Detailed Synopsis of books examined in The

Aeneid
Book 1 Storm and Banquet

Virgil invokes the muse. The opening proem of Virgil states Aeneas was a man
fated to be an exile: a great pounding he took by land and sea at the hands of
the heavenly god because of the fierce and unforgetting anger of Juno.

Also Virgil states Great too were his sufferings in war. This was the
beginning of the Latin race and the high walls of Rome.

Junos anger in outlined:

1) Carthage is her favoured city, even more than Samos, which Rome will sack.
In Carthage she keeps her armour and chariot, she intended to give her people
sovereignty over the earth, the fates would not allow it.
2) She is still remembers her involvement in the Trojan War and the slight to her
beauty by the judgement of Paris.
3) She is furious of honours done for Ganymede, a Trojan boy, made immortal
cupbearer of Jupiter.

Juno bribes Aeolus with the most beautiful of her fourteen nymphs, Deiopea,
whom she promises will joined in lawful wedlock and give him beautiful children.
Aeolus strikes the mountain with the butt of his spear and releases the winds on
the Trojans.

The Trojans suffer; Aeneas raises his hands to the skies and cries that those who
died beneath the high walls of Troy with their fathers watching were many times
more fortunate. (parallel to Odysseus)

Neptune is moved to anger as he sees the disturbance in his kingdom and upon
emerging recognises the anger and cunning of Juno. Sends the winds away and
calms the sea.

Aeneas and seven ships land on Carthage, Aeneas sets out with Achates, they
hunt and take down seven stags, one for each ship. Aeneas returns and makes
an encouraging speech to his men reminding them of the suffering they have
already faced at the hands of the Scylla and the Cyclops. Aeneas masks the
misery deep in his heart.

Venus approaches Jupiter with her shining eyes brimming with tears,
complains of the suffering of the Trojans all because of the hatred of Juno.

Jupiters Prophecy which is part of the scroll of the Fates:

1) Aeneas will be deified and taken up to the stars of heaven.

2) Aeneas after a great war will defeat the tribes of Italy. Here he will
build walls for his people and establish a city, ruling for three
years.
3) Ascanius will rule for thirty years and build a new kingdom in Alba
Longa, here the rule of the race of Hector will last for three
hundred years.
4) Romulus will found Rome, on Romans Jupiter imposes no limits of
time or place and has given them an empire that will know no end.
5) Juno will come to better counsel and join with the cherishing of
Romans, the rulers of the world, the race that wears the toga.
6) Romans will subjugate the Greeks reducing Mycenae to slavery
and will conquer and rule the city of Argos.
7) Julius Caesar will be made a god
8) Rome will be at peace with justice, without war; the Gates of War
will be closed.

Jupiter sends Mercury down to Carthage to make sure Dido is not hostile to the
Trojans; the queen takes into her heart a feeling of quiet and kindness to the
Trojans.

Aeneas sets out with Achates in the morning to explore Carthage. Venus appears
to them, disguised as a Tyrian girl but and looking like a Spartan girl out hunting,
Aeneas immediately recognises her as divine, wondering if she is Diana or a
nymph.

Venus informs then that this is a Phoenician kingdom, but the land belongs to the
Libyans. Dido, who came from the city of Tyre, is the leader. She outline Didos
story (Sychaeus and Dido wed. Didos brother Pygmalion is power hungry. He kills
Sychaeus and lies to Dido, to prevent her from discovering his crime. However,
Sychaeus appears to Dido in a dream, bruised and dead. He tells her what has
happened, and then helps her unearth hidden wealth. Dido, with willing
followers, escaped and arrived in Libya. She bought a piece of land, as large as
the hide of a bull, which is now known as Carthage.)

Aeneas is about to tell Venus about the hardship he has encountered, but Venus
interrupts him and sends him to the queens door and informs him that his
comrades are restored and his fleet is returned.

Venus reads an omen of Zeus: 12 swans flying in formation (representing

Aeneas ships) and the eagle of Zeus (representing the storm) was scattering
them. Some are reaching land some have already reached it.

As Venus turns away her neck shone with a rosy light and her hair breathed the
divine odour of ambrosia, Aeneas recognised his mother and chastises her. Why
do you so often mock me your own son with these disguises? You are too cruel.
Why am I never allowed to take you hand in mine?

As Aeneas approaches the city, Venus hides him and Achates in a great veil of
cloud, protecting her son.

Aeneas is amazed at the beginnings of civilisation in Carthage: the paved streets,

building the citadel, drawing up laws and electing magistrates and a senate,
laying deep foundation for a theatre (perhaps a stage to the tragedy of Dido?).
Carthage is like a hive seething with activity and its people, like bees in the
beginning of summer. Aeneas exclaims that their walls are already rising.

The first Ekphrasis of the epic takes place as Aeneas is moved by the depiction of
The Trojan War on a frieze on the doors of Junos temple. Aeneas cries a river of
tears as he gazes at the scene; he is lost in amazement.

Dido arrives at the temple, described like Diana leading the dance on the banks
of the Eurotas, in the doorway of the goddess, under the middle of the vault of
the temple; she took her seat with armed guards around her.

Aeneas and Achates are stunned with joy and fear as they see there surviving
comrades, Ilioneus, the oldest of them, speaks to Dido announces them as
suppliants and tells of their suffering.

Book 2 The Fall of Troy

Aeneas begins by saying no man could speak of such things and not weep, not
even a follower of Ulixes, nor the Myrmidons of Achilles.

Book 4 Dido

Dido by this point had long since been suffering from loves deadly wound, she is
madly in love with Aeneas. Emphasising this affliction is that his features and the
words he had spoken had pierced her heart and love gave her body no peace or
rest.

Dido admits to her sister Anna that Aeneas since the death of Sychaeus is the
only man who has stirred her feeling and moved her mind to waver. Anna
however encourages the match lighting a fire of wild love in her sisters breast.

Dido and Anna sacrifice yearling sheep to the gods for guidance

Book 6 The Underworld

Book 7 War in Latium
Book 8 Aeneas in Rome
Book 10 Pallas and Mezentius

Dido arrives at the temple, described like Diana leading the dance on the banks
of the Eurotas, in the doorway of the goddess, under the middle of the vault of
the temple; she took her seat with armed guards around her.

Aeneas and Achates are stunned with joy and fear as they see there surviving
comrades, Ilioneus, the oldest of them, speaks to Dido announces them suppliant
and tells of their suffering

Book 12 Truce and duel

When Turnus sees the line of the Latins broken, he burned with implacable rage
and just as a lion in the fields round carthage

Aeneas and Achates are stunned with joy and fear as they see there surviving
comrades, Ilioneus, the oldest of them, speaks to Dido announces them suppliant
and tells of their suffering