On Buthrotum, Aeneas and his fellow Trojans were welcomed by its ruler, Priam's son Helenus, and Helenus's wife, Andromachë, the widow of the great Trojan warrior Hector. Helenus advised Aeneas how to reach Italy, and the warriors sailed on to Sicily, where Anchises died at a stopover in Drepanum, whose king, Acestës, received them hospitably. Finally, bringing his story up-to-date and back to the starting point of the narrative, Aeneas describes how the Trojans set forth from Sicily, only to be overcome by the storm that swept them off course.
Dido, inspired with love for Aeneas, confesses her fatal passion to her sister, Anna, who encourages the queen to satisfy it. Juno, hoping to delay Aeneas's arrival in Italy, and Venus, Aeneas's mother, hoping to ensure her son's safety, cooperate to see that Aeneas and Dido are joined in a sexual union, which the queen regards as a marriage. Aware that the Trojan prince is wasting valuable time with Dido, Jupiter, the king of the gods, sends Mercury to instruct Aeneas to sail from Carthage, which Aeneas reluctantly does. Dido, distraught by her lover's departure, puts a curse on the Trojans, the outcome of which will be the Punic Wars, and then commits suicide.
After the Trojans leave Carthage, another storm drives them back to Sicily, where Acestës again gives them a warm welcome. A year has passed since the death of Anchises, in whose honor sacrifices are now made and funeral games are held. Juno, acting through the goddess Iris, incites the Trojan women — tired after seven years of wandering and ready to settle permanently — to burn the ships. Entreated by Aeneas, Jupiter puts out the fire with rain, saving all but four of the ships. Aeneas, advised by Anchises's ghost, permits any Trojan who wishes to remain in Sicily to do so. Those who want to continue on to Italy are about to sail when Venus, fearing that Juno will again cause trouble, asks the sea god Neptune to guarantee a safe voyage for her son. Neptune does as Venus asks in exchange for one human life, which turns out to be that of Aeneas's ship's pilot, Palinurus, who falls overboard but ably swims to land, only to be slain by savages.
