The First Simile of the Aeneid
By Deborah Beck
Abstract: The first simile of the Aeneid introduces readers to ideas about allusion, theme, plot, and interpretation that map out for readers the contours of their roles as interpreters of the poem. In all of these areas, the simile calls to mind models whose implications extend in many different directions. The first simile’s most important function in setting the stage for the Aeneid is to exemplify the challenges of Vergil’s narrative techniques.