Turnus ad portas

This paper offers a new analysis of Turnus’ attack on Aeneas’ camp at the beginning of Book 9 of the Aeneid that suggests the poet, rather than owing his inspiration to Homeric antecedents, is drawing a comparison with Hannibal’s assault on Rome. A number of parallels between the two attacks, which the contemporary Roman reader is likely to have recognized, are pointed out and enlarged upon. The actions of Hannibal and Turnus immediately before the attack are seem to be closely similar. Turnus’ spear-throw at the Roman camp is compared to Hannibal beating his spear on the Porta Capena, and both are linked to reminiscence of the formal declaration of war.