Nevertheless, compared with Greek literature, the works of the Roman
poets show an advance in their conception of Love; for they avoid at
least the Hellenic confusion of love with friendship. Compared with the
best modern poets, however, who labour with the pure gold of Love alone,
the Roman poet’s productions still show much of the base ore from which
the modern gold has been extracted. It is interesting, in this
connection, to read what Dryden has to say concerning Virgil’s
conception of Love, and Scott’s comments on Dryden.
In his dedication of the _Æneid_, Dryden speaks of Book IV. as "This
noble episode, wherein the whole passion of love is more exactly
described than in any other poet. Love was the theme of his fourth book;
and though it is the shortest of the whole Æneis, yet there he has given
its beginning, its progress, its traverses, and its conclusion; and had
exhausted so entirely his subject, that he could resume it but very
slightly in the eight ensuing books.
“She was warmed with the graceful appearance of the hero; she smothered
those sparkles out of decency; but conversation blew them up into a
flame. Then she was forced to make a confidante of her whom she might
best trust, her own sister, who approves the passion, and thereby
augments it: then succeeds her public owning it; and after that the
consummation. Of Venus and Juno, Jupiter and Mercury, I say nothing; for
they were all machining work; but, possession having cooled his love, as
it increased hers, she soon perceived the change, or at least grew
suspicious of a change; this suspicion soon turned to jealousy, and
jealousy to rage; then she disdains and threatens, and again is humble
and entreats, and nothing availing, despairs, curses, and at last
becomes her own executioner. See here the whole process of that passion,
to which nothing can be added.”
Sir Walter Scott, however, does add, in a foot-note to his edition of
Dryden: “I am afraid this passage, given as a just description of love,
serves to confirm what is elsewhere stated, that Dryden’s ideas of the
female sex and of the passion were very gross and malicious.”