Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource
Latin Level 2
Resource title: The trial of Aeneas
This exemplar supports assessment against:
Achievement Standard 91196
Interpret studied Latin literary text(s)
Expected responses
The moderators have developed expected student responses from a wide variety of sources
Date version published by
Ministry of Education
© Crown 2010
December 2011
To support internal assessment from 2012
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Grade Boundary: Low Excellence
1.
The standard requires the student to interpret studied Latin texts thoroughly. As part of
a debate, the student has presented a speech in defence of Aeneas, accused of
causing Dido’s death.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge (EN2) has been used to establish meaning or
significance and extract and discuss information and ideas contained in the studied
text, Aeneid 4 of Virgil. Aeneid 1 is also used to supply evidence.
The role played by the gods (page 2, para 3) is fully expanded on by describing the
part played by Venus in protecting her son Aeneas, ordering Cupid to shoot his arrow
into Dido and colluding with Juno to cause Dido and Aeneas to seek refuge in a cave
where Dido deludes herself that marriage has taken place. The intervention of Mercury
and Jupiter is also described. Most points are supported with appropriate and
unambiguous Latin quotations with an English translation or explanation e.g. occultum
inspires ignem fallasque veneno. You are to breathe into her an invisible fire and trick
her with your poison.
The use of scansion (page 1, paras 4 and 5) has also been fully expanded on e.g… a
four spondaic line indicates Cupid’s relentless and irresistible force of love.
Language features such as juxtaposition and word placement (pages 2 para 2) are
discussed.
Cultural knowledge is evident in the reference to Iulus’ own descent (page 2, para 5)
and his descendants.
The work is at Low Excellence because Latin evidence has not been given for all points
made and the reason for Juno’s involvement has not been given.
To gain a more secure Excellence the student should include Latin quotations with an
English translation or explanation e.g. the reference to Dido’s vow to Sychaeus (page
2, line1) and some reason for Junos’ motives in helping Venus given, or a parallel
drawn between Dido and Aeneas and Antony and Cleopatra.
© Crown 2010
with her. To a large extent, apart from being affected by Cupid, Dido had brought her
own sufferings upon herself. Aeneas is certainly not guilty of causing her death.
Student 1: Low Excellence
For a debate, a speech in defence of Aeneas, accused of causing Dido’s death:
Since Aeneas is a character in the epic poem the Aeneid, our view of his behaviour in
the story is entirely dependent on how the author, Virgil, has written about it. Therefore
the defence of Aeneas in this speech relies solely on my reading of some of Book I and
all of Book IV of the poem – there are no alternative, independent witnesses to provide
evidence.
When Dido first set eyes on Aeneas in Book I after the protective cloud put around him
by his mother, the goddess Venus, who had kept him hidden for safety until then, had
just dissipated.
l. 588
restitit Aeneas claraque in luce refulsit
os umerosque deo similis; namque ipsa decoram
caesariem nato genetrix lumenque iuventae
purpureum et laetos oculis adflarat honores
Aeneas stood out, and gleamed in the bright light – his face and shoulders
like those of a god. For his mother herself breathes upon her son beauteous
locks of hair and the radiant complexion of youth, as well as lights of joy in his
eyes . . .
Commentaries on this line point out that Virgil was here imitating lines describing the
great hero Odysseus in Book 23 of Homer’s Odyssey. The fact that Dido was
immediately impressed by this prince of Troy is not surprising. Aeneas looked as
handsome as a god, but that was not of his doing – his mother had by some divine
mystery caused it to be so. The stage was now set for Venus’ next divine intervention
which led Dido to fall hopelessly in love with Aeneas – the temporary replacement of his
son, Ascanius, by Venus’ fully divine son and god of love, Cupid.
l. 657
at Cytherea novas artes, nova pectore versat
consilia, ut faciem mutatus et ora Cupido
pro dulci Ascanio veniat, donisque furentem
incendat reginam atque ossibus implicet ignem.
But the Cytherean (Venus) turns in her heart to new schemes, new plans
so that with changed appearance Cupid may come in place of the sweet
Ascanius, and ignite the smouldering queen with gifts and enfold the fire
of love in her bones.
It can be seen that the first half of the last line with its elision gives three spondaic feet
which help to indicate the relentless and irresistible force of love which Cupid will be
applying. Venus says to Cupid, that when Dido holds him on her lap and kisses him,
thinking him a dear little boy:
l. 688
occultum inspires ignem fallasque veneno.
