Dido's descent into madness

Dido's descent into madness

1. Previous tragedy

   • Husband Sychaeus was murdered
     • "The man..has carried away all my love"
   • Brother Pygmalion was the murderer
   • Fled her homeland Tyre (Middle East)

2. Used by Venus

   • hospitable to Aeneas
   • Cupid impersonates Ascanius Iulus
   • Keeping Aeneas safe from Juno
   • "the flame was eating the soft marrow of her bones"
     • "Anna lit a fire of wild hope"
       • "Dido was on fire with love"
   • "the wound lived quietly under her breast"

3. "Love's deadly wound, feeding it with her blood"

   • "like a wounded doe"

4. "being consumed by [love's] hidden fire"

5. No longer a strong leader for her people

   • "the towers she was building cease to rise"
   • "all the work that had been started...all stood idle"

6. Vow not to marry again "Dido's conscience"

   • Rejected Iarbas

7. "alone and wretched"

   • "she would cling to the couch Aeneas had left"

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