Human Nature In The Aeneid

Literary epics, including the Aeneid, typically have a very poetic and lyrical sense of style in the writing that go hand in hand with the other characteristics of epics such as supernatural forces, the actions of superhuman strength, and a hero or heroine. Authors of epics, for example the Aeneid, the Iliad, and the Odyssey, often include several different themes and lessons that the reader can learn from reading the stories. The themes and lessons vary from simple moral beliefs to psychological behavior. Most themes, however, have to do with the way humans act and human nature. In the Aeneid, one theme that deals with human nature is the idea that strong sentiments or feelings between people or towards situations can overwhelm a person and

While in the cave, Dido and Aeneas began to develop feelings for each other, and they had gotten married, but not legitimately. “To whom do you abandon me, a dying woman, guest that you are- the only name now left from that of a husband? Why do I live on?” (Virgil, Aeneid: Book IV 423-424) Dido then questions why she is still living, and that question foreshadows her death and suicide. Dido may perhaps think that Aeneas left her for another woman, but for whichever reason Aeneas has, Dido sees him as her husband whom should not leave her. “her servants saw she had fallen on the blade, the sword frothed with blood, and her hands were stained.“ (Virgil, Trans. Kline 636-637) After Aeneas leaves Dido, she goes mad and ends up stabbing herself with Aeneas’ sword because she could not handle being without him. It was this moment in time, when her feelings for Aeneas were so strong that her emotions took over her, that caused her to commit suicide. However, another reason for Dido’s death was due to the fact that Aeneas left her despite his feelings for Dido just because he wanted to fulfill what the gods had intended him to do. Ultimately, the strong emotion of love caused Dido to lose her will to