You are to breathe (into her) an invisible fire and you are to trick (her)
with your poison.
This time a four spondaic line indicates Cupid’s relentless and irresistible force of love.
He does as his mother bids and l. 720-1 paulatim abolere Sychaeum/incipit he little by little
begins to drive Sychaeus from (Dido’s mind). This is significant, as later in Book IV we learn
that Dido had vowed to her late husband’s memory, that she would never again love
another man. A major reason for her deciding later to take her own life is the fact that
she feels such deep shame and remorse for breaking this vow.
By the end of Book I, Virgil is already describing Dido as infelix unfortunate, or doomed (l.
712 and l. 749), even although she is in herself at this moment very happy and delighting
in the company of Aeneas and the Trojans at the lavish feast she has arranged for them.
This adjective infelix stands out from the atmosphere of celebration and is a stern
warning to the reader to expect woe.
At the start of Book IV, Dido now so wounded by Cupid that she is on fire with love, l. 2
carpitur igni, is spending every moment she can in Aeneas’ company. This is not because
Aeneas is pursuing her – he and his men are just pleased to be able to relax for a while
enjoying hospitality, after the draining adventures they have had, including fighting to
survive a dreadful storm arranged by the goddess Juno. Two things that then occur
encourage Dido to be convinced that Aeneas loves her above all else. First, when Dido
asks her sister Anna whether she should yield to her feelings, she is given every
encouragement to do so:
ll. 47-8
quam tu urbem, soror, hanc cernes, quae surgere regna /coniugio tali!
Sister, do you see what a city, what kingdoms are arising as a result of
such a husband!
Anna suggests that Dido delay Aeneas’ intended departure for Italy with entertainments
to ensnare him. Aeneas does stay on, and there follows the second ‘proof’ for Dido, or at
least she fools herself that it is a significant step. The Trojans and Carthaginians go out
on a hunt, and as a result of collusion between Juno and Venus and a sudden
thunderstorm caused by Juno, Dido and Aeneas are forced to take shelter in a cave.
The events that unfold there lead Dido to believe that she and Aeneas are now indeed
married, though Aeneas has no such thought. Venus intended that a deep love by Dido
for Venus’ son Aeneas, would mean that she would not harm him while he recuperated
in Africa. Venus always intended that Aeneas follow his destiny by leading the Trojans
on to Italy, but Juno sought only to protect Carthage, her own city.
Once rumour had spread of Dido’s love affair with Aeneas, leading to her former jilted
suitor Iarbas’ complaint to his father (the god Jupiter), Mercury was sent as a divine
messenger to Aeneas to make him aware of the fact that he seemed to be losing sight of
his primary duty – to lead his people to Italy.
l. 271
‘quid struis? aut qua spe Libycis teris otia terris?
si te nulla movet tantarum gloria rerum . . .
Ascanium surgentem et spes heredis Iuli
respice, cui regnum Italiae Romanaque tellus
debetur.’
What are you planning? Or with what expectation do you waste your time
in Libyan lands?
If no glory of such great deeds moves you . . . consider Ascanius as he
grows up and his hopes as your heir, Iulus, to whom the kingdom of Italy
and the Roman world is owed.’
Roman readers would have recognised this reference to Iulus, descendant of Aeneas
and ancestor of Julius Caesar and of their Emperor, Augustus. This explains that they
would have understood that Aeneas must leave. The foundation in the future of the city
Rome – their Rome – depended on it. Virgil here intends no blame for Aeneas for
leaving Dido and her city, nor would Roman readers have felt anything other than that
Aeneas had to do his duty.
The stark, single word debetur in the last line concluding Mercury’s reminder draws
attention to Mercury’s sudden departure, as soon as his message has been delivered.
Aeneas remained staunch after this. Despite Dido’s begging and the subsequent
emotional blackmail applied by Dido’s sister Anna, he took the necessary actions to
order his men to prepare to sail. He did intend to speak himself to Dido to explain his
decision, but Rumour reached her first, so she was extremely upset with him. He tried to
explain:
l. 340
‘me si fata meis paterentur ducere vitam
auspiciis et sponte mea componere curas . . . ’
If the fates were allowing me to lead my life according to how I wish, and
to arrange the things I care for of my own free will . . .
but these words gave Dido no solace. Dido made several references in speaking to
Aeneas, to herself and to Anna of her own intention to die – moribundam in l. 323,
moritura in line 415 and in l. 436, morte remittam, but their significance was not realised
by Aeneas or Anna. To Aeneas it seemed obvious that a queen who had brought her
own people to a new land across the seas should not find it strange that he, as prince of
the Trojans, needed to take his people across the seas to the land destined for them.
