Book 4

     Dido became more and more infatuated with Aeneas since we first arrived. Aeneas kept us here much longer than we should have remained. The rest of the crew and I wondered what is wrong with Aeneas. He knew that our fate did not belong there in Carthage. He kept us in Carthage far too long, and he spent far too much time with Dido. We were all aware that we must leave soon (and should have already left), Aeneas included, but he continued to spend time with the queen.
     Not even that long ago, Dido and Aeneas went hunting through the outskirts of the city. Since they returned, they had been open about their intimate relationship. I don't think Aeneas realized how dangerous his stupidity could have been. Dido had been struck by the gods. Her emotions were beyond her control , and love flew dangerously and wildly out of her. Before our arrival, she had turned down suitors' requests previously. This was not a change in heart by the queen, no. This was love straight from the divine.
    Finally, Aeneas seemed to snap back into his right mind. He told the men to set up to sail out. It was far form a favorable time to sail, but no one was arguing to get Aeneas away from Dido. Except she became the main problem with our escape. Aeneas had to let her know of his departure, even though he had already stealthily set us up for departure. Anyways, Dido flew into a rage, or so Aeneas said it went. We were waiting until the next day to depart, but Aeneas came through, half panicking, waking us all up and telling us to suit up and sail off immediately. Once again, no one argued. We were all ready to get off that continent.
     I can't help but pity Dido. She was struck by Cupid's arrow, and from then her fate was at the hands of the gods, fate, and Aeneas. Her actions were dominated by her unnatural, out-of-control love for Aeneas. Aeneas didn't help the situation at all. He spent more time with Dido than anyone else I had seen him with since the fall of Troy, and Aeneas led her on with his understanding of the relationship. Any idiot could have seen they were on two different pages. I just hope that we can put this behind us and make it to Italy.

Book 3: Achates

Well, Aeneas finally wrapped up the story of the Trojan War, but then he moved on to the telling of our travels. Aeneas said that Apollo advised us to head to the land of our ancestors. Anchises immediately "recognized" that these message was directing us to the island of Crete. That was a mistake. Famine and, most of all, disease, everywhere. Then Aeneas relayed that the gods had intended for us to sail to Italy. In spite of all of the death and tragedy, I couldn't help but realize that a more accurate history lesson could have saved us from all of that death. I don't blame Anchises or Aeneas; I would have recommended the same destination. Likewise, Aeneas was only paying his due respect to his father. Our next settling point was that dreaded island of the harpies. I still fear their ominous curse of a future famine. We have already suffered a plague that I wouldn't wish on anyone else, except for maybe the Greeks... Speaking of which, we landed on a former territory of Pyrrhus, the very spawn of Achilles. Except, it was delightfully not under Achaean power anymore but of Trojan, by Helenus and Andromache. They were taken as war prizes by Pyrrhus. However, when Pyrrhus was killed for stealing the spouse of another man (the VERY reason that the Achaeans came to Troy, between Paris and Helen, which I find to be beyond hilarious as Pyrrhus thus justly deserved his demise), Helenus and Andromache took over the island! How nice it was to see more territory being re-established with Trojan blood. And I thank Zeus we were delivered to Andromache, as she advised us on how to avoid the dreaded Scylla and Charybdis. Finally, through the divine help of the gods once again.We arrived at Carthage. And so Aeneas finished his telling of our travels.

Book 2

Aeneas retold the story of the Trojan War, and it struck a chord with all of us. I hadn't forgotten about the war, but hearing it retold, especially in such detail, was too much. The sights, smells, sensations, all came back to me. The horse. The cheating, disgusting, vile strategy that it was, it worked. Looking back on it, I can't see how Priam thought trusting it was a good idea. I'll admit, I was swept by Priam's trusting nature, and I sided with him. I cursed Lacoon with the rest of them as he swore against the horse and the Greeks. Our faith led to our demise; Priam's trust caused Troy's end. Then Sinon came and plead his story to us. Oh how strange it seems looking back on it, but once again, Priam and the rest of us fell for his story. We allowed him into our city after hearing his "fate" and exile from the Greeks. Once again, our trust led to our deaths, the city's death. When the serpents took Lacoon and his sons, we were sure that we had been correct. We were sure that our faith had been well-placed. Oh how wrong we were. Then, that night, the end of Troy began. Fire all over our city, my city. I went straight to Priam's house. A man deserves not to die because of his good-will and faith in fellow men, even those most hostile to him. But the gods did not think as such. The city fell, and when it fell, it fell like no other. Sons died before their fathers. Heroes died in their own city. All on account of the deceit of the Greeks. Trust and faith seemed right, but they were not. Prudence, wisdom, intelligence, wit all rule over faith. They betray the trust, and then drive their collective swords through it. I followed Aeneas into the mountains with tears in my eyes. And here I am being forced to relive it all.