The Aeneid Duty Quotes Page 2

These words, spoken by Aeneas to Dido when she confronts him about leaving, are his version of the "It's not you, it's me" speech. Well, make that the "It's not you, but it's not me either: it's the implacable powers of destiny that we all must obey." Here, as elsewhere, the Aeneid portrays duty as conflicting with personal desires and connections.

This passage continues the same theme as the previous one. What is different here is that now we see more clearly how Aeneas himself "struggles with desire" for a different life. Why do you think Virgil chose to give us this glimpse into his hero's heart? Do you think knowing how Aeneas acted against his own feelings makes him a greater or a lesser hero?

These lines come from the description of Elysium, the pleasant part of the underworld where good people get to chill out until they're reborn. One thing many (though not all) of these people have in common is that they acted for the benefit of others; some have made the ultimate sacrifice for their community. How does this scene from the underworld contribute to the Aeneid's overall perspective on duty?