#lausus

evander wasn’t really hated by a lot of people in italy for the entirety of pallas’ life up until he allied himself with aeneas, meaning that nobody really gaf about pallas for most of his life. nisus and euryalus provoked the rutulians into killing them by killing a bunch of sleeping rutulians at night. lausus didn’t even need to do anything for people to want to kill him his entire life because the name of his father would already be enough.

Virgil really leans into his Iliad parallels with Book 10, succeeding in some places where he misses in others.

Pallas is obviously a homage to Patroclus. Both were close to the main hero, sent to battle, and then were ultimately killed by their opposing champion—Turnus.

But the payoff doesn't land the same way.

Patroclus was there from the beginning, having a history and bond that helped to build up the emotional catharsis when he died.

And Pallas? He has a boat ride with Aeneas before he's killed off.

However, Virgil isn't trying to replicate that same bond. He shifts it.

Pallas wasn't just a companion. He was entrusted to him by his father Evander.

And for someone who's meant to secure and protect a future for the next generation, the loss isn't just grief. It's failure.

And he must make sure that never happens again.

Because if he doesn't end this war soon, it might be Ascanius is the end of someone's blade.

While Turnus may claim to be the Achilles in this story, it's Aeneas who's being put in that position—but he refuses to become like him.

We see this as such when he kills Lausis who was protecting his father, Mezentheus, and he stops.

He doesn't strip his armor or weapons like Turnus did to Pallas. There's no boasting or glorification.

Just another son dying. And once again, it serves as another reminder of what the war takes: futures.

And Mezentheus?

He was introduced as inhuman—violent, slashing through the battlefield like a boar—but when Lausus dies, he's stripped of that.

And what's left?

A father.

He goes back into battle to avenge his son or die trying.

And his one request is to be buried alongside his son.

Nothing feels heroic here.

Pallas. Lausus.

Two futures snuffed out.

And while Ascanius is still alive, it doesn't feel comforting.

And you know what's interesting?

Mezentius is shown to be cruel, and is said to steal armor during battle (Book 10, within lines 689-754). This is, within the text of the Aeneid, seen as punishable by death as a moral failing (See: the death of Turnus). But also, Mezentius is described as giving the armor to Lausus. Mezentius opens his attack on Aeneas by promising Lausus that he'll be dressed in Aeneas' clothes and armor (Book 10 again, w/in lines 755-832). It's something that's decidedly horrific to do, but something that Mezentius doesn't do to reward himself, but to reward Lausus. He's Selflessly Cruel.

I don't think that Mezentius was a good person. Loving someone does not mean you are kind or good either to the beloved or to anyone else. But I do think that Lausus' death made him realize that very sentiment.

My son, did such delight in living possess me, that I let you face the enemy force in my place, you whom I fathered? Is this father of yours alive through your death, saved by your wounds? Ah, now at last my exile is wretchedly driven home: and my wound, deeply! My son, I have also tarnished your name by my crime, driven in hatred from my fathers’ throne and sceptre. (A.S. Kline, Book 10 within lines 833-908)

He realizes with Lausus' death that his cruelty has been, this entire time, not been helping Lausus either through spoils or protection. He realizes this, decides that he needs to redeem himself, but Lausus is still dead.

Mezentius becomes a better person, improves himself, only when the only thing we can seem to see him caring about (Lausus) is not around to witness him doing better.

Hercules and Cacus

Aeneas and the body of Lausus

Art by Bartolomeo Pinelli.

holy doomed youths x sweet dream

sorry for using the same 2 lausus pics LMAO i couldn’t find any other high quality pics of him