Which scholar argues Virgil's task was to present a hero in a time that was no longer heroic and foreshadow the qualities of a different civilisation?

Which scholar argues Virgil's task was to present a hero in a time that was no longer heroic and foreshadow the qualities of a different civilisation?

• A. RD Williams - Roman heroism
• B. Thomas - Book 8
• C. Cox - Homeric influence
• D. Bob Cowan - Homeric influence

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is how Virgil redefines heroism for a Rome that has moved beyond the old heroic age, using Aeneas to foreshadow the traits of a new civilizational order. RD Williams’s argument in Roman heroism centers on Virgil presenting a hero whose piety, duty, and founding of a city signal a shift from classical, martial heroism to a different kind of greatness suited to Rome’s imperial future. Aeneas embodies perseverance, pietas, and a destiny to establish a civilizational project rather than simply perform heroic deeds in the traditional sense, thus foreshadowing the qualities of a new, Rome-centered civilization. The other scholars emphasize different angles—Homeric influence or a focus on Book 8—without foregrounding the overarching plan to craft a hero for a transformed era and to hint at a forthcoming civilization. That broader, civilizational aim is what makes Williams’s view the best fit for this description.

The main idea tested is how Virgil redefines heroism for a Rome that has moved beyond the old heroic age, using Aeneas to foreshadow the traits of a new civilizational order. RD Williams’s argument in Roman heroism centers on Virgil presenting a hero whose piety, duty, and founding of a city signal a shift from classical, martial heroism to a different kind of greatness suited to Rome’s imperial future. Aeneas embodies perseverance, pietas, and a destiny to establish a civilizational project rather than simply perform heroic deeds in the traditional sense, thus foreshadowing the qualities of a new, Rome-centered civilization.

The other scholars emphasize different angles—Homeric influence or a focus on Book 8—without foregrounding the overarching plan to craft a hero for a transformed era and to hint at a forthcoming civilization. That broader, civilizational aim is what makes Williams’s view the best fit for this description.