Dido In The Aeneid Analysis

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Dido and Aeneas’ encounter in the Aeneid by Virgil is one rifled with drama. The basis for this drama is their conflicting fates: Aeneas is destined to found Rome, the empire hated by Juno that will bring about the destruction of Dido’s kingdom Carthage, beloved to Juno. Towards the end of their dramatic love affair, the two exchange a series of speeches rife with themes and conflict. In this paper I will argue that through their speeches Dido and Aeneas represent a conflict through their interpretations of amor, and through this conflict reveal a deeper conflict surrounding archaic and new figures.
Aeneas’ interpretation of amor focuses on his higher purposes and future attachments, whereas Dido’s focuses on her personal, present attachments. …show more content…
One of the first places where she reveals her feelings is in her language surrounding Aeneas. She begins her speeches by calling him her husband. From there he is demoted in position. “cui me moribundam deseris, hospes / (hoc solum nomen quoniam de coniuge restat)” (4.323-324)? This is one of the first moments when she realizes that this is the end for them. For so long she has seen him as her equal, however, when he reveals that, not only do they now not hold the same views of each other and their future, but that he never truly held the same views as her, she can no longer see him as her equal. She must demote him to a lower position almost out of self-preservation. Aeneas continues to get lower. “pro Iuppiter! / ibit hic,” ait “et nostris inluserit advena regnis” (4.590-591)? Now Dido no longer recognizes any sort of connection she had with Aeneas. She is doing to Aeneas what she feels he did to her. His denial of their relationship was very flippant. If he is not going to receive her and accept her, then why should she do the same for him? With her calling him a stranger it also brings back in the idea of honor. She is trying to regain the honor and pudor she lost by allowing Aeneas and his men in and allowing them to be treated as citizens. Dido is thinking her about more than personal honor, once again she is becoming a queen and protecting her kingdom. This play on Aeneas’ words and emotions continues within her
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