The Curia in Aeneid 7

Abstract:In Aeneid 7, Latinus receives the Trojans in his curia, a building simultaneously described as tectum, regia, and templum in Vergil's ekphrasis (7.170–91), which has complicated discussions concerning the building's function and conception. Many studies have suggested that specific temples in Rome are the sole inspiration for Vergil. I argue, however, that the poet is more generally allusive, and I suggest below that the Roman curia, overlooked thus far in scholarship, also informs the poet's ekphrasis, through an examination of the architectural and ideological features in Latinus's curia. By projecting Roman architecture and monuments into the past, Vergil emphasizes that architecture comprises a significant part of the history and purpose of Rome.