Book Summaries

Book 1

Opens with Aeneas and Trojans fleeing from Troy. Juno calls on Aeolus to send a storm but Neptune calms the waters before it hits the Trojans.
Venus begs Jupiter to end their suffering and he promises that they will settle in Italy. He sends a god to Carthage to ensure their hospitality.
When they land in Carthage Venus goes to Aeneas in disguise and tells the story of Dido and Sychaeus. Dido welcomes them to Carthage.
Venus sends Cupid in the form of Ascanius and he makes Dido fall in love with Aeneas. Dido asks him to tell her about his adventures.

Book 2

Aeneas begins his story 10 years earlier at the fall of Troy. Sinon tells the Trojans he is an escaped sacrifice and that the Trojan horse is an offering to Minerva. 2 serpents eat Laocoon and his sons when he throws a spear at it.
At night Sinon opens the horse. Hector appears to Aeneas in a dream telling him and he tries to defend Troy before retreating to Priam's palace where they see Pyrrhus killing Polities (Priam's son) and then Priam on his own altar.
Aeneas goes to kill Helen but Venus stops him, telling him to leave. Anchises refuses to leave until Jupiter sends a "soft flame," on his head then a lightning bolt. On their way out Creusa is lost and her spirit tells Aeneas not to be sorrowful.

Book 3

They first go to Antander where they build new ships, then to Thrace. When Aeneas tears at a tree blood soaks the bark and it tells him it is the spirit of Polydorus, Priam's son, who was betrayed by the Thracian King.
They head to Delos, where Aeneas speaks to Apollo, telling him to go to the land of his ancestors. Anchises suggests this means Crete but there is a plague and Aeneas is told in a dream to go to Italy. They are cursed by harpies on their way.
They head to Buthrotum, where Priam's son Helenus advises them to go the long way round Scylla and Charybdis. They take on board a stranger who escaped the blinded Cyclops, who appears as they leave. The crew lands at Drepanum, where Anchises dies.

Book 4

Dido is reluctant to succumb to Cupid's arrow because of Sychaeus, but her sister Anna tells her it would increase the strength of Carthage. Dido neglects the city construction.
Juno sees Dido's love as a way to stop Aeneas' travels, and suggests to Venus that they get them alone together. Juno brings a storm and they are trapped in a cave together, and return to Carthage as "slaves to lust."
Jupiter sends Mercury to remind Aeneas of his destiny and he tries to leave in secret but Dido confronts him. Anna fails to convince him to stay and Dido builds a huge fire, and throws herself on Aeneas' sword when he leaves.

Book 5

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