TURNUS, THE CHIMAERA, AND AEETES: A NOTE ON "AENEID" 7.

785-88
Author(s): Mary Frances Williams
Source: Vergilius (1959-), Vol. 39 (1993), pp. 31-36
Published by: The Vergilian Society
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TURNUS, THE CHIMAERA, AND AEETES:

A NOTE ON AENEID 7.785-88

In Book 7 of Virgil's Aeneid , the great warrior Turnus is described in the

catalogue of Italian heroes as wearing a helmet on which a fire-breathing
Chimaera is depicted and carrying a shield that is decorated with the image of
Io. The symbolism of Io now causes little confusion: Mackie has very clearly
traced Turnus' ancestry and explained the importance of the Argive/Italian
Turnus confronting the Trojan/Etruscan Aeneas.1 Symbolically, Io may also be
interpreted as representing the fundamental weakness of Turnus, who, like her,
is a victim of the caprices of fate and the whims of the gods.2 Turnus, too, has

undergone a metamorphosis which he doesn't desire; he is like an animal as he

rages throughout the last half of the epic. Various similes throughout the poem

illustrate his bestial nature: unlike Aeneas, the lion, bull, wolf, eagle, and
war-horse are his predominant images.3 If Io represents the transformation of
Turnus, then the Chimaera on his helmet approximates another instance of
these animal analogies. On a simple level it signifies the monstrous new character of Turnus after his Io-like change. However, the fact that the Chimaera is a

chthonic monster and not just any animal is of special significance and distinguishes Turnus from Io and others in the epic. For Quinn, the Chimaera indicates that Turnus is attached to a "fairy-tale world,"4 for Pschl, there is no
Homeric model for the fire-breathing Chimaera, but it "reflects the spirit of the

Iliad " and the demonic nature of warriors in battle.5 Fordyce states that "the
Chimaera is a symbol of savage strength."6 Small argues that the triple-bodied
creature is a particularly appropriate representation for the disorganized and

1 J. Mackie, "Turnus and His Ancestors" CQ 41 (1991) 261-5.

2 Mario Di Cesare, The Altar and the City : A Reading of Virgil's Aeneid (New York:

Columbia University Press, 1974) 133.

3 R.D. Williams, The Aeneid (London: Allen and Unwin, 1987) 120; Wendell Clausen,
Virgil's Aeneid and the Tradition of Hellenistic Poetry , Sather Classical Lectures 51 (Berkeley:

University of California Press, 1987) 92-3.

4 K. Quinn, Virgil's Aeneid : A Critical Description (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan

Press, 1968) 187-8. W. Warde Fowler, in Virgil's Gathering of the Clans : Aeneid VIL601-817

(Oxford: Blackwell, 1918) 82-3 says that because Turnus is the mightiest warrior, his "helmet must
be of supernatural power."
5 V. Pschl, The Art of the Aeneid (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1962) 96.
" J. Fordyce, Aeneidos VII-VII1 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977) ad 7.785.

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Mary Frances Williams

unnatural character of Turnus.7 And Putnam remarks that the Chimaera, the
"hollow image that frightens Aeneas on his way to Hades, is loose now as
Turnus, Aeneas' dehumanized opponent."8 Yet it is possible that the image of
the Chimaera has other additional levels of meaning derived from allusions to
Apollonius Rhodius.
Ates and the Chimaera

