The admirable qualities of men in Virgil's Aeneid include courage, honor, and courage, but a woman's worth is based less on power, about wit and brains and more about their beauty, or lack of beauty. There are many instances in the Aeneid where both male and female characters value a woman based on how beautiful she is. Although he is the hero of the epic, it can be argued that Aeneas follows the patriarchal example in equating female beauty with worth by analyzing his three wives and the duration of their respective relationships. Likewise, many of the female figures, other than his wives, who shape and aid Aeneas on his journey exist in a society where beauty was a priority for both mortal and immortal women. There are often political reasons why decisions are made, but beauty still remains an overlooked subplot in the Aeneid. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first example of beauty as power can be found in the opening pages of the Aeneid. Aeneas' journey was provoked by the anger of the goddess Juno. His anger was based on two determinants: vanity and favoritism. Virgil describes how Aeneas was destined to destroy Carthage, a city favored by Juno, in Book I. Within this description in lines 38-44, there is a parenthetical allusion to a past judgment expressed by Paris. “The causes of [Juno's] bitterness, her acute and wild grief, had not yet left her spirit; for in the depths of his mind lies the judgment of Paris and the wrong done to his despised beauty” (I.39-43). This timid parenthetical addition calls attention to itself by declaring that there is more than one reason why Juno is angry. Juno's anger is not simply based on politics and favoritism; it's also out of vanity. Paris, a Trojan prince, had the task of choosing the most beautiful among Juno, Venus and Minerva. When Paris declared Venus the most beautiful of the three, Juno became undeniably embittered with Paris. Paris, only a tiny fraction of the Trojan empire, became representative of the entire nation, and after Juno was not dubbed the fairest of goddesses, she turned her bitterness on anyone with a Trojan bloodline. Unfortunately for Aeneas, he was 1) the son of Venus, who could be considered the source of Juno's envy, 2) a Trojan, 3) destined to ruin Carthage. Juno's anger towards Paris reveals that she places much value on beauty, while the displacement of her anger towards Aeneas shows her meanness. In the world of the Aeneid, beauty equals power. Juno's drive and plans to sabotage Aeneas' journey to found the Roman Empire were based on both politics and vanity. Another example of the importance of beauty can be seen through Aeneas' wives. In the Aeneid the physical traits of Creusa, Aeneas' first wife, and Dido, his second, are never discussed. Creusa was obviously loved by Aeneas, because she mourns her loss when she recounts the events following the Trojan War in Book II with Queen Dido. However, all of Aeneas's references to Creusa exemplify her helplessness, loyalty, and tragic death, but her appearance is never discussed. One might assume that it is a given that Aeneas chooses a good-looking wife, but one can confidently argue that the lack of mention of his physical appearance is worth taking a second look. This lack signals on a subliminal level that Creusa's appearance is not noteworthy, which is strange, because when Virgil describes his characters, there is usually a lot of physical detail involved. Virgileliminate this character, because it is imperative that Aeneas moves from Creusa to Dido, because this is part of his journey. But it's interesting that a physically faceless character is so easily disposed of. Perhaps it's because Creusa is a minor character, but the equally faceless description of Dido follows suit. Like Creusa, Dido is not described using physical characteristics. Instead, she is described as having a kind spirit, a "gentle mind", courageous, a loyal wife, a just queen, straightforward and unfortunate. She is considered Aeneas' equivalent, if not superior, is admired by her followers, and is overly hospitable towards Aeneas, which is a trait prized in this time period. His virtues are written on the pages like a list, but Virgil never mentions his physical appearance. There are two instances where readers are given a slight hint as to what Dido might look like. The first is when Virgil equates her with Diana, goddess of the hunt, but this too is problematic. When Paris judges the most beautiful of the goddesses, Diana does not win the competition. Diana isn't even included. Diana is known for her kind demeanor and mind, not her beauty, just like Dido. The second time Dido's physical self has been described in some way occurs in the moments culminating with her suicide. The closest the image comes to beauty is when her hair is described as having gold ornaments in Book IV, but her actual hair, which could be a potential emblem of beauty, is never described. The absence of description of Dido's appearance is strange. Perhaps it is because Dido's virtues surpass her physical appearance. It may also suggest that his physical appearance is too bland and not noteworthy. Reading between the lines helps identify why these characters, who Aeneas obviously loves, become victims in this plot. The fact remains that these Creusa and Dido, two "faceless" characters, leave Aeneas' life so that Lavinia, a character coincidentally known only for her physical beauty, can enter his life and become his last wife and queen of a great empire. Lavinia, unlike Aeneas' previous wives, is described as beautiful. Aeneas's attraction to Lavinia works on a political and superficial level. Although the main reasons Lavinia is wanted are based on politics and a prophecy that she will be both the future wife of Aeneas and the queen of the Roman Empire, her beauty is also emphasized and given immense value. Despite being an important figure in the life of Aeneas and the prophesied queen of the great Roman Empire, Lavinia is not given a speaking role. Any possibility of wit and intelligence is cast aside and her beauty becomes the focus of her character. Lavinia's blush is likened to a "kindled fire," stained with "Indian ivory" and "white lilies mingled with many roses" (XII.90-94). The floral image used to describe Lavinia is perhaps the most obvious sign of her beauty. Her femininity is emphasized through the use of “lilies” and “roses”. But the other images are particularly interesting. For example, the reference “ivory” promotes delicacy. Even more interesting is how Lavinia's blushing doesn't equate to a blazing fire. Instead it is controlled and “turned on”. Since Lavinia is the destined queen, this suggests that a controlled woman is a valued woman. It is undeniable that Lavinia's value to Aeneas is based on politics and prophecy, but it seems no coincidence that Lavinia's features correspond to the feminine qualities admired in Virgil's time. She is beautiful, controlled and silent. Beauty is also shown as a value in the Aeneid by describing the exact opposite of beauty. The Harpies, characters,.