Dido In The Aeneid

As in Book I of "The Aeneid," Book II and Book III are authored by Publius Vergilius Maro, but the entirety of the books is written as exposition delivered by the character Aeneas. Aeneas could thus be considered the "author" of the piece, and his audience is Dido and her Phoenician people. Aeneas narrated the contents of the pieces as a response to Dido's request for his story, and his reluctance apparent in the opening lines suggests that he disagrees with the prospect of recalling such painful memories, but complies regardless. Therefore, Aeneas's motivation in relating his story (and, in a way, Virgil's as well) is to reveal what events transpired on his voyage from Troy to Carthage. His actions during the fall of Troy in particular lend

some insight to his character as a whole: his ambition and pursuit for glory is strong enough to blind him even from rational thought and compassion for his loved ones.
About midway through Book II of "The Aeneid," Aeneas recalls his interaction with Panthus (one of Apollo's priests) as the Greeks began their attack on the city of Troy.

His actions following his dialogue with the priest demonstrate his tendency to engage in rash behavior, as he charges blindly into a battle that he was just told was pointless. Aeneas recalls that at the time, "...[Panthus] heaves a long-drawn breath: / ' 'Tis come, our fated day of death. / We have been Trojans: Troy has been: / She sat, but sits no more, a queen... Greece holds a city wrapt in flames....' So, stirred by Heaven and Orthys' son, / Forth into flames and spears I run..." (Virgil 307-308). Aeneas relates that Panthus informed him that Troy is facing its end as a city set aflame, and that its inhabitants have arrived at the day of their death, but these words served only to strengthen Aeneas's resolve and prompt him into the fray. Aeneas demonstrates his recklessness by charging into a battle immediately after being told the grim circumstances, which was a decision appropriate to the persona of a hero, but irrational nevertheless. His decision to enter the battle in the first place was the first indication of his character during the eventful fall of Troy, showcasing a person who values dramatic heroics over logic and forward thinking. His decision would contribute to the events that were yet to occur, and his behavior during such events would provide further insight into this aspect of his

character.
After Aeneas had his fill of combat, and witnessed the death of many a comrade, he says to have gone home for his family to flee at last (having finally made the rational decision he had been suggested much earlier). However, upon arriving at his house and being unable to take all those he intended to save, he briefly falls once again into a reckless and foolish mindset, though he shows signs of having learned since then. Aeneas tells of how he hurried home to gather his beloved family, "But when I gained Anchises' door... My sire... Refused to... live on earth an exiled man.... While we, our eyes with sorrow wet, All on our knees, wife, husband, boy, / Implore—O let him not destroy / Himself and us.... Desperate, again to arms I fly, / And make my wretched choice to die..." (Virgil 320-321). Aeneas relates that he arrived home only to find his father unwilling to flee with him, regardless of how much everyone else begged on their knees, and how he became so desperate that he once again took up arms and decided that he would die fighting (though noting that this decision was "wretched"). Aeneas thus proves that he was willing to sacrifice everything in order to act the hero, as when he was unable to save every last person he wanted (though his father refused to leave, his wife and son were all too willing to beg for their lives), he saw his only other option was to fight and die in a hopeless battle to defend his family. Aeneas thus shares his apparent brainless desire to act the hero, willing to sacrifice his and others' lives in response to something that was not nearly worth it, but he himself condemns his decision at the time as a poor one, suggesting that he may have learned better since then. Indeed, he might have learned his lesson as a result of the death of his wife, which might have been avoided had he not wasted time with his pointless theatrics.
Aeneas finishes describing the events in Troy by telling of the death of his wife, Creusa, as she got lost while they were making their way out of the city. When he was unable to find his wife, and subsequently met her ghost, he demonstrated his priorities of ambition over emotion by grieving her death only briefly before rejoicing in the journey that lied ahead. Aeneas tells the Phoenicians that which Cruesa's ghost said to him, "'Why grieve so madly, husband mine? / Nought here has chanced without design....' Then... She melted into night.... I reach my weary friends at last. / There with amazement I behold, / New-mustering comrades.... They meet, prepared to brave the seas / And sail with me where're I please" (Virgil 326-327). Aeneas depicts his brief moment of grief at Cruesa's passing, but immediately exclaims amazement at the comrades who are ready to accompany him to wherever he wishes to go. His gloss over Creusa's death which ought to have ended this part of his tale on a low note, followed by his exclamations over his new comrades which manage to end the piece on a high note hint at that which Aeneas values more: the joy of chance to lead an expedition overpowers the grief he feels immediately after the death of his own wife. This time, he does not simply make an irrational decision that might be interpreted as an honest mistake, but heavily hints directly at his own values and priorities, cementing the idea that he values ambitions such as leadership and glory over rational thought or due emotion. Thus, Aeneas's actions during the fall of Troy reveal much about his character at the time.
As Aeneas recounts his experience at the fall of Troy, he reveals that he was a person who valued courage and heroics over logic and compassion.

He entered a battle when he had just learned of the uncertain odds, he nearly sacrificed the lives of his family while trying to act the hero in front of them, and he recovered from the death of his wife unnaturally quickly when faced with the prospect of leading a voyage. Though his experiences seem to depict the worst of them, he hints at evidence that he learned from these experiences and emerged a better person because of

them.