Jove: The source of Dido`s misery
Dido`s misery caused by Aeneas departure is terrible, but one question rises above all others when considering her laments and then subsequent cursing of Aeneas; who is responsible for her grief and heartache. While Aeneas is the one who leaves her, and his mother Venus is determined to fulfill his fate, what about the king of the gods himself. Jove is the ultimate authority on disputes between the gods and mortals, and in the Aeneid serves as a intermediary between Venus, Juno, and Aeneas. First of all, Jove's lack of personal intervention in matters like the marriage and the break-up leads to Aeneas being the only who is informed of what is happening. Secondly, Jove is the authority that is responsible for the break-up. He sends Mercury down to make sure the two love birds move on with their respective fates. Finally, Venus entrusts Jove with the mission to make sure Aeneas fulfills his destiny. He promises that Aeneas will fulfill the fate he deserves, and if needed, Jove will and does intervene. This intervention and lack of intervention lead to Dido`s misery and heart-break.
Early on in Book three, Juno devises a scheme to tie down Aeneas more permanently, thus reducing the threat he is to her beloved Carthaginians. Earlier on…show more content… First he has an utter lack of sympathy for the "marriage" that Juno sets up. When he catches on to the marriage, his response is blunt and immediate, tell Mercury to tell Aeneas to leave with all haste. Even when Aeneas leaves to move on with his destiny and Dido is plunged into despair and suicide, Jove is no-where to be found. His entire involvement in their brief love is his message that they should immediately move on to their respective destinies. His drive to Aeneas destiny kills one of the most important figures in Carthaginian history as a mere means to an
