_Dido discovers to her sister her passion for Æneas, and her thoughts of marrying him. She prepares a hunting-match for his entertainment. Juno, by Venus's consent, raises a storm, which separates the hunters, and drives Æneas and Dido into the same cave, where their marriage is supposed to be completed. Jupiter dispatches Mercury to Æneas, to warn him from Carthage. Æneas secretly prepares for his voyage. Dido finds out his design, and, to put a stop to it, makes use of her own and her sister's entreaties, and discovers all the variety of passions that are incident to a neglected lover. When nothing would prevail upon him, she contrives her own death, with which this book concludes._ But anxious cares already seized the queen; She fed within her veins a flame unseen; The hero's valour, acts, and birth, inspire Her soul with love, and fan the secret fire. His words, his looks, imprinted in her heart, Improve the passion, and increase the smart. Now, when the purple morn had chased away The dewy shadows, and restored the day, Her sister first with early care she sought, And thus in mournful accents eased her thought:-- "My dearest Anna! what new dreams affright My labouring soul! what visions of the night Disturb my quiet, and distract my breast With strange ideas of our Trojan guest! His worth, his actions, and majestic air, A man descended from the gods declare. Fear ever argues a degenerate kind; His birth is well asserted by his mind. Then, what he suffered, when by Fate betrayed! What brave attempts for falling Troy he made! Such were his looks, so gracefully he spoke, That, were I not resolved against the yoke Of hapless marriage--never to be cursed With second love, so fatal was my first-- To this one error I might yield again; For, since Sichæus was untimely slain, This only man is able to subvert The fixed foundations of my stubborn heart. And, to confess my frailty, to my shame, } Somewhat I find within, if not the same, } Too like the sparkles of my former flame. } But first let yawning earth a passage rend, And let me through the dark abyss descend-- First let avenging Jove, with flames from high, } Drive down this body to the nether sky, } Condemned with ghosts in endless night to lie-- } Before I break the plighted faith I gave! } No! he who had my vows, shall ever have; } For, whom I loved on earth, I worship in the grave." } She said: the tears ran gushing from her eyes, And stopped her speech. Her sister thus replies:-- "O dearer than the vital air I breathe! Will you to grief your blooming years bequeath, Condemned to waste in woes your lonely life, Without the joys of mother, or of wife? Think you these tears, this pompous train of woe, Are known or valued by the ghosts below?