Indeed he says as much to her in ll. 347-350 and could not be blamed for expecting her
to feel the same responsibility as he did, rather than to anticipate that she must take her
own life, if he left. In line 440, Aeneas receives divine help to decline Anna’s request on
behalf of Dido,
fata obstant placidasque viri deus obstruit aures
The fates block the way and for the ears of the man, a god provides
obstruction lest they be receptive.
The juxtaposition of viri and deus in this line helps to reinforce the idea that there is
divine help and approval standing right next to Aeneas.
Aeneas had tried to keep his plans to leave Carthage quiet until he could speak to Dido
himself. Dido was far more successful in keeping secret her own plans to commit
suicide. She implicated her sister in the planning, pretending she was going to burn only
every last reminder of Aeneas, then she stabbed herself on the constructed pyre using
Aeneas’ own sword, which he had not taken with him.
The cause of her decision to take her own life was not intended by Virgil to be attributed
to Aeneas, nor should it be. As is revealed in her thoughts as she lay awake, unable to
sleep, on the last night of her life, (ll. 534-552) Dido could not face continuing to live
because of the shame she felt for breaking her vow to her late husband Sychaeus, the
shame she felt for letting her own people down through her infatuation for a man who
could never have settled in Carthage, and her fear of facing previously rejected African
suitors or her brother Pygmalion, whom she had fled from, taking his treasury of gold
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Grade Boundary: High Merit
2.
The standard requires the student to interpret clearly, studied Latin texts. As part of a
debate, the student has been asked to present a speech in defence of Aeneas,
accused of causing Dido’s death.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge (EN2) has been used to establish meaning or
significance and extract and discuss information and ideas contained in the studied
text, Aeneid 4 of Virgil.
The student has made a clear interpretation of the events leading to Dido’s suicide and
Aeneas’ lack of guilt.
The theme of Aeneas’ pietas is expanded on No matter how much Aeneas is attracted
to her...his quality of pietas ... will prevail over any personal desire he might have (page
2, para 2).
Dido’s overwhelming and fatal love for Aeneas is expanded on, as is Anna’s role as
Dido’s confidante and helper e.g. his dictis … pudorem. When Anna had said these
things she inflamed her heart with great love and gave hope to her wavering mind and
dissipated her sense of shame. (page 1, para 5)
Latin quotations with an English translation or explanation have been used to support
several of the points made. Cultural knowledge (page 2, para 1) has been shown in
Dido’s interpretation of the forces of Nature as components of a Roman wedding.
This work reaches High Merit because selected points have been expanded on, but not
always fully.
To reach Excellence the student should expand more fully on the role and motivation of
the gods e.g. Cupid and Juno. Unambiguous and appropriate Latin quotations with an
English translation or explanation should be used to back up almost all of the points
made e.g. the scene in the cave, Dido’s vow to Sychaeus (page 1, para 4).
© Crown 2010
Student 2: High Merit
For a debate, a speech in defence of Aeneas, accused of causing Dido’s death:
It is thought that Virgil’s intent in writing the Aeneid was to give contemporary (first
century B.C.) Romans an account of their ancestry showing that Roman success was in
accord with the gods’ will, with fate, with destiny. This would inspire them with the feeling
that it was right for them to rule other nations and to continue their expansion as an
empire.
In that context, the episode in the Aeneid where Aeneas and the Trojans come into
contact with Queen Dido and her Carthaginians could not have a ‘happy ending’ in which
Prince and Queen married and settled in Carthage. The whole point of the Aeneid is to
explain that Aeneas needed to take the Trojan remnant to Italy, where they could found
a new city which itself would be the ancestor of the later city of Rome. Aeneas could
therefore not remain in Carthage.
Aeneas was not intended to be seen as a man who selfishly abandoned a woman and
therefore caused her to take her own life. This sort of view is common in our modern
age, when individual happiness is seen as the ultimate goal. In ancient Rome, however,
where Virgil was writing the Aeneid, duty to the gods, to one’s country, to one’s people
was what was important.
