\n# AP Latin: Aeneid Book 4 - Lines 296-361 Study Guide 🚀

Hey there! Let's get you prepped for the AP Latin exam with a deep dive into Aeneid Book 4, lines 296-361. We'll break down the key themes, grammar, and literary devices to make sure you're feeling confident and ready to ace it! 💪

#🏛️ Context & Overview

Key Concept

After Mercury's visit, Aeneas decides to leave Carthage for Italy, but Dido finds out and confronts him. This section is all about the intense emotional conflict and the clash of duty vs. love. It's a crucial passage for understanding Dido's tragic fate and Aeneas's unwavering destiny.

Key Players: Aeneas, Dido, Fama (Rumor), Jupiter, Mercury
Setting: Carthage
Conflict: Aeneas's duty to found Rome vs. Dido's love and despair

# 💔 Lines 304-313: Dido's Accusations

Tandem hīs Aenēān compellat vōcibus ultrō: 'dissimulāre etiam spērāstī, perfide, tantum posse nefās tacitusque meā decēdere terrā? Nec tē noster amor, nec tē data dextera quondam nec moritūra tenet crūdēlī fūnere Dīdō? Quīn etiam hībernō mōlīrī sīdere classem et mediīs properās Aquilōnibus īre per altum, crūdēlis? Quid, sī nōn arva aliēna domōsque ignōtās peterēs, et Trōia antīqua manēret, Trōia per undōsum peterētur classibus aequor?'

#🤔 Key Questions & Analysis

Why do Aeneas and raging Dido meet at the start of these lines?
- Dido, fueled by Fama, senses Aeneas's departure plans. She's not just upset; she's furious.
Why does Dido call Aeneas an “oathbreaker”?
- She believes their “marriage” (or at least, their bond) was a sacred pledge. Aeneas’s secret preparations feel like a betrayal. 💔
What does the winter season have to do with Dido's troubling view of Aeneas leaving?
- Winter on the Mediterranean = storm season. Dido sees Aeneas's departure during this time as reckless and cruel. 🥶
Write out all of line 7 (et...altum) and mark scansion
- et me | diis pro | pe ras A | qui lo | ni bus i | re per al | tum
- Dactyl-dactyl-dactyl-dactyl-dactyl-spondee
Why does Dido bring up that Aeneas wouldn’t leave for Troy in the middle of the winter?
- She's highlighting the absurdity of his departure. If he wouldn't sail to a familiar place like Troy in winter, why would he sail to an unknown destination now? It suggests his motives are not what they seem.

Exam Tip

Pay attention to Dido's use of rhetorical questions. They reveal her emotional state and her attempts to manipulate Aeneas. Also, note the use of perfide (oathbreaker) - it's a powerful accusation.

# 🗣️ Lines 333-339: Aeneas's Response

Tandem pauca refert: 'Ego tē, quae plūrima fandō ēnumerāre valēs, numquam, rēgīna, negābō prōmeritam, nec mē meminisse pigēbit Elissae dum memor ipse meī, dum spīritus hōs regit artūs. Prō rē pauca loquar. Neque ego hanc abscondere fūrtō spērāvī nē finge fugam, nec coniugis umquam praetenī taedās aut haec in foedera vēnī.'

#📝 Literal Translation

He replied briefly finally: “O queen, I will never oppose that you justify the most that can be portrayed out in this message, nor will I repent my views of you, Elissa, while recollection itself is my own, and breath administers these limbs. I’ll express about the truth temporarily. I didn't think to hide my departure by slyness (don’t believe that), nor have I ever grasped the marriage torch, or entered into that agreement.”

Quick Fact

Notice Aeneas's use of Elissa, Dido's Phoenician name. It's a subtle way of acknowledging her past and their connection, while still maintaining distance.

# 🔍 Breakdown of Lines 296-361

#Dido's Fury and Accusations

Dido's Discovery: She senses Aeneas's preparations, proving that a lover's intuition is sharp. Fama plays a role, spreading the news of his impending departure. 📢
Paranoia & Commitment: Dido is hyper-focused on Aeneas's commitment. Her rage is fueled by the fear of abandonment. She's compared to a follower of Bacchus, a Thyiad, wild and out of control. 💃
- Analogy: Think of the Bacchanalia – wild, frenzied dancing and raw emotion. Dido's rage is similar to the Bacchic frenzy.

Memory Aid

Remember Dido's madness by picturing a Thyiad, a follower of Bacchus, dancing wildly. This helps you visualize the intensity of her emotions.

Reprimand: Dido calls Aeneas an “oathbreaker” (perfide) and questions his love, their pledge, and the alliance. She even hints at suicide if he leaves. 😭
Winter Departure: Dido questions why Aeneas would leave in the stormy winter season. She argues that even if Troy still existed, he wouldn't depart in such conditions. ⛈️
Emotional Plea: Dido begs Aeneas to stay, emphasizing her tears, their “marriage,” and her sacrifices. She feels that she has given everything, while Aeneas has only received. She highlights how her reputation and honor are at stake.
**"What's Left for Me?