# Amata — The Aeneid character guide

> Amata in The Aeneid by Virgil.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0006-book-vii

## Snapshot

Latium's queen, who burns with fierce opposition to the Trojan marriage alliance and will stop at nothing to see Turnus wed her daughter.

## Who they are

Amata is the wife of King Latinus and mother of Lavinia, and she passionately favors Turnus as her daughter's husband over the foreign newcomer Aeneas. When Latinus yields to fate and offers Lavinia to the Trojans, Amata's maternal love curdles into furious resistance, driving her to rally the Latin women and stoke the fires of war. Her personal grief and stubborn loyalty to Turnus help transform a political dispute into a full-blown conflict that engulfs all of Latium.

## In the story

### [Book VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_aeneid_se/chapters/book-vii)

Queen of Latium, who opposes Aeneas and is driven mad by Alecto, leading the women in Bacchic frenzy.

### [Book XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_aeneid_se/chapters/book-xii)

Pleads with Turnus to avoid single combat, fearing for his life.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_aeneid_se/characters/amata
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_aeneid_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_aeneid_se/characters