There is substantial evidence in Book IV of the Aeneid showing that Dido’s death
resulted from her sustained self-delusion and misguided expectations. At the beginning
of Book IV she has met the handsome Aeneas, and under the effect of Cupid’s magic,
she has fallen in love with him. Despite the fact that she has vowed to her late husband,
Sychaeus, that she will never again love a man, she allows herself to be deluded (with
encouragement from her sister, Anna, whom she asks for advice) that it would be a
waste of her life not to marry again, that she deserves to have children and that she
needs a male to protect her and her Carthaginians from possible attack from African
tribes or from her estranged brother, Pygmalion. Anna adds that she believes that it was
with divine blessing and the favour of Juno that the Trojan ships held course with the
wind to reach Carthaginian shores:
l.45
dis equidem auspicibus reor et Iunone secunda
hunc cursum Iliacas vento tenuisse carinas.
It is clear that Dido deludes herself from this point on. Anna gave her a great launch in
this direction.
l.54
his dictis impenso animum flammavit amore
spemque dedit dubiae menti solvitque pudorem.
When Anna had said these things she inflamed her heart with great love and gave hope
to her wavering mind and dissipated her sense of shame.
Then the two sisters visit shrines of the gods to seek their favour through prayer and
sacrifice, yet Dido ignores the fact that the responses are not favourable:
l.65
heu, vatum ignarae mentes! quid vota furentem,
quid delubra iuvant?
Alas, the minds of prophets are unknowing! What help do prayers give to
a woman madly in love, what help are shrines?
She also ignores the possibility that she will one day be filled with remorse that she has
not kept her vow to Sychaeus. Instead she flings herself into a one-sided love affair, and
when sheltering alone with Aeneas from the storm which Juno created to interrupt a
day’s hunt, she fools herself that the two of them have actually undergone a legal
marriage, when that is clearly not so. She interprets the bolts of lightning (ignes) as
bridal torches and the howling winds (ulularunt) as cries of wedding nymphs, or perhaps
Fescennine verses.
l.170
. . . neque enim specie famave movetur
nec iam furtivum Dido meditatur amorem:
coniugium vocat, hoc praetexit nomine culpam.
For she is moved neither by what it looks like nor by what people are
saying, nor does Dido now think of her love as secret. She calls it
marriage, with this name does she cover her sin.
The self-delusion continues until rumour reaches her that Aeneas has commenced plans
to leave Carthage, to resume the journey to take his people to Italy. The news causes
her great distress – not surprisingly, since she has convinced herself that Aeneas feels
committed to her. She is not aware however of the will of destiny, that the Trojans must
go to Italy, and that no matter how much Aeneas feels personally attracted to her, a rich,
beautiful, powerful and desirable woman, his quality of pietas or devotion to duty, will
prevail over any personal desire he might have.
The fact that she does not really appreciate the quality of devotion to duty which Aeneas
has is clear from the way she tries to persuade him not to go, both in her own words and
by sending Anna to try further persuasion. Her own speech to him ends in cruel words
spoken harshly
‘i, sequere Italiam ventis, pete regna per undas.
spero equidem mediis, si quid pia numina possunt,
supplicia hausurum scopulis et nomine Dido
saepe vocaturum . . . dabis, improbe, poenas.
audiam et haec manes veniet mihi fama sub imos.’
‘Go, continue to Italy with the winds, make for your kingdoms across the waves. I really
hope that if the sacred spirits of the gods can achieve anything, you will swallow
punishments on the rocks and again and again call out by name ‘Dido!’. . . Wicked man,
you will be punished. I shall hear, and this report will come to me under the deep shades.’
l.381
In contrast Aeneas utters no such bitter sentiments.
l.393
at pius Aeneas, quamquam lenire dolentem
solando cupit et dictis avertere curas,
multa gemens magnoque animum labefactus amore
iussa tamen divum exsequitur classemque revisit.
But dutiful Aeneas, although he wants to soothe the grieving woman by
consoling her, and to turn aside her worries with his words, sighing
greatly , his heart a-tumble because of his great love, he nevertheless
follows the gods’ commands and goes back to his fleet.
This is not the reaction of a hard-hearted man, nor of one who wishes Dido any harm,
quite the contrary. It is further evidence that he was in no way guilty of causing her
death.
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Grade Boundary: Low Merit
3.
As part of a debate, the student has been asked to present a speech in defence of
Aeneas, accused of causing Dido’s death.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge (EN2) has been used to establish meaning or
significance and extract and discuss information and ideas contained in the studied
text, Aeneid 4 of Virgil.
The student has interpreted and expanded on the role of Destiny (page 1, paras 1-4
and page 2, para 2) in Aeneid Book 4 by discussing several references to it.e.g. sed
fatis incerta feror.
