AM: Cultural Lesson - Love and Duty in Rome

Love and Duty in Rome

When we think of poetry, we often think of odes to love. Roman poets and historians often focused on love, but there was a very particular view of love that dominated Roman thought. As we explore these writers and their most famous works, take careful note of how the theme of love is treated by each.

Publius Vergilius Maro

Vergil (Publius Vergilius Maro, whose name is also spelled Virgil) was a Roman poet of the Augustan age. Vergil, though a poet, was well regarded for his presentation of pietas (duty) overcoming romantic love.

His most famous work, The Aeneid, is an epic poem following the travels and trials of a Trojan hero, Aeneas. Within the poem, Vergil considers the themes of love and loss as they relate to duty: Aeneas has been given a mission from the gods, to settle in Italy and start a civilization that will eventually become the Roman empire. Along the way, he is beset by troubles, eventually landing on the shores of Carthage, where the beautiful Carthaginian queen, Dido, falls in love with him. The image to the left depicts Aeneas meeting Dido in Carthage (drawing Enée Rencontrant Didon à Carthage by Paul Cezanne, c. 1875). Aeneas must decide whether to remain in Carthage, becoming a powerful king and having a loving wife, or to continue following the commands of the gods.

According to Vergil, Aeneas did indeed fall in love with the beautiful queen (painting title: Dido and Aeneas by Rutilio Manetti, c. 1630). In the end, however, Aeneas leaves Dido, who kills herself due to her grief. Vergil thus established that for a Roman hero, love must be second to duty, and romantic love was a luxury that not everyone could afford. Vergil wrote this very much with the interests of Augustus in mind: Augustus greatly desired that Rome rediscover her old values (pietas ) and this view of love fit well within that mold.

Titus Livius

Unlike the poet Vergil, Livy (Titus Livius) wrote a prose history of Rome. Much like Vergil, his work focused on pietas, rather than romantic love, so much so that to be a hero in a Roman story, one had to display pietas. The title of the book, Ab Urbe Condita, reflected the intended scope of the work: From the Foundation of the City.

In a similar manner to Vergil, Livy set out with the goal of highlighting piety in Roman history. Augustus greatly desired to have an account of Roman history that displayed heroes sacrificing themselves for the greater good, which usually involved them dying to save Rome. Livy’s stories cover different ways of showing pietas: honoring the gods, protecting one’s family, and placing the needs of the state over personal needs. Throughout his work, there are several stories that deal with the ideal Roman model of love: one which is based on duty and honor.

The image to the left shows Horatius Cocles defending Rome from an Etruscan attack on the Pons Sublicius. His allies behind him break down the bridge, to prevent the Etruscans from reaching Rome. Horatius is one of many heroes depicted by Livy for his pietas, which he demonstrated by offering his life to defend the city from invaders. Painting by Charles Le Brun, c. 1642/43.

Another story explains why the Romans expelled their last king, Tarquinius Superbus. The king’s son, Lucius Tarquinius, assaulted the wife of an important Roman citizen, whose name was Lucretia. Lucretia, not wishing to tarnish her family’s reputation, killed herself. According to the Roman view, she valued her family more than her own life. Her family and other Roman citizens were so disturbed by this event that they rose up and expelled the Tarquins, ending the monarchy and instituting the Republic. Lucretia’s act was perceived as one of duty, and it was used as a symbol to rally the Roman people. The painting to the right is a depiction of Lucretia's sacrifice. Painting by Rembrandt, 1666.

Publius Ovidius Naso

Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso), another poet of the Augustan age, provided information on both views of love. His most famous work was called The Metamorphoses, and it centrally focuses on myths surrounding change. Many of these myths focus on the various ways that love played out among the gods, highlighting dutiful love in myths about faithful spouses and romantic love between the gods, where capriciousness reigned. In his more earthly poems, the Ars Amatoria and the Amores, Ovid focuses entirely on the pursuit of romantic love, providing instructions for young men to use to woo young women. Despite his focus on piety in The Metamorphoses, Ovid’s insistence on promoting romantic love, and thumbing his nose at traditions, in the Ars Amatoria would get him exiled from Rome. Augustus felt as though Ovid’s view of love would corrupt the Roman mind. From his exile, Ovid wrote several more poems, most notably the Triste, mourning his distance from the place and people he loved.

Philemon and Baucis illustrate one story from The Metamorphoses where Ovid demonstrates the traditional value of pietas. Two gods, Jupiter and Mercury, disguise themselves as beggars and visit a village. No one in the village welcomes them in, violating the standard rules about hospitality. But, when the gods reach the humble home of Philemon and Baucis, they are welcomed, fed and treated as honored guests. Philemon and Baucis are rewarded for their piety by being eternally linked as intertwining trees. Painting by Janus Genelli, 1801.