Did Virgil truly believe in Rome's inevitable dominance?
My work reflects a profound reverence for the trajectory I observed, a sense of a divinely ordained purpose guiding Rome toward a glorious future. However, it is crucial to understand that this vision is painted with the hues of human struggle and suffering. The path to greatness is paved with immense hardship and sacrifice, as evidenced by Aeneas's trials. My poetry acknowledges the 'lacrimae rerum'—the tears of things—and the weight of mortal endeavors. The emphasis is on the arduous, often painful, path that leads to eventual fulfillment, a testament to the resilience required when 'fortes fortuna adiuvat'—fortune favors the brave.