Cultural knowledge is displayed by the reference to the shrines of Apollo (page 1, para
5) the god of prophecy. This work is at Low Merit because although some points have
been expanded on they have not been expanded fully.
To attain a more secure Merit the student should expand on more points, e.g. why
Juno is trying to prevent the Trojans from going to Italy (page 1, para 2), exactly what
the future of Ascanius is (page 1, para 6), why Mercury becomes involved.
© Crown 2010
Student 3: Low Merit
For a debate, a speech in defence of Aeneas, accused of causing Dido’s death:
The force of destiny is present throughout Book IV of the Aeneid, and explains the
necessity for the death of Dido; Aeneas is in no way culpable. Destiny (fata, literally
meaning ‘utterances’ ) is the way events are intended to turn out, and provides a
framework which embraces both gods and humans.
At the beginning of Book IV, Dido acknowledged that Aeneas has suffered considerably
as part of his destiny:
l.13
heu, quibus ille / iactatus fatis!
Venus knew that Juno was trying to thwart destiny by trying to prevent Aeneas from
taking the Trojans to Italy, so she told her that her plans needed to be cleared by Jupiter.
It seems that Destiny was considered by Venus to be in accordance with the will of the
king of the gods.
l.110
sed fatis incerta feror, si Iuppiter . . .
tu coniunx, tibi fas animum temptare precando.
But unsure, I am borne along by destiny, if Jupiter . . . you as his wife, it
is right for you to test his intention by beseeching him.
Virgil does not link the intention of destiny with any aspect of the supposed ‘wedding’
during the thunderstorm which Juno causes. He thus makes it clear that it has no stamp
of approval from overarching Fate.
In speaking to Mercury after Iarbas has prayed complainingly to him, Jupiter refers to
Aeneas being unmindful of cities that were his by Destiny:
l.225
. . . fatisque datas non respicit urbes
so Mercury later says to Aeneas:
l.274
Ascanium surgentem et spes heredis Iuli
respice, cui regnum Italiae Romanaque tellus
debetur.
It is clear that it is their destiny that the Trojans travel on to Italy, so Aeneas has to leave
Dido in Carthage. He speaks of the requirements of his destiny in replying to Dido’s
angry accusations once she has found out he intends to leave:
l.340
me si fata meis paterentur ducere vitam
auspiciis et sponte mea componere curas.
Aeneas explains that Apollo’s oracles have commanded him to go to Italy,
l.345
sed nunc Italiam magnam Gryneus Apollo
Apollo was the Roman god of prophecy, and evidently Aeneas had consulted the oracles
at one or more of his shrines, but we are not told by Virgil when that happened.
Aeneas says that destiny demands that he go on to Italy for the sake of the future of his
son, Ascanius, and that Jupiter’s own messenger, Mercury has just reminded him of this.
Dido’s angry words failed to deter him from the course he must follow, as did also
Anna’s pleas, which followed. Destiny helped him withstand the onslaught:
l.440
fata obstant placidasque viri deus obstruit aures.
His destiny stands in the way and a god prevents the man’s ears from being welcoming.
So Dido proceeded to make secret plans for her death, pretending to have a bonfire to
burn all reminders of Aeneas, but really having the pyre built for herself. On her
deathbed on top of the pyre she had built, and surrounded by Aeneas’ possessions left
behind, she addresses them:
l.651
dulces exuviae, dum fata deusque sinebat,
Sweet relics, while destiny and the god allowed,
In this way Dido acknowledges that she realises that destiny has not allowed and did not
intend that she and Aeneas be married. After she has fallen on Aeneas’ sword and is
dying a long and painful death, Virgil writes that Persephone did not come promptly to
assign her to the underworld, because her death was not a result of the will of destiny:
l.696
nam quia nec fato merita nec morte peribat,
sed misera ante diem subitoque accensa furore
For because she was dying not because of Fate, nor by a deserved
death, but by a wretched one, before the appointed day, and having
been inflamed by a sudden passion . . .
With these words Virgil makes it clear that Dido did not have to die for Aeneas to follow
his destiny – she chose to take her own life and Aeneas was not guilty of causing her
death.
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Grade Boundary: High Achieved
4.
The standard requires the student to interpret studied Latin texts. As part of a debate,
the student has been asked to present a speech to accuse Aeneas of causing Dido’s
death.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge (see EN2) has been used to establish meaning or
significance and extract and discuss information and ideas contained in the studied
text, Aeneid 4 of Virgil.
