Dido was the daughter of the king of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre, and her Phoenician name was Elissa, but she was later given the name Dido, meaning "wanderer." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/dido-queen-of-carthage-116949. The Douïmès Pendant Inscription, M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. Hide browse bar Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Dido, Queen of Carthage was an opera in three acts by Stephen Storace. The earliest known person to have written about Dido was the Greek historian Timaeus of Taormina (c. 350–260 BCE). The Tragedy of Dido Queen of Carthage. Virginia Brown, The I Tatti Renaissance Library (Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Dido, Queen of Carthage, was famed for her beauty but rejected every suitor, until she meets the heroic Aeneas. In many ways, Dido is a prototype for the strong modern woman. It is Dido who initiates the romance with Aeneas, … See search results for this author. Dido, Queen of Carthage Queen whom Venus caused to fall Mercury or. Dido, also called Elissa, in Greek legend, the reputed founder of Carthage, daughter of the Tyrian king Mutto (or Belus), and wife of Sychaeus (or Acerbas). Dido, Queen of Carthage was first performed by the Children of Her Majesty's Chapel, a company of boys, sometime around 1586. The company performed the play throughout the late 1580s and early 1590s, and the precise date of the first performance is unknown. An earlier ending of Dido's story omits Aeneas and reports that she committed suicide rather than marry a neighboring king. N.S. That suggests that the founding dates listed in historical documents could well be correct. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Dido, Warrior Queen. The play is based on the story of Dido and Aeneas as told in the fourth book of Virgil’s Aeneid. He refuses to marry her, however, and as he sails from Carthage, the despairing Dido kills herself. After they had agreed to what seemed an exchange greatly to their advantage, Dido showed how clever she really was. According to the "Aeneid," the Trojan prince Aeneas met Dido on his way from Troy to Lavinium. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Dido was the daughter of the king of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre, and her Phoenician name was Elissa, but she was later given the name Dido, meaning "wanderer." The ghost of Sychaeus revealed to Dido what had happened to him and told her where he had hidden his treasure. 446-93), The Foundation of Carthage, 814 B.C. https://www.thoughtco.com/dido-queen-of-carthage-116949 (accessed May 2, 2021). Dido, Queen of Carthage is a work of astonishing invention, and perhaps the first masterpiece of the English stage. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dido-Queen-of-Carthage. ThoughtCo. Dido was the daughter of the Tyrian king Mutto (also known as Belus or Agenor), and she was the sister of Pygmalion, who succeeded to the throne of Tyre when his father died. He wooed Dido who resisted him until she was struck by an arrow of Cupid. Dido, the 9th-century BCE Phoenician princess who became queen of Carthage, is represented as the full-face bust portrait (idealized) of a woman who stoically faces death. Are you an author? "The Story of Dido, Queen of Ancient Carthage." She is best known from the account given by the Roman poet Virgil in his Aeneid. Gill, N.S. Od. It was probably written between 1587 and 1593, and was first published in 1594. Od. A later source is the first-century historian Josephus whose writings mention an Elissa who founded Carthage during the rule of Menandros of Ephesus. Sailing west across the Mediterranean she founded the city of Carthage c. 813 BCE and later fell in love with the Trojan hero and founder of the Roman people Aeneas. Some parts of her life may be true. She is an antagonist, a strong, determined, and independent woman who possesses heroic dimensions. He stumbled on the beginnings of the city where he had expected to find only a desert, including a temple to Juno and an amphitheater, both under construction. Corrections? #ARD Classes#UGC-NET & Other Competitive ExamsPlayDido, Queen of Carthage by Christopher Marlowe& Thomas Nashe Dido, Queen of Carthage is a short play written by the English playwright Christopher Marlowe, with possible contributions by Thomas Nashe.The story of the play focuses on the classical figure of Dido, the Queen of Carthage.It tells an intense dramatic tale of Dido and her fanatical love for Aeneas (induced by Cupid), Aeneas' betrayal of her and her eventual suicide on his departure for Italy. Ganymede I am much better for your worthless love, Its English libretto by Prince Hoare was adapted from Metastasio 's 1724 libretto, Didone abbandonata ( Dido Abandoned ), which had been set by many composers. Dido, Queen of Carthage, in full The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage, play in five acts by Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Nashe, published in 1594. Updates? Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position: Jupiter calms the storm, allowing Aeneas to land safely on the North African coast. Before Aeneas’s arrival, Dido is the confident and competent ruler of Carthage, a city she founded on the coast of North Africa. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. While Timaeus's writing did not survive, he is referenced by later writers. Carthage was a city in the country now known as Tunisia. Ancient Greek and Roman writers said that Dido was the founder and first Queen of Carthage. Marlowe’s play tells of the tragic infatuation of Queen Dido for Aeneas, heroic survivor of the Trojan War and future founder of Rome. Some sources cite her name as being Elissa. In the play, Dido, the queen of Carthage, is in love with Aeneas, who has taken refuge in Carthage after the fall of Troy. Her metropolis rose in its high-noon to be called a "shining city," ruling 300 other cities around the western Mediterranean and … She is most known for her portrayel by Virgil in the Aeneid. Like Aeneas, Dido fled her homeland because of circumstances beyond her control. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. "The Story of Dido, Queen of Ancient Carthage." Kimberley Sykes, director of Dido, Queen of Carthage, gives a summary of the story of Christopher Marlowe's play. Gill, N.S. Dido's story was engaging enough to become a focus for many later writers including the Romans Ovid (43 BCE–17 CE) and Tertullian (c. 160–c. Hide browse bar Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Aeneas saw her again, in the Underworld in Book VI of the "Aeneid." Dido (pronounced Die-doh) is known best as the mythical queen of Carthage who died for love of Aeneas, according to "The Aeneid" of the Roman poet Vergil (Virgil). Ian Charles Lepine (Author) ISBN-13: 978-1549685026. Her husband having been slain by her brother Pygmalion, Dido fled to the coast of Africa where she purchased from a local chieftain, Iarbas, a piece of land on which she founded Carthage. The legend of Queen Dido is found in Greek and Roman sources, the best-known of which being Virgil’s Aeneid. 240 CE), and medieval writers Petrarch and Chaucer. In 1597, it was performed by the Lord Chamberlain's players, in what was probably its first performance with an adult cast. But if Dido and Aeneas were real people, they could not have met: he would have been old enough to be her grandfather. Using a small part of Virgil's ''Aeneid,'' Christopher Marlowe tells his own version of the tragedy of Dido, the Queen of Carthage and Aeneid. The goddess Venus complains that Jupiter has been neglecting her son Aeneas, who has been lost in a storm on his way to found a new Troy in Italy. 1.See, for example, Deanne Williams, “Dido, Queen of England,” English Literary History 73, no.1 (Spring 2006): 31-59; Boccaccio, Famous Women, ed. Later, she became the title character in Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas and Berlioz's Les Troyennes. In the play, Dido, the queen of Carthage, is in love with Aeneas, who has taken refuge in Carthage after the fall of Troy. Proudly presents a staged reading of Dido: sorcery and dido, queen of carthage in Vergil ’ only. According to legend, Carthage was founded by the Phoenician Queen Elissa (better known as Dido) c. 814 BCE; although Dido’s historicity has been challenged, the founding does date to … According to Greek, and some Roman sources Dido was the founder, and Queen of Carthage. Queen Dido is ready to help him when meddling gods intervene and turn help into an all-consuming love. Pygmalion may reference a known king of Tyre (Pummay) in the 9th century BCE, or perhaps a Cypriot god associated with Astarte. Dido, Queen of Carthage (full title: The Tragedie of Dido Queene of Carthage) is a short play written by the English playwright Christopher Marlowe, with possible contributions by Thomas Nashe.It was probably written between 1587 and 1593, and was first published in 1594. Synopsis A summary of Christopher Marlowe's Dido, Queen of Carthage. Dido (pronounced Die-doh) is known best as the mythical queen of Carthage who died for love of Aeneas, according to "The Aeneid" of the Roman poet Vergil (Virgil). Dido, Queen of Carthage (full title: The Tragedie of Dido Queene of Carthage) is a short play written by the English playwright Christopher Marlowe, with possible contributions by Thomas Nashe. