Final answer:
Aeneas carries his father Anchises out of the burning city of Troy, an act that illustrates his piety and duty to his family and cultural heritage as depicted in Virgil's epic poem, The Aeneid.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aeneas carries his father, Anchises, out of the burning city of Troy on his back. This iconic image is a central element of the epic poem, The Aeneid, written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In this poem, Virgil constructs a rich narrative that intertwines Aeneas's journey to found a new Troy, which would eventually become Rome, with multiple encounters in the underworld, drawing inspiration from Homeric epics and incorporating Orphic and Judeo-Christian motifs.
In addition to carrying Anchises, Aeneas also carries the household gods or Penates, which underscores his piety and respect for his ancestors and the traditions of his people. The Sibyl serves as a guide for Aeneas in the underworld, similar to the role of Virgil's guides in Judeo-Christian and Hellenistic-Jewish literature, helping him navigate the complexities and perils of the afterlife.