Playing House

In book four I found it very interesting how Venus and Juno used Dido and Aeneas as pawns in their game they were playing. This romance which originated from the gods (Cupid) was set into motion by the storm brought on by Juno and continued when the gods ultimately manipulated them into the cave. It's as if the gods are simply playing house with human lives.

For a moment, we see the gods half way, kind of, sort of, almost agreeing on something. Juno and Venus work together to get the lovers together. The reader finally sees some sort of accord among the gods. However, reading on it's clear we spoke too soon. Another god's prompting (Jupiter) breaks up the affair by telling Aeneas to leave. Thus, the romantic flame is ended in flames and the gods' great game of house continues on.

P.S. I commented on Abbey's post!

Held in High Esteem

It's so interesting to me that in these ancient epics so full of blood and conquest, you often have these semi random interludes of the protagonist with someone who is rejected. There is Odysseus with both Circe an Calypso, and now there is Aeneas and Dido. It's as though the ancient authors recognized the significance of conquest and land and adventure, and equated it to this struggle for acceptance and love. Now it seems that their perceptions of love were a bit off from what you and I would probably define them as, but still, this is how they perceived it. It's really sad to me how in nearly every instance, the person is rejected. Still it's fascinating to me that in a world of so much power and warfare, etc, the matters of the heart are deemed in near equal importance.

On ze Kennedy's

Fear of Death

When Aeneas gets to the underworld one of the first things he sees are the interesting “monsters”.  But then he is unafraid because they are ghost.  That is so weird to thing about, because most people in today’s world would be more scared?  Anyway, If it’s not a stretch i think the imagery here may represent our fear of death.  It seems that throughout works we read that discuss any form of an after life or underworld, tend to have some draw to the fear of it. 


Comment

The Dark Abyss

This books descriprion of the underworld is much different then what I have encountered in past Greek literature. I've always imagined the underworld to be like it was expressed in Disney's brillant adaptation of Hercules. I imagined all the dead just wondering in a dark abyss, groaning. While reading I couldn't help but think to myself that if you were a good person it wouldn't be all that bad. I would be roaming in a beautiful, peaceful field. However, if you were to die out of love or not been burried properly, not so much... I enjoyed reading this excert.

P.S. I posted on Jeremy's.

Greek vs. Roman Underworlds

The differences between the Greek and Roman perception of the Underworld were unexpected to me. I expected for us to go to the Underworld we had to sail and offer a sacrifice then guard the blood, but instead we pluck a flower and travel down a cave. I was kinda disappointed, until I read the great detail and expansion that Virgil made on our knowledge of the Underworld. Unlike Homer, who does introduce us to various interesting ghosts, Virgil takes us on a literal tour of the Underworld. And unlike in The Odyssey, these ghosts are happy and know what's going on. Well the ones that aren't in torment. Was there a shift in the imagery of the Underworld between the time of the Greeks and Romans? For the Greeks, the Underworld was full of hopelessness and decay, but the Romans display forms of reward for those who are worthy. Maybe the Romans were trying to imply Plato's idea that the men should not fear death, but welcome it.

I commented on Collin's.

Scruples

I love the imagery used when Dido is convinced by Anna's advice to let her romantic passions take over. The intricate layout of the sacrifices is kind of beautiful in a weird macabre manner. But glorious macabre. It's intriguing that this slaughterhouse bloodbath also comes after the comment that Dido forgot her scruples. Immediately following this we see that the prophetic vision of Æneas is falling apart. All the projects are forgotten. I thought of the Republic. The city's guardian has forgotten her (insert greek word for soul that I don't know how to spell) and her city is in shambles.
P. S. I commented on Ashley's. 

Hell

I thought the portrayal of hell was interesting for a few reasons. First, the souls of those who were there seemed more human than spirit. They were still bound by human experiences. For example, Dido still held a grudge against Aeneas, and turned and walked away from him as he tried to speak. It would seem as though a soul wouldn't be limited to mortal emotions. Second, I thought it was interesting to see Aeneas's reaction when he sees his father. Aeneas tries to hug his father three times but fails, just like Odysseus did when he saw his mother.

I commented on Sydni's.