They brave the devouring whirlwinds and the flaming hells. They resist the blatant curses of a dying queen. Carriers of a precious civilization, they are described by their captain Aeneas as bearers of “gods / From hearth and dwelling, saved from the enemy” (Virgil I.521-522). Throughout the epic, ships are extremely vital to Aeneas – so much so that Virgil intuitively creates a powerful and unmistakable correlation between the two. In The Aeneid, Aeneas acts like a ship, carrying the weight of Trojan society to Italy, and suffers like a ship, enduring blows from humans and gods; in fact, Virgil suggests that Aeneas is a human vessel. The primary function of a ship parallels that of Aeneas on his voyage to Latium. On the surface, a ship is an efficient means of transporting people and goods between one point and another. However, on a symbolic level, a ship represents escape from oppression and death; it brings hope of a new beginning to the discouraged. This second interpretation perfectly defines Aeneas: a human vessel. Just like his ships, Aeneas gives asylum and protection to the rest of the Trojan civilization. He transports his people from the ashes of Troy to “resurrect” in the lands of Latium (I.282). A ship gives new life to its passengers; similarly, Aeneas gives his Trojan people a new civilization. Using The Aeneid, Virgil creates the perfect analogy between a man and his ship. Aeneas shares the same emotional connections with his ships; the failure of one causes depression in the other. Throughout the epic, the devastation of Aeneas' fleet shakes his captain's spirit. In the early parts of his voyage, powerful storms and rough waters hit his fleet, causing many ships to plunge into the depths...... middle of paper...... a major source of his heavy troubles. They are powerless to resist the gods, to prevent Aeneas from advancing towards Italy and to burn the women's torches. Yet his ships are invaluable to the overall success of his voyage and the expression of his character. Aeneas is a ship that heads to the western shores and provides refuge for his people. However, this extended analogy has greater significance for Virgil and the rest of human society. After the destruction of Troy, Aeneas no longer has a country to protect himself from or to live in. The cargo and soldiers aboard its ships are remnants of its past civilization, but they are also the seeds of a new empire. Aeneas, like his ships, is the invaluable carrier and protector of one of the greatest empires in all of human history: Rome. Works cited by Virgil. The Aeneid. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage, 1990. Print.