Book 1 promised home in Italy and that two of Aeneas’s descendants, Romulus

Virgil opens his epic poem by declaring its subject, “warfare and a man at and Remus, will find the mightiest empire in the world. Jupiter then sends
war,” and asking a muse, or goddess of inspiration, to explain the anger of a god down to the people of Carthage to make sure they behave
Juno, queen of the gods (I.1). The man in question is Aeneas, who is hospitably to the Trojans.
fleeing the ruins of his native city, Troy, which has been ravaged in a war
with Achilles and the Greeks. The surviving Trojans accompany Aeneas Aeneas remains unaware of the divine machinations that steer his course.
on a perilous journey to establish a new home in Italy, but they must While he is in the woods, Venus appears to him in disguise and relates
contend with the vindictive Juno. how Dido came to be queen of Carthage. Dido’s wealthy husband,
Sychaeus, who lived with her in Tyre (a city in Phoenicia, now Lebanon),
Juno harbours anger toward Aeneas because Carthage is her favourite was murdered for his gold by Pygmalion, her brother. Sychaeus appeared
city, and a prophecy holds that the race descended from the Trojans will to Dido as a ghost and advised her to leave Tyre with those who were
someday destroy Carthage. opposed to the tyrant Pygmalion. She fled, and the emigrant Phoenicians
settled across the sea in Libya. They founded Carthage, which has
Juno holds a permanent grudge against Troy because another Trojan, become a powerful city.
Paris, judged Juno’s rival Venus fairest in a divine beauty contest. Juno
calls on Aeolus, the god of the winds, directing him to bring a great storm Venus advises Aeneas to go into the city and talk to the queen, who will
down upon Aeneas as he sails south of Sicily in search of a friendly welcome him. Aeneas and his friend Achates approach Carthage,
harbor. Aeolus obeys, unleashing a fierce storm upon the battle-weary shrouded in a cloud that Venus conjures to prevent them from being seen.
Trojans. On the outskirts of the city, they encounter a shrine to Juno and are
amazed to behold a grand mural depicting the events of the Trojan War.
Aeneas watches with horror as the storm approaches. Winds and waves Their astonishment increases when they arrive in Dido’s court to find many
buffet the ships, knocking them off course and scattering them. As the of their comrades who were lost and scattered in the storm asking Dido for
tempest intensifies, Neptune, the god of the sea, senses the presence of aid in rebuilding their fleet. Dido gladly grants their request and says that
the storm in his dominion. He tells the winds that Aeolus has overstepped she wishes she could meet their leader. Achates remarks that he and
his bounds and calms the waters just as Aeneas’s fleet seems doomed. Aeneas were clearly told the truth regarding their warm welcome, and
Seven ships remain, and they head for the nearest land in sight: the coast Aeneas steps forward out of the cloud. Dido is awestruck and delighted to
of Libya. When they reach the shore, before setting out to hunt for food, a see the famous hero. She invites the Trojan leaders to dine with her in her
weary and worried Aeneas reminds his companions of previous, more palace.
deadly adversities they have overcome and the fated end toward which
they strive. Venus worries that Juno will incite the Phoenicians against her son. She
sends down another of her sons, Cupid, the god of love, who takes the
Meanwhile, on Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, Aeneas’s mother, form of Aeneas’s son, Ascanius. In this disguise, Cupid inflames the
Venus, observes the Trojans’ plight and begs Jupiter, king of the gods, to queen’s heart with passion for Aeneas. With love in her eyes, Dido begs
end their suffering. Jupiter assures her that Aeneas will eventually find his
Aeneas to tell the story of his adventures during the war and the seven Night falls, and while the city sleeps, Sinon opens the horse’s belly,
years since he left Troy. releasing the Greek warriors. The warriors kill the Trojan guards and open
the gates of the city to the rest of their forces. Meanwhile, Hector, the
Book 2 fallen leader of the Trojan army, appears to Aeneas in a dream and
Fulfilling Dido’s request, Aeneas begins his sorrowful story, adding that informs him that the city has been infiltrated. Climbing to his roof, Aeneas
retelling it entails reexperiencing the pain. He takes us back to ten years sees fighting everywhere and Troy in flames. He runs for arms and then
into the Trojan War: at the moment the tale begins, the Danaans (Greeks) heads for the heart of the city, joined by a few of his men.
