Book One: Storm and Banquet

And so the first book of the story ends. What a great narrative. The mixing of Greek legend with Roman myth and historical fact makes for a heady brew. I do not quite understand the motives of Juno yet. There were some references to the battle of Troy and how she resents something that occured there. I think she knows that the Fates have destined Aeneas and his people to be greater than Carthage, a land that she loves, and so she wants to prevent Aeneas from reaching Latium and founding a great power. I am in love with Venus (which is natural); she is so sweet and beautiful. I loved it when she went to her father Jupiter to cry about how her son Aeneas was being treated: what a dear mother. I also enjoyed the description of Libya with its enchanted forests and rocky coves. Dido is now giving a banquet and Cupid (in disguise) is going to cause her to fall in love with Aeneas. She asks Aeneas to recount his adventures since his defeat at the battle of Troy. The story progresses . . .