Discuss the conflict between pietas and furor in the relationship of Aeneas and Dido. How does the concept of Stoicism in Rome help you, as a modern reader, to understand the conflict of duty and love as a conflict of pietas and furor?
Pietas and Furor are quite complicated philosophical phenomena. Pietas symbolises peace, calmness and a strong devotion to doing one’s duty. In Rome it was believed that an ideal citizen should first of all think about how to carry out the duties and not about the fulfilment of his own needs. Those duties concerned the devotion to the gods (constant belief and religious obedience), to the state itself (unbreakable patriotism and readiness to defend your country at any moment), to the followers (being a great leader who values justice) and finally to the family (care about your nearest and dearest, be devoted to them as well as to the other important factors). At the same time Furor means acting arrogantly, selfishly, impulsively, doing something without thinking, even acting violently. These are two opposite notions that exist in every human being and fight with each other. Thus we can name it the war between Duty and Passion and discover how it is applied to the characters of Aeneas and Dido.
The tragic love of Dido to Aeneas began with libido. When driven by the will of the gods Trojans, heading to Italy, came to the shores of Libya — to Carthage that was founded and developed by Dido. In the evening at the banquet hosted in honour of the guests listening to Aeneas, the queen "absorbed love”(Vergil). But erotic beginning will have a sad ending for this woman. Virgil says that very close to the others she looks unhappy and cannot turn her look from Aeneas, destined for future suffering (Vergil). And since that moment ruthless fate will do the trick to Dido, though Virgil shows sympathy to the Carthaginian queen.
At the first meeting with Aeneas she is royally grand sitting on a high throne at the temple of Juno, surrounded by a crowd of young people and builders. She is different because of her high moral character features like piety, honour and dignity (Vergil). Her humanity is manifested in demeanour. The queen speaks to the Trojans' with her face down; ashamed of the harsh reception they felt here at first. She seduces Aeneas generosity, the ability to empathise with another's grief. But all this saves it from disaster. Doomed for the future suffering, Dido is "unfortunate." However, Dido’s love is not blind passion, it is explained by the nature of her own soul (Vergil). The story of Aeneas, his deeds, generosity awaken related strings in her heart.
Dido herself fled from Tyre after her beloved husband Sihey was treacherously killed by her brother Pygmalion. Having suffered a similar fate, Dido gladly accepts Trojans. She sincerely sympathise with misfortune Troy, rumours that have circled the world. Built by Dido temple of Juno painted with vivid images and moving scenes from the history of the Trojan War. A special impression on her fate Aeneas, causing her heart not only compassion, but at the same time love. But Dido does not hold herself, she, like Aeneas, depends on the faith that is divine in nature.
Virgil sincerely believed in the celestial forces that rule the world. What happens to Dido is not just a psychological process. It is managed by the gods course of future events — clash of Rome and Carthage. It not only leads to the death of Dido, but also to the death of Carthage. The events in the "Aeneid" create two backgrounds. They unfold on earth and in heaven. Aeneas and Dido embody two historical forces — Rome and Carthage, and from the top they are controlled by Jupiter and Juno, patroness of Carthage. Earthly events are totally dependent on the air. Once entered into force plan to combine marriage of Aeneas and Dido, things started to happen by themselves.
Initially, the queen tries to resist his passion and remains devoted to Siheyu (Vergil). She is bound by the oath to remain unblemished. In fact, she curses herself:
And let under me better spread
Deep into the land, even to the mighty shadows father lan thunder of heaven will send me a bottomless darkness (Vergil)
This curse come true. Her sister Anna — Dido’s friend and adviser — shares queen’s admiration of Aeneas. She convinces her that the kingdom needs protection and Carthage would flourish because of Aeneas. Aeneas captures Dido’s attention not only with the high qualities of character — heroism, courage, noble family, majestic bearing, but the queen herself wants the glory embodied in Carthage. Anna awakens in Dido hope for the family, the joy of motherhood "will not discover the joys and pleasures of Venus to have children” (Vergil). After talking to Anna her passion pulled up burning with invisible fire. Like crazy she wanders through the city, sacrifices
gods, wondering the innards of sacrificial animals, eagerly examining them. And nothing
Love as a disease affects the entire body of Dido. Virgil subtly conveys sufferings of Dido, resorting to striking comparison. Dido — "deer, wounded with a deadly arrow":
Which hit boom.
In the forest Cretan shepherd that sprinkles arrows around
And does not care about where the one who has departed(Vergil)
The comparison is full of deep meaning, lit compassion and humanity. A woman is vulnerable to the elements of passion, but Aeneas is not the only one to blame, who hurt her unintentionally — “At her side all the time STREAM deadly arrow” (Vergil).
