The Aenied

Dido and Turnus both have a significant relationship to Aeneas’ mission. The similarly is that hey both hold extreme emotions towards Aeneas that brings them close to him and hinders him on his journey. Their emotions are both intense but completely opposite; love and hate. Dido does not wish to harm Aeneas’ mission until he leaves her and Turnus has ill wishes for Aeneas all along.

Dido is completely in love with Aeneas and holds very strong emotions towards him as she tries to make him stay with her in Carthage. “Deceiver, did you even hope to hide so harsh a crime, to leave this land of mine without a word? Can nothing hold you back- neither your love, the hand you pledged, nor even the cruel death that lies in

wait for Dido?” (IV 410-415) Contrast to Dido’s feelings, Turnus has undying hate towards Aeneas and wishes for nothing more to impede on Aeneas’ happiness of carrying out his mission on Turnus’ homeland. Turnus feels a lot of hatred towards Aeneas because Aeneas and his men walk into his homeland and are trying to claim it and take over it. Turnus also is enraged because of Aeneas’ effect on Latinus’ decision of handing his daughters hand to Turnus. Turnus wishes nothing more than to cause his death or eliminate Aeneas’ destiny. Turnus’ desire to defeat Aeneas causes him to think of himself as being like Achilles. “Throw first, if there is courage in your heart, then try my right hand; you shall say to Priam that here, too, an Achilles can be found.” (IX 988-990) Turnus has a sense of obdurate pride for himself.

Dido and Turnus are opposite in their evictions yet have similar effects on Aeneas throughout the story. Dido’s love and Turnus’ hate weaken Aeneas spiritually and physically. The pain they cause Aeneas is different in placement but in the end they both have targeted his heart, leaving a great impact on Aeneas. Their influences hinder and benefit Aeneas’ journey by delaying him and promoting a greater conquering.

The gods in the Aeneid effect and interfere with their relations to Aeneas. They impact the outcome of his destiny by producing challenges, which Aeneas will have to work hard to overcome. Dido and Turnus both can be reinterpreted as challenges. They both stand in the way of Aeneas’ path to Rome. Dido hinders Aeneas’ progress emotionally and Turnus delays him purposely. In order for Aeneas to make progress in his mission, he has to push Dido and Turnus aside and find an alternative way from being influenced by them. They produce a hurdle for Aeneas to overcome which makes Aeneas’ victory after overcoming them both, that much sweeter. A conquered victory is much more heroic than a victory without any challenge at all.

Dido and Turnus are very similar in the way that Virgil compares them both as victims in the story. This can b

Some topics in this essay:
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