The student has selected particular points e.g. Aeneas showing himself to be hardhearted (page 2, para 3), and illustrated them with appropriate Latin evidence and
explanation and translation. Cultural knowledge is displayed by the reference to
Hannibal (page 2, last para).
To reach Merit the student needs to expand on more of the points selected e.g. the role
played by the gods or the Fates, why Iarbas and Pygmalion are seen as threats to Dido
(page 2, para 3), an explanation of how the elements resemble the components of a
formal Roman marriage (page 1, para 6).
© Crown 2010
Student 4: High Achieved
For a debate, a speech to accuse Aeneas of causing Dido’s death:
Aeneas was as guilty of causing Dido’s death as he would have been if he had used the
sword to stab her himself.
He abused the welcoming hospitality which Queen Dido provided for him and his men by
staying on longer than was necessary to make repairs to his ships. He engaged in
feasting and talking night after night.
l. 77
nunc eadem labente die convivia quaerit
Now with the day gliding, he looks for the same feasts.
He let his young son attend the feasts in the company of Dido, who obviously was
enchanted with the little boy
l. 84
aut gremio Ascanium genitoris imagine capta
Or captivated by the resemblance to his father, she kept Ascanius on her
lap.
At first Aeneas accompanied Dido in walking around her building sites, but then all work
stopped on these, because Dido spent so much time with Aeneas, that she failed to
supervise the building progress.
l. 86
non coeptae adsurgunt turres
The towers that have been started do not arise
Aeneas used his good looks and expensive presents to captivate and fascinate Dido for
as long as it suited him. He gave Dido some treasures brought from Troy, including
clothes once worn by Helen, whose beauty was the cause of the Trojan War. At the hunt
which was organised to entertain him and his men he dressed up like Apollo to impress
Dido.
l. 141
ipse ante alios pulcherrimus omnes . . . qualis . . . Apollo
Aeneas, most handsome ahead of all the others . . . like . . . Apollo
When bad weather occurred during the hunt, Aeneas went into a cave for shelter and
was alone with Dido. If he had wanted to stop her getting ideas that they were married,
he should not have allowed this to happen. It was no wonder that with the spectacular
lightning and noise of thunder, she got it into her head that the gods were approving the
match.
l. 167
fulsere ignes et conscius aether
conubiis, summoque ulularunt vertice Nymphae.
ille dies primus leti primusque malorum
causa fuit;
There were forks of lightning and the air was witness to the marriage,
and the Nymphs howled from the top peak. That day was the first cause
of death and the first cause of evil.
The fact that Aeneas got involved with Dido to this extent soon became the subject of
rumour, and Aeneas brought this on himself. It was no wonder that the African Iarbas
heard about it and complained to Jupiter. The appearance of Mercury, subsequently
sent by Jupiter with a warning to Aeneas, is what reminded him of what he was
supposed to be doing. It was Aeneas’ behaviour which had caused all the trouble to
come. Mercury told him
l. 267
heu, regni rerumque oblite tuarum!
Hey, you who is forgetful of your kingdom and your other responsibilities!
The next mistake that Aeneas made was to try to get his men to prepare the Trojan
ships ready to sail away from Carthage in secret. This deceit was what upset Dido as
much as the fact itself of his leaving.
l. 291
sese interea, quando optima Dido
nesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores
temptaturum aditus . . .
Meanwhile he said, since wonderful Dido did not know and was not
expecting such a great love affair to be broken, he would try some
approaches . . .
It was naive and cowardly of Aeneas to delay in telling Dido, and this contributed
considerably to her grief and loss of self-esteem, leading to her suicide.
Aeneas showed himself to be very hard-hearted in not being moved by Dido’s begging
him not to leave, nor even by the thought that Dido would be under threat from
Pygmalion or Iarbas.
l. 320
te propter Libycae gentes Nomadumque tyranni
odere, infensi Tyrii;
Because of you the Libyan tribes and the Numidian lords and the hostile
Tyrians hate me.
Then he turned a deaf ear to Dido’s sister, Anna, too.
l. 438
sed nullis ille movetur fletibus . . .
But he is moved by no tears . . .
Aeneas’ last action made Dido distraught and brought her to the action of suicide. He
sailed away early in the morning after Dido had had a sleepless night.
l. 586
regina e speculis ut primam albescere lucem
vidit et aequatis classem procedere velis
The queen saw from her watchtower the dawn whitening and his ships
moving forward
Before she stabbed herself, Dido cursed Aeneas, for she knew he was guilty of causing
her troubles.
l. 625
l. 629
exoriare aliquis nostris ex ossibus ultor . . .
