This compelling book offers a new interpretation of Vergil's epic poem as a contest between two incompatible versions of the Homeric hero. While many scholars view the Aeneid as a synthesis of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Joseph Farrell argues that it stages a struggle to determine the nature of its story and hero, Aeneas. This contest is instigated by the goddess Juno, who seeks to reshape the narrative into an Iliad of relentless Trojan suffering rather than an Odyssey of triumphant return. Farrell highlights how ancient critics viewed the adaptable Odysseus as an ideal leader, while they criticized the steadfast Achilles as a poor one. The ongoing battle over Aeneas's leadership style throughout the poem reflects on the ethical legitimacy of Rome's emperor, Caesar Augustus. By reframing the Aeneid, Farrell reveals that the poem confronts readers with a crucial choice between conflicting possibilities, creating uncertainty about whether it serves as a celebration of Augustus or a somber commentary on the challenges of its time.
