... Therefore it is possible to see heroism in this way- as a willingness to fight and be brave at all times. Surely then the deaths of those in Turnus' camp at the hands of Nisus Euryalus demonstrates a lack of heroism in the Rutulians? They have spent the evening drinking themselves into a stupor without thought to their safety and without any mission of higher importance, while the Trojans are alert and prepared to be brave and kill at all times. However this is too simplistic. Slaughter at night is not 'manly' or heroic and certainly doesn't make Aeneas' mission seem more worthy. In fact at this point the Rutulians appear to be acting with more 'pietas' by refusing to launch a 'cowardly' secret night attack, as Turnus puts it. Therefore our understanding of the deaths of Nisus and Euryalus' victims is altered from the idea that the Rutulians, ...

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