In the third book of Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica , the king of Colchis, Aetes, arms himself before Jason begins his contest. The arming is grand

in the Homeric manner and there are numerous references to similar arming
scenes in the Iliad. Through these Homeric echoes, Aetes takes on the trap-

pings of the great heroes of mythology, although the passage is somewhat ironic
since he doesn't need to fight and in fact never does carry out his potential for

violence. When one considers Apollonius Rhodius' text, one finds that there is
an additional important Homeric echo contained within the passage: Aetes'
spear, which only Herakles could withstand (3.1231-4), possesses the epithet
"irresistible" (fwcijwiKeTOV, 3.1231-2). This unusual word is found only three
times in the Homeric epics and only twice in the Iliad. The two instances of its
occurrence in the Iliad are both found in descriptions of the Chimaera where it

is employed to describe that animal (II. 6.179; 16.329).9 The same word is found
once in Hesiod's Theogony where it is again used in reference to the Chimaera,
this time of the fire vomited by that creature ( Theog . 319). The word is not
exclusive to ancient epic: it occurs several times in Pindar and tragedy, where it
is used most noticeably by Pindar of the sea immediately before the account of

Typhaon and the fires of Etna (Pyth. 1.14 S-M), of the Furies (Sophocles OC
127), and of fire generally (Sophocles 177).10 However, the word is still
quite unusual. Apollonius uses an epithet for Aetes' spear which appears
deliberately designed to evoke the Chimaera, along with fire and monsters such

as the Furies. In fact, it is almost certain that he means to do this: these

Homeric and Hesiodic mentions of the Chimaera are the only extant ones in
Greek epic poetry before the Alexandrians, and among the other Greek poets,
only Pindar and Euripides refer to the Chimaera, an uncommon animal.11

Epithet and monster are linked even more closely through their mutual rarity.
7 S.G.P. Small, "The Arms of Turnus: Aeneid 7.783-82," 90 (1959) 248-9.
8 M.C J. Putnam, "Aeneid VII and the Aeneid," AJP 91 (1970) 425. Ct. Aeneid 6.288-9.
" In the Odyssey it is used of ship's mast (Od. 14.311).

10 Also Pindar, Pyth. 3.33, 4.208; Isth. 8.35 S-M; Bacc. Ep. 11.64 M; Hes. Sc. 207.
893-895.

11 Pind. Ol. 13.90 S-M; Eurip. El. 474; Ion 201. Cf. Roscher, Ausflhrtisches Lexikon,

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Turnus, The Chimaera, and Aeetes

Aetes, through this Homeric and Hesiodic allusion, may be connected

to the Chimaera and to its characteristics: abnormality, wrath, fire. And the
allusion is not farfetched; Apollonius elsewhere associates Aeetes with other
monsters including Typhaon and various serpents. Hunter, in fact, links Aeetes'

fire-breathing bulls to the Chimaera of the Iliad and compares Jason to Bellerophon.12 The Chimaera is a fiery monster which the hero Bellerophon must

slay; it must be overcome by civilizing force, just as Zeus must conquer Typhaon

and Jason will ultimately prevail over the wild and monstrous Aeetes who is
himself connected with fire in Apollonius' epic.13 The explicit mention of
Herakles who is figuratively set in opposition to the Chimaera/spear increases
the association between the Colchian king and the wild beast. Aeetes, as he
prepares to meet Jason, is "Chimaera-like" in his rage and in his foreordained

failure.

Aeetes and Turnus

In the Aeneidy there exist several definite, general parallels between

Aeetes and Turnus: they are both inhospitable locals who oppose foreign challengers, and both are characterized by violent rage. Both may also be connected

through their arming scenes, although Virgil has limited and compressed his
aristeias to a very great extent, and has artfully varied the Homeric form for
arming scenes. Clausen points out that Virgil describes Turnus' first two arming

scenes in almost Homeric detail (11.486-90; 12.87-94), but limits Aeneas' first
before his duel with Turnus so that his arms are merely hinted at (12.107).14
Although Aeneas will ultimately receive one more fully Homeric description
before his last, climactic confrontation with Turnus (12.430-34), it comes quite
late in the epic and up to that point Aeneas has been carefully distinguished
from Turnus. In this way, the Aeetes /Turnus connection is increased through
Homeric allusions to both.

