Virgil’s Aeneid – Ep 11 ‘The Colour Purple’

Virgil’s Purple Prose? No, definitely not, but the Aeneid is replete with interesting uses of the word ‘purpureus’ and in this episode we look at purple as a colour of beauty, death, danger and eroticism – as well as shades of gold and the mystery of Lavinia’s blush!

? Did you know that the colour purple in ancient Rome was a symbol of power and decadence but its origins are Phoenician?

In this series, podcast host Katrina Kelly is joined by bestselling author Caroline Lawrence, to discuss Virgil’s epic poem, The Aeneid. In each episode, inspired by a particular word, Katrina and Caroline explore characters, themes and poetic techniques, their favourite Virgilian similes, hear the sounds of ancient languages, and dive into the rich imagery and literary heritage of the Aeneid.

Listen to each episode wherever you get your podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify for Creators and Spotify and watch the video version on our YouTube channel – please give us a like and hit subscribe for free!