Proud Queen of Carthage gradually loses her royal grandeur. There is a comparison in the poem with a Bacchae who in despair wanders around the city — evidence that the dark destructive forces of chaos and demonic elements are dumped on her. The tragedy of the queen is scheduled in the first book, clearly developed in the story about the drain that Dido and Aeneas caught while hunting, hiding in a deep cave. However, Hymen was not merciful:
The sky burnt
I responded to this marriage; Nymphs wept on the mountains.
And the very first moment of grief and death cause was.
At the cry of man does not pay attention, do not care about fame:
Calls the couple to name their sin Meanwhile decorate (Vergil)
After this episode soon come the changes. Gods remind Aeneas of his destination and he is preparing to sail from Carthage. Virgil develops the tragic denouement with great care, with every action of increasing mental anguish of Dido. Wonder and remorse change with proud feelings, offended honour, contempt and hatred — honour appears to be destroyed. At first Dido humbly begs to delay departure. Events are growing rapidly, and the queen who lost her honour and dignity, now dreams of revenge.
On representations of ancient man, revenge for the insult was considered a sacred duty; it restored inflicted moral damage. So the queen’s behaviour is justified in terms of traditional morality. But Dido’s revenge to Aeneas is not only enmity between Carthage and Rome, which she bequeaths to posterity. Dido's death — the only way for the revival of her past grandeur and glory. She decides to do that with a lot of efforts, in the pain and hesitation she spends her last days. And next to her — sympathetic, struck with her grief Virgil, closely eyeing to what is happening.
Dido’s expression of suffering is the description of the night the day before the death of the queen. Mental anguish of Dido the poet submits here against the backdrop of cool silence tired of labor mother nature, all living creatures that inhabit the world, freed from daily worries, all cosmic elements, subdued and lulled by the darkness of the night. Only Dido is tireless in her grief.
The tragedy of Dido increases when the queen saw in the sea Trojan ships, the last time she is attacked by the desire of revenge. In a violent curse to the descendants of Aeneas and his implacable hostility she predicts the imminent birth of nations and the avenger of Hannibal:
May the friendship between our nations will
And no unions, even from our bones will rise once Avenger!(Vergil)
At the beginning of the fifth book, when Aeneas sailed from Carthage, he looks at the burning walls and leaves Dido forever. Virgil depicts Aeneas as the one who has overcome passion. In the struggle between personal will and fate Aeneas abandons himself in the name of mission.
Death for Dido — the only relief from suffering. The foolish thoughts of terrible concept, with bloody spots on her cheeks, pale at the thought of her end, she goes on fire, convincing herself that death brings anguish. Climbing on fire, Dido kills herself with a sword, a gift once Aeneas gave her, cursing him: “ And let it be the death of my eternal curse” (Vergil).
Sympathizing Dido, Virgil equates queen’s passion with the disease, terrible flood disaster, catastrophe. Her love to Aeneas — “fierce," "ruthless," "merciless" love; she is "unfortunate" because of the "terrible thoughts," "raging with bloody eyes." Though all the pages of the fourth book "The Aeneid" we can see the spirit of high tragedy soaring.
However, the fate of Dido Aeneas will bring again - already the last time. Aeneas Dido meet with shadow in the realm of the dead, the "grief box" where were those who “were eagerly knocked down by tough and merciless love." Among them Dido will be walking "with a fresh wound." Aeneas appeals to her with gentle words so as to reduce the burning anger frown but Dido does not want to talk to Aeneas and steps back into the grove to her husband Sihey. She will not forgive him his death.
Virgil condemns Dido’s love for Aeneas as pernicious, destructive force. The poet draws a parallel between the natural rage in the animal world and the human passion: greed, selfishness, considering their options insatiable covetousness. This is also the mad fury and passion. However, cleared and perfect love in the Platonic sense the poet does not deny. It starts with a love for their native land, beauty and reigns in all his works. This love for nature that permeates the artistic world of the poet, to their lares and Penates, love for parents and parent-parent love, mutually-friendly love between twin souls, after all — the love of all things: the trees, heavenly bodies, space life.
