LAVINIA

My name is Lavinia. I am the daughter of King Latinus and Queen Amata. I am a woman ‘already ripe for marriage’ and my destiny is to become the wife of Aeneas.

I embody many of the traits and virtues traditionally attributed to women: I am extremely shy, I blush and cry easily, I always look down and never speak. I tend to stay in the background of the scene.

I must submit to my father’s will and I am not allowed to oppose it or show dissent. It is up to him to decide who my future husband will be, a decision I must accept in silence.

I have many suitors and the first to ask for my hand was the “handsome” Turnus, king of the Rutuli. Upon the arrival of Aeneas in Latium, after a long and adventurous journey, my father has decided to offer my hand in marriage to the leader of the Trojans with the aim of strengthening the alliance between our peoples. A marriage to which my mother, Queen Amata, is opposed. She would like to see Turnus by my side and not Aeneas, and even threatens to take her own life if this should happen.

It pities me to be the ‘cause of so much evil’. A violent war is being fought between Rutuli and Trojans for me. To ask the gods for help I went to the temple of Minerva, together with my mother and the other women of my people. I feel the gaze of Turnus fixed on me and I cannot hold back my tears. My face blushes, but I don’t know if it is out of simple modesty, because I am aware of my destiny, or because I am returning Turnus’ love. My only certainty is that I must accept my destiny as a ‘royal bride-to-be’.

And so during the final duel between my two main suitors, Turnus dies at the hands of Aeneas and I go to the victor. A union that will link the origin of the city of Rome to the descendants of the Trojan leader.

© Image from da Wikimedia Commons