May some avenger arise from my bones . . .
pugnent ipsique nepotesque.
May they themselves fight and also their grandsons.
These curses came true many generations later, for an African ‘avenger’ called Hannibal
did attack the Trojan descendants – the Romans – and the Carthaginians and the
Romans did fight for generations in three Punic Wars. So although Aeneas brought
about Dido’s death through his lack of feeling, his descendants certainly paid for it.
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Grade Boundary: Low Achieved
5.
As part of a debate, the student has been asked to present a speech in defence of
Aeneas, accused of causing Dido’s death.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge (EN2) has been used to establish meaning or
significance and extract and discuss information and ideas contained in the studied
text, Aeneid 4 of Virgil. Aeneid 1 has also been used as a source.
The student has interpreted the role of the gods (page 1, paras 2 and 3) in the story of
Dido and Aeneas, particularly the parts played by Juno and Venus. Cultural knowledge
is displayed by the reference to making sacrifices to gain the approval of the gods
(page 1, para 4).
To more securely attain Achieved the student could explain why Juno and Dido
intervened, give an accurate explanation of the use of the elements in the cave scene
(page 1, para 7) and explain the significance of consulting Apollo (page 2, para 3).
© Crown 2010
Student 5: Low Achieved
For a debate, speech in defence of Aeneas, accused of causing Dido’s death:
Aeneas and Dido’s relationship did not have any chance of succeeding because of the
interference of gods and goddesses, and Aeneas can hardly be blamed for bringing
about Dido’s death. Dido herself made the choice to kill herself when things did not turn
out as she hoped, and her suicide really indicates a weakness in her character. She did
not do her duty owed to her own people when Aeneas did his duty to the Trojans.
The first interference by a deity connected with the relationship of Dido and Aeneas was
the storm arranged by the Queen of the gods, Juno, which drove the Trojans off course
when they were sailing from Sicily to Italy, so that they landed in Carthage, Dido’s
kingdom. This happened in Book I of the Aeneid. The second interference was from
Venus, Aeneas’ goddess mother, when she made him look handsome and noble when
he first met Dido, even although he had just been shipwrecked.
The other interference in Book I came when Venus substituted her son Cupid for
Aeneas’ son, Ascanius. This meant that when Dido picked up the little child to give him a
cuddle, it was easy for Cupid to breathe on her and cause her to fall deeply in love with
Aeneas.
In Book IV, Dido, with her sister, Anna, made sacrifices at the shrines of Ceres,
Phoebus, Bacchus and Juno (l.58), to try to confirm that it was a good thing for Dido to
become involved with Aeneas.
Now that Dido was so in love with Aeneas, Juno suggested to Venus (l.93) that they
collaborate to get the two of them married pactosque hymenaeos, so that there would be
permanent peace pacem aeternam between the Trojans and the Carthaginians. Venus
was prepared to go along with this, provided that Jupiter, her father and the king of the
gods, was happy with the arrangement. She told Juno to check this out with Jupiter.
Juno somehow knew that Dido was going to take Aeneas and the Trojans hunting the
next morning, so she suggested that while the hunt was in progress, she would cause a
thunderstorm to interrupt the hunt. She would also arrange that when the humans ran for
cover, Dido and Aeneas would be isolated from their companions, and once thrown
together in a cave, she would arrange a wedding to unite them adero et, tua si mihi certa
voluntas, conubio iungam stabili. ‘I’ll be there, and if you are willing for me to do it, I’ll
unite them in a stable marriage.’ (1.125).
This was agreed to and Juno made a real occasion of it. Primaeval Earth and Juno,
Mistress of the Marriage, gave their sign. There was thunder and lightning and nymphs
crying out (l.166). Dido felt that this was the real thing, and considered that she and
Aeneas were now married, but we don’t get to read any opinion on it expressed by
Aeneas at the time. Later, when confronted by Dido, Aeneas not surprisingly denies that
he was aware of any marriage. Virgil writes that Dido used the word marriage to screen
her sin - hoc praetexit nomine culpam (1.172).
The next interference by a god is caused by the rumours circulating that Dido and
Aeneas are having an affair. Iarbas, an African suitor earlier rejected by Dido, asks his
father Jupiter Ammon, to interfere. Jupiter does this by sending Mercury, the messenger
of the gods, to remind Aeneas of his duty to lead the Trojans to Italy, so that they can
establish a new city (l.267).
