Is Aeneas in The Aeneid actually pious?

‘Pius’ can be defined as being dutiful towards numerous facets such as one’s family, friends, gods, religion and army. There are various ways in which Virgil portrays Aeneas as ‘pius’ in the Aeneid. First, he does this by showcasing Aeneas’ uncanny ability to motivate his army and boost their morale. Virgil also conveys Aeneas as ‘pius’ by outlining his salient mission to defeat Turnus. Aeneas is also seen as dutiful in his devotion to his family and the gods. 

Aeneas’ piety is clearly seen through his bravery, respect towards his men and outstanding leadership qualities. The majority of modern scholars agree that, especially in the second half of the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as the ‘ideal Roman hero.’ For example, the instance when Aeneas defeats Mezentius demonstrates his courage, and hence his piety. Aeneas then encourages his army that the war is not yet finished. This displays his exemplary leadership ability and duty towards his men and mission. His piety in this scene is also shown through him devoting a trophy of Mezentius’ spoils to Mars, the God of War. This is a clear example of Aeneas’ devotion to war and the divine beings. Another example where Aeneas’ duty and regard towards his men is seen in Evander’s appraisal of the respectful funeral that Aeneas gave Pallas. Moreover, Aeneas as a fearless warrior can be likened to Augustus and his defeat of Antony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Aeneas also resembles the pious Homeric warrior Achilles in the Iliad. Additionally, according to Nicholas Moseley, Virgil employs the epithet ‘pius’ fifteen times in the Aeneid. Nine of these times are used in connection with prayer, sacrifice, Aeneas’ carrying out of orders of the gods and his performing of religious funerals. This clearly demonstrates the extraordinarily immense extent to which Aeneas is portrayed as ‘pius.’

Moreover, another way Aeneas is displayed as ‘pius’ is through his devotion to his country and perseverance in his tireless mission to defeat Turnus. For instance, Virgil clearly highlights Aeneas’ piousness in the closing scenes of the Aeneid. This is where Aeneas' triumphant slaying of Turnus is given ‘divine sanction’, as Joe Park Poe puts it. This shows his devotion and duty to completing the mission that he set out to accomplish, hence highlighting his ‘pius’ nature. Moreover, his prolonged mission and allegiance to his nation and war displays Aeneas as ‘pius.’ Additionally, Aeneas’ conquest of Turnus and the Italian tribes shows his pious nature, through his loyalty towards his country, since it is the initial step in the creation of the ‘res Romana.’ However, an instance where Virgil portrayed Aeneas as struggling to emulate this piety is in him being torn between loving Dido and fulfilling his mission. This may be to reflect that Aeneas is also a flawed mortal. 

Furthermore, Aeneas’ duty and care for his family highlight his piousness. Aeneas is seen as ‘pius’ because he loves, and is devoted to, his father Anchises and son Iulus. An example of this is his saving them from the burning fires and fall of the city of Troy by leading them out and lifting them up onto his shoulders. This determination and spirit to protect and save them exhibits the love and care that he holds for the pair of them, thus demonstrating his piety towards family. Further, this scene is also coupled with Aeneas carrying the household gods out of the city with him. This displays his piousness towards the divine beings. Additionally, the father and son relationship between Aeneas and Pallas resembles Julius Caesar adopting Augustus. Finally, another example of Aeneas’ piety is when he celebrates the anniversary of his father's death by carrying out sacrifices to the gods and hosting funeral games. From this, the pietas Aeneas has for both the gods and Anchises is evident, since he holds respect for his father even after his death. 

In conclusion, Virgil portrays Aeneas to a great extent as an extremely ‘pius’ man. He does this primarily by showcasing Aeneas’ devotion to his men, his country and his family. However, there are instances in the text where Virgil paints Aeneas as being vulnerable and slightly less heroic, in order to show that he is mortal too.