Dolinta, Aldrynn Jan A.

LIT
13 BSED-II June 3, 2020

In your own words, summarize the epic “Aeneid” by gradually presenting all the characters. (10)
The story
begins with Aeneid arriving at the city of Carthage due to a ferocious weather. The city of Carthage was
ruled by a queen named Dido. One fatedul dinner, Aenid started telling his adventures to Dido before he
arrived at her shore. Aeneid begins by narrating the story of how the city of
Troy had fallen, and how he was force to leave with his father Anchices and his family. Creusa, his wife,
died during his flight towards his destiny. Even with his loss, he continued to set out to the see with the
other Trojan refugees. During that journey, they arrived at Crete, believing that that was the destined land.
However, a plague brushed them off and forced them to set out to sea once again. His adventures didn’t
stop there. He encountered Celeano and his army of harpies and the island of Cyclops. Aeneid also lost
his father on the island of Dremanum before arriving at Carthrage.
After hearing the story of Aeneid, Dido fell in love at him. Juno, being
manipulative, made the pair spend the night on a cave and became lovers. However, Aeneid, realizing
that he was wasting time at Carthrage, gathered his men and left to the sea. Dido was not able to cope up
with Aeneid’s departure; so she built a pyre, piercing herself with Aeneid’s sword, and was burnt to
death. The fire then set the city aflame causing the island of Carthrage into ruins. Aeneid then went his
way on Dremanum to commemorate the one year of his father’s death. By this time, he received a
prophecy instructing him to go his way on the Underworld and meet his father there.
The sibyls Deiphobe
and Cumae acted as Aeneid’s guide traveling to the Underworld. On his journey, he encountered the
various dead people. He then located his father in Elysium, where the most heroic souls rest. He then
shows the shades that once brought to life, will be the heroes of the Romans. He then left the Underworld
to pursue his destiny in Laurentum.
In Laurentum, he was welcomed by King Latinus his daughter Lavinia. Angered by the treaty of
the marriage of to a foreigner, he sent out Allecto to fill the heart of Turnur, Lavinia’s other suitor with
anger and despise. This caused a war between the Latins and the Trojans. Allecto then was helped by
King Evander who sent his son, Pallas to partake in the war. Eventually, Pallas was killed by Turnur.
Realizing that the Trojans will inevitably gain the
victory, the Latins decided to stop the war by having Aeneid and Turnur indulge on a duel. Whoever wins
the duel wins the war. Aeneid managed to defeat Turnur and pierced his heart with his sword making the
Trojans win the war. Aeneid then fulfilled his destiny and married Latinia in the end.

Dolinta, Aldrynn Jan A. LIT 13

BSED-II June 3, 2020

1. What is meant by carpe diem? Explain in your own words. (3) Carpe
diem means to enjoy the present time that we have gained. It means that we should make the most of the
present time we have. We should worry less about the tomorrow because nobody knows what and how
the future will be. Therefore, we should invest more on today than tomorrow because who knows, maybe
the future won’t come to us.

2. What does Horace tell us about the “future”? (3)

The future is unknown for all people and we should not depend our lives on it. The future
depends upon what we will do in the present. The only thing that we should do is to have a little faith that
the future will come at us.

3. What does he tell us about “today”? (4)

Make the most out of it. Our present lives will build our future and therefore must take action.
Whatever we sow today, that is what we would be reaping in the future.

4. Do you usually “seize the day”? How? (5)

I usually don’t seize the day because I seize moments. Seizing the moment for me having no
absolute care of what would happen to me at the future. I tend to decide and do things without thinking of
the repercussions that would happen. I just go with the flow and face whatever life throws at me. By
doing so, I taught myself to enjoy every moment of my life.

