Pain In The Aeneid

Pain is present everywhere in the world, in all societies and cultures, and in every human’s life. It's a broad topic that's almost impossible to define due to the wide variety of effects it might have on someone. Everyone deals with different pains in a variety of ways, and some choose to ignore it altogether. All pain does have something in common though; reactions to it involve irrational behavior, whether it is just thinking in unreasonable ways, or actually doing something nonsensical. In Virgil's The Aeneid, he takes us through the Queen Dido’s life and up to the end of her existence. From the negative effects of being madly in love to the infectious disease that many call rumor, he explains several important lessons using Dido’s life.
In secret Build up a pyre in the inner court Under the open sky, and place upon it The arms that faithless man left in my chamber, All his clothing, and the marriage bed’ (655-660)
This quote also illustrates Dido’s sense of irrationality. It really shows that when Dido faces pain she usually blames the person that's causing it, even if it's not their fault. It was obvious that she loved Aeneas, but she still went on to curse his life and go as far as to burn all his clothing and belongings. These are just a few examples of how Dido resorts to irrational behavior when experiencing loss instead of staying calm and dealing with the pain. After Dido’s irrational thoughts towards Aeneas, Virgil explains the utmost illogical action of Dido; her suicide. In the story, when her lover Aeneas leaves her to found Rome, Dido falls into a deep depression from the loss. This woefulness soon sends her into thoughts of suicide and finally, she ends up killing herself near the end of the story. In The Aeneid, before Dido commits suicide, she states, ‘I lived my life out to the very end And passed the stages Fortune has appointed. Now my tall shade goes to the
Unfortunately, situations occur every day that are similar to Dido’s final result to her pain. In the Article, ‘What Drives a Person to Suicide?’ by John Demartini, when describing the causes of suicide, he states, “Each of us has swings in our mood or has highs and lows in our emotional feelings. If these swings are within a certain normal range, we remain self-governed and functional. But when they become extreme, they can lead us into the poles of mania and depression.” (Demartini) This quote explains how normal pain can turn into deep depression and eventually cause depression in anyone. Similar to Dido, her experiences of loss led her to depression and irrational thinking and eventually suicide. This quote also shows that it is common for someone to slip into an irrational state of mind when experiencing great pain or loss. In the article, Demartini also states, “Any time we have an expectation that is delusional or extremely unrealistic, or is not aligned with our true, highest values, depression can ensue and suicide can become a persistent thought.” (Demartini) This statement can easily connect to Virgil's depiction of Dido’s actions. Throughout The Aeneid, it is evident that Dido is always hoping for something unrealistic. For example, she expected her lover Aeneas to stay with her instead of listening to the