Obliged he was to his master
for his bounty, and he repays him with good counsel how to behave
himself in his new monarchy so as to gain the affections of his
subjects, and deserve to be called the "Father of His Country."
From this consideration it is that he chose for the groundwork of
his poem one empire destroyed, and another raised from the ruins of
it. This was just the parallel. AEneas could not pretend to be
Priam's heir in a lineal succession, for Anchises, the hero's
father, was only of the second branch of the royal family, and
Helenus, a son of Priam, was yet surviving, and might lawfully claim
before him. It may be, Virgil mentions him on that account.
Neither has he forgotten Priamus, in the fifth of his "AEneis," the
son of Polites, youngest son to Priam, who was slain by Pyrrhus in
the second book. AEneas had only married Creusa, Priam's daughter,
and by her could have no title while any of the male issue were
remaining. In this case the poet gave him the next title, which is
that of an Elective King.
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