Quoted: Truman Capote

"A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet."

In your sixth blog entry, we're going to mix it up.  Aeneas had conversations with several people in the underworld.  For one of them, report the conversation from the other side---what was the impression of the OTHER character of the conversation?  Were they satisfied or unsatisfied?  
If necessary, use the suggestions of those who have commented on your previous blogs (ESPECIALLY ME!) to improve the quality of your essay.  This is a different assignment, so the advice may not work perfectly.  


Looking forward to reading your entries!

Quoted: Groucho Marx

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made."

In your fifth blog entry, you should 
(1) Express book 5 of the Aeneid from the perspective of Achates.
(2) Have Achates discuss his reaction to Aeneas' handing out the prizes in book 5 and the fairness/unfairness of the Trojan situation in general. How has life been fair or unfair (in their favor or not) to the Trojans lately?
(3) Use the suggestions of those who have commented on your previous blogs (ESPECIALLY ME!) to improve the quality of your essay.

Quoted: Oscar Wilde

"Those who are faithless know the pleasures of love; it is the faithful who know love's tragedies."

In your fourth blog entry, you should 
(1) Express book 4 of the Aeneid from the perspective of Achates.
(2) Have Achates discuss his feelings about how Aeneas treated Dido.  Maybe he has an inside perspective on the eternal question of book 4: Did Aeneas actually love Dido, or was he just using her?
(3) Use the suggestions of those who have commented on your previous blogs (ESPECIALLY ME!) to improve the quality of your essay.

Quoted: Quentin Crisp

"Nothing shortens a journey so pleasantly as an account of misfortunes at which the hearer is permitted to laugh."

Quentin Crisp

What humor exists in the the otherwise tragic story of the journeys of the Trojans to lighten the reader's emotional burden?

Re-tell the story of book 3 from the perspective of Anchises, emphasizing the events that may be seen as humorous.  Be sure to incorporate the suggestions of previous comments!

Quoted: Cicero

"Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity.  Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind."
In your second blog entry, you should 
(1) Express book 2 of the Aeneid from the perspective of Achates.
(2) Have Achates discuss the role of  faithfulness, trust, and truth in the downfall of Troy.  Does he believe that it is good that Priam was so trusting of even the enemy, thus proving his own goodness, or does he believe that more shrewdness is required?  
(3) Use the suggestions of those who have commented on your previous blogs (ESPECIALLY ME!) to improve the quality of your essay.  Remember this is to be a single narrative which re-tells the story of book 2, reflects the theme, and develops the character of Achates.

Looking forward to reading your responses!

Quoted: Appius Claudius

"Each man is the architect of his own fate." 

In your first blog entry, you should 
(1) Express the first book of the Aeneid from the perspective of Achates, the unsung friend of Aeneas.
(2) Have Achates discuss the role of fate in driving Aeneas forward.  Does he believe that Aeneas is fated to take this journey?  Does he accept his own role in it as fated, or like Appius Claudius (and Jack Dawson), does he believe that a real man makes his own luck? 

Wrapping Up The Aeneid

For your final blog post, we will return to the character of Achates and write from his perspective one last time.  Your assignment is to either

(A) Give Achates' perspective of the war and have him react to Aeneas' harsh final action.

(B) Write Book 13 of the Aeneid.  What happens next?

I have enjoyed reading all of your posts and am intrigued to read your final entries!