Book 12, the final book of Virgil’s Aeneid is a fitting ending to the ongoing battle between Aeneas and Turnus. Though the ending is heavy, it is also filled with hope.
The book begins with Turnus speaking to King Latinus. Latinus is ready to cease fighting, but Turnus is angry that Latinus would even suggest surrender. He insists that the fighting continue. Turnus still believes he can defeat Aeneas. Then the queen gets involved. She loves Turnus and doesn’t want him to be harmed. She, too, begs him to cease fighting. This upsets Lavinia, which makes Turnus even more angry and eager for war with Aeneas. Turnus decides the best way to end the conflict quickly is to face Aeneas in one-on-one combat. He sends a messenger to Aeneas and prepares himself to fight.
Aeneas also prepares to fight. At dawn, the two prepare to face each other in the fields outside the city. The Rutulians and Trojans position themselves to watch the fight. Meanwhile, Juno is watching all of this play out, and abruptly addresses Turnus’ sister, Juturna. Juturna had been transformed into an immortal being after her virginity was taken by Jupiter. Now a nymph, she is addressed by Juno, who tells her now is the time to help Turnus, if she doesn't wish to see her brother die. Juturna weeps, but Juno tells her there’s no time for tears, she has to go now and intervene if she wants to save her brother.
Juturna hides herself among the Rutulians and waits. Aeneas and Turnus approach each other on the field, along with Latinus. Aeneas gives a speech promising that, if he loses, the Trojans will depart those lands and live in the lands of Evander. He further promises that if he wins, he will not try to rule over the Latins, but will happily remain with Latinus, marry Lavinia, and build a home for his fellow Trojans. Latinus then speaks and promises to accept the outcome of the fight and honor Aeneas’ terms.
The Rutulians begin to doubt that the fight is fair. Once they can see Aeneas and Turnus side by side, it looks as if Aeneas is significantly more powerful than Turnus. Juturna hears their doubtful whispers and uses it as an opportunity to interfere. She gives a short speech and the Rutulians are overcome by emotions. Tolumnius, one of the Rutulians, cries out in protest of the fight and throws his spear. It kills one of nine Trojan brothers who had managed to travel all the way to Italy together. The other eight are seized by grief and begin to charge out. This then triggers a huge battle between Trojans and Rutulians.
Men die on both sides. Aeneas tries to stop the Trojans, shouting at them, telling them not to break the treaty he had just finished making with Latinus. But, while he is trying in vain to stop his men, he is struck by an arrow. He withdraws to get medical attention, which gives Turnus new hope of victory and he joins the battle, eager to defeat the Trojans.
Turnus goes about, slaughtering any Trojan with whom he crosses paths. Man after man falls by Turnus’ hand. Nobody is strong enough to face Turnus. Meanwhile, Aeneas is brought before Iapyx, who was loved by Apollo. Apollo offered Iapyx skills in every art he possessed, but Iapyx only wanted to know the art of healing and how to use herbs to heal others. Apollo grants his wish and makes him a great healer. Iapyx investigates Aeneas’ wound but no matter what he tries, the arrowhead will not come out of Aeneas’ leg. Venus, unable to watch her son suffer any longer, intervenes and adds some ingredients to Iapyx’s water with which he is cleaning the wound. Suddenly, the pain goes away, the bleeding stops, and the arrowhead slips out of the wound. Iapyx isn’t sure what has happened, but he knows the gods have something to do with it. He then sends Aeneas back out into battle.
Aeneas gives Ascanius a kiss and tells him to learn from his actions, then reenters the battle. Juturna is distressed by Aeneas coming back and disguises herself as Turnus’ driver, throwing the real driver out and leaving him behind. She guides the chariot through the fray, putting some distance between Turnus and Aeneas.
Aenaes fights fiercely, killing many Rutulians. Turnus spots Aeneas and begins trying to fight his way over to Aeneas. Meanwhile, Aeneas is trying to fight his way over to Turnus. Eventually, Venus puts a new idea into Aeneas’ head. He turns his focus to the city. He stands on a hill and tells his men to follow him to the city. The new plan is to cause the fall of the city.
