Book One

 The narrator sets the tone from the beginning: this is a tale of arms and of a man. This man, Aeneas, is fated to travel the seas as a fugitive, until from Troy, he finally settles on the coast of Italy.  During these high sea adventures, Juno creates a great deal of trouble for Aeneas and his crew. Aeneas has been wandering the seas for several years, stopping off at a number of islands on the way.  When the story begins, Aeneas has just left Sicily and drifts to the coast of North Africa.

Why does Juno harbour this anger towards Aeneas and the Trojans?

 When Juno sees Aeneas sailing towards Carthage she approaches King Aeolus, god of the winds. She asks him to use his gales to shipwreck the Trojans.  Aeneas watches with horror as the storm approaches and declares that he wishes he had died at Troy.  Neptune, god of the sea and a supporter of the Trojans, eventually sees what is happening and restores calm to the seas, leaving Aeneas with seven ships remaining.

 Landing on a foreign coastline, the men explore inland and mourn for their lost comrades.  Aeneas reminds his companions of the previous adversities they have overcome and the fated end towards which they strive.

Aeneas has only recently said he wishes he had died at Troy. Now he attempts to encourage and rally the men. What does this show us about Aeneas as a man?

 On Mount Olympus, Aeneas’ mother, Venus, asks Jupiter what is to become of her son and begs him to end Aeneas’ suffering.  Jupiter assures that Aeneas will eventually find his promised home in Italy and after winning a great battle, will build the city of Lavinium. There his descendants will found the mightiest empire in the world.  Jupiter then sends a god down to the people of Carthage to make sure they behave hospitably to the Trojan.

 Aeneas, unaware of the divine actions that steer his course, explores the woods in the new country.  There he meets Venus, appearing in disguise, who tells him how Dido came to be the queen of Carthage.  Dido’s wealthy husband, Sychaeus, who lived with her in Tyre, was murdered for his gold by Pygmalion, Dido’s brother.

 Sychaeus appeared to Dido in a dream, directing towards treasure and advising her to leave Tyre with those who were opposed to Pygmalion.  They founded Carthage, which has become a powerful city.  Aeneas eventually recognises his divine mother and she tells him to go into the city and talk with the queen, who will welcome him.

 Cloaked and hidden by Venus, Aeneas and Achates journey, unhindered, towards Dido’s city.  Here he sees bronze pictures of the Trojan War, in Juno’s temple. Dido now enters along with several lost Trojan chiefs.  Aeneas is overjoyed to see them but it still hidden by Venus. He watches as Dido grants the Trojans refuge and help.

 Aeneas steps out of the cloak and addressed the queen, who is awestruck and delighted to see the famous hero.  Venus worries that Juno will incite Dido’s people against her son. In order to prevent this she sends down Cupid, her other son, in the form of Ascanius.

 In this disguise, Cupid inflames the queen’s heart with passion for Aeneas.  With love in her eyes, Dido calls for Aeneas to tell the story of his adventures in the war and the seven years since he left Troy.

Read the following passages from the book and answer the questions that follow.  p.34-36: describes Venus and Jupiter’s conversation concerning Aeneas and his fate.  p.43 until the end of Book 2: describes Dido, her dealings with the Trojans and her first time meeting Aeneas.

1. Why does Juno harbour anger against the Trojans? 2. From your reading of Book One, what kind of a man would you describe Aeneas as? 3. Discuss the conflicting roles of Juno and Venus in this Book. 4. Describe all examples of the gods intervening in Aeneas’ life in order to get what they want. 5. Why do you think Virgil chooses to start his epic in the middle of the story?

1. Give a detailed description, in your own words, the fate of Aeneas that Jupiter lays out for Venus. 2. What impact do you imagine this will have on Aeneas’ life? 3. How is Dido described when we first meet her and what is your initial impression of the queen. Give reasons for your answer.

 Aeneas is on the high seas, having a very distressing time – this is hardly a confidence building introduction to the hero. Desperately, he prays for an end to his misery. However, we expect this to change as events unfold.  Aeneas, we are told, (by Jupiter) is fated to leave the burning embers of Troy and found a glorious nation (Rome). Clearly, from the start, Aeneas is not in control of his own destiny. He is at the mercy of divine forces that will direct his future.  The meddling Gods take sides: Juno is Aeneas’ enemy and his divine mother Venus his supporter. Jupiter seems willing to stand back and let the goddesses interfere as they choose (even if they cannot change the eventual outcome of his fate).

 Juno’s abiding hatred for the Trojan has its roots in the pre-history of the Trojan War. Paris chose Venus as the fairest goddess on Mount Olympus, overlooking Minerva and Juno. This is an insult that Juno never forgave the Trojans for. Now she is going to continue to torment the Trojans, particularly their leader Aeneas.  This meddling by the gods, Juno and Venus, is particularly evident throughout this epic and none of the major events take place without their interference. Their divine interferences dominate the epic (you should be able to give examples of this so look out for them!).

 Aeneas is portrayed as a solid figure from early on: he provides for his crew, (killing deer), he searches for those who have being lost, and a caring father to his son Ascanius.  He is clearly respectful to the gods and has a sense of duty. These traits developed throughout the entire epic makes him a rather unexciting and un-flamboyant hero.  Aeneas’ affair with Dido, is of course, doomed from the start. Firstly, they do not fall in love naturally, (thanks to Cupid), secondly Aeneas is destined to found Rome. The relationship has tragedy written all over it from the very start.  Once again, humans are at the behest of the gods, who play out their petty jealousies on them. In the big scheme of things the mortals can be toyed with and tormented by them.