Aeneas was horrified that he needed this reminder, and set about immediately to return
to the job in hand – to prepare to resume his broken journey. He talked to his men
immediately, giving them instructions to prepare the fleet. He planned to then tell Dido,
but once again rumour played a part, by reaching her first. She was so upset at being
told that Aeneas intended to leave her that she ran about wildly like an intoxicated
worshipper of Bacchus (l. 300) incensa per urbem bacchatur.
When Dido confronts Aeneas with what she regards as treachery to her, since she has
welcomed him and his fellow Trojans to Carthage so warmly, he tried to explain what his
duty is. He says that Apollo has insisted that he go to Italy (l.345) sed nunc Italiam
magnam Gryneus Apollo and that it is not his own choice Italiam non sponte sequor
(l.361).
Dido is not pacified and determines to kill herself, especially after she has got Anna to
plead her case later, and Aeneas had refused to take heed of Anna’s arguments and
pleading too.
As Aeneas sleeps the night before his departure time, Mercury once again appears to
him to warn him that Dido is capable of setting fire to his ships, so that he must get up
and leave at once. He is so prompt to obey this command, that he gets his men actually
to cut through the thick ropes that tie the ships to the wharf – there is no time to untie
them. So when Dido rises from a sleepless night and sees them sailing away, she then
kills herself.
There is no way that Aeneas could be said to have made her do this. She could have
picked herself up and started to encourage her people to get on with building Carthage’s
defensive fortifications again. She chose however to take the easy way, and give up.
She got what she had said at the beginning of Book IV that she would deserve if she
broke her vow:
l.24
sed mihi vel tellus optem prius ima dehiscat
vel pater omnipotens abigat me fulmine ad umbras . . .
ante, pudor, quam te violo . . .
Exemplar for internal assessment resource Latin for Achievement Standard 91196 resource 2.3A
Grade Boundary: High Not Achieved
6.
As part of a debate, the student has been asked to present a speech to accuse Aeneas
of causing Dido’s death.
The student has attempted to apply linguistic knowledge to extract meaning (page 1,
para 2) or significance from the studied text, Aeneid IV and characterise Aeneas. Some
Latin quotations have been used to support points made, but several times no English
translation is given or there is an inaccurate one.
To reach Achieved the student could explain the role of the gods and destiny to make
several points more relevant e.g. the scene in the cave (page 1, para 3) and Aeneas’
decision to depart. An example of cultural knowledge is also needed.
© Crown 2010
Student 6: High Not Achieved
For a debate, a speech to accuse Aeneas of causing Dido’s death:
Dido’s death came as the result of a failed relationship with Aeneas, and the fault needs
to be laid fairly and squarely at the door of the one who let the relationship down –
Aeneas.
How he let her down can be traced in the words which she used to describe him. When
he arrived in Carthage looking handsome and brave, she called him hic hospes (l.10),
quam forti pectore et armis (l.11) and genus esse deorum (l.12).
When he willingly took shelter alone with her in a cave when a thunderstorm
foreshortened the hunt, she came to regard him as her husband coniugium (l.172). He
must have realised the depth of her feelings for him, and he went along with that as long
as it suited him, but tried to deny ever being a husband (l.338) when she asked how he
could leave her.
But when first Dido heard the rumour that Aeneas was about to leave her, she accosted
him, and to his face called him perfide (l.305) and crudelis (l.311) because he hadn’t told
her himself as much as because of the fact that he was leaving. In lines 323-4 she says
that she used to call him ‘husband’, but that now the word had reduced back to ‘guest’.
In her last speech to Aeneas, after he has ignored her begging that he should stay, she
calls him traitor again, (l.366) and says that as a villain improbe, he will get his
punishment (l.386).
When Dido decides to enlist her sister Anna’s help to persuade him to stay just a little
while longer, she calls him ‘that traitor’ in her speech to Anna (l.421), and also ‘hostem
superbum’ (l.424). She also says that he has pitiless ears duras demittere in aures
(l.428).
Later when Dido asks Anna to build a tall funeral pyre for her, she refers to Aeneas as
impius (l.496).
As she looks out the window and sees the Trojan fleet leaving the harbour early in the
morning, she refers to Aeneas as hic advena, (l.591) and in cursing Aeneas just before
she falls on his sword to take her own life, she calls him infandum caput (l.613), wicked
head.
It seems clear that she would never have committed suicide if he had not tried to
secretly sneak away, then even when she had begged him to stay, ignored her pleas.
Aeneas is clearly guilty of causing her death.