Dolinta, Aldrynn Jan A. LIT 13

BSED-II June 3, 2020

1. For the past years, what can you consider as a big transformation (metamorphoses) in your life?
Narrate. (5) Ever since I
was a child, my parents handed me everything I wanted. I was spoiled into having a luxurious life.
However, that all changed when my siblings began to grow old. At first I thought that it was just
temporary, but I was wrong. I never wanted my siblings because I just want the love and attention all by
myself. That caused me to be rebellious.
College days in UC were a downfall in my life. If I would have the chance to go
back in time, I would be redoing it all over again. I hang out with friends till midnight, I go to parties and
skip school to go to other places outside Baguio. Maybe I was seeking the attention that was taken away
from me by my siblings. Maybe I just wanted people to fill the love that my parents were not giving
anymore. This all changed the moment I my parents
confronted me about by problem and rebellious attitude. They decided to let me join PNPA. In there, I
realized that being away from my parents is hard, but I had no face to show to them for what I did. So, I
decided to prove to my parents that I have changed. However, I didn’t pass. I expected that they would be
angry with me. When I got home, I was surprised that my parents and my siblings welcomed me with
open arms. I realized then that the love and attention of my parents didn’t go away; I just decided to
decline it and in fact, I gained more love and attentions through my siblings. After that incident, I decided
to change my ways and become a better son and kuya in order for me to give back the love and attention
to my family.

2. Pick 2 characters from the story that you think are useful elements in the transformation of
Rome. (5) Apollo and
Daphne’s creation story was one contribution of Roman’s transformation since it is the start of the
beginning of human race. However, in today’s time, Rome treats rape as a capital punishment that gives a
wage of death. Unlike in the Roman mythology where somewhat rape is fine, the current Rome treats it as
a deathifying sin.

3. One insight that we can gain from Metamorphoses is that, apparently, “Ovid viewed love more as
a dangerous, destabilizing force than a positive one, and demonstrates how love has power over
everyone, mortals and gods alike”. Do you agree with this? If so, justify your answer. (5)
I do agree because love
is an emotion and emotions are dangerous. It can overcome someone’s thoughts and do things out of the
context of their minds. It can control and take over a person in either positive or a negative way. Being
irrational and illogical are the effects of love and it applies to all human being.

Dolinta, Aldrynn Jan A. LIT 13

BSED-II June 3, 2020

1. How did the burning of Rome start? (2)

The fire was said to have started in merchant shops selling what Tacitus described as
‘flammable goods’. The shops were located near the chariot racing stadium known as the Circus
Maximus and it spread quickly due to several factors. Firstly, there was a strong wind at the time fanning
the flames. The Lo Scirocco, a dry arid wind born from the Sahara, sweeps across Italy during the hot
summer months. Secondly, a lot of the civilian houses close to where the fire broke out were packed
together, badly constructed and timber-framed, providing ample fuel for the fire to burn through during
the dry summer conditions. The area’s homes burned very quickly and the fire spread north, fueled by
high winds. During the chaos of the fire, there were reports of heavy looting. 

2. Who did Nero blame for the burning of Rome? (2) Nero
blamed the Christians, according to Tacitus, who at the time were a vulnerable minority. ‘To get rid of the
report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their
abominations, called Christians by the populace,’ Tacitus wrote. ‘Mockery of every sort was added to
their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to
crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had
expired’. He then arrested, tortured and executed hundreds of them on the pretext that they had something
to do with the fire.

3. How long did it take for Rome to burn? (2) The fire
ended up raging out of control for nearly six days. Three of Rome’s 14 districts were completely wiped
out; only four were untouched by the tremendous conflagration. Hundreds of people died in the fire and
many thousands were left homeless.

4. According to legends, Nero was blamed for the fire due to what reasons? (4) Legend has
long blamed Nero for a couple of reasons. Nero did not like the aesthetics of the city and used the
devastation of the fire in order to change much of it and institute new building codes throughout the city.
Nero also used the fire to clamp down on the growing influence of Christians in Rome.

References:
“Nero’s Rome Burns”. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/neros-rome-burns.
A&E Television Networks. 2009

“Was Nero responsible for the great fire of Rome?”. Retrieved from
https://www.history.co.uk/article/was-nero-responsible-for-the-great-fire-of-rome. SKY History