Aeneid

Question 1

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 2):

Answer 1

• pulcherrima Dido — superlative adjective, emphasising how beautiful Dido is
• qualis…Diana — important smilie comparing Dido to Diana, showing how she is so beautiful, smart, strong, etc. she is closer to a goddess than human
• regina — placed at the beginning of line, showing Dido’s social status/importance as Queen

Question 2

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 3):

Answer 2

• infelix — irony, Dido is unlucky from the start because she is doomed to fall in love with Aeneas
• insidat — very negative connotations, suggests Dido is being trapped by Cupid/doomed by him
• haec…Dido — Cupid toys with Dido’s feelings; he knows Dido wants a family/children and so takes on the form of Ascanius to trick her
• pesti…futurae — more irony to show Dido is already condemned to death

Question 3

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 4):

Answer 3

• haeret…harundo — Dido is compared to a doe, pierced by a fatal arrow (Aeneas’s love/Cupids arrow) which will eventually kill her; imagery of suffering, prolonged pain
• qualis…nescius — similie, comparing Dido to a wounded deer again; the wound from the arrow is fatal, as is Dido’s love for Aeneas
• nescius — positioned first in the line for emphasis; Dido, like the doe, is unaware she is going to die, she does not react to Aeneas’ dangerous love because she is simply unaware/helpless, she is a total victim here

Question 4

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 5):

Answer 4

• magno murmure — mimics the sound of thunder rumbling, through ‘m’ alliteration; creates a suspenseful atmosphere, as the scene builds up
• grandine nimbus — imitates the sound of thunder and lightning, gives a scary edge to the scene
• ulucerunt — mimics the sounds of the nymphs singing, which comes off as creepy/eerie because this mirrors the sound of a singing choir at a real wedding, but it is made weirder by the distortion; something is not quite right
• ruunt de montibus — the rivers are rushing, implies that even the world around them is anxious and on edge in a way
• eandem — end of the line, symbolises quite literally that they are trapped in the same cave, making for a tense, exciting atmosphere as they are in close proximity
• fulsere ignes — lightning flashes resemble marriage torches

Question 5

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 7):

Answer 5

• furens — word choice showing how deeply in love Dido is that Aeneas leaving fills her with unadulterated rage
• qualis…Thylis — simile comparing Dido to a Baccante; showing that she was ranting and raving, like she was possessed by a kind of higher power, she is practically manic
• dissimulare…sperasti — hissing sound created by sibilance, emphasis on Dido’s anger, like she’s spitting she’s so mad
• perfide — word choice of Dido calling Aeneas a traitor showing how disgusted she is with him, she feels betrayed
• posse…terra — sibilance to emphasise hurt, anger, betrayal
• moritura — irony/word choice used as a foreshadowing for what is yet to come; Dido saying this is like condemning her own death

Question 6

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 9):

Answer 6

• pauca — Aeneas speaks quickly/very little in comparison to Dido’s rant, emphasises her anger/how much she is shouting at Aeneas
• Elissa — Aeneas using Dido’s Carthaginian name highlights how close they have become, ironic since he is about to leave
• me si fata — Aeneas’ fate does not lie in his own hands but the gods, he MUST found a new Troy, he has no choice
• nec coniugis…veni — Aeneas asserts that he did not formally marry Dido, showing that their marriage was really all in her head (refers back to twisted ‘marriage’ scene Extract 5)

Question 7

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 10):

Answer 7

• puer Ascanius — Aeneas recognises his duty to the future of his son; his child will one day rule the new city he founds
• testor…caput — Aeneas swears on both his and Dido’s life, trying to prove how serious he is about his word, telling her the situation is unfortunate but it’s not his fault he has to leave
• desine…incendere — Aeneas commands Dido to stop making the situation so difficult for him, he is shifting the blame again

Question 8

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 11):

Question 9

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 13):

Answer 9

• felix…carinae — Dido regrets helping the Trojans - repetition of felix shows how Dido wants to feel but she has instead been described as infelix throughout the passage - showing that she was doomed from the start
• moriemur — Dido uses the ‘royal we’ here to mean ‘I’, but it implies that she and all of Carthage are going to perish (double meaning)
• sub umbras — the Underworld, where we know Dido is going, and where she implies she would rather be because she is hurt by Aeneas’ actions (so she is going to kill herself)
• omnia mortis — omens of death, a bad sign for Aeneas
• ferro conlapsam — Dido is depicted like a warrior; it was noble of warriors to kill themselves with a sword, to save grace, but this is highly out of character for a woman; this is an example of Virgil’s characterisation of Dido, she is written as though she is a male hero
• spumantem…manus — sibilance creates sound effect of blood spurting from Didos wound; Dido’s suicide foreshadows Carthage’s seizure

Question 10

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 13):

Answer 10

• felix…carinae — Dido regrets helping the Trojans - repetition of felix shows how Dido wants to feel but she has instead been described as infelix throughout the passage - showing that she was doomed from the start
• moriemur — Dido uses the ‘royal we’ here to mean ‘I’, but it implies that she and all of Carthage are going to perish (double meaning)
• sub umbras — the Underworld, where we know Dido is going, and where she implies she would rather be because she is hurt by Aeneas’ actions (so she is going to kill herself)
• omnia mortis — omens of death, a bad sign for Aeneas
• ferro conlapsam — Dido is depicted like a warrior; it was noble of warriors to kill themselves with a sword, to save grace, but this is highly out of character for a woman; this is an example of Virgil’s characterisation of Dido, she is written as though she is a male hero
• spumantem…manus — sibilance creates sound effect of blood spurting from Didos wound; Dido’s suicide foreshadows Carthage’s seizure

Question 11

Give examples of language techniques used by Virgil in the passage (Extract 15):

Answer 11

• quam…Marpesia — important similie comparing Dido to hard flint/Marpesian marble; a marble famous in the ancient world because of its luminosity and whiteness, emphasising Dido’s ghost like presence/appearance; however this comparison is not very flattering to Dido as the implication is that she is cold/hardened
• talibus…tuentem — alliteration of ‘t’ makes a sharp, stand-out sound; she looked daggers at him because he is the reason for her death
• illa…tenebat — before, Aeneas refused to look at Dido as she spoke, and now Dido is the one to ignore Aeneas
  nec minus — Virgil still wants us to have a positive image of Aeneas; he still loves and pities Dido
  casu…iniquo — we realise that both Dido and Aeneas have suffered an unjust fate in some way; Dido has killed herself, and Aeneas had to leave a woman he loved to fulfill his duty
• coniunx…Sychaeus — Dido’s dead husband Sychaeus is reunited with her in the Underworld; we are reminded of [their] love before Aeneas and Dido’s