Book II - The Death of Laocoon

The scene of Laocoon’s death by savage snakes is a powerful passage from Book II of the Aeneid.

In ancient times, people worshipped several different gods rather than a single god, believing that each god or goddess had control over a certain aspect of life. Laocoon was the chief priest of Neptune in Troy, and so had devoted his life to praising the power that Neptune held over the sea and its bounty. Troy was said to have been a very wealthy nation, located on a strategic trading route at the Dardanelles near Gallipoli. Laocoon was a particularly important figure in Trojan society because his temple to Neptune was seen as bringing the city prosperity.

The passage encapsulates the theme of adversity within the Aeneid. It is important to note that Laocoon is slain by serpents of the sea who are creatures of Neptune, the very god he worships every day. This relates back to the theme of divine duplicity, and how trust in the good intention of these celestial powers can be tested. How could someone so devout receive such a terrible fate? It is a question that has troubled society since ancient times.

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Laocoon’s tragic end has been retold in several forms of art. One particularly famous rendition is the marble statue of Laocoön and His Sons on display in the Vatican Museum. The University of Canterbury Art Collection also holds a drawing from the antique by Robert Proctor of Laocoon’s miserable expression.