What does Fiachra Mac Gorain say Virgil's poem aims to explore?

• A. The hero's personal adventures.
• B. The natural world imagery.
• C. The contemporary political situation at Rome and the ability of leaders to calm the frenzy.
• D. The role of foreign alliances.

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is Virgil as a political poet who uses the epic to reflect on governance and public order in Rome, rather than just chasing heroic feats or natural descriptions. Fiachra Mac Gorain argues that the poem interrogates Rome’s political moment and asks how leaders can quell public frenzy and guide the city toward stability. This reading sees Aeneas not merely as a warrior, but as a model of leadership whose sense of duty, restraint, and diplomacy is meant to calm faction, justify Rome’s foundations, and legitimize the Augustan project of restoring peace after civil turmoil. The emphasis is on statecraft, public life, and the fragility of political order, which is why this interpretation centers on the contemporary political situation and the leadership’s ability to restore calm. The other aspects—personal adventure, nature imagery, or foreign alliances—while present, do not capture the poem’s focused aim as clearly as the political and leadership-focused reading.