Catiline in the "Aeneid"

Abstract

The paper examines the portrayal of Catiline in the Aeneid. For Virgil, Catiline is obviously a villain and a symbol of civil strife. This attitude however doesn't extend to other members of the gens Sergia since their legendary ancestor Sergestus in spite of his somewhat questionable behaviour during the funerary ship race, is still depicted as one of Aeneas' main and most loyal companions. Thus Virgil possibly wanted to show that the Sergii shouldn't be blamed for Catiline's crimes and that they too can be good citizens and loyal servants to the state just as Sergestus was to his leader.