Is Virgil's Aeneid a pro or anti Augustan epic?

Virgil’s Aeneid is an epic that can be read both from a positive and a negative stance regarding the reign of Augustus, as references to the Roman empire and the lineage of Augustus himself can be contrasted sharply with the weaknesses and errors made by the main character Aeneas, which in turn can also be connected to the figure of Augustus. The Roman procession, found within book 6, is a prime example of Augustus being portrayed in a positive light, as Anchises exclaims ‘Augustus Caesar, son of a god, the man who will bring back the golden years to the fields of Latium’. Within this line alone, Virgil echoes elements of Augustan propaganda revealing a seemingly pro-Augustan stance within the Aeneid, as the deification of Caesar by the roman people was exploited to legitimise the power of Augustus, then known as Octavian. Similarly, Augustus’ consolidation of power through the claim that he could lead Rome once more into a golden age, one of peace of prosperity as highlighted on the Ara Pacis, is highlighted here and within book 8 when Aeneas visits the future site of Rome. Aeneas himself, as the main character in the epic, can even be seen to portray elements of Augustan, as well as Roman, ideals, as Aeneas often represents pietas, which is the duty to one’s country and family as emphasised in the moral reforms of Augustus. Yet Aeneas does not always conform to the epic hero model, and it is often his mistakes as well as his furore that leads to evidence of criticism within the Aeneid towards Augustus. This is certainly obvious in the reference to Aeneas performing human sacrifices, a horrific and impious act that some ancient sources suggest Augustus also committed during his campaigns, thus highlighting an extremely negative view of Augustus. It is this furore, the maddening anger which often causes one to act rashly and without proper thought, that ends the epic so abruptly, leading the audience to reflect on the final and brutal act of violence enacted by the epic’s hero. This could be read to reflect on a character trait of Augustus himself, as his ambition was often fuelled by the apparent lust for revenge regarding Caesar’s murder and the betrayal he faces by Antony.