have constructed a giant wooden horse with a hollow belly. They secretly
hide their best soldiers, fully armed, within the horse, while the rest of the Aeneas and his men surprise and kill many Greeks, but are too badly
Greek army lies low some distance from Troy. The sight of a massive outnumbered to make a difference. Eventually they go to King Priam’s
horse standing before their gates on an apparently deserted battlefield palace, where a battle is brewing. The Greeks, led by Pyrrhus, break into
baffles the Trojans. the palace. Pyrrhus kills Polites, the young son of Priam and Hecuba, and
then slaughters Priam on his own altar.
Near the horse, the Trojans find a Greek youth named Sinon. He explains
that the Greeks have wished to flee Troy for some time but were Aeneas continues relating his story: nearly overcome with grief over this
prevented by fierce storms. A prophet told them to sacrifice one of their slaughter, he sees Helen, the cause of the war, hiding. He determines to
own, and Sinon was chosen. But Sinon managed to escape during the kill her, but Venus appears and explains that blame for the war belongs
preparations, and the Greeks left him behind. The Trojans show him pity with the gods, not Helen. Venus advises Aeneas to flee Troy at once,
and ask the meaning of the great horse. Sinon says that it was an offering since his fate is elsewhere. Aeneas then proceeds to the house of his
to the goddess Minerva, who turned against the Greeks after the father, Anchises, but Anchises refuses to leave. But after omens
desecration of one of her temples by Ulysses. Sinon claims that if any appear—first a harmless tongue of flame on Ascanius’s forehead, then a
harm comes to the wooden statue, Troy will be destroyed by Minerva’s bright falling star in the sky—Anchises is persuaded to flee the city.
wrath, but if the Trojans install the horse within their city walls, they will rise
victorious in war against southern Greece, like a tidal wave, with Minerva Aeneas takes his father on his back and flees with his wife, Creusa, his
on their side. son, Ascanius, and many other followers. Unfortunately, in the commotion
Creusa is lost from the group. After everyone exits the city, Aeneas returns
Aeneas continues his story: after Sinon finishes speaking, two giant to search for her, but instead he meets her shade, or spirit. She tells him
serpents rise up from the sea and devour the Trojan priest Laocoön and not to be sorrowful because a new home and wife await him in Hesperia.
his two sons as punishment for hurling a spear at the horse. The snakes Somewhat comforted, Aeneas leaves Troy burning and leads the survivors
then slither up to the shrine of Minerva. The Trojans interpret the snakes’ into the mountains.
attack as an omen that they must appease Minerva, so they wheel the
horse into the city of Troy.
Book 3 are destined for Italy, she prophesies that the Trojans will not establish
Aeneas continues his story, recounting the aftermath of the fall of Troy. their city until hunger forces them to try to eat their very tables.
After escaping from Troy, he leads the survivors to the coast of Antander,
where they build a new fleet of ships. They sail first to Thrace, where Disturbed by the episode, the Trojans depart for the island of Leucata,
Aeneas prepares to offer sacrifices. When he tears at the roots and where they make offerings at a shrine to Apollo. Next, they set sail in the
branches of a tree, dark blood soaks the ground and the bark. The tree direction of Italy until they reach Buthrotum, in Chaonia. There, Aeneas is
speaks to him, revealing itself to be the spirit of Polydorus, son of Priam. astonished to discover that Helenus, one of Priam’s sons, has become
Priam had sent Polydorus to the king of Thrace to be safe from the war, king of a Greek city. Helenus and Andromachë had been taken by Pyrrhus
but when Troy fell, the Thracian king sided with the Greeks and killed as war prizes, but seized power over part of their captor’s kingdom after
Polydorus. he was killed.

