How to reconcile art and war? It would seem that art has no place on the battlefield, where men are too preoccupied with survival and personal glory to engage in aesthetic appreciation. The combination of art and Aeneas' shield in the Aeneid, however, literally represents the divine aegis that not only Aeneas enjoys, but Rome will also benefit from. Aeneas' Shield moves the concept of the future from the abstract and imperceptible realm of the divine to the physical world, illustrating how art is the embodiment of the divine on earth. The combination of the divine and the mortal in the Aeneid artwork suggests an element of creation that parallels Virgil's own creation of the epic. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The shield Aeneas receives is of divine origin, forged by Vulcan. It is interesting to note, however, that Virgil emphasizes the link between the divine and mortal worlds by placing Vulcan's workshop "near the coast of Sicily... all rock and smoke" (8, 569). While the gods are generally removed from the mortal realm, Vulcan is placed in an obviously earthly setting. The materials used in its craftsmanship also reflect the fusion of the divine and the mortal. Aeneas' armor consists not only of the raw, primal ingredients of "bronze, gold, and molten iron" (8.599), but also of natural forces and other supernatural elements, such as his sword “hard and sharp by destiny” (8.841). The conception of art as something that has a supernatural element is also evident in the art decorating the shield itself, in which "shields fallen from the sky" are depicted (8.899). Virgil leaves no doubt about the superiority of the armor created by Vulcan. The poet does this to illustrate the sharp distinction between mortal and immortal skills, but ultimately the armor is still worn by a man. In this sense, despite the superiority of the god, they still have to rely on humanity to change the mortal realm – they can't just found Rome on their own. The fusion of the divine and mortal aspects of the shield reflects the cooperation of man and god necessary to create on earth, a theme that runs through the entire epic. Aeneas is not capable of founding Rome alone, he needs the assistance of the gods. The creation of the shield is a symbolic representation of this assisted creation in that it allows Aeneas to found Rome thanks to its physical protection. The necessity of the gods in Aeneas' struggle to found Rome is evident when the "treacherous blade of Turnus on impact broke" on Aeneas' divinely crafted armor, a protection that saves Aeneas' life and allows him to continue his quest. The creation of the shield itself also serves as a sort of metonymy for the divine force of destiny that emphasizes the creation of Rome, since Aeneas is literally protected by the future, as his shield shows. The artwork on Aeneas' shield displays the same characteristics of divine and human cooperation for the purposes of creation. The assistance of the divine is also an integral part of Virgil's poetic art, as illustrated by the invocation of the muse. The elements of divinity and mortality evident in both artistic endeavors illustrate the necessity of fusion for human creation. The aspects of creation associated with the shield are essential to Virgil's depiction of art in the Aeneid. Virgil creates a parallel between Vulcan's conception of Rome's future on Aeneas' shield and his own poetic creation of Rome's history for Augustus. This parallel illustrates the role that art plays inproviding a sense of identity. In the Aeneid, Virgil notes the sense of purpose and identity that art creates when he writes that the art of the shield was a marvel to Aeneas, and "he felt joy in their images, taking on his supports all the destined acts and fame of his descendants” (8.989). Before the creation of the shield, Aeneas had been exposed to Rome's fate in the underworld and was forced to forget his descendants when he left. However, by introducing the physical shield, Virgil is able to give Aeneas a clear sense of the future and comfort in his actions, just as Virgil's Aeneid would inject a sense of stability and divine purpose into his times. Virgil reinforces the power of art to influence reality through the underworld scene, in which Aeneas comes out through "the ivory shard...through which false dreams are sent", suggesting that the vision of his father and the corresponding illustration on the shield, concerning Roman glory. is not accurate. In this scene, it appears that Virgil is wryly commenting on Augustus's use of his own art as a source of Roman propaganda. The sense of divine influence that Virgil creates through the co-creation between mortals and gods in the Aeneid is further emphasized by the directness of divine involvement in the shield's artwork. The illustration of the shield emphasizes that the Roman people are favored by "the winds and the gods" (8.922) and that the success of the Romans is due to their "immortal offerings to the gods of Italy" (8.967). In the illustration on the shield, Virgil depicts the specter of hell looming in the distance to remind the “virtuous souls” of the Romans to remain pious. The connection between the gods and the Romans illustrates both the divine protection and good favor enjoyed by the Romans, and also illustrates the role of art as a partner in creating reality for Virgil's audience. In the epic, the divine connection displayed through the shields offered to Aeneas and on the shield itself represents the fulfillment of the Roman conception of an "endless empire" and provides Aeneas with a goal toward which to strive. When “the gods of all races raised their weapons against our [the Romans] Neptune, Venus and Minerva…” (8.947), they were defeated. This feeling of Roman inevitability is inherent in the epic. In turn, Virgil's epic itself gives the Roman people real faith in the permanence of their government. The connection to the divine illustrated by the shield, illusory as it may be, becomes real in the consciousness of those in Virgil's audience - art has brought it into existence. The creation of the Aeneas Shield artwork not only brings the Roman Empire into artistic existence. within the framework of the epic, but also within the framework of a literary tradition. While Achilles' shield represents the constant oscillation between war and peace, Aeneas' shield is characterized by the exultation of the Roman people as an unbeatable force, a people whom "the conquered races passed in long procession" (8.975). Virgil's description of Aeneas' shield clearly marks Rome's rise to glory, while Homer describes his two cities as generic and gloomy, marred by violence as both a city of peace and war. Virgil's incorporation of a shield scene into his epic therefore not only acknowledges Greek tradition, but consciously seeks to surpass it by creating a glorified Roman identity. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get Custom Essay In Virgil's epic Aeneid, Aeneas' shield is highlighted as both an object of war and a,.