Medieval Images

Figure 2. “Aeneas at Carthage.” London, British Library, MS. King’s 24, fol. 59.

Fire imagery is noticeably absent from de Pisan’s interpretation of Dido. Even though de Pisan does not focus on it, fire is present in a medieval manuscript image that shows Troy burning in the background. The fire in the back of this image, which is a relative contemporary of Christine de Pisan, shows Aeneas freshly departed from the destruction of Troy, kneeling to Dido upon their first meeting after he has landed on Carthage’s shores. Dido is clearly identified by her crown. Troy burning is a reflection of power and how uncontrollable fire and burning can be, which relates to the Virgil’s description of how Dido feels about Aeneas. Fire is a constant image within the Aeneid and the depiction of black smoke depicts how fire seems to follow Aeneas wherever he goes in the Aeneid. However, this image does not show that progression of events that follow, including Dido’s fiery suicide. As does de Pisan, the manuscript image shows how noble both Dido and Aeneas are, engaging in the customary greetings. The few buildings of Carthage that are depicted are ornate and constructed of white stone. The illumination indicates how powerful Carthage is, which is a reflection of Dido’s power and capability of a ruler.

The existence of the manuscript image allows valuable deductions to be made about the use of classical texts in the medieval period. It shows that the Aeneid was widely circulated enough that it was illustrated. Wealthy and literate audiences were interested enough to invest in it. It also shows that the most relevant aspect of Dido at the time was her place as a ruler, not her death. The prejudice against Carthage would not have been so prominent since hundreds of years have passed since the end of the Punic Wars. Fire as a theme manifests itself with physical structures, not people, with the smoldering Troy in the back ground. Dido’s suicide is not the focus, which stands out as very different from the classical interpretation.