What Happens in Book Three?

What Happens in Book Three?

In Book Three, Aeneas continues telling the story of how he came to be in Dido’s court in Carthage. He outlines the Trojans seven years of wandering across the Mediterranean, looking for the place that they are destined to settle in. Their journey is shown below.

Book 3: Messages About Aeneas’ Destiny1. Thrace: Aeneas left because he heard about the Thracians killing of Polydorus, who had gone to Thrace to safeguard Trojan gold.

2. Delos: A message from Apollo’s oracle “Seek out your ancient mother”. Anchises says this means Crete.

3. Crete: Trojans try to settle, but suffer famine & plague. Troy’s gods appear to Aeneas and tell him: “Italy is our true home.”

4. Strophades: The Harpies curse the Trojans for attacking them, saying the Trojans must suffer before founding their city.

5. Buthrotum: Helenus, son of Priam and now a Greek king married to Andromache, prophesises that the Trojans will have to go to Cumae, on the far side of Italy.

6. Etna: The Trojans meet a crewman of Ulysses and avoid the Cylopes. 7. Drepanum: Anchises dies – “This blow was my last anguish.”

Book Four

The Tragedy of Dido

A Sister’s Advice

pgs.97-98

1. What advice does Anna give Dido in this conversation? For what reasons does she give this advice?

2. What else does Dido reveal about herself in this conversation?

What effects does Anna’s advice have on Dido?

Juno’s Scheme (pgs 100-101)

1. How does Juno show sarcasm in her first words to Venus?

2. What offer does she make to Venus? 3. Why is Venus suspicious? To

whose authority does she ask Juno to appeal?

4. What (in 1-2 sentences) is Juno’s plan?

5. Why does Venus agree to the plan?

The ‘Marriage’ of Aeneas and Dido (pgs.101-102)

1. Who has organised this ‘marriage’ and why?

2. How does Virgil show his disapproval in his description of the union between Aeneas and Dido in the cave?

Right: Dido shows Aeneas around Carthage.

Below: The day of the hunt.

The Plan and the ‘Marriage’ - Review (pgs.100-103)

1. Why does Juno want Aeneas and Dido to get married?

2. Explain the phrase: “The sky connived at their union”.

3. When Venus says: “I am subject to the Fates, whose design is obscure to me?”, how do we know she is lying?

4. Does Venus care about Dido? Does Juno? Explain your views.

5. “She called it a marriage. She used this word to screen her sin.” Read from p101. Does Aeneas view his relationship with Dido as a marriage?

“Hell hath no fury like a woman

scorned”From The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve

The Tragedy Unfolds (pgs.103-110)The plot is pushed along by a series of speeches from gods and mortals. Your task is to rewrite these speeches in plain English, in less than 30 words each.

- The African King Iarbas (p.103-4)

- Jupiter (p.104)

- Mercury (p.105)

- Dido (p.106)

- Aeneas (p.107-8)

- Dido (p.108-9)

- Dido (p.110)

Jupiter (p.104)

The African King Iarbas (p103-4) Mercury (p.105)

Dido (p.106)

Aeneas (pgs.107-8)

Dido (pgs.108-9 and p.110)

What should Dido do now? (p.113-114)

List the options other than death that Dido considers “in her fiery brain” (p.113-4)

Dido’s Curse (p.116)

“From then onwards shall you, my Phoenicians, torment with acts of pursuing hate all his descendants to come, each member of his line.”

(Dido, p.116)

Refer to handout: ‘Carthage: Historical Background’

1. How does this show Dido’s curse coming true?

2. Which famous Carthaginian is Dido’s ‘Avenger’? What did he do?

3. How did Rome’s conflict with Carthage end?

The Death Of Dido

Who is responsible for Dido’s death?

Make cases for the prosecution and defence of each of the following:

1) Aeneas 2) Dido

3) Juno 4) Jupiter

5) Venus / Cupid 6) Anna

‘Who Said That?’

The Character of Dido

Task – Compare Dido’s character in Book IV with how she is portrayed in Book I.

List aspects of Dido’s character that are revealed in Book IV, giving evidence to back up each aspect.

Aspect of Dido’s Character

Evidence

Respects the gods ‘Their first act was to visit the shrines and pray to the gods’ (pg 99)

Did Aeneas Love Dido?What evidence can you find from Book IV to suggest Aeneas loved Dido?

• The Cave ‘Marriage’

• Dressing in Tyrian purple – acting as King of Carthage

• Helping to supervise the building of Carthage

• Delaying/cancelling his trip to Italy

• “I shall never tire, Elissa, of your memory”

• Claims it is not his choice to venture onward

• He is described as “shaken to the depths, by the strength of his love”, after Mercury’s appearance.

Imagery in Book IV

1. A doe pieced by a shepherd’s arrow. (p.99)

3. The personification of Rumour (p.102)2. The god Apollo

(p.101)

4. A ‘Bacchanal’ (devotee of the god Bacchus) (p.106)

5. A strong oak tree (pg. 110-1)

7. Stories of Madness (p.111) – Pentheus + Orestes, son of Agamemnon

Explain the following images that appear in Book IV

6. Ants storing up food for the winter (p.109)