Nisus And Euryalus In Homer's Iliad
Nisus and Euryalus, two heroic lovers in the mold of Achilles and Patroclus, encounter their deaths with bravery as they die alone, separated from their allies on the Italian shore (Aeneid 9.410-449). Vergil employs this scene, and the vivid recollection of Homer’s Iliad that it causes, with the purpose of presenting his own thoughts about a situation only hypothetical in the Iliad. Homer portrays Achilles as immensely regretful that he allowed Patroclus to die alone and without him, but Vergil uses parallel characters to remind his audience of that portrayal and offer his views, claiming that even if Achilles had been there with Patroclus neither of them would have survived anyway—while also presenting the case that Nisus’ and Euryalus’ death together was perhaps more fortunate and peaceful than Achilles’ and Patroclus’ separate, lonely deaths. Vergil employs this alternative narrative with the purpose of promoting the Roman tradition of soldiers as unified,
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Vergil argues strongly that both would still have died, which may be initially discouraging, but finally agrees with what Achilles himself seems to believe—it would have been better for them to be in the fight together, if only for the sake of Achilles’ emotions and relationship with Patroclus. And so 700 years later, Homer’s audience receives a possible answer to a question the Iliad left for them to consider themselves—all while Vergil pushes a Roman ideal over a Greek one. Vergil’s balanced approach to promoting the Roman style of war revolves around both a positive portrayal of fighting and just as importantly dying with your companions and a negative image of what can and does occur, even to the heroes of myth and lore, when they attempt to fight without an army beside them, and certainly demonstrates great support for Vergil’s society’s culture and
Vergil argues strongly that both would still have died, which may be initially discouraging, but finally agrees with what Achilles himself seems to believe—it would have been better for them to be in the fight together, if only for the sake of Achilles’ emotions and relationship with Patroclus. And so 700 years later, Homer’s audience receives a possible answer to a question the Iliad left for them to consider themselves—all while Vergil pushes a Roman ideal over a Greek one. Vergil’s balanced approach to promoting the Roman style of war revolves around both a positive portrayal of fighting and just as importantly dying with your companions and a negative image of what can and does occur, even to the heroes of myth and lore, when they attempt to fight without an army beside them, and certainly demonstrates great support for Vergil’s society’s culture and