The writers and philosophers of different epochs have reflected the reality of the contemporary society, political and economic situation through their creative perspective, based on the personal opinions and worldview. Sometimes, the most influential characters managed to change the way people see the world; among them were Virgil, St. Paul, and St. Augustine. The paper studies the works of these writers, in order to identify the goals of each author and show how they relied on the past, in order to direct their readers towards the future they desired.
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Aeneid is a poem by Virgil that tells a story of a group of escapees, who looks for another home in a distant country after their native city has been destroyed. It is a creative writing, which employs various descriptive materials from contemporary myths and legends that relate to the human spirit’s everlasting quest for individual perpetuation. Virgil’s generation saw heroism from a different perspective since the events of the poem were passed from generation to generation; thus, the story acquired an appearance of the indisputable truth (Virgil n.p.).
In the opening of Aeneid, Virgil narrates the story of Paris as a cause of implacable hatred of Juno to the Trojans. This monologue helps in justifying why the queen of gods, Juno, is a fearsome character in the heroic poem. The Trojan War was a direct result of Paris’ judgment, who gave the golden apple to the ‘wrong’ goddess; his decision, eventually, lead to the collapse of Troy and consequent founding of Rome (Virgil n.p.). The golden apple had an inscription “For the Fairest,” which produced far-reaching effects since it stimulated the passions of both common people and immortals. Jupiter appointed Paris to deliver judgment on the golden apple, and the men awarded it to Venus, who, in return for the good deed, promised to give him the most beautiful woman in the world. Juno took the Paris’ judgment as an individual insult that hurt her vanity and provoked a deep enmity since she knew her preferred city, Carthage, would be destroyed, and its citizens would be sold to slavery by Rome (Virgil n.p.).
In times of Vergil, a series of ambitious and vicious leaders came in violently to control the state in the last days of the Roman republic, but none of them solved the problems or instituted a permanent power for himself and his supporters (McKay, et al). Octavian, the first Roman emperor, was officially named Augustus by the Roman Senate, as he brought order where other leaders had failed. He restructured the Roman bureaucracy opening its membership to freedmen, common people, and slaves; in the meantime, he managed to mask his absolute power skillfully by maintaining the old appearance of the Republican government (Virgil n.p.).
Virgil, a poet who matured in times of the death throes of the republic, longed for the peace that Augustus had promised and brought; therefore, he whole-heartedly supported the policies of the emperor. The concurrent look of the man of poetic genius inspired by the man of power led to the creation of Aeneid, whose main aim was to remind its readers of the epic past, from which Rome was believed to be born, and awaken equally epic future hopes (Virgil n.p.).
St. Augustine begins The City of God by praising Lord, as well as referring incessantly to Biblical verses, particularly the Book of Psalms. Augustine aims to know and comprehend God’s nature, how to pray and call upon Him. He pays special attention to how Lord exists in the creation and whether God is surrounded by the creation or the whole creation contains Him. Therefore, Augustine parallels his most basic activities as an infant, like knowing how to smile, with nursing. Augustine says that he had learned about these facts from weak females: his nurses and mother (Augustine of Hippo n.p.). Augustine experienced wretchedness in his young years, and he was admonished to know how to employ his authority of speech to preach all over the world and gain honor and we