After holding a funeral for Polydorus, Aeneas and the Trojans embark from Aeneas meets Andromachë and she relates the story of her and Helenus’s
Thrace with a sense of dread at the Thracian violation of the ethics of captivity. Helenus then arrives and advises Aeneas on the path ahead.
hospitality. They sail southward to the holy island of Delos. At Delos, Andromachë adds that to reach the western coast of Italy it is necessary to
Apollo speaks to Aeneas, instructing him to go to the land of his ancestors. take the long way around Sicily, to the south. The short path, a narrow gap
Anchises interprets Apollo’s remark as a reference to the island of Crete, of water between Sicily and Italy, is rendered practically impossible to
where one of the great Trojan forefathers—Teucrus, after whom the navigate by two potentially lethal hazards: Charybdis, a whirlpool, and
Trojans are sometimes called Teucrians—had long ago ruled. Scylla, a six-headed monster.

Aeneas and his group sail to Crete and began to build a new city, but a Following Andromachë’s instructions, Aeneas pilots his fleet along the
terrible plague soon strikes. The gods of Troy appear to Aeneas in a southern coast of Italy to Sicily, where Mount Etna is erupting in the
dream and explain that his father is mistaken: the ancestral land to which distance. Resting on a beach, the Trojans are startled by a ragged
Apollo referred is not Crete but Italy, the original home of Dardanus, from stranger who begs to be taken aboard. He was in the Greek army under
whom the Trojans take the name Dardanians. These hearth gods also Ulysses, and his crew was captured by a giant Cyclops on Sicily and
reassert the prophecy of Roman supremacy, declaring, “You must prepare barely escaped alive. He reports that Ulysses stabbed the monster in his
great walls for a great race” (III.223). one eye to allow their escape.

The Trojan refugees take to the sea again. A cover of black storm clouds As the stranger finishes telling the Trojans his tale, the blinded Cyclops
hinders them. They land at the Strophades, islands of the Harpies, fierce nearly stumbles upon the group. The Trojans make a quick escape with
bird-creatures with feminine faces. The Trojans slaughter many cows and the Greek straggler, just as the other Cyclopes come down to the shore.
goats that are roaming free and hold a feast, provoking an attack from the Sailing around Sicily, they pass several recognizable landmarks before
Harpies. To no avail, the Trojans attempt to fight the Harpies off, and one landing at Drepanum, where Aeneas endures yet another unexpected
of the horrible creatures places a curse upon them. Confirming that they loss: his father’s death.
Aeneas turns to Dido and concludes his story by saying that divine will has While Aeneas pities her, he maintains that he has no choice but to follow
driven him to her shores. the will of the gods: “I sail for Italy not of my own free will” (IV.499). As a
last effort, Dido sends Anna to try to persuade the Trojan hero to stay, but
Book 4 to no avail.
The flame of love for Aeneas that Cupid has lit in Dido’s heart only grows
while she listens to his sorrowful tale. She hesitates, though, because after Dido writhes between fierce love and bitter anger. Suddenly, she appears
the death of her husband, Sychaeus, she swore that she would never calm and instructs Anna to build a great fire in the courtyard. There, Dido
marry again. On the other hand, as her sister Anna counsels her, by says, she can rid Aeneas from her mind by burning all the clothes and
marrying Aeneas she would increase the might of Carthage, because weapons he has left behind and even the bed they slept on. Anna obeys,
many Trojan warriors follow Aeneas. For the moment, consumed by love, not realizing that Dido is in fact planning her own death—by making the
Dido allows the work of city building to fall by the wayside. fire her own funeral pyre. As night falls, Dido’s grief leaves her sleepless.
Aeneas does sleep, but in his dreams, Mercury visits him again to tell him
Juno sees Dido’s love for Aeneas as a way to keep Aeneas from going to that he has delayed too long already and must leave at once. Aeneas
Italy. Pretending to make a peace offering, Juno suggests to Venus that awakens and calls his men to the ships, and they set sail.
