Book 1 In Aeneid Book 1, Aeneas is shipwrecked on the coast of North Africa, near where Dido, the young Phoenician

queen - herself a refugee from her homeland - is building a city which will become Carthage. Aeneas, who had escaped death when Troy fell to the Greeks, has been wandering in search of a new land in the west, where it has been prophesied he shall establish a race whose destiny is to rule the world in peace and prosperity. The people are the Romans, and Aeneas' mission comes from Jupiter, king of gods and men. Unfortunately, Juno, queen of heaven, is set on thwarting Aeneas - because she knows that Rome is destined to destroy Carthage, her own favorite city. But it is inevitable that Aeneas and Dido meet - and she falls hopelessly in love. Book 2 Book 2 begins with Dido begging Aeneas to tell her his story. She falls more deeply in love with him as he warms to the tale. He begins with the building of the Wooden Horse, and shows the Trojans' agony at the destruction of their home and way of life. As yet he does not fully comprehend the gods - why have they allowed Troy to be destroyed? Why won't they let him die fighting gloriously for his land like any other hero? Only when the ghost of his wife Cresa (who'd somehow disappeared in the rush to leave) tells him about a western land where he is destined to find a new bride, does he begin to have a faint glimmer of understanding of what the gods have in store for him. He does not yet know that the sack of Troy was to be the beginning of his troubles ... Book 3 In Book 3, Aeneas carries on telling Dido about his adventures - his fruitless search for his promised land all over the Mediterranean. In Sicily his beloved father Anchises had died - but the rest of the party were soon on route for Italy, when Juno's storm brought them to Carthage instead. Book 4 Book 4 takes up the story of Dido's deepening love for Aeneas from Book 1. She had sworn never to get involved with a man again, after the murder of her husband. But there is something about Aeneas... Book 5 Meanwhile, in Book 5, Aeneas has returned to Sicily - where he celebrates the anniversary of his father's death with games. But Juno takes the opportunity to strike - she makes the women set fire to the ships. Most of the ships are saved, but Aeneas decides to press on to Italy with a leaner force, leaving those without the relish for further fighting behind in Sicily. At last he reaches Italy ... Book 6 Aeneas, a Trojan prince, was one of the very few to escape when the Greeks sacked Troy. He would have preferred to die, like most of his friends, fighting to save the city he loved. But Troy was doomed: after a siege of ten years, even the gods who'd help build the city and always supported it agreed that it could survive no longer. Aeneas, as he himself only gradually came to realise, had been selected by the gods for a special mission - that is why he was allowed to escape the carnage with his young son Iulus and his aged father Anchises. Aeneas was destined to discover a new homeland in the west, where he would find a new wife and a new family, and a new and greater Troy would be founded by his descendants.

After several adventures, and much suffering - including the death of his father - Aeneas was shipwrecked on the coast of North Africa. There he found a new city already being built, ruled by Dido, a beautiful young queen who soon fell passionately in love with him. Aeneas enjoyed an affair with the queen, who offered him marriage and a joint share in the kingdom. Aeneas may have been tempted to believe that Dido's city, Carthage, was the one the gods intended for him, but this was not the case. Anxious that Aeneas would not reach the promised land of Italy, Jupiter despatched Mercury to tell him to pack up and leave at once. Reluctantly, Aeneas did so, leaving Dido furious and heart-broken.

Unaware that the plume of smoke on the horizon was coming from Dido's funeral pyre, Aeneas' ships headed for Italy; but a storm forced them ashore in Sicily. It was now a year since they'd left Sicily after the death of Anchises: finding themselves back in the island unexpectedly, Aeneas decided to honour his father's memory and restore the morale of his men with a festival of games and athletics. While the men were involved in this, the goddess Juno - whose hatred for Aeneas and the Trojans dominates the Aeneid - disguised herself as one of the Trojan women, and persuaded the others that they were tired of wandering and looking for a new home. What was wrong with Sicily? Inspired by the evil goddess they set fire to the ships: prompt action by Iulus and a timely thunderstorm saved only four of the fleet. Aeneas decided to allow the women and any others not fully committed to the struggle ahead to stay in Sicily. Aeneas sailed on to Italy with a picked band of the bravest young men.Aeneid 6 Book 7 In Book 7, Aeneas finally reaches Italy - where he's welcomed by king Latinus. Latinus had a beautiful daughter, Lavinia - and there was a prophecy that she should marry a foreigner. So he at once offered her to Aeneas, angering his wife Amata. But she already had a suitor, Turnus of the Rutulians. Juno stirs up war betweeen them and the Trojans. Book 8. Aeneas is reluctant to fight his new hosts, but is promised help by Evander, a Greek whose capital is on the future site of Rome. Venus asks Vulcan for new armour for her son for the coming battles. The shield is decorated with scenes from the future history of Rome, right down to the Battle of Actium, where Augustus had recently defeated Antony and Cleopatra. Book 9 Book 9 takes place while Aeneas is away. Turnus blockades the Trojan camp, but Nisus and Euryalus are killed trying to take the news to Aeneas. Iulus, Aeneas' son thwarts Turnus' bid to capture the camp. Book 10 In Book 10 Aeneas returns, with his new allies, Pallas, young son of Evander and an Etruscan contingent. He wins a great victory over Turnus, but Pallas is killed. Book 11 Book 11 opens with celebration and mourning, for the young hero Aeneas had promised his father he would protect. It's decided to settle the quarrel with single combat between Aeneas and Turnus, but fighting breaks out, in which Turnus' ally the Volscian warrior princess Camilla is killed. Book 12. Turnus and Aeneas are ready for their duel, but it is again interrupted, when Juturna, Turnus' sister, stirs up the Rutulians. Aeneas is wounded in the fighting, but healed by his mother. The Trojans take the unguarded city of Latinus, and Amata kills herself. Turnus returns and faces Aeneas at last. He is wounded, but Aeneas intends to spare his life, until he sees the spoils from Pallas that he is wearing. Aeneas in rage buries his sword in Turnus' body.