Cupid comes into play later in the Aeneid, as Dido, the Queen of Carthage, begins to feel the affects of Cupid's impact over her feelings for Aeneas. Cupid was sent by Aeneas' mother, Venus, to complete this task and give the hero a reason to stay in Carthage. Even though Dido swore never to marry again after her late husband's death, which in terms of the Aeneid's setting occurred not too long ago, the influence of both her sister and Cupid's intervention prove to cause her to change her mind. Unfortunately, her love blinds her and she allows the work of her city to fall to the side.
This love also blinds Aeneas, as he gets sidetracked and strays away from his original path fated by destiny. Aeneas was also impacted by Cupid in his developing feelings for Queen Dido, which overall complicates the situation greatly. Later in the Aeneid, Mercury is sent to warn Aeneas that he has strayed off of his destined path, as he forces Aeneas to leave Dido and travel to Italy, without really telling her first.
Dido, in an act of revenge and rage of Aeneas leaving her, summons her sister to bring all of Aeneas’ possessions to her. She claims that if she burns everything he left, it will soothe some of her pain and make her feel better. After her sister brings all of Aeneas’ possessions, Dido constructs a large fire in the courtyard. Early the next morning as Dido sees Aeneas fleet leaving, in act of agony and desperation, she unsheathes the sword her love left behind and stabs herself while standing on top of the burning clothes and armor. After seeing this tragedy unfold, Juno takes pity on Dido and ends her suffering. In this moment, the reader can sense some shred of empathy coming from Juno, though she has been harsh throughout most of the epic thus far.
More bad events approach as the Aeneid continues. Aeneas’ journey to Italy is hindered once again by massive storm clouds, which make it almost impossible to sail and lessen the visibility. Aeneas instead instructs the fleet to sail to the port or Eryx, where his companion is the ruler. As they arrive at the port, Aeneas and company are welcomed by the others, but Aeneas' mood is soon clouded by the one-year anniversary of one of his friend’s deaths. He recommends they hold a period of mourning, and they also enact in ship racing, foot races, and other funeral games in memory of the dead.
Seeing the Trojans indulge in such traditional and festive activities makes Juno enraged, and she sends Iris down to set fire to the land. This act wakes Aeneas from his depressed state and springs him into thought. He ponders whether he should stay at his current location, which would again be veering off the path he was destined to follow. He then seeks the help and guidance of Anchises but, to receive it, he must travel to the Underworld.
The Aeneid is a great start to reading classical Roman literature, and it’s also great for learning more about Roman history and Mythology as well. It’s also a must-read if you plan on joining any of the local or state Virginia Certamen teams, or if you are looking for an introductory look into
epics and epic poetry. Reading the Aeneid has personally been such an amazing experience, as I have always had a great love for classic literature and the arts and a passion for certamen myself. The perseverance of Aeneis is truly inspiring, even after he endured so much of Juno’s wrath. It goes to show that even through so much suffering, good can still emerge.
written by
Lucy Dasher,
Flint Hill School
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