In fact, throughout the book Aeneas is consistently reminded of his duty in case he forgets the foundations of Rome lay on his shoulders. At one point, the Gods remind him of his duty and that he must leave the woman he loves. He is reluctant to leave his love, but his duty comes before his own interests. He says, "But now It is Italy I must seek, great Italy, Apollo orders, and his oracles Call me to Italy. There is my love, There is my country" (Humphries, and Virgil 99). His duty becomes Dido's death wish, she kills herself after he leaves, rather than go on without him. It is quite clear that Aeneas will do anything to fulfill his duty, and this is an important aspect of both books. Nothing must come before duty because it is one of the most important elements of a purposeful and fulfilling life.

             Later in the book, Evander tells Aeneas his duty also lies in passing his wisdom and bravery on to other. He states, "You, Aeneas, Possess the proper strength, the proper lineage, The summons of the gods. Take up the burden! My Pallas will go with you, my hope and comfort. You are the one to teach him a soldier's duty, How to endure; let him learn from you in action, Behold your deeds, and, in his youth, admire them" (Humphries, and Virgil 225). Thus, his duty is to pass his knowledge on to others and to create the Roman Empire in Italy, and that is a weighty duty for any man - one that Aeneas cannot ignore.

             In contrast, the "Bhagavad-Gita" is not an epic heroic tale, but a religious text with epic proportions. The title in literal English means "Song of God," and as such, it provides Hindus with the methods to live full and complete lives. One of the most important aspects of life in this text is the concept of duty, not only to oneself but also to society. Arjuna fights on after his doubts because he understands it is his duty, and even more than that, that he can transcend this life and move on to a better life if he allows himself to let go of his earthly attachments and simply give up his desire and replace it with duty and action.