In the first book Aeneas’ Furor is expressed by regretting leaving Troy and unwillingness to accept his fate. His Pietas we can observe in how responsibly he cares about his crew which is his duty as a true Roman. At this time unlike Aeneas Dido is dedicated to gods, “At this spot Dido the Phoenician was beginning to build a vast and sumptuous temple for Juno”. She also wants to help Trojans, “I shall help you depart in safety under my protection and give you aid from my possessions” (Vergil). Then Aeneas steps into battle and leaves his family without defence, “Frantic in my fury I had no time for decisions; I only remembered that death in battle is glorious” (Vergil). His desire to kill Helen for all the deaths she led to is very strong, “And it was then that I saw her, Helen the Tynarid I was filled with rage to avenge my home”(Vergil). Aeneas’ decision to go back and find Creusa was extremely selfish and risky as he should have lead those Trojans that remained, “I was mad with horror; i upbraided every deity, and cursed the whole human race” (Vergil). This proves that the opposition between Furor and Pietas continues throughout the whole story. After all his impulsiveness Aeneas starts to worry about his family, “I pictured to myself my own dear father I pictured Creusa, left forlorn, and the pillage of my home, and the fate of my little Iulus” (Vergil). Finally he takes the lead and heads with the remaining Trojans away from Troy understanding that it is his duty “they had come there from everywhere aroundfor me to lead them to any land which I might chose beyond the sea” (vergil). This was the expression of Pietas in Aeneas’s behaviour.
It is worth mentioning that Dido’s passion for Aeneas was uncontrolled, “Dido drunk the maddening poison into her very bones; she is ablaze with love” (Vergil). Her acts are impulsive as well as she does not care about the consequences that might appear afterwards, “Dido cared no more for appearances or her good name, and ceased to take any thought for secrecy in her love” (Vergil). Of course, that is why she gets so furious when discovers that Aeneas wanted to leave without letting her know, “Traitor, did you actually believe that you could disguise so wicked a deed and leave my country without a word?” (Vergil) Thus the queen lets the grief take over her and chooses suicide over her beloved people “so agony prevailed; and Dido was possessed by demon powers”. “She had fallen upon the blade” (Vergil). Here her Pietas is shown in sacrificing to the gods for their approval of her match , “their first act was to visit the shrines” (Vergil). Eventually the last time we can observe Furor in Aeneas’ behaviour is when he neglects his duties, people and destiny “they were now spending all the long winter togethercaught in the snare of shameful passion, with never a thought of their royal duty”. However, we can also notice when he finally controls his passion and decides to stick to his duty for his son, followers and Rome itself, “Italy must be my love and homeland now” (Vergil). That is why I strongly believe that the so-called war between these two different notions Furor and Pietas never stop in Virgil’s work as they are embodied in every human being’s nature.
Stoicism played a huge role in Vergil’s “Aeneid” as well. Actually, it is closely related to the opposition between Furor and Pietas. Stoics were always known for the desire to be accorded with the nature and the universe. That is why they were trying to follow the god or in other words the fate.
Juno and Venus manipulated these two souls that we are discussing. They are playing with them which for them is a game but for Dido and Aeneas it is fate that they cannot avoid. The blind following of gods’ will and the designated fate is probably the main characteristic of stoic ideas in ancient Rome. In this case Pietas is an implementation of stoicism. Aeneas proves to stick to stoicism more than Dido who by her woman nature is more vulnerable and tempted by feelings. Even though she tried to stick to her duties, she surrendered and let her people down. At the same time Aeneas fought his desires and passion and showed his stoicism by deciding to leave Dido and come back home to his family and fellows. The queen Dido lack that faith in destiny and gods that Aeneas has. That is why her character is so tragic and her passions overcome her and lead to death. Virgil in his turn also expresses his stoic devotion by warning the readers that uncontrolled love cannot bring anything good, "What good are shrines and vows to maddened lovers? The inward fire eats the soft marrow away, And the internal wound bleeds on in silence.” Even when Dido realises that their relationship with Aeneas is doomed she is unable anyway to change anything, "What am I saying? Where am I? What madness takes me out of myself? Dido poor soul, Your evil doing has come home to you” (Vergil).
All in all, the conflict between pietas and furor in the Dido and Aeneas’ relationship can be understood through principles of stoicism which was popular in in ancient Rome. By following stoic ideas pietas should always win in belief of Romans. When someone tries not to obey their fate and the gods like Dido and Aeneus from time to time, nothing good is waiting for them..only troubles and pities. That is what Virgil is trying to show his readers and prove that only by following gods’ will and sticking to your duties you can have a bright future in the society the part of which you are and should care about. Any impulsive decisions without thinking lead to bad results and unfortunate just like the tragic character of Dido appeared to be. Aeneas at the same time proves that by following stoicism you will gain honour and make your state stronger and proud.
Works cited
Virgil. The Aeneid. Classics, Web. 28 Feb 2016
