Male vs Female in Duty and Emotion

Passage:

“And Mercury attacks at once. “Are you

now laying the foundation of high Carthage,

as servant to a woman, building her

a splendid city here? Are you forgetful

of what is your own kingdom, your own fate?

The very god of gods, whose power sways

both earth and heaven, sends me down to you

from bright Olympus. He himself has asked me

to carry these commands through the swift air:

what are you pondering or hoping for

while squandering your ease in Libyan lands?

For if the brightness of such deeds is not

enough to kindle you—if you cannot

attempt the task for your own fame—remember

Ascanius growing up, the hopes you hold

for Iülus, your own heir, to whom are owed

the realm of Italy and land of Rome.” (Book IV, p. 88, ln 353-369)

In Vergil’s Aeneid, Aeneas is distracted from his duty to found Rome by a relationship with Dido of Carthage. To remind him of his responsibility, Jupiter sends Mercury, who chastises Aeneas and frightens him into leaving Carthage. Vergil uses the opposition between Aeneas and Dido to illustrate the ideal qualities of a good leader as defined by the Stoic philosophy. Both Aeneas and Dido are initially admirable leaders who are responsible; they support the Stoic philosophy that one must suppress all emotional distractions in order to become wise and rational. Their relationship is depicted as a disruption in the fates of both rulers and their cities; Dido’s Carthage is neglected and no longer develops and Aeneas loses his focus on founding Rome. Both rulers become distracted by their passion and let their personal desires take precedence over the good of their respective cities. Dido is overcome by her emotions and Aeneas requires outside influences to return to rationality; Mercury must invoke his pride as a man and a hero and his obligation as a father to his son. A misogynistic view of Dido is also presented, juxtaposing her lack of control over emotion with Aeneas’ regained calm. Her rage and passion are attributed to women, while his control is implied as masculine. Dido’s later confrontation with her lover is marked by an overflow of emotion, as she is “raging frantically, inflamed” (ln 402-3). The motif of fire indicates her condition in love as well as the fated fall of Carthage as a result. Aeneas’ ability to suppress his emotions and his decision to leave Dido are suggested to be instrumental in the founding of Rome and in its lasting stability under a good, rational leader.