly complex and sympathetic. While Dave appreciates nuanced storytelling, he dislikes when modern narratives make villains entirely sympathetic victims of circumstance, arguing that true evil requires an active, chosen will.
Returning to the poem, Juno decides to unleash her ultimate weapon. She summons Alecto, a terrifying fury from the underworld. Alecto is so gruesome, with black vipers sprouting from her scalp, that even her father Pluto despises her.
Alecto targets Queen Amata first. Disguised as a snake, the fury slithers directly into Amata’s robes, sinking into her chest and infecting her soul with madness. The hosts note this imagery would have directly reminded contemporary Roman readers of Cleopatra’s recent death by suicide via asp.
Amata attempts to convince King Latinus to abandon Aeneas, using maternal appeals and historical precedents. When Latinus refuses, Amata loses her mind completely. She grabs her daughter and flees into the woods, acting like a wild Bacchant worshipper of Dionysus. She even carries a thyrsus—a sacred staff topped with a pine cone. Jeff humorously notes that modern listeners can actually purchase a replica thyrsus on Etsy for seventy-five dollars.
Sponsors: Fueling the Classical Renaissance
Before the hosts accidentally start a war with a podcasting microphone, they take a moment to thank their exceptionally generous sponsors.
- Hackett Publishing: Celebrating their golden fiftieth anniversary, Hackett provides superb, affordable texts for academics and casual readers alike. They carry everything from Stanley Lombardo’s translations of the Aeneid to Nicholas White’s A Companion to Plato’s Republic. Drop some books into your digital satchel at hackettpublishing.com and use the code AN2022 for a 20% discount and free shipping.
- Ratio Coffee: Mark Hellweg’s Ratio 8 and Ratio 6 machines offer a flawless brewing experience. The machines feature a wide Fibonacci showerhead that evenly distributes water over the grounds. This masterful design manages the critical “bloom phase,” allowing trapped carbon dioxide to off-gas properly. This specific process eliminates the dreaded “brackish tang,” extracting perfect flavor every time. Visit ratiocoffee.com and use the code ANCOK5 for 15% off your entire order.
Turnus, Albino Stags, and Gavrilo Princip
After the break, the hosts track Alecto’s next target: Turnus.
Alecto approaches Turnus in his sleep, disguised as an elderly priestess named Calybe, and attempts to shame him into fighting the Trojans. When Turnus dismisses the old woman, Alecto reveals her true, terrifying form and hurls a smoking torch directly into his chest. Turnus wakes up in a frenzied bloodlust, calling his men to arms. The text specifically notes that his men are stirred to follow him first by his exceptional good looks, and secondly by his lineage and battle prowess.
To finally ignite the physical war, Alecto orchestrates a seemingly minor hunting accident. Aeneas’s son, Ascanius, is hunting in the woods and accidentally shoots a beautiful, tame albino stag that belongs to a local Latin herdsman.
The death of this beloved pet causes the local shepherds to attack the Trojans, sparking a massive conflict. Dave and Jeff marvel at how Vergil uses such an inconspicuous, minor event as the catalyst for a world war. This narrative device compares well to the start of World War, reminiscent of the absurd historical details of Gavrilo Princip, the assassin who shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. After a failed bombing attempt earlier in the day, the Archduke’s car randomly stalled right in front of Princip, who was simply standing on the sidewalk eating a deli sandwich. One tiny, accidental domino knocked over millions of others, much like the death of the albino stag in Italy.
With her dark mission accomplished, Alecto makes a dramatic exit from the mortal realm. She descends through the Vale of Amsanctus, a real geographical location in the Campania region of Italy known for its suffocating, sulfurous volcanic fumes.
MossMethod and the Gustatory Parting Shot
Before concluding, Dave reminds listeners that they can happily learn the ancient languages from the comfort of their own homes.
Visit mossmethod.com to take your ancient Greek from “neophyte to erudite”. The self-paced modules are expertly crafted and include weekly interactive “Moffice Hours”. Additionally, if you wish to master the Latin language entirely from the ground up (ab initio), check out latinperdiem.com/llpsi to learn using Hans Ørberg’s famous Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata curriculum.
To officially close out Episode 105, Jeff delivers a fantastic Gustatory Parting Shot courtesy of the great Christian apologist C.S. Lewis.
“He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs, to lust after it, hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart.”
A special thanks to Mishka the sound engineer, and to Scott Van Zen and Ken Tamplin for the blistering guitar riffs. Avoid the furies, spare the albino stags, and keep taking in the classics. Valete!
