The fainting Dido was carried to her palace, whence she could watch the
hurried preparations for the departure. As she watched, life became
intolerable to her. Pretending to her sister that she was preparing to
perform a magic spell to release her from the bonds of love, she reared a
mighty pyre in her court, wreathed it with funereal garlands, and placed
thereon Aeneas's couch, garments, and sword. With her hair dishevelled, she
then invoked Hecate, and sprinkling Avernian water and poisons on it, and
casting thereon various love charms, she called the gods to witness that
she was determined to die. As the ships left the harbor, she tore her
hair, one moment accusing herself because she had not torn Aeneas to pieces
when in her power, at another vowing to follow him. Then, anxious to
forget her grief, she mounted, the pyre, and threw herself on the sword of
her faithless, lover.
Far out at sea, the Aeneans, looking back, dimly guessed the meaning of the
flames that brightened the stormy skies.
Contrary winds compelled Aeneas to seek harbor in Sicily. Its king,
Acestes, was his friend, and there he had buried his father Anchises. A
year had elapsed since his death, and in honor of the anniversary, Aeneas
instituted funeral games, in which there were trials of skill in rowing,
foot-racing, archery, and boxing.
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