they find a way to get Dido and Aeneas alone together. If they marry, Juno
suggests, the Trojans and the Tyrians would be at peace, and she and Dido sees the fleet leaving and falls into her final despair. She can no
Venus would end their feud. Venus knows Juno is just trying to keep the longer bear to live. Running out to the courtyard, she climbs upon the pyre
Trojans from Italy but allows Juno to go ahead anyway. and unsheathes a sword Aeneas has left behind. She throws herself upon
the blade and with her last words curses her absent lover. As Anna and
One day when Dido, her court, and Aeneas are out hunting, Juno brings a the servants run up to the dying queen, Juno takes pity on Dido and ends
storm down upon them to send the group scrambling for shelter and her suffering and her life.
arranges for Aeneas and Dido to wind up in a cave by themselves. They
make love in the cave and live openly as lovers when they return to Book 5
Carthage. Dido considers them to be married though the union has yet to Massive storm clouds greet the Trojan fleet as it embarks from Carthage,
be consecrated in ceremony. Anxious rumors spread that Dido and hindering the approach to Italy. Aeneas redirects the ships to the Sicilian
Aeneas have surrendered themselves entirely to lust and have begun to port of Eryx, where his friend and fellow Trojan Acestes rules. After landing
neglect their responsibilities as rulers. and being welcomed by Acestes, Aeneas realizes that it is the one-year
anniversary of his father’s death. He proposes eight days of sacrificial
When Jupiter learns of Dido and Aeneas’s affair, he dispatches Mercury to offerings and a ninth day of competitive games, including rowing, running,
Carthage to remind Aeneas that his destiny lies elsewhere and that he javelin, and boxing, in honor of his father.
must leave for Italy. This message shocks Aeneas—he must obey, but he
does not know how to tell Dido of his departure. He tries to prepare his When the ninth day arrives, the festivities begin with a rowing race. Four
fleet to set sail in secret, but the queen suspects his ploy and confronts galleys participate, each piloted by one of Aeneas’s captains and manned
him. In a rage, she insults him and accuses him of stealing her honor. by many eager youths. A suitable distance is marked off along the
coastline and the race starts, with many spectators cheering from the distributes flaming torches among them, inciting them to burn the Trojan
beaches. Gyas, piloting the ship Chimaera, leads during the first half of the ships so that the men will be forced to build their new city here, in Sicily.
race. But at the turnaround point, his helmsman takes the turn too wide, Persuaded, the angry women set fire to the fleet. The Trojan men see the
and his boat falls behind. Down the final stretch, Sergestus takes the lead, smoke and rush up the beach. They douse the ships with water but fail to
but plows into the rocks. Cloanthus and Mnestheus race together to the extinguish the flames. Finally, Aeneas prays to Jupiter to preserve the
finish, but Cloanthus prays to Neptune, who causes him to win. Lavish fleet, and immediately a rainstorm hits, ending the conflagration.
prizes are bestowed upon the competitors—even upon Sergestus, after he
dislodges his ship from the rocks. The incident shakes Aeneas, and he ponders whether he should be
satisfied with settling in peace on the Sicilian coast. His friend Nautes, a
Next comes the footrace. Nisus leads for most of the way, but slips on seer, offers better advice: they should leave some Trojans—the old, the
sacrificial blood near the finish. Euryalus wins the race, but Aeneas, as frail, the injured, and the women weary of sailing—in the care of Acestes.
generous as before, hands out prizes to all the competitors. Next, the Aeneas considers this plan, and that night the ghost of his father appears
mighty Trojan Dares puts on his gauntlets (heavy fighting gloves) and to him, advising him to listen to Nautes. The spirit also tells him that
challenges anyone to box with him. No one rises to the challenge at first, Aeneus is going to have to fight a difficult foe in Latium, but must first visit
but Acestes finally persuades his fellow Sicilian Entellus—a great boxer the underworld to speak more with Anchises.
