The Ancient Roman Code of Manliness and Virtue

How Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’ captured the Roman code of manhood—pietas, gravitas, and virtus—virtues that shaped Rome and later inspired America’s Founders.

"Horace, Virgil and Varius at the house of Maecenas," by Charles Jalabert, 19th century. Public domain

The Greeks have breached the walls of Troy.

They’ve slipped from the belly of the wooden horse, flung open the gates to their waiting comrades, and torn the Trojans from sleep into a nightmare of killing, rape, and plunder. The decade-long war is ending in slaughter, terror, and flames.