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Who is Anna in the Aeneid?
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Anna is Dido's sister and a pivotal yet minor character in The Aeneid. She encourages Dido to pursue a relationship with Aeneas for both personal and political gains, advising her to appease the gods with sacrifices. Anna acts as a confidant and intermediary, conveying messages between Dido and Aeneas. Her deep love for Dido is evident when she attempts to save her sister from suicide, underscoring their strong sibling bond.
Dido's sister Anna is a relatively minor character in the Aeneid, but she plays a crucial role. If it were not for her, it is possible that Dido, the queen of Carthage, would not have formed an alliance with Aeneas and the Trojans. Anna serves as Dido's confidant and sounding board. When Dido confesses that she is in love with Aeneas but cannot marry him without breaking her vows to her deceased husband, Anna applies a practical approach to her advice. Anna tells her sister that she should marry again as this will be a boon for both her personal life and her role as a queen in need of political alliances. She tells Dido that she should not be concerned about breaking her former vows as long as she placates the gods with a sufficient sacrifice. Anna also takes part in delivering her sister's messages to Aeneas, begging him not to leave.
Anna is clearly an easy person to confide in. Not only does Dido trust her with her gravest concerns but so does Aeneus. The Trojan leader tells Anna what his concerns are and why the Trojans must leave Carthage, despite his strong romantic connection with Dido.
Anna's love for her sister is all the more apparent when Dido kills herself. Forgetting her own safety and grief-stricken, Anna climbs on top of the pyre in a vain attempt to save her sister. She laments that her sister did not include her in her plan to die. In the end, Anna represents the strong sibling bonds that exist between the queen of Carthage and her devoted sister.
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