So, before she has a chance,

I plan to catch the queen by craftiness,

To girdle Dido with flame, so that

No god can turn her back; I’ll hold her fast

With great love for Aeneas. Hear me now;

I need your help to carry out this plot.

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Sumerian gods resolve that counterbalance must be created, in order to restrain Gilgamesh. Therefore, Enkidu, a symbol of nature and uncivilizedness, is engendered, yet he must first be civilized. This is achieved, when the Shamhat, a temple prostitute, offers her body to Enkidu, and they have a sexual encounter. In turn, this allows for Enkidu to serve as complementing part to Gilgamesh’s persona. In all, the companionship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, beyond allowing Gilgamesh to overcome his tyranny, promotes and allows Gilgamesh to achieve fame through Uruk, the city he built. Similarly, Aeneas’ relationship with Dido serves as an instrument to forward the creation of Rome and Aeneas’ everlasting legacy as a great leader. Nonetheless, their relationship also allows for Venus’ triumph over Juno, hence, establishing Aeneas’ and Dido’s relationship as a mechanism that allows the gods to resolve their quarrels.

Moving along, the above stanza reflects the idea of Aeneas’ and Dido’s relationship as an apparatus for Venus to triumph over Juno. Once Mercury has descended and decreed that Dido receive the Trojans with open arms, Venus resolves she must outsmart Juno. She will employ her divine powers and that of Cupid, her son, to make Dido fall madly in love with Aeneas. Love, in Greek and Roman mythology, represents the strongest force in the universe. Therefore, Mercury will employ love, in order to avoid a situation in which Juno can influence Dido. On the other hand, by making Dido fall in love with Aeneas, Venus would, to a certain extent, secure the founding of Rome, for she will ensure that Dido provides proper hospitality to Aeneas. Finally, Venus reiterates her ultimate goal when she uses the word “plot.” Rather than alluding to the creation of Rome, as her motive for summoning Cupid, she points to her plot. Even though her plot serves the goal of Aeneas, to build Rome, Venus’ ultimate purpose is to overcome Juno.