now past his prime—to step into the ring. They begin the match, pounding
each other with fierce blows. Younger and more agile, Dares darts quicker Aeneas does not know the meaning of his father’s mysterious prediction,
than Entellus. When he dodges a punch from Entellus, Entellus tumbles to but the next day he describes it to Acestes, who consents to host those
the ground. Entellus gets up, though, and attacks Dares with such who do not wish to continue to Italy after the Trojan fleet departs. Venus,
fierceness that Aeneas decides to call an end to the match. Entellus backs fearing more tricks from Juno, worries about the group’s safety at sea. She
off, but to show what he could have done to Dares, he kills a bull—the pleads with Neptune to let Aeneas reach Italy without harm. Neptune
prize—with a single devastating punch that spills the beast’s brains. agrees to allow them safe passage across the waters, demanding,
however, that one of the crew perish on the voyage, as a sort of sacrifice
Next, the archery contest commences. Eurytion wins by shooting a dove for the others. On the voyage, Palinurus, the lead captain of Aeneas’s
out of the sky, but Acestes causes a spectacular stir when his arrow fleet, falls asleep at the helm and falls into the sea.
miraculously catches fire in midair. Finally, the youths of Troy and Sicily
ride out on horseback to demonstrate their technique. They charge at each Book 6
other in a mock battle exercise, impressing their fathers with their skill and At last, the Trojan fleet arrives on the shores of Italy. The ships drop
audacity. anchor off the coast of Cumae, near modern-day Naples. Following his
father’s instructions, Aeneas makes for the Temple of Apollo, where the
Meanwhile, Juno’s anger against the Trojans has not subsided. She Sibyl, a priestess, meets him. She commands him to make his request.
dispatches Iris, her messenger, down to the Trojan women, who are Aeneas prays to Apollo to allow the Trojans to settle in Latium. The
further along the beach from where the men enjoy their sport. Iris stirs priestess warns him that more trials await in Italy: fighting on the scale of
them to riot, playing on their fear of further journey and more battles. She the Trojan War, a foe of the caliber of the Greek warrior Achilles, and
further interference from Juno. Aeneas inquires whether the Sibyl can gain sinners, and terrible tortures are carried out. Finally, Aeneas and the Sibyl
him entrance to Dis, so that he might visit his father’s spirit as directed. come to the Blessed Groves, where the good wander about in peace and
The Sibyl informs him that to enter Dis with any hope of returning, he must comfort. At last, Aeneas sees his father. Anchises greets him warmly and
first have a sign. He must find a golden branch in the nearby forest. She congratulates him on having made the difficult journey. He gladly answers
instructs him that if the bough breaks off the tree easily, it means fate calls some of Aeneas’s many questions, regarding such issues as how the
Aeneas to the underworld. If Aeneas is not meant to travel there, the dead are dispersed in Dis and how good souls can eventually reach the
bough will not come off the tree. Fields of Gladness. But with little time at hand, Anchises presses on to the
reason for Aeneas’s journey to the underworld—the explication of his
Aeneas looks in dismay at the size of the forest, but after he says a prayer, lineage in Italy. Anchises describes what will become of the Trojan
a pair of doves descends and guides him to the desired tree, from which descendants: Romulus will found Rome, a Caesar will eventually come
he manages to tear the golden branch. The hero returns to the priestess from the line of Ascanius, and Rome will reach a Golden Age of rule over
with the token, and she leads him to the gate of Dis. the world. Finally, Aeneas grasps the profound significance of his long
journey to Italy. Anchises accompanies Aeneas out of Dis, and Aeneas
Just inside the gate runs the river Acheron. The ferryman Charon delivers returns to his comrades on the beach. At once, they pull up anchor and
the spirits of the dead across the river; however, Aeneas notices that some move out along the coast.
souls are refused passage and must remain on the near bank. The Sibyl
explains that these are the souls of dead people whose corpses have not
received proper burial. With great sadness, Aeneas spots Palinurus
among the undelivered. Charon explains to the visitors that no living
bodies may cross the river, but the Sibyl shows him the golden branch.
Appeased, Charon ferries them across. On the other side, Aeneas stands
aghast, hearing the wailing of thousands of suffering souls. The spirits of
the recently deceased line up before Minos for judgment.

Nearby are the Fields of Mourning, where those who died for love wander.
There, Aeneas sees Dido. Surprised and saddened, he speaks to her, with
some regret, claiming that he left her not of his own will. The shade of the
dead queen turns away from him toward the shade of her husband,
Sychaeus, and Aeneas sheds tears of pity.

Aeneas continues to the field of war heroes, where he sees many