ABSTRACT
This paper examines the topos of aristeia in Vergil’s Aeneid and argues that the text delves deeply into the psychology of Aeneas as a warrior suffering trauma. In this light, Aeneas’ final act of killing Turnus is cast as violence triggered by the return of a traumatic experience, expressed in the “return” of Pallas’ death when Aeneas gazes at his baldric now worn by Turnus. More broadly, the essay seeks to examine the intersection between conventions of representation and the importance of trauma in understanding Aeneas as a model warrior and leader. In other words, the question the Aeneid asks is: what happens when the leader of an empire suffers from trauma? By pointing to the fragility of the hero’s mental state, Vergil contemplates the problem of trauma and recovery for warrior, leader, and empire.
