The Tragic Queen of Carthage

Something that this Chapter has made clear for me, and that I find quite interesting, is that Virgil writes from the perspective of the Gods. It makes sense that if this book is to become the history of Rome, readers should be endowed with a sense of god-like authority in the text.
From the point of view of the narrator, Gods are given credit for all that takes place on earth. Humans are but the pawns that gods utilize in their affairs.

So, on the surface, Dido's love for Aeneas is created entirely from cupids arrow, at least that's how the narrators tells it. But if one looks deeper, and has any faith in human souls and self-control, it seems Dido fell for Aeneas before Cupid ever entered the scene. Having experienced hardships herself, hearing Aeneas' tale of suffering evokes compassion towards him. Although hesitant to pursue him, it is because she does not want to attach herself to him and lose dedication to her duty as queen. What seems to differ Dido from Aeneas is that she perceives her duty to be self-determined, to have some control over her own fate. Aeneas on the other hand, can feel free of obligation and responsibility because all of his actions he feels are 'dictated by the gods'. He has the mind-set that control belongs only to the gods, and accepts whatever fate they may bestow on him.

After the two become unofficially married, and Dido becomes deeply attached, Aeneas is able to console himself in leaving by saying, he has a fate predetermined by the Gods. This makes Dido's story far more tragic. In her final attempt to control her fate and be free from the twisted, tortuous games of the gods, she throws herself into death. Of course, this fits exactly into the plans of Venus, and proves that she has no control.

What are the gods anyway? This chapter seems to represent them as nothing but an array of emotions. Any human being overcome with any emotion, has been employed by a god for some purpose. Is freedom, to have absolute control of ones emotions? Is this even possible? If Dido had accepted her fate, controlled her emotions, and thus destroyed Venus' plan, would she have been at all free? It certainly would not have made a better story if she had.


*I hope this made sense...