Rome: Virgil and Ovid

Select ONE of the questions presented, and form a response of your own based on
sources provided. This response should be well composed, in complete sentences and
Spell Checked, and should be about 250 words. YOU MUST support your thoughts
with connections to our readings — short quotes from texts, paraphrasing from
materials, etc. and mention what resource you are referring to. Be sure to respond to
ALL parts of a question, not just portions of it.
A. As our readings about The Aeneid point out, this may be one of the earliest examples
of literature used as ‘propaganda’, given that Augustus commissioned Virgil to write the
epic with specific goals in mind. Identify and discuss 2 of the character traits we see in
Aeneas in Book I that support this notion and discuss how/why you think Caesar wanted
fellow Romans to follow these traits. Also, briefly discuss how this work is similar to or
different from The Metamorphosis. Consider such details as subject matter, tone, etc.
for your comparison.
Source for answering this question: http://classics.mit.edu/Virgil/aeneid.1.i.html
B. Ovid was an accomplished story teller in his own right, but with The Metamorphosis,
he turns to very old ‘oral tradition’ tales for his base material, ties many of these stories
together in a loose ‘history of the world’ format, and breathes new life into them. Book I
that we read begins this story cycle, but the ensuing Books contain any number of other
stories, many of which are popular to this very day. Use the link we have and go to
Book 8 of The Metamorphosis, then scroll down to the story of Daedalus and Icarus and
read it. After doing so, relate why you think this story, as with many others in this
collection, has such lasting entertainment value. Also, briefly discuss how this work is
similar to and also different from The Aeneid. Consider such details as subject matter,
tone, etc. for your comparison.
Source for answering this question: http://classics.mit.edu/Ovid/metam.8.eighth.html