I would add to the passages in Books 11 and 12 the earlier description of

the arms of Turnus for inclusion as a quasi-arming scene.
ipse inter primos praestanti corpore Turnus
vertitur arma tenens et toto vertice supra est.

(1988) 448.

Iliad 6.182. See R. Hunter, "Short on Heroics: Jason in the Argonauticay" CQ 38 (ii)

P Aetes threatens to burn the ship Argo (3.579-83); Aetes addresses an assembly after
Jason's victorious contest holding a shield, spear, and pine-torch (4.219-24).

14 Clausen (note 3 above) 94-5.

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Mary Frances Williams

cui trplici crinita iuba galea alto Chimaeram

sustinet Aetnaeos efflantem faucibus ignis;
tam magis illa tremens et tristibus effera flammis

quam magis effuso crudescunt sanguine pugnae.

(7.783-88)

Allusions to Homer and Aetes are also found in this passage.15 Like Turnus,
Achilles in the Iliad wears a helmet with plumes (//. 19.380-83) and Aetes in

the Argonautica also dons a four-plumed helmet (3.1228-9). 16 Although

Achilles carries a spear (II. 19.387-91) and Aetes lifts up a spear (3.1231-32),
Turnus is only said to carry arma here; however, his mighty spear is mentioned

later in Book 12. 17 Both Turnus and Aetes carry shields, although Aetes' has
no decoration; and Turnus, like Aetes, is accompanied by a band of youths
(Aen. 7.793-4; Arg. 3.1239). The verb used of Turnus, vertitur , suggests that
Turnus moves about continuously in his rage.18 Aetes likewise roams up and
down after he arms himself and while he awaits Jason's arrival for his contest
(XurajLiei/ov/, 3.1275-77).19 However, the compression of Virgil's description
only serves to highlight the predominance of the ecphrasis in the passage, and to

make the emblem of the Chimaera of outstanding importance in the portrayal

of Turnus. Virgil's Chimaera breathes the "fires of Etna"- a reference to

Pindar's Typhaon and to the Typhonesque Aetes. Virgil, indeed, appears to be

the first to connect the Chimaera explicitly with Typhaon/Etna, other than
through the adjective jLUxtjntKeTov.20

In order to understand one function of the Chimaera image, one must

look back to Turnus' very first appearance in the epic only a few passages earlier. There, the goddess Allecto, a fury with the hisses of snakes and flaming

eyes, visits Turnus in his sleep and maddens him (7.413ff.) by hurling a flaming

15 See G.N. Knauer, Die Aeneis und Homer, Hypomnemata 7 (Gttingen: Vandenhoeck
& Ruprecht, 1964) 402.
^ Virgil's change from four plumes to three may perhaps represent the triple-body of the
Chimaera.

17 12.92-100. The spear ( validam vi . . . haslm 12.93) is the spoil from Auruncian Actor
(12.94, 96) and Turnus speaks to it (12.94-100). The extended description of Turnus* spear in book
12 corresponds to that oi Aetes in the Argonautica and of Achilles m the Iliad (II. 19.387-91).

18 R.D. Williams ed., The Aeneid of Virgil: Books Vil -XI 1, (London: Macmillan, 1973) ad

7.784. Also Servius ad 7.784.

Vian ad 3.1277 reads Herwerden's conjecture Xiooofivou, but I keep the reading of
Q and of R. Hunter ( Argonautica Book III (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989).

^ According to Small (note 7 above), 245, the myth of the Chimaera originated as an

explanation for volcanic activity beneath the soil of Lycia (Servius ad 6.288; Pliny H 2.110). The
Chimaera was the daughter of Typhaon (Hes. Theog. 319.). But Virgil has moved the Chimaera
from Lycia to Etna.

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Turnus, The Chimaera, and Aeetes

torch into his breast (7.456-57). Turnus is overcome; he is like a cauldron on

the fire: boiling and raging from the heat, emitting smoke and steam (7.462-66).

