Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1922-02-02

Al WHICH, AC pOASAuyD SAAO VA -
Of a nation.
The author goes far back into his
tory as Homer told 1t, to find a ma
tional hero for his people.
In Homer, Aeneas stands alongside
Hector as one of the greatest cham
piOns Of Troy. When the city falls
he is one of the few Trojans to escape
destruction. With his venerable father
Anchises on his shoulders, his son held
by the hand, and his wife following,
\ he makes his way to the shore and
takes ship with large company OF
his following to seek a new land and
found a new kingdom. But he has
hanging over him the inveterate hos
tility of the goddess Juno, the per-
sistent foe of all that was Trojan. 1t
is at this point that Virgil takes up
the tale of his Man Of Destiny. After
the fashion advised by Horace, he
plunges into the midst of things.
After some six years of wandering
Aeneas sets sail for Italy, after he has
lost his father in Sicily. His wife had
long since persisted. At Junos orders
the god of the winds sends forth tenn
pest which drives the ships to Africa.
His mother, the goddess Venus, does
her best to make up for the harshness
of Juno, foretells to him the greatness
that lies in store for him and his race,
and directs him to Carthage, the ris-
ing city of Queen Dido. Happy chance
brings the hero and the queen together,
a generous and kindly hospitality fol-
lows the ever-watchful Venus pro-
duceB in place of Aeneas' son Ascanius
her own mischievous Cupid. The
queen of Carthage can no more resist.
A regal entertainment is set before
the visitors In a scene of vast mag
nificence. AT the end OF the banquet
the queen demands his story from
the royal wanderer, just as King Al
cinous had asked the same from Odys-
seus. With all the magnates OF her
court gathered around, with Aeneas'
companions as well, the queen fon-
ding the little Ascanius in her arms
remember that rogue Cupid was play
ing the part-the prince began the IA
nous tale of the last night of Troy,
the stratagem of the wooden horse. the
story of LAGOON, and all the rest, to
which follow his own escape with his
people, and his many years wander
ings, his meeting with AndrOmache in
Epirus, and all the events that had
taken the six years Of his life.
Then follows the famous fourth book
of the Aeneid, the great story Of the
passionate love Of Dido for the Man
of Destiny. The queens confession OF
her love to her sister; the great hunt
ing party for her lovers entertain
ment; the storm that separates the
hunters and drives the royal pair to a
cave alone; the queens tenderness;
and then the flight of the pious
Aeneas; the queens entreaties; the
portrayal of all the passion Of a slight
ed woman; and finally her own self
inflicted death as the hero fees to a
higher duty-it is splendidly done. For
the hero as an individual there can be
nothing but the most perfect contempt
His only excuse is that he Is the Man
of Destiny; individuals must play a.
subordinate role in the great drama
of a race.
For the modern world the interest In
the AeneId grows less after the great
tale of Dido's passion is told. The
Trojans set sail for Italy once more
and once more are driven to Sicily.
There the prince celebrates great fu-
neral games on the anniversary of his
fathers death, after the fashion OF
those which Homer pictures Achilles
celebrating in honor of the dead Patro-
clus. The Trojan women, weary OF
the long wanderings, try to burn the
ships, but are only partly successful.
Aeneas leaves them and all who wish
to tarry, and at last reaches Italy,
where he makes the famous descent to
the lower regions to consult his father;
he perhaps, after the episode OF Dido,
feels the need Of being told again OF
the great destiny Of himself and his
race. The journey is, Of course, In
imitation. Of 0dysseus' descent to
Hades, and was the great model for
Dante.
Aeneas journeys on to the mouth Of
the Tiber and forms an alliance with
King Latinus. which includes marriage
with the kings daughter. Lavinla. II
the reader Is inclined to murmur:
''what, again. Naughty manl1 the
answer Is that good Aeneas has been
under the burden from the first Of be
ing the Man Of Destiny. and the union
with the daughter OF King Latihus is
to produce the Latin race. But not.
without q final struggle on the part
Of the jealous Juno who raises up en-
nifty under the leadership Of Turnus,
one of the sultors for the hand Of La
vinia. BE can compete with fate no
more successfully than could poor
Dido, and after glorious battles per
ished 10 single combat at the hand Of
the Man Of Destiny.
Copyright, 1914, By the Post Publlshing
Co. (Ths Boston Post.) Copyright in
the United Kingdom. the Dominique ~
Col0nlea and deneudenciea under the