RetroFed Forum
Your home away from modern life.
Contemptor Divum
Post Reply
AuthorMessage
PugJesus piefed.social PugJesus@piefed.social
Joined: 2025-03-24
Quote

11   Original
PugJesus Moderator PugJesus@piefed.social
Joined: 2025-03-24
#2 · Quote Reply

Explanation: The Aeneid is an epic poem of the Roman Empire exploring the (mythical) origins of Rome by Aeneas, a refugee Trojan (Anatolia, modern-day Turkiye) prince. In it, the Italian monarch Mezentius (mentioned as a supposedly historical figure in other writings of the time), who comes into conflict with Aeneas, is noted as a 'despiser of the gods' (Contemptor Divum) - something which made him a dangerous madman to the superstitious Roman audience the epic poem was written for!

Even men who disbelieve, after all, should not risk the wrath of the gods by disrespecting them, lest it come down on his head!

4
Post Reply
Back to top