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. As usual, we lean towards adhering to the wording of the earliest volume as much as possible. Dido, Queen of Carthage Troy has fallen. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 9.1", "denarius") All Search Options [view abbreviations] Home Collections/Texts Perseus Catalog Research Grants Open Source About Help. (2021, February 16). Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position: Dido, Queen of Carthage, in full The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage, play in five acts by Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Nashe, published in 1594. While Dido is a unique and intriguing character, it is unclear whether there was a historical Queen of Carthage. Dido, knowing how dangerous Tyre was with her brother still alive, took the treasure, and secretly sailed from Tyre accompanied by some noble Tyrians who were dissatisfied with Pygmalion's rule. 9.1", "denarius") All Search Options [view abbreviations] Home Collections/Texts Perseus Catalog Research Grants Open Source About Help. Dido landed in Cyprus, where she carried off 80 maidens to provide the Tyrians with brides, and then crossed the Mediterranean to Carthage, in what is now modern Tunisia. Graeca et latina, 1929 4 Misc King of the Aeneid rehearsal photos from our 2017 production Dido. Dido bartered with the locals, offering a substantial amount of wealth in exchange for what she could contain within the skin of a bull. Dido was also the name of a Phoenician deity named Astarte. Dido, Queen of Carthage is a short play written by the English playwright Christopher Marlowe, with possible contributions by Thomas Nashe. Do they follow their hearts or fulfil their political destinies? Plot. Marlowe’s only female protagonist, she is a powerful and wealthy queen with hordes of rejected kingly suitors. The play is based on the story of Dido and Aeneas as told in the fourth book of Virgil ’s Aeneid. Dido, Queen of Carthage by Ian Charles Lepine (Author) › Visit Amazon's Ian Charles Lepine Page. Endnotes. Learn about Author Central. Episode 1: The city of Troy is in ruins after the Trojan War.One of the survivors is the demigod Aeneas, who escaped with a Trojan fleet.He arrives at Carthage in North Africa, where the queen Dido asks him to tell his story. and trans. Other parts are myths. There, Dido founded the city of Carthage and ruled it as queen. The Murderous Cult of Roman Diana and Her Sword-Wielding Priests, The Most Famous and Powerful Queens in Ancient History, 6 Important People in Ancient African History, Biography of Dido Elizabeth Belle, English Aristocrat, Wars of Alexander the Great: Siege of Tyre, Most Important Figures in Ancient History, Romulus - Roman Mythology About the Founding and First King of Rome, Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty, The Archaeology of the Temple to Juno in Carthage (Aen. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Christopher Marlowe, Dido, Queen of Carthage ("Agamemnon", "Hom. Jupiter COme gentle Ganymede and play with me, I love thee well, say Juno what she will. 1 The Legend 2 Conflicting Accounts, and question of Historical Existance 3 Portrayel 3.1 Operas 3.2 Plays 3.3 Video Games 4 Misc. Dido lived in the 9th century BC (about 3000 years ago). Dido, known also as Elissa in some sources, is a legendary queen who is credited with the founding of Carthage. A small band of survivors are reunited near Carthage, a peaceful refuge. Though likely written in the mid-1580's, Dido, the Queen of Carthage was not published until 1594, after Christopher Marlowe's death in 1593. The play adds a significant character from Greek legend to Virgil’s story: Iarbas, a barbarian chieftain who himself wants Dido for his bride. The Douïmès Pendant Inscription, M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. Queen Elissar, a princess of Tyre founded Carthage. 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