Furor And Dido In The Aeneid

In the writing of Aeneid, Dido is described to exhibit furor. Furor refers to someone that demonstrates “self-destructive passion and anger” (Lecture 2.2). Dido demonstrates furor when she meets Aeneas and when Aeneas is ordered to leave and rule Italy. Dido already has a lot of anger before she met Aeneas. Dido’s previous husband Acerbas was killed; therefore, she “promised to never remarry” (Lecture 2.2). She stuck to her promise until she met Aeneas. Dido and Aeneas met in the same cave while taking cover of the storm that has approached them. Dido and Aeneas shared a special moment while in the cave. Virgil states, “She thought no longer of a secret love But called it marriage” (The Aeneid Line 224-225). Dido did not want to have a secret love with Aeneas, she wanted to get married to him. “Gossip of what was done, and never done: How this Aeneas landed, Trojan born, How did Dido in her beauty graced his company, Then how they revealed all the winters long Unmindful of the realm, prisoners of lust” (The Aeneid Line 248-252). Many people didn’t understand how Aeneas and Dido met. We also are able to tell that they were very

The gods told Aeneas that he has to go to Italy to be their ruler. Aeneas loved Dido he wanted to “calm and comfort her in all her pain” (The Aeneas Line 523). “In sickness from his sight and the light of day, Leaving him at a loss, alarmed, and mute With all he meant to say. The maid in waiting Caught her as she swooned and carried her To bed in her marble chamber” (The Aeneid 516-520). Dido was heartbroken and filled with anger. Dido was not able to take the pain of Aeneas leaving she eventually turned to death. She killed herself to take the pain away. This story of Aeneas and Dido is a great example of what furor is. Although the story was filled with love and passion it was also filled with anger and