Love and Fate
I made a B+ plus on this paper. My weakness was with a poorly stated thesis.
The Relationship Between Dido and Aeneas
It is clear that Virgil’s work, The Aeneid, is one of the most influential epics written in the history of western literature. Perhaps one of the most important factors within this work is the relationship between Aeneas and Dido, and the way that the gods control them. Virgil treats love as an outside force that affects humans, rather than an internal function of free will. Love is at odds with fate as it distracts the victims from their responsibilities. Because of this, it suffers at the hands of the gods. However, it is through this tragedy that fate will ultimately prevail. A major element regarding the tragedy of Dido is derived from her fidelity to her late husband and the guilt that stems from loving another man. It should be kept in mind that her love and passion for Aeneas is not a decision based on her own free will, but is a condition brought about by the will of the gods. Similarly, the attraction that Aeneas holds for Dido is intensified because of Cupid’s spell. After everything Aeneas has been through, he may have found much comfort in loving arms. In Book One of The Aeneid, Venus devises a scheme with Cupid. Lines 782-786 read as follows: “But now Venus is mulling over some new schemes, new intrigues. Altered in face and figure, Cupid would go in place of the captivating, Ascanius, using his gifts to fire the queen to madness, weaving a lover’s ardor through her bones.”
By Book Four, it is apparent that Venus has caused Dido’s initial infatuation with Aeneas. Because Venus knows that Juno highly favors Carthage, she acts to ensure the safety of her son on his journey so that he may fulfill destiny. Cupid “blots out the memory of Sychaeus bit by bit” in accordance with his mother’s wishes (1.861). It is here that the power of the gods have begun to blind Dido and fool her into a love that will come to
The Relationship Between Dido and Aeneas
It is clear that Virgil’s work, The Aeneid, is one of the most influential epics written in the history of western literature. Perhaps one of the most important factors within this work is the relationship between Aeneas and Dido, and the way that the gods control them. Virgil treats love as an outside force that affects humans, rather than an internal function of free will. Love is at odds with fate as it distracts the victims from their responsibilities. Because of this, it suffers at the hands of the gods. However, it is through this tragedy that fate will ultimately prevail. A major element regarding the tragedy of Dido is derived from her fidelity to her late husband and the guilt that stems from loving another man. It should be kept in mind that her love and passion for Aeneas is not a decision based on her own free will, but is a condition brought about by the will of the gods. Similarly, the attraction that Aeneas holds for Dido is intensified because of Cupid’s spell. After everything Aeneas has been through, he may have found much comfort in loving arms. In Book One of The Aeneid, Venus devises a scheme with Cupid. Lines 782-786 read as follows: “But now Venus is mulling over some new schemes, new intrigues. Altered in face and figure, Cupid would go in place of the captivating, Ascanius, using his gifts to fire the queen to madness, weaving a lover’s ardor through her bones.”
By Book Four, it is apparent that Venus has caused Dido’s initial infatuation with Aeneas. Because Venus knows that Juno highly favors Carthage, she acts to ensure the safety of her son on his journey so that he may fulfill destiny. Cupid “blots out the memory of Sychaeus bit by bit” in accordance with his mother’s wishes (1.861). It is here that the power of the gods have begun to blind Dido and fool her into a love that will come to