marriage or passion
...m. Dido tells her sister, Anna: “ At the mere thought of torch and bridal bed / I could perhaps give way in this one case / this man alone has wrought upon me so / and moved my soul to yield” (4.25-31). This obsession slowly eats away at her and strips away her integrity and authority as queen. She completely allows herself to wander around her city like a fool in love. In the cave, during the hunt, Dido consummates this union into a so-called marriage. “She thought no longer of secret love…/ But called it marriage” (4.236-237). In the statement lies her principal fault. She is sure that Aeneas will be hers forever. The only problem with this so-called marriage is that Dido’s love for Aeneas is more than his love for her. Aeneas respect for the gods and his duty to his people is stronger than his love for Dido. Jupiter sends a message thru Mercury to Aeneas to stop spending so much time in Carthage and go on with his destiny. Aeneas cannot find the right of a way to tell Dido he is leaving. Dido sees Aeneas’ ships being geared up to depart. She accuses him of betraying her and trying to sneak away. Dido tells Aeneas; “Can our love not hold you/ can the pledge we gave not hold you” (4.420). Aeneas denies any so-called marria...