Metamorphoses · Chapter
Voyage of Aeneas Continued explained
Aeneas continues his journey after being detained at Carthage, escaping dangers such as Charybdis and storms, reaching the Libyan coast where Queen Dido receives him.
What happens
Aeneas continues his journey after being detained at Carthage, escaping dangers such as Charybdis and storms, reaching the Libyan coast where Queen Dido receives him. He ultimately flees her, causing her death, then sails on to Eryx, performs funeral rites for his father, and loses his pilot Palinurus before reaching Inarime and Prochyta.
Themes in this chapter
Fate and Prophecy
Aeneas's journey is driven by fate, as he must leave Dido to fulfill his destiny of founding Rome.
Love and Desire
Dido's love for Aeneas leads to her downfall when he abandons her, illustrating the destructive power of desire.
Characters to notice
- Aeneas
The Trojan hero who escapes Charybdis, is hosted by Dido, flees her, and continues his voyage to Italy.
- Ulysses
Mentioned as having suffered pride and fate near Naples, contrasting with Aeneas's escape.
- Dido
The Carthaginian queen who hospitably receives Aeneas but is abandoned by him, leading to her tragic death.
Key passages
“Here bulged the pride of famed Ulysses’ fleet, But good Aeneas ’scaped the fate he met.”
Ulysses' fleet was destroyed here, but Aeneas avoided that same fate.
Contrasts the fates of the two heroes.
“From her kind arms the ungrateful hero flies, The injured queen looks on with dying eyes, Then to her folly falls a sacrifice.”
Aeneas ungratefully flees Dido's embrace, and she, heartbroken, dies as a result of her own foolish passion.
Describes Dido's tragic end after Aeneas leaves.