Throughout Virgil’s Aeneid, Turnus and Aeneas become rivals. They both become leaders but have different ways of leading their troops. Aeneas displays leadership and trustworthiness by doing what is best for his troops. He makes decisions based on what he thinks could be the right choice. Turnus on the other hand does none of this. He makes decisions based on what he thinks will help him. All he cares about is his well being, and that does not show the qualities of a trustworthy leader.
Aeneas shows qualities of a trustworthy leader when he is about to fight for his country. King Latinus himself, shocked by the sudden crisis, leaves the council, delays his own noble plans till a better hour, over and over faults himself for not embracing Trojan Aeneas with open arms, adopting him as his own son to shield the city. (XI.560-564)
This shows that even though King Latinus is the enemy, he trusts Aeneas as a quality leader and loves him as his own son. King Latinus will eventually die and he has faith in Aeneas to keep his city safe. He regrets not telling him this and that he loves him. King’s have a lot to do and for him to stop to think about this shows he trusts Aeneas. King Evander has also shown a lot of trust in Aeneas. When Evander and Aeneas first became allies he told Aeneas, “Bravest of the Trojans, how I welcome you, recognize you, with all my heart!” (Book 8 75-76). This shows that Evander took the time to become allies with Aeneas because he shows great leadership and always has faith in him and soldiers. He also trusts Aeneas with his son, Pallas. Evander has so much faith in him that he would trust his own son in the hands of Aeneas.
On the other hand, Turnus does not show these qualities as a trustworthy leader towards his troops. The Trojans, mostly Aeneas, could be seen as the heroes. They fight, never give up, and Turnus becomes very jealous of this. They always get the glory and he never gets any because he does not deserve it. “I have my own fate too. Counter to theirs, to stamp out these accursed people with my sword” (IX 162-163). This shows that he weeps about not getting what he wants, because they are getting the glory. He hates the Trojans for the fact that they do a better job than he does at defeating people. While they are in a meeting discussing the Trojans and Turnus and one of Turnus’ men stands up, Drances, and he says to him: “Turnus surrender to king and country their due rights! Why keep flinging your wretched people into naked peril? You are the root and spring of all the Latin’s’ grief’s!” (XI 430-433) This shows that even Turnus’ own troops do not even trust him. Turnus displays jealousness towards the Trojans. He thinks whatever he decides to do in the war is right.
Even though they do not have many in common, Turnus and Aeneas share some qualities like will to keep moving forward even when times are tough. “But dauntless Turnus never lost faith in his daring, certain to seize” (X 332-334). He believes in himself and even though he might think he will lose him keeps moving forward like Aeneas. Aeneas keeps striving forward. “Mourning done he commands his troops to lift the stricken body high and sends a thousand men…” (XI 68-70) This shows that even though Pallas, which was like a son to Aeneas died. Aeneas knows as a leader he has to keep on moving or he will fall back into the procrastinating stages again. He will keep focussing on the past if he does not move forward. Turnus’ leader qualities are good for Aeneas because he learns how to be a true man. When Aeneas is shot by an arrow after he is ready to get back out in the war he says to his son “Learn courage from me, my son, true hardship too. Learn good luck from others. My hand will shield you in war today and guide you toward the great rewards” (XII 513-515) This shows that Aeneas tells his son, Ascanius, that he will be there as long as he can to keep him safe. He realizes to tell him this now because if Turnus kills him he can not tell him. Turnus shows Aeneas courage to keep moving forward and shapes him into a leader. When Aeneas is about to make the final decision to maybe let him live he sees pallas’ belt on Turnus from when Turnus defeated Pallas.This reminds Aeneas of how Turnus killed someone Aeneas cared for and he does not want him getting away with that.
All in all, Aeneas cares for the needs of his people and the future of Rome while Turnus cares about the his own well-being. Aeneas shows selflessness in the war while, Turnus shows selfishness. They both know how to strive forward and not look back. While Aeneas presents himself as a trustworthy leader, Turnus does not care for the needs of his troops.