Which scholar contends that the Aeneid is connected to Homer through emulation rather than mere imitation?

• A. Thomas - Book 8
• B. Cox - Homeric influence
• C. Bob Cowan - Homeric influence
• D. Ian Du Quesnay - Homeric influence

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is how Virgil’s Aeneid relates to Homer: is it mere copying or a deliberate reworking through emulation? Bob Cowan argues for emulation, not imitation. He contends that Virgil consciously engages with Homeric epic by mimicking its patterns and structures, but then reshapes them to serve Roman ends, producing a distinctly Roman epic rather than a simple replica of Greek models. This emulative approach explains why the Aeneid both echoes Homer and breaks away from him, guiding specifics like the opening invocation, the handling of epic catalogues, and the portrayal of Aeneas’s pietas in a way that aligns with Roman values and the founding of Rome. Other scholars on the list discuss Homeric influence in more general terms—the idea that the Aeneid draws on Homer—without framing Virgil’s method as emulation, which is why Cowan’s position stands out as the precise description of their relationship.