cave, where we are given to understand their union takes place. So
momentous a step, proclaimed by the hundred-mouthed Goddess of Fame,
rouses the ire of the native chiefs, one of whom fervently hopes
Carthage may rue having spared these Trojan refugees. This prayer is
duly registered by Jupiter, who further bids Mercury remind Aeneas his
new realm is to be founded in Italy and not on the African coast!

Thus divinely ordered to leave, Aeneas dares not disobey, but,
dreading Dido's reproaches and tears, he prepares to depart secretly.
His plans are, however, detected by Dido, who vehemently demands, how
he dares forsake her now? By Jupiter's orders, Aeneas remains unmoved
by her reproaches, and sternly reminds her that he always declared he
was bound for Italy. So, leaving Dido to brood over her wrongs, Aeneas
hastens down to the shore to hasten his preparations for departure.
Seeing this, Dido implores her sister to detain her lover, and, as
this proves vain, orders a pyre erected, on which she places all the
objects Aeneas has used.

That night the gods arouse Aeneas from slumber to bid him sail without
taking leave of the Tyrian queen. In obedience to this command, our
hero cuts with his sword the rope which moors his vessel to the
Carthaginian shore, and sails away, closely followed by the rest of
his fleet. From the watch-tower at early dawn, Dido discovers his
vanishing sails, and is so overcome by grief that, after rending "her
golden length of hair" and calling down vengeance upon Aeneas, she
stabs herself and breathes her last in the midst of the burning pyre.
The Carthaginians, little expecting so tragical a denouement, witness
the agony of their beloved queen in speechless horror, while Anna
wails aloud. Gazing down from heaven upon this sad scene, Juno
directs Iris to hasten down and cut off a lock of Dido's hair, for it