In Book IV of the Aeneid there are two dominant images that are introduced to the reader. These two images are fire and wound. Both the images of a wound and fire have similarities in what they represent. Based on the entirety of the story, fire and wound represent Dido’s strong, passionate love for Aeneas. This strong love that Dido has soon destroys her.
The negative imagery of the wounds and flame that are used to describe Dido’s love for Aeneas foreshadow her fate of a terrible end to her love with Aeneas and a horrid ending for herself. As Dido’s love deepened her obsession for Aeneas she had to tell her sister Anna. Anna tells Dido to pursue Aeneas and this should end her strong obsession with him and should bring Dido happiness. Anna’s advice to pursue Aeneas encourages the flame in Dido to grow even larger. “This counsel fanned the flame, already kindled, giving her hesitant sister hope, and set free of scruple.” (76-78) Anna’s reassurance that it would be best for Dido to pursue Aeneas makes Dido obsess even more with her feelings of love towards Aeneas.
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She is utterly obsessed with Aeneas and nothing else matters to her because all her focus is on Aeneas. Before Aeneas enters Dido’s life and they begin their relationship, the image fire and wound are mentioned again. “The inward fire eats the soft marrow away, and the internal wound bleeds on in silence.” (93-94) Dido wants nothing to do with anything until she gains the pleasure of having Aeneas in her life. Aeneas enters Dido’s life but does not stay long. Her self-destruction begins when Aeneas receives word that he should not be settled with Dido. He is told that he needs to go and pursue his fate and begin his own city’s