The serpent is a key image in Virgil’s Aeneid. It appears both metaphorically and realistically. The serpent icon represents both death and deception. These two elements are essential to the epic. Book II, however, is more important as it details how the Greeks used deception in order gain entry to Troy.
Despite the great Greek heroes Achilles or Ajax and their sheer numbers in army and navy, it was Sinon’s snake-like guile and an omen for death instilled in two serpents which ultimately led to Troy’s fall. Aeneas relates, “This fraud perpetrated by Sinon, his masterful lying.
We were won over by a tall tale, fake tears and a great story
We had been captured, and Diomedes was not present
Nor Larisaean Achilles overpowered,
“Nor ten years long, nor all the thousand ships.”
Sinon is not the snake imagery used by Virgil, but he does emphasize the concepts deception and lies that are connected with the serpent metaphor. Sinon adopts the serpent imagery of Virgil by speaking in lies. Sinon’s convincing act was persuasive in favor of bringing a horse inside the city walls. Two real sea snakes complete the ruse to convince the Trojans that the horse is theirs. Laocon, who was the only man to understand the true nature of horse, was killed by his twin snakes. “Laocon had to pay… For the profanation the sacred hulk.” (II.308-310) Having thrown a spear at Laocon before he was attacked, the Trojans believed that the horse was divinely protected and they were obliged to take it into the city. Sinon’s lies as well as the deceitful behavior and behavior of serpents cause the men to become blinded. These men were unaware that the snakes symbolized the destruction and total loss of their city. Virgil prepares us for the serpent that will be Troy’s destruction by describing Laocon and his family’s deaths. The serpent that ravages Troy is not a real snake. It’s Virgil’s wooden horses with snake-like attributes. He described its movements as: “Deadly. Pregnant with enemies. The horse/ Crawled upwards to the breach.” (II.317-318). It moves in the Trojan City’s heart like a venomous snake. Troy is the imminent destruction of Troy and assumes the role the Laocon and his children. Virgil makes use of snake imagery once more in Book II, giving serpentine qualities the Danaan Pyrhus, who appears before Aeneas.
“As serpents, hidden swollen under…
Renewable and shiny, the coils are slippery and rollable.
Lifted underbelly – Sunward
And triple tongue a-flicker.”(II:614-619)
Pyrrhus’ description in the above passage foreshadows his death. He is the same Greek who is to become the bane and curse of Priam (II.722-723) Virgil subtly teaches the reader to expect the worse because each snake image the reader has ever encountered has been followed up by death and destruction. The serpent’s deceitful qualities are Virgil attributes to Sinon’s lies. These symbolic features are maintained throughout the rest of this epic’s snake image. Virgil uses this imagery to inspire a lust for war upon Amata and predict the end of Rome’s enemies in the future. Allecto, the fury that incites war between Latins and Trojans, is, based only on her character and physical description, one of Virgil’s serpents. She exists.
“Grief’s drear mistress, and her lust after war
For ambushes, angers, and crippling crime. Pluto loathes even her father.
Her head is the reason for her wild looks.
Alive and black with snakes.”(VII:445-450)
Allecto’s persona is a sign of death. Juno employs her because she knows this serpentine creature, which will happily and effectively incite war between the Trojans and Latins. Allecto’s snake-like characteristics can be seen as a warning sign of the end, considering the number of deaths and tragic consequences of the war. Allecto uses one her serpent tresses as a fuel for the hatred Amata harbors towards the Trojans. This snake is similar the wooden horse in that it was insidiously attracted to its victim, causing destruction. Troy is destroyed by the horse while Amata is brainwashed by the serpent. The reader can see the destruction caused in the story by Allecto’s serpent images. However, Virgil makes use of snake imagery to comment upon the future events. Vulcan created Aeneas’ shield. It shows many accomplishments of future Roman Empire. Virgil also uses serpents to symbolise death to show the future triumph over Egypt for the reader. He describes Cleopatra as, “Never turning her head as yet to see/ Twin snakes of death behind.”(VIII:944-945) The snakes precede other icons of death such as the furies, Mars and Bellona, which demonstrates their importance to Virgil as a true harbinger of death. Because it represents death and lies, the serpent forms an essential part of the Aeneid. Aeneas wouldn’t have fled if the Greeks hadn’t seized Troy. Rome wouldn’t have been established if that had happened. Virgil recognizes that deception was what brought the Greeks victory, and he chose the snake as his symbol. Virgil makes it easy for the reader to spot the deception and the looming end by using the same image.