The description of the fiery, snaky Allecto and the simile applied to Turnus
evoke the subterranean fires of Etna and the monstrousness of Typhaon and
other chthonic beasts.21 Even at this early point in the epic Turnus is like a volcano,22 before Virgil employs numerous fiery epithets to describe him in battle.
The Chimaera with its Etnean fires is an appropriate emblem for Turnus within

the context of the epic. The image combines and unites in itself all the aspects
of Turnus' fury, including his ability to rage more fiercely as the fighting

increases. Boastfulness, Typhaon-like hubris , fire, rage, fighting, violence: these

are characteristics of both the Chimaera and Turnus. For R.D. Williams, the

Chimaera is a symbol of Turnus' "primitive and archaic violence."23

"Archaic" is the important term: not just any fire is associated with
Turnus and the Chimaera, but only the most primitive, bestial, and hidden

type.24 The Chimaera is the sort of creature which must be fought by a hero; its

image marks out Turnus as the same as itself. Galinsky likens Aeneas to

Herakles when he draws his sword to fight shadowy monstra in the underworld,

including the Chimaera (6.288-89), and says that this episode anticipates his
real labor later against Turnus.25 The Chimaera on Turnus' helmet hints at

future conflict.

The emblem of the Chimaera not only helps to describe Turnus by its
furious nature, but it also links him to Aetes, and this allusion provides additional material for Turnus' character. Virgil has split Apollonius' scenes of
Aetes' reception of the Argonauts in Book 3 of the Argonautica between two
characters. It is Latinus in Book 7 of the Aeneid who initially receives the
Trojans at his palace and who possesses a daughter whom the newcomer will
later desire. Latinus takes the place of Aetes in the formal structure of the
poem, but it is Turnus who adopts his extreme personality. However, most other

allusions to Aetes are found later in the poem; at this early stage, it is the
Chimaera which not only describes Turnus' character but which stamps him as

another Aetes, and by doing so it looks forward to the remaining events of the
poem.

21 Allecto flees and is banished to her dwelling in Cocytus, under the mountains in a cave

where there are the vents of Dis and where Acheron erupts (7.561-71). The passage suggests
Pindar Pyth. 1, among other sources.

22 FA. Sullivan, "Volcanoes and Volcanic Characters in Virgil," CP 67 (1972) 189-91.

23 R.D. Williams (note 3 above), 120.

24 Sullivan (note 21 above), 189 who points out that fire is always destructive in the

Aeneidy but volcanic fire is special and is only an attribute of Turnus.

25 G.K. Galinsky, The Herakles Theme (Oxford: Blackwell, 1972) 135.

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Mary Frances Williams

Another contest awaits; another struggle between the primitive and the

civilized similar to that which Jason underwent in Colchis is imminent for

Aeneas and Turnus. In that duel in Book 12 the chthonic forces of Turnus will

be allowed to rage until they are exhausted and ready for peace and ultimately

turn against themselves, just as Aetes' earthborn sown-men do in the

Argonautica . In both struggles the heroes Aeneas and Jason must exert themselves, but the outcome of their toils is ordained by fate. Aetes and Turnus
alone still oppose the inevitable. The enraged Aetes is avoided and left behind
by the fleeing Argonauts; Turnus is not so easy to ignore. He must be pushed

aside in the only way he understands, killed by the hero as Bellerophon

extinguished the Chimaera. Williams and Otis say that Turnus represents a
"flawed heroism" and must make way for the prototype of the new Roman

life.26 This interpretation is applicable to both Turnus and Aetes, the

exemplars of the primitive and irrational; it indicates the extent to which Turnus

personifies a Roman Aetes, a "barbarian" Italian.27

Mary Frances Williams
Austin, Texas

26 R.D. Williams (note 3 above) 127; B. Otis, Virgil: A Study in Civilized Poetry (Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1964) 381.
27 I am grateful to Ward W. Briggs for his helpful corrections.

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