Authority in The Aeneid

A detailed Summary of Authority in The Aeneid


Authority is the centerpiece of power. With it, one has the ability to control those around them under the basis of their power, and maintain a given sense of order and duty as well. This notion of the importance of authority is nowhere more evident than in Virgil's Aeneid, where through the manner in which Dido falls from authority, and eventually fights to gain it back, Virgil paints the image of a character whose whole existence centers about the authority and sense of duty she shares for both herself and the people she is in charge of. Furthermore, through the folly of succumbing to her own desires, Dido must ultimately sacrifice all she holds dear to regain a small semblance of that authority which is lost. In other words, it is precisely this fall Dido suffers, and the manner in which she regains her authority, that allow her to exude the heroic qualities that make her the steadfast leader she truly is.

As Dido begins to fall madly in love with Aeneas, her longing for personal desire fully encompasses her being, and slowly strips her of her own integrity and authority. For example, in describing how enthralled Dido is, Virgil notes:

Unlucky Dido, burning, in her madness


And that admired name by which alone

Because of you, I lost my integrity

Virgil. The Aeneid. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. 7th ed. Vol.1

Thus through the struggle of Dido, Virgil provides a glimpse not only into the folly of personal desire when it conflicts with duty, but more importantly, of the intrinsic importance that authority plays in defining the picture of the Roman world that Virgil has depicted here. Ultimately for Virgil, it is integrity, and the responsibility that comes with maintaining it with respect to duty, that serves as the underlying force of man, and of the state as well.

Ed. Sarah Lawall, Maynard Mack. New York : W.W. Norton & Co. ,

The fatal shaft clings to her side. (IV. 91-98)



Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1699
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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