ANCHISES

I am Anchises, the father of Aeneas. I am an old man. In my youth I was unable to keep an important secret and for this reason Zeus, the leader of all the gods, punished me by hurling a thunderbolt at me which damaged my legs forever.

As a young man, I lived on Mount Ida, where I raised cattle. My appearance, as magnificent as that of a god, caught the eye of the beautiful goddess Aphrodite, who came to me one day in human form and granted me an intense love affair. From our union Aeneas was born. Aphrodite made me promise never to reveal to anyone the semi-divine nature of our son, otherwise I would be punished by Zeus. But I was not able to keep hidden the exceptional origin of the Trojan leader, who now lovingly carries me on his shoulders.

I am a firm comfort for all of Aeneas’s anxieties and worries. Aeneas is affectionate with me, he loves and respects me. I am also his valuable adviser, helping him to interpret premonitory signs and make clearer what will happen in the future. I obey the will of the gods and even if it is difficult for me to leave my beloved Troy, I know that I must leave with Aeneas and accompany him on his long journey to Latium, because this is our destiny.

Unfortunately, I will never see our new homeland. Because of my age, death will come to me first, in Sicily, in the town of Drepana, leaving an unbridgeable gap in Aeneas’ life. Returning here the following year, on the very anniversary of my death, my son will institute a series of solemn games to honour my memory.

A strong family bond unites us, and it gives me relief to know that the memory of my figure and the values I represent is a constant presence in Aeneas’ life and thoughts. We are allowed to meet one last time during his descent into the realm of the dead. We are both overcome with emotion, and burst into tears. He would like to embrace me, but three times my shadow dissolves in his hands. I want to leave my son with a bright hope for the future. So before our final parting, I show him the destiny that awaits him, pointing out to him all the heroes who will form his future lineage. A long and glorious lineage that will make the city of Rome great.

© Image from Wikimedia Commons