Dido's Cursed Love
Books 4 and 6 of the Aeneid
Even after death, Dido still curses Aeneas, though silently. The hardest part for me here is that apparently neither Dido nor Aeneas ever find out they’ve been played by Venus. I call this Dido’s Cursed Love, because she both curses Aeneas, her love, and has been cursed by Venus, through Cupid, to love him.
Sychaeus is Dido’s first husband, whom her brother Pygmalion murdered. She didn’t find out where he had gone, let alone that he was dead, until his shade came back from the Underworld to tell her. She had to flee to Libya, where she founded Carthage, and leave Tyre to Pygmalion.
To Sychaeus no child born, Forlorn the maiden's love, Murdered by a brother, Bloody Pygmalion. Coward! Rich Tyre you stole, Alone you made me grieve. "Murdered!" from Hades calls Faithful Sychaeus. Nor killed in open battle, Nor after owned the body, Nor deathly rites provided: Coward Pygmalion. No other love, I vow, But now to Sychaeus, husband, My deathless faith pronounce: Dido will not remarry. To Libya I bring my gold, And soldiers train, build walls, And queen of Carthage rule. Then comes Aeneas. No husband would I choose, Refusing neighbor kings. Aeneas not even a king, Though Venus born. I fall, amor we pledge, He played, awhile, his part, Then faithless, takes his leave. Dido murders Dido. Across the Styx to fields, To Fields of Mourning gone, To faithful maiden love, Faithful Sychaeus. Such fate I once had yearned, Returned to love, to husband, Even here below, Before Aeneas. I heard thee not, above, When my love meant less than duty, And still do not below. Aeneas, I curse thee!