How does this book start?
Aeneas begins to tell the story of his wanderings
How does Aeneas begin his story?
During the Trojan war.
He describes how the Greeks, who were losing the war, built a wooden horse and hid soldiers inside
What did the Greeks do once they had built the horse?
They sailed away to Tenedos, a nearby island and left the horse behind at Troy. Some men want to bring in the horse, while others are fully against the idea
Who advises the Trojans not to trust the horse?
Laocoon, a Trojan priest of Neptune
What does Laocoon do?
He advises the Trojans not to trust the horse, explaining it might be a Greek trick and says ‘I fear the Greeks, especially bearing gifts’
He throws his spear into the horse, and the noise reveals that its hollow inside
What Greek man is brought to Troy?
Shepherds bring a young Greek man, Sinon, to the gates
What story does Sinon give the Trojans?
Ulysses hated him based on false rumours. When the Greeks were going to use him as a human sacrifice to return home, he fled.
What happens to Sinon after he tells his story?
Priam unbinds him and asks about the purpose of the horse
What does Sinon say is the purpose of the horse?
He says it is an offering to Minerva, whose help the Greeks desperately need.
He says that if the horse enters Troy, the Greeks will lose the war.
The trojans, tired of ten years of war, rejoice at this news
What happens to Laocoon?
He slays a bull at the altar
Two monstrous, red-crested sea serpents swim towards the shore.
They strangle Laocoon’s two songs, then kills Laocoon
How do the Trojans interpret the death of Laocoon and his sons?
As a punishment for him damaging the horse with his spear.
They immediately bring the horse into the city
Who tries to warn the Trojans?
Cassandra, but they don’t listen to her and instead throw a big party to celebrate the horse
What happens during the party?
Sinon, hidden by Fate, opens the horse, releasing Ulysses and other Greek warriors. The Greek fleet also returns to the Trojan shores
What happens to Aeneas when the Greeks enter Troy?
The bloody ghost of Hector appears to him in a dream and warns him of a fire and the enemy within the city
What does Hector tell Aeneas to do?
Troy cannot be saved, so he should take the household gods and find a new home
What happens when Aeneas wakes?
He hears screaming and the sound of fighting
Who does Aeneas first meet and what does he do?
Panthus, a seer who has given up hope for Troy.
Aeneas, in a panicked rage about the battle, neglects Hector’s advice and joins the fight
Who does Aeneas lead in the battle and what do they do?
A band of his Trojan friends.
Androgeous, a Greek, mistakes them for his own, so they kill him and his group of Greeks and take their armour
What happens to Aeneas and the Trojan fighters?
They kill many Greeks, but the Trojans, not recognising them as their own, start to fight them as well, and many die, including Panthus
Where do the Greeks begin to attack?
The royal palace, and Aeneas rallies the Trojan troops against them
Who sits in the palace, and what is he doing?
Priam, the old king
He has put on his rusty armor and attempted to fight, even though Hecuba, his wife, begged him to stay with her in safety
Who does Aeneas see at the palace and what is he like?
Pyrrhus, the Greek warrior and son of Achilles
He is described as like a snake that hid and grew huge in the winter and now reveals itself.
Pyrrhus and his comrades break into the palace
What does Pyrrhus first do in the palace, and how does Priam respond?
He kills Polites
Priam rebukes Pyrrhus for killing his son, and, despite his weak state, he throws his spear at Pyrrhus
What does Pyrrhus do to Priam?
He kills Priam, telling him to complain to Achilles in the underworld about his poor behaviour
