The Tragedy of Dido Virgil’s Aeneid is an epic poem containing adventure, war, fate, and love. These last two elements, fate and love, are both focused on in distinct ways. Primarily, Virgil illustrates how humans are subject to the whims of fate, as well as subject to the suffering of unnatural love. Furthermore, Virgil continues to demonstrate how powerful fate and love are through the characters of Juno, Venus, and Cupid, all gods. To express to the reader the earthly effects of both fate and love, the tale of unhappy Dido is described. Dido endures the cruel sting of Cupid’s arrow early on in the Aeneid and is doomed from then on. Eventually, Dido falls into unrelenting despair and takes her own life, confident that death must surely be
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As Virgil writes, “The queen [Dido] is caught between love’s pain and press. She feeds the wound within her veins; she is eaten by a secret flame. Aeneas’ high name, all he has done, again, again come like a flood. His face, his words hold fast her breast. Care strips her of calm and rest” (IV, 1-6). Etymologically, it is clear from Virgil’s word choice that this is no mere fancy. Rather, words and expressions such as “love’s pain”, “feeds the wound within her veins” and “eaten by a secret flame” strongly imply that Dido’s innermost self is withering as though poisoned by this unnatural love. It is as though a toxic sword has pierced her, slowly causing the death of her soul. A short while later Virgil again references this wound within her soul, stating, “…supple flame devours her marrow; within her breast the silent wound lives on. Unhappy Dido burns” (IV, 87-90). Again, the language used by Virgil indicates that though Dido’s body may still remain unharmed, her soul has been mortally wounded, as though it was slowly being consumed by …show more content…
The “marriage” arranged by Juno while Aeneas and Dido dwell in the cave utterly destroys any barriers left in the queen’s passion. Juno makes clear her intent, proclaiming to Venus that if she agrees, “I [Juno] shall unite the two in certain marriage and seal her [Dido] as Aeneas’ very own; and this shall be their wedding” (IV, 167-169). With Juno’s intentions clear, Dido again is subject to the whims of a god. Aeneas and Dido are thusly sequestered, engage in sexual intercourse, and by Dido’s definition, become married. Yet, Aeneas does not believe the result of the encounter to be marriage, resulting in an even unhappier Dido. In fact, Virgil describes the “wedding” in Book IV as such, “That day was her [Dido’s] first day of death and ruin. For neither how things seem nor how they are deemed moves Dido now, and she no longer thinks of furtive love. For Dido calls it marriage, and with this name she covers up her fault” (IV, 224-228). This description of confusion and deception does not bode well for Dido, with Juno directly to blame. Furthermore, Virgil states here that the day of this wedding was Dido’s first day of death and ruin. This again reinforces the claim that Dido’s soul had passed away, and her “suicide” only ended her physical being. Why else would such a masterful poet describe the complete and total loss of one’s soul as
As Virgil writes, “The queen [Dido] is caught between love’s pain and press. She feeds the wound within her veins; she is eaten by a secret flame. Aeneas’ high name, all he has done, again, again come like a flood. His face, his words hold fast her breast. Care strips her of calm and rest” (IV, 1-6). Etymologically, it is clear from Virgil’s word choice that this is no mere fancy. Rather, words and expressions such as “love’s pain”, “feeds the wound within her veins” and “eaten by a secret flame” strongly imply that Dido’s innermost self is withering as though poisoned by this unnatural love. It is as though a toxic sword has pierced her, slowly causing the death of her soul. A short while later Virgil again references this wound within her soul, stating, “…supple flame devours her marrow; within her breast the silent wound lives on. Unhappy Dido burns” (IV, 87-90). Again, the language used by Virgil indicates that though Dido’s body may still remain unharmed, her soul has been mortally wounded, as though it was slowly being consumed by …show more content…
The “marriage” arranged by Juno while Aeneas and Dido dwell in the cave utterly destroys any barriers left in the queen’s passion. Juno makes clear her intent, proclaiming to Venus that if she agrees, “I [Juno] shall unite the two in certain marriage and seal her [Dido] as Aeneas’ very own; and this shall be their wedding” (IV, 167-169). With Juno’s intentions clear, Dido again is subject to the whims of a god. Aeneas and Dido are thusly sequestered, engage in sexual intercourse, and by Dido’s definition, become married. Yet, Aeneas does not believe the result of the encounter to be marriage, resulting in an even unhappier Dido. In fact, Virgil describes the “wedding” in Book IV as such, “That day was her [Dido’s] first day of death and ruin. For neither how things seem nor how they are deemed moves Dido now, and she no longer thinks of furtive love. For Dido calls it marriage, and with this name she covers up her fault” (IV, 224-228). This description of confusion and deception does not bode well for Dido, with Juno directly to blame. Furthermore, Virgil states here that the day of this wedding was Dido’s first day of death and ruin. This again reinforces the claim that Dido’s soul had passed away, and her “suicide” only ended her physical being. Why else would such a masterful poet describe the complete and total loss of one’s soul as