The core ethical theme of the Aeneid revolves around the Roman lifestyle that Augustus sought to rejuvenate during Virgil's era. This lifestyle ideally revolved around a sense of duty toward the gods, the nation, and one's family and friends, driven by a profound sense of humanity. Virgil recognizes the social unity, order, and even personal fulfillment this ideal could foster. However, he also acknowledges the sorrows and harshness that could arise from conflicts among these duties. Personal experiences and obligations often clash with public responsibilities. This conflict is central to the separation of Dido and Aeneas. On a historical level, Virgil highlights this tension by referencing Brutus, the first consul, who expelled the tyrant king Tarquin from Rome and then executed his own sons for seeking to restore Tarquin. These conflicts are emphasized throughout the poem.

Despite this, it is evident that Virgil believes the values of Roman life and public duty are worth the challenging internal struggles. In Book 1, Jupiter, the god, outlines the benefits the Roman way of life could bestow not only on Rome but on all of humanity—a global governance that brings universal peace and a humane civilization. This vision is expressed not in political terms but ethical ones and is accessible to anyone who embraces the Roman lifestyle. Without such prophecies, the suffering endured by Aeneas, Dido, Creusa, Palinurus, Pallas, and others would be nearly unbearable. Aeneas needs to comprehend the promise made through him. The depiction of Roman history in Book 6 and the imagery on his shield highlight the moral virtues of the Roman way of life. However, Virgil often undermines this splendid potential, as seen in the lament for Marcellus in Book 6, and at the poem's conclusion when Aeneas forsakes his noblest principles in his grief for Pallas and kills Turnus, whom he had contemplated sparing.