Dido Character Analysis in The Aeneid

The founder and queen of Carthage, a city in modern-day Tunisia. She fled from Tyre after her greedy brother Pygmalion, who was the king of Tyre, killed her husband, Sychaeus, in order to steal his wealth. A favorite of Juno, she's a great leader to her people until Aeneas arrives in town. Venus enchants her, via Cupid, to fall in passionate love with Aeneas, and when Aeneas follows his fate and leaves Carthage, she kills herself in despair.

Dido Character Timeline in The Aeneid

The timeline below shows where the character Dido appears in The Aeneid. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Gods and Divine Intervention Theme Icon

Jove then sends the god Mercury to make Dido, the queen of Carthage, and her people be friendly and hospitable to the Trojans. (full context)

...come upon a virgin warrior, who is actually Venus in disguise. Venus tells them about Dido's past, how her greedy brother Pygmalion, king of Tyre, killed Dido's husband Sychaeus for his... (full context)

Dido then arrives at the temple, and is not only beautiful but shows herself to be... (full context)

Dido generously offers them land and help in finding Aeneas. Just then, the mist of invisibility... (full context)

...wrath and mistrustful of Carthaginian hospitality, sends Cupid, disguised as Aeneas's son Ascanius, to make Dido fall in love with Aeneas. Cupid brings the gifts to the feast, sits in Dido's... (full context)

...late at night and he's anguished to recall such sad events, he'll do it for Dido. He begins his story during the Trojan war. He describes how the Greeks, who are... (full context)

Dido's love for Aeneas, described as a wound and a flame, grows as she listens to... (full context)

Anna encourages Dido to let herself love. Anna argues that a marriage with Aeneas makes emotional sense (since... (full context)

Virgil compares "poor Dido" to a doe who doesn't realize that a hunter's arrow is still stuck in her... (full context)

Juno angrily addresses Venus for putting Dido in such a state. Hoping to protect Carthage and block Aeneas's fate, Juno asks to... (full context)

Juno explains the wedding plans to Venus. When Aeneas and Dido join a hunting group tomorrow, Juno will create a huge storm. The couple will take... (full context)

...if the couple physically consummates the marriage, but he hints that they do, writing that Dido "calls it a marriage, using the word to cloak her sense of guilt." Meanwhile, rumor,... (full context)

Iarbas, the nearby king whose love Dido spurned, hears the rumors and, jealous, appeals to his father Jove to intervene. Iarbas criticizes... (full context)

Aeneas struggles to decide how to break the news of his departure to Dido. He decides to prepare to leave in secret, and figure out how to tell her... (full context)

When Dido hears rumors that Aeneas is leaving, she comes to him in a rage, railing against... (full context)

Aeneas is sorry, but he suppresses his emotions as he remembers Jove's orders. He tells Dido that she should not have thought they were married, as he never discussed being her... (full context)

Dido insults Aeneas, saying that he's not a goddess's son, but was instead born from the... (full context)

Dido prays for death. As she prays at her shrine, the water turns black and the... (full context)

At dawn, Dido sees the ships have sailed away. Crazy with heartbreak, she wishes she'd killed Aeneas when... (full context)

Dido tells her nurse to fetch Anna. Then, while the nurse is away, she climbs the... (full context)

Anna runs to the still-dying Dido's side, distraught that Dido had concealed her suicidal plans and gotten Anna to build the... (full context)

...and his men notice a bright point in the city, but don't realize that it's Dido's burning pyre. A storm rises, and the navigator Palinurus advises landing. Aeneas knows of a... (full context)

...love, etc) or, for particularly bad people, judged for punishment. Among the dead-for-love group wanders Dido. Aeneas tells her he left her unwillingly, begging her to stay, but she angrily ignores... (full context)