Which author states the idea that Virgil can justify the ways of God to men only after death?

• A. Susanna Morton Braund
• B. R. D. Williams
• C. Bob Cowan
• D. Ian Du Quesnay

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested centers on a theodical reading of Virgil and how some scholars argue that the epic’s justification of the gods’ actions only makes full sense from a posthumous, perhaps Christian, perspective. R. D. Williams is the scholar who is associated with this specific claim, suggesting that Virgil’s portrayal of divine will and Providence can only be truly justified to readers after death, when a Christian frame can reconcile the gods’ interventions with a moral order. This makes Williams the best match for the statement, as his work is known for emphasizing this posthumous interpretive angle. The other scholars are known for different aspects of Virgil studies (such as language, reception, or broader literary critique) and do not advance this particular postmortem theodical claim to the same extent.