Volume 19, 2007 - Brown University

Thetis and Venus: Motherhood in Epic 69
(Aen.II.592)—but this is not exceptional behavior for a divine messenger. In the
Iliad, Athena stops Achilles from killing Agamemnon in that exact same way.
Venus also takes on a traditional divine role when she heals Aeneas in Book
XII, as she never actually appears to him. Once again “having surrounded her
appearance with a misty cloud” (Aen.XII.416), she slips him the herb without
revealing herself. Although she does aid her son, she never does so in a
personal, maternal way. Rather, all the aid is that of a divine patroness.
Aeneas himself perceives his mother as a divine, rather than maternal, figure.
Although at times he does try to relate to her as a maternal character, he recognizes
that only failure will result. Trying to embrace her when she appears in
Book I, he is frustrated, crying “Why so often, you so cruel, do you delude your
son with false images” (Aen.I.407-8). More often he treats her as a distant deity.
When he lands in Thrace he offers sacrifices to her as “the Dionean mother”
(Aen.III.19). Certainly the Romans honored ancestors and the deification of
Julius Caesar had brought gods even closer than they had been before, but it was
unusual for a Roman man to sacrifice to his mother. Aeneas communicates with
his mother through votive offerings because only through prayer can he connect
with her. When he “prays” that the golden branch will show itself to him at
VI.187-9, his mother’s birds—doves—immediately appear to him as messengers.
Aeneas rejoices in their leadership, saying, “You don’t fail in dubious
affairs, O divine parent” (Aen.VI.196-7). He can communicate with her only
through prayer, as one would communicate with a deity.
Thetis, on the other hand, takes on a more maternal role. Even when her
son does not call out or pray to her, she can hear his pain and will immediately
arrive to comfort him. When he laments his dishonor at Agamemnon’s hands,
she hears him while “sitting in the depths” (Il. I.358), and comes to him. She
appears as human and maternal figure to her son, as she “takes him by the hand”
(Il. I.361). In addition, she begs her son to tell her of his difficulties so that the
two of them together may share in them. In Book XVIII when Achilles mourns
Patroclus, again from the deep she hears Achilles groaning and comes to his side
and puts her arms around him. Unlike Venus, she often touches her son to
comfort and reassure him, and Achilles recognizes this connection. In contrast
with Aeneas, he talks about his mother to his companions, mentioning “my
mother Thetis” (Il. IX.410) to Agamemnon’s messengers. Aeneas, on the other
hand, never brings up his divine parentage to anyone.
Achilles’ and Thetis’ discussion of their plans reflects this close relationship.
Unlike Aeneas, who often has no idea what his mother has planned for
him, Achilles acts as a full partner in Thetis’ actions. In fact, he uses imperatives
when discussing the actions she should take with Zeus. When Achilles becomes
determined to rejoin the battle after Patroclus’s death, he uses an imperative
again. The use of the imperative rather than the subjunctive reflects his
dominant role in the relationship (Il. I.394). Although Thetis does make him
promise to wait until she comes back with the armor, she cannot truly direct his
path, she can only help him along. Thetis acknowledges her own ineffectiveness.