Aeneas stands as the wall and accuses Latinus of betraying him twice. The people in the city panic. Some want to fight, some want to hand over Latinus. The Trojans storm the city. The queen, upon seeing the Trojans in the city, thinks it means Turnus is dead. She confesses her involvement in starting the war and hangs herself. Latinus is then wandering around, dazed by his wife’s death.
While Aeneas and the Trojans burn the city, Turnus is still out on the field, chasing down the remaining Trojans. However, he soon hears the cries of the people in the city, and realizes what is happening. Juturna, still disguised as one of his men, tries to convince him to keep killing the Trojans on the field and to let the troops he left behind deal with the Trojans in the city. Turnus tells Juturna he recognized her all along and tells her he must go defend the city, even if he dies. Turnus then receives the news of the queen’s death, and learns that Latinus is preparing to surrender. Turnus is stunned for a moment, but then goes into a frenzy.
He says goodbye to his sister, leaps from the chariot, and sprints toward the city, crashing through anyone who tries to stand in his way. He bursts into the city and raises a hand. Immediately, he has everyone’s attention. He says he will uphold the treaty by his own hands. Aeneas learns of Turnus’ arrival and moves to face him.
They move out onto the fields and begin fighting. They are both exceptional fighters, but Aeneas gains an advantage when Turnus realizes he has brought the wrong sword and it shatters on Aeneas’ armor. Turnus then panics and runs around and around the field, trying to find his sword. Aeneas chases him around and around. Aeneas then spots his spear, embedded in the roots of a sacred tree the Trojans had cut down to create a better fighting space. He begins to try to extract the spear, thinking it would be better to throw a spear at Turnus than to keep chasing him. Turnus, noticing the spear is stuck in the roots of the sacred tree, prays for the spear to be held fast by the roots. Aeneas pulls with all his strength, but the spear will not come free. Juturna appears and hands Turnus his sword, which is strong enough to combat Aeneas’ armor. This makes Venus angry and she plucks the spear out of the roots. Turnus now has his sword, and Aeneas now has his spear.
Jupiter and Juno have been watching this all unfold. Jupiter tells Juno she is forbidden from interfering with Aeneas any longer. Juno replies that she knew how he felt about it and that was why she was watching from the heavens instead of joining Turnus in the battle. She yields the war, but asks Jupiter to end the name of Trojans, and to make sure they are all absorbed into the Latin culture and language. Jupiter grants her request and tells her the Trojans will be absorbed into Latium, and promises that they will all become a great nation that will surpass gods and men in faith and loyalty, and that no nation will be more zealous in their worship of Juno. Jupiter then has to separate Juturna from Turnus. He sends a fiend to give Juturna an omen. Juturna recognizes the omen immediately and laments that she is immortal and has to witness the death of her beloved brother. Moaning, she plunges into the river.
Aeneas holds his spear, ready to throw it at Turnus. He tells Turnus it’s a fight, not a footrace, and no matter where Turnus goes, Aeneas will follow, and defeat him. Turnus tells Aeneas he is not scared of Aeneas, only the gods. Turnus then spots a huge rock, and hefting it into the air, launches it at Aeneas. However, Turnus’ legs are weakened from all of his running, and rock falls short. Aeneas uses the opportunity to throw his spear, which lands in Turnus’ thigh. Turnus falls to one knee. Aeneas approaches Turnus. Turnus doesn’t ask to be spared, but he asks that his body be returned to his father. He points out that everyone has seen Aeneas defeat him, and that Aeneas gets to marry Lavinia. He asks that Aeneas’ hatred end with Turnus’ death.
Aeneas pauses. He almost spares Turnus, but Turnus is wearing Pallas’ belt. When Aeneas sees the belt being worn as a trophy, he is filled with grief and fury and declares that Turnus must pay with his guilty blood. He then buries his sword in Turnus’ chest. Turnus dies, his soul fleeing down to the shades.
Book 12 ends with Turnus’ soul departing to the shades. It is a dramatic ending to a long and dramatic story. Turnus’ death represents victory for the Trojans, and the end of their struggles. Turnus was their last obstacle to peace and happiness in their new lands. Jupiter promised a great nation would rise from Latium, and this nation was Rome. Virgil’s Aeneid serves as an origin story for the Romans and displays the power of their supposed ancestors. It is a book filled with great deeds, and great loss, and should be read and treasured by everyone.
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