Insanae matronae: Trojan women in Virgil's Aeneid (5.604‐679)

Abstract

This artricle explores the topic about “women madness” in Latin literature through an analysis
of an Aeneid’s passage. Verses 604‐679 of the fifth book describe the Trojan women’s chapter.
These matronae, encouraged by Juno, burn the fleet to prevent Aeneas to achieve his fate. Altough
this episode has been unnoticed in the whole Virgil’s poem, it provides intriguing interpretations
and analysis. The project consists in a translation of the original text and a critical text commentary. Right after, it analyses the context and other stories of women that, driven crazy, become dangerous for the male roman social order.