Turnus

Turnus kills Pallas

Turnus, despite being an antagonist to Aeneas, is a victim of both fate and circumstance in Virgil’s The Aeneid. His reasons for fighting, and his furious temper, are both a product of Juno and her interventions. Juno realizes she cannot alter fate yet she involves Turnus and the Latins simply to lash out against her own perceived mistreatments, "His bride shall be Lavinia...Can Juno thwart...the Destinies..." (Virgil 7.377-78). Juno is bent on revenge and destruction and is willing to use Turnus as her pawn. Although, Turnus is resistant to Juno’s schemes and even mocks Allecto when the fury attempts to persuade him, “ 'Leave peace and war to men, whose business is to fight,' ” (7.540). Thus, Turnus is willing to fight against the Trojans only when he is manipulated by Allecto; who is a pawn of Juno as well. Turnus, because of his status as a prince and his battle prowess, is coerced into resisting the fates. He has no choice in the matter due to Juno’s obstruction. Without Juno, Turnus never uprises against Aeneas and the war against the Trojans could have been avoided. 

Turnus confronts Latinus

In book 10, after numerous battles, Aeneas is seeking out Turnus specifically to finally end the war. Yet, Juno, in another intervention, refuses to let this happen. Turnus understands his fate and is eager to battle Aeneas, but Juno creates a phantom Aeneas to trick Turnus. Turnus pursues the false shadow onto a ship but, “No more the phantom lingers in his lair / But, soaring, melts into the misty air," (10.805-06). Turnus, now safely escaping on a ship, is heartbroken about his fate. He realizes that Juno is intervening once again. He cannot understand why he is being continually tortured. Juno is manipulating the war to prevent the inevitable while Turnus suffers the consequences. He is abandoning his men and Aeneas in a cowardly manner. He even questions the Gods, “ ‘Great sire, was I so guilty in thine sight, / To make thee deem such punishment my due?' ” (10.791-92). Juno's manipulations are destroying Turnus from within. He is destined to suffer because of Juno and there is no escaping his cruel misfortune.

Aeneas kills Turnus

During the climax of The Aeneid we see Turnus’ true nature. He finally meets Aeneas on the battlefield in book 12 but the fates ultimately display the destiny of both characters. Turnus battles furiously, perhaps even surpassing Aeneas in skill, but it is all for naught. Aeneas is aided by the Gods and is virtually unstoppable, “...as the stroke he plies / Snaps short, and leaves him helpless,” (12.852-53). Aeneas is wearing Vulcan forged armor that is resistant to Turnus’ strikes. No matter how agile or relentless Turnus is, his swords continue to shatter and Aeneas continues to gain strength. Fate is preordained in The Aeneid; therefore, Turnus has no hope of defeating Aeneas. Yet, Turnus' personality changes dramatically in book 12. When he was first introduced, Turnus was arrogant and very certain of his fate and destiny. But as he continually fails to defeat Aeneas and the Trojans he comes to a pre-ordained epiphany. Aeneas is provoking the battered Turnus, and Turnus reveals his acceptance of fate, " 'They daunt not Turnus; 'tis the gods I dread,' ” (12.1038-40). Turnus realizes that he is doomed and is essentially a proponent of the divine plans of the Gods. He never had any chance of succeeding, nor does he fear Aeneas. Now, he only considers why the Gods have created such a plan for him. Turnus is thus a victim of pathos, someone to be pitied. He is a fierce warrior but Aeneas is intended to lay the foundation for Rome’s future success. Thus, Turnus was destined to accept the fates of himself and Aeneas, and Juno only delayed the inevitable. It was never a matter of choice, but simply a cruel circumstance of fate.

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