SACRIFICES

A warrior needs to face his most challenging choice in his life: between family and responsibility.

In Aenid, Aeneas knew their city being attacked because of the Greeks, to think that he must lead his countrymen and do a step against this war. And that decision is to leave the house and continue fighting against the enemy. Countering his choices, Creusa begs his husband to consider their family’s future if Aeneas is to be killed in that war.

Similar to this, in Iliad, Andromache pleads to his husband, Hector to not endanger his life for the sake of his wife and son. But because of Hector’s reputation and responsibility, he needs to join in the war for the sake of his countrymen and kingdom.

Both stories had these similarities having a warrior as Andromache and Creusa’s husband. They both plead to their husband not to risk their life for the sake of their family’s future. They were both concerned to what will happen and try their best to prevent bad things. But unfortunately, both of their husbands took the risk and went through the battle because of their big responsibility as a future leader. They both listened to the plead of their wives but did not follow them.

     There are also differences because in Aenid, Creusa’s life led into a terrible path because she was unfortunately left behind. And also, omens were present in Aenid which is the biggest factor why Aeneas needed to go through the battle and avoid his wife’s plead while in Iliad, Hector’s thoughts pushed him. He thought of his reputation and duty that is the biggest factor for him to go on.

THE RAINBOW AFTER A STORM

The Aenid of Virgil narrates a lot of things purely about adventures of a leader and presumably about the war which caused this adventure. This selection can be best described having the theme of ultimate victory through defeat and terrible loss. As we all know, Aenas and his countrymen went through a lot of challenges before attaining their objective. A lot of sacrifices and hardships happened including deaths of the people they encounter. Even before their journey, they already felt the impact of their loss against the Greeks which pursued the Trojans to take their path involving a great journey ahead of them.

They even encountered the wrath of the gods that got through their way, making a lot of things to prevent them from finding and building new Rome. Another terrible loss they encountered is that when a great warrior of theirs, innocent Pallas, died. This really caused a big fire and urge for Aenas to kill Turnus. But after their hardships, victory is what awaited them in the end. They attained new Rome which enabled them to start a new life and build a new city.

This tells the readers that before you get what you wish for, you’ll have to go through different obstacles first that will challenge you and will only prove if you are worthy of the ultimate victory you will get.

A VENGEFUL TRAGEDY

  

Mythologically speaking, we all know that Troy fell to its knees once it has been attacked by the Greeks. A crazy but logical tactic was made by the Greeks to start the Trojan war. This enabled the Greeks to get their chance of a higher probability in defeating the Trojans. Victorious as they may be, they were able to obliterate and slain everything and everyone in their path.

As Aenas narrates the fall of Troy, I felt sympathy deep inside. Just imagine, in a blink of an eye, everything you worked hard for perished because of a girl. If I was in his shoes, regrets and sorrow is what fills my heart seeing my own kingdom and the ones I care about, crumble into pieces. And one more thing, this attack from the Greeks can be considered ‘unfair’ because it’s like they attacked them at their backs without them having a single bit of clue. If you’re a true opponent, then you would play fair in a game.

With the knowledge of Aenas’ task finding new Rome, my feelings changed. This simply means that this event is merely a challenge for him to go through. So I felt more courageous for Aenas to not give up even though he went to the most vengeful and distressed thing in his life. It also links with the idea that Aenas and his troops that survived still has this hope to bring back their lifestyle, although a lot different than before. This is just a challenge to his leadership and how he will try to raise his countrymen despite of crisis. 

Everybody knows that enigmatic smile painted on the famous Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci with a big mystery within this painting. Yes, this painting has been the most famous one that even anyone would do something to have it like stealing. We are seeing this inscrutable smile in her and yet, do we even know what is behind this? What is Mona Lisa’s smile for me?

          They say this mysterious smile has caused inspiration for many and depression for others. Italians call her La Gioconda, which means "the light-hearted woman." Basing from this, we can conclude that Mona Lisa is an optimistic and cheery person so the painter pictured her smile more than anything. I say this smile encourages viewers to be inspired. For them to take things lightly, like her based from what others call her. Her smile serves as the intention of her woman soul. The way that she keeps her psyche as happy and as optimistic as she could.

          Well, whatever that smile is, we’re definitely out of it. Judging ourselves, yes, we are just merely observers. Let us just leave that atypical smile on the beholder of anyone who sees it. For the mean time, this painting still serves as the most awesome yet mysterious one for me.

          It was an afternoon of December when I was sitting on a porch. I was amazed with the blue skies and calm sea. I was serenely sitting when an associate of mine appeared before my eyes. It was Yana. I asked her about her summer vacation so far. “I was fine but unfortunately, I was sent to this summer job I don’t like.” Yana moaned. “Summer job? That’s great! What kind of job it is?” I was curious. Yana scratched her chin and answered “Uhm.. Something to do with serving customers in that restaurant over there.”  I stomped my feet “Oh! That’s a nice thing! But why would you-” Yana interrupted “Well I want to enjoy my vacation swimming and strolling down the beach. Not that crappy job being a waitress!”. “Well, alright. If you don’t like to, even though you can get lots of benefit from it, you can refuse your mother.” Yana had her face on the ground and told me she don’t want to disappoint her mother and asked me what to do. I scratched her chin. “Maybe you can just accept the job and take it positively. You’ll see that it is fun to work.” Yana was enlightened. “Well, okay! I’ll do what you said- hoping everything would be fine. Thank you.” She exits the porch and said goodbye.