90–128: Love and Marriage, or: A Match Made in Heaven

Steve Jenkin

November 29, 2012

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 82.       Where does Juno come from, all of sudden? When did she last make an appearance in the narrative? How does Virgil re-introduce her?

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 83.       Explain the syntax of Quam (90) and famam (91).

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 84.       What does tali … peste (90) mean?

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 85.       Discuss the design of 92: talibus adgreditur Venerem Saturnia dictis.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 86.       Analyse the structure and tone of Juno’s first speech (93–104).

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 87.       How does Juno portray Venus and Cupid respectively in line 94?

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 88.       In line 95, Juno specifies three reasons why the victory of Venus and Cupid over Dido is cheap: what are they? And how does Juno stylistically reinforce her accusation that Venus and her son performed an unsporting knock-out?

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 89.       Explain the syntax of me and te in line 96.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 90.       The phrase Karthaginis altae (97), preceded by moenia (96), arguably recalls the concluding phrase of the proem, i.e. altae moenia Romae (1.7). What is the effect of this re-use of idiom from the opening of the epic here?

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 91.       Juno asks Venus quo nunc certamine tanto? (98). This is arguably a good question: what in the world was Venus thinking when she decided to make Dido fall hopelessly in love with her hero? What is the point of driving the queen insane with passion? Is this really aiding Aeneas and his mission? Explore, with arguments.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 92.       On the face of it, the conditions that Juno offers Venus—joint rule of Carthage on equal terms (102–03)—seem attractive. But is what she proposes a plausible mode of government? Would you have entered into such an arrangement?

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 93.       Identify the ways in which Juno insults Aeneas in lines 103–4. Why does she adopt the seemingly counterproductive strategy of spewing billingsgate at the offspring of the goddess with whom she wishes to strike up a partnership?

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 94.       Explain the syntax of locutam (105).

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 95.       Outline the structure of Venus’ speech (107–114).

¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 0 96.       Parse abnuat and malit (108) as well as sequatur (109) and explore the syntax of sed fatis incerta feror (110).

¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 0 97.       What forms of socio-political organisation does Venus invoke with the phrases misceri populos and foedera iungi (112)?

¶ 17 Leave a comment on paragraph 17 0 98.       Why is it funny that Venus appeals to fas (113)?

¶ 18 Leave a comment on paragraph 18 0 99.       Outline the structure of Juno’s second speech (115–27). Then deliver it (either by reciting Virgil’s hexameter or in an English adaptation). Give special attention to impersonating Juno’s royal and superior demeanour, without neglecting the fact that Juno is here trying to win over Venus to her plan.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 100.     Parse uenatum (117).

¶ 20 Leave a comment on paragraph 20 0 101.     Why does Juno call Dido miserrima (117)?

¶ 21 Leave a comment on paragraph 21 0 102.     How does the design of lines 120–22 reinforce the theme of a sudden storm of hail and thunder?

¶ 22 Leave a comment on paragraph 22 0 103.     Analyse the design of 124–25: speluncam Dido dux et Troianus eandem/ deuenient, paying special attention to the implications of the postponed et.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on paragraph 23 0 104.     Why does Venus smile in reaction to Juno’s speech (128: … dolis risit Cytherea repertis)?

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