The story of the Aeneid revolves around the character of Aeneas, who is on a divine mission. Aeneas’ mission is to found a city in Italy, which will eventually be called Rome. Virgil alludes to this in the beginning when he mentions Latium where Aeneas built the first city, Lavinium. Alba Longa which was founded by Aeneas’ son Ascanius and thirdly Rome, built by Romulus, a distant relation of Ascanius.

We first meet Aeneas during the storm where we learn that he is full of sorrow and a loving memory of Troy (page 30). He is also looking back to the past. As the story unfolds, we see that Aeneas throughout the books, looks back to the past but eventually begins to look to the future. Towards the end of the story, Aeneas looks to the future only and this is a theme that we will develop as we read more of the story. After they reach land, (Africa), we see another side of Aeneas. He shows compassion for his friends and the comrades whom he fears have been lost at sea. (page 32-33) In a speech he attempts to fill the survivors with hope and renewed courage, although he himself does not possess these same thoughts.

After the impassioned plea by his mother Venus to Jupiter on behalf of Aeneas, and the reply of Jupiter in which he delivers a prophecy that outlines the future greatness of Rome, Venus descends on earth and Aeneas meets her mother while she is disguised as a hunter. Aeneas does not recognise her and while he realises that she is a god, she does not reveal her true identity. Venus reveals the story of Dido and as she departs she drops her disguise and envelopes Aeneas and Achates in an invisible mist. Aeneas recognises her as she leaves. Venus, as his mother, displays the concerns and cares of any normal mother. and endeavours to protect him. This is further demonstrated when she hatches a plan for Dido to fall in love with Aeneas. She is worried that Juno may try some new trick, and for the Trojans to be really safe, she is luring Juno into a false sense of security (i.e. Venus is getting in first to ensure the safety of Aeneas)

The first book of the Aeneid serves to introduce several of the most important characters in the poem and to reveal its basic themes.

• We learn something of the personality of Aeneas. This personality is to grow and change with the development of the epic: his sorrowful memory of the events in Troy and his yearning for the past; his noble spirit looking forward to Rome, shown by his willingness to undergo all trials in order to fulfill the destiny set by the gods; and his human feeling for the sufferings of others.
• We learn a little about Dido’s generosity and her impulsive actions of the heart. The appearance of Cupid is a foreshadowing of the love story developed in Book 4.
• We are introduced to the various roles of the gods

1. JUPITER- the unruffled dispenser of law and order
2. JUNO- the goddess with unruly emotions, jealousy, anger, passionate love for the Carthaginians
3. VENUS- watchful mother and protectress of Aeneas
4. NEPTUNE- powerful like his brother Jupiter, but not as serene as him. Also on the side of the Trojans.

• Finally we see the themes of the poet.

-the greatness and mission of Rome, symbolised by Aeneas.

-the contrast of violence with order, emotion with self-control, seen in the personalities of the gods and mortals.

-the awareness of the great Greek epic poet Homer. Virgil uses subtle references to achieve this combined with the story itself and the mention of the characters that were involved in the Trojan war. However Homer's heroes are pretty much men of the moment who act as their natures make them, but Virgil’s characters always carry with them a sense of past and future, and act from duty, the noblest of Roman virtues- PIETAS. This theme will be developed further as the story unfolds.

FATES- refers to the three goddesses who controlled the thread of human life: Clotho held the spindle, Lachesis drew the thread, Atropos cut it.

ILIUM- another name for Troy

TEUCER-the mythical founder of Troy

PHRYGIA- another name for Troy

HECTOR- the most famous hero of the Trojans. He was the son of Priam the king of Troy. Achilles eventually kills him, after being deceived by the goddess Athena. After Achilles kills him, he mutilates the body by dragging it behind his chariot.

AMAZONS- a warrior nation of women whose queen, Penthesilea, came to the aid of the Trojans. She too was slain by Achilles.

HELEN- wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta, who ran off with Paris, prince of Troy. This led to the Trojan war.

PRIAM- King of Troy

ACHILLES- chief hero of the Greeks in the Trojan war

QUIRINUS- another name for Romulus

PYGMALION- brother of Dido. He murdered Dido’s husband Sychaeus in order to secure his fortune

SYCHAEUS- husband of Dido (see Pygmalion above)