Virgil’s, The Aeneid, is a masterpiece of literature. It has captured the imaginations of people since it was first crafted a thousand years ago. The Aeneid tells of the founding of the Roman Empire, but the epic poem also is known for a love story that remains fascinating to the modern reader. The narrative of two star-crossed lovers has been replayed throughout the centuries in a variety of mediums; the tale is always compelling and the end is always solemn. The story of Aeneas and Dido is no different. Aeneas was a hero in the city of Troy, but he could do nothing to stop the sack of the Trojan capital during the Greek conquest. He fled the burning city with his family; however, he could not save his wife from the Greek fury. The gods gave …show more content…
It was Juno who first sent the storm that wrecked the Trojan Fleet and drove it onto the shores of Carthage. Juno continued to affect the choices of the couple. After Juno realized that Venus had forced Dido to become infatuated with Aeneas, she tried to take advantage of the situation to accomplish her own goal of halting the establishment of Rome. In the Aeneid, Juno approaches Venus and states “One woman mastered by the arts of two immortals… Well then, let us unite these nations and rule them with equal Authority” (Bk. 4, 75-76). Juno gloats about how she and Venus completely enslaved Dido to their wishes. The selfishness of the Gods is utterly apparent in this statement. They are not looking after the best wishes of the mortals; the Gods only care about the advancement of their own needs and desires. The advancement of the Gods wants is often to the detriment of the mortals that are involved in their schemes. Juno is also responsible for the “marriage” of Dido and Aeneas. Juno summoned a storm and sent Dido and Aeneas into a cave together and “the firmament flickered with fire, a witness Of wedding… The love she brooded on now was a secret love no longer; Marriage, she called it, drawing the word to veil her sin” (Bk. 4, 77). By deluding Dido into consenting to sexual intercourse with Aeneas, Juno set into motion the events that would lead to suicide of Dido. Juno displayed a certain lack of foresight that seems characteristic of Olympian Gods and also a lack of respect for the human lives that she was altering