Women, Pietas, and the Economy of Sacrifice

Female Disposability in Vergil’s Aeneid

Abstract

This paper examines how Vergil’s Aeneid complicated the Roman ideal of pietas (piety) by tracing the emotional and human cost that accompanies Aeneas’s sense of duty. By bringing together close readings of the Latin text, points brought up in class discussions, and modern scholarship, this piece explores how the epic’s treatment of women—through recurring demonstrations of silence, grief, and sacrifice—shapes its moral center and challenges what readers are supposed to take away from traditional heroic readings.

For additional context, listen to the author's reflection on the piece below.