Aeneas, a Trojan prince, is destined to become founder to a city that his descendants will develop into the great Roman Empire.
Aeneas exhibits Roman
values that make him the ideal Roman ruler throughout Virgil's "Aeneid". Among these values is pietas (attention to duty, community, and family), courage (bravery), self-discipline, and finally, humanitas (compassion). This essay provides quotes from Virgil's "Aeneid" to show these virtues, with background testimony from Francis Cairn, a notable author of ancient Roman lore and epics.