Anchises therewithal his son, and her the Sibyl drew Amid the concourse, the great crowd that such a murmuring sent, And took a mound whence they might see the spirits as they went In long array, and learn each face as 'neath their eyes it came.

"Come now, and I of Dardan folk will tell the following fame, And what a folk from Italy the world may yet await, Most glorious souls, to bear our name adown the ways of fate. Yea, I will set it forth in words, and thou thy tale shalt hear: Lo ye, the youth that yonder leans upon the headless spear, 760 Fate gives him nighest place today; he first of all shall rise, Blent blood of Troy and Italy, unto the earthly skies: Silvius is he, an Alban name, thy son, thy latest born; He whom thy wife Lavinia now, when thin thy life is worn, Beareth in woods to be a king and get a kingly race, Whence comes the lordship of our folk within the Long White Place. And Procas standeth next to him, the Trojan people's fame; Then Capys, Numitor, and he who bringeth back thy name, Silvius AEneas, great in war, and great in godliness, If ever he in that White Stead may bear the kingdom's stress. 770 Lo ye, what youths! what glorious might unto thine eyes is shown! But they who shade their temples o'er with civic oaken crown, These build for thee Nomentum's walls, and Gabii, and the folk Fidenian, and the mountains load with fair Collatia's yoke: Pometii, Bola, Cora, there shall rise beneath their hands, And Inuus' camp: great names shall spring amid the nameless lands.

"Then Mavors' child shall come on earth, his grandsire following, When Ilia's womb, Assaracus' own blood, to birth shall bring That Romulus:—lo, see ye not the twin crests on his head, And how the Father hallows him for day with his own dread 780 E'en now? Lo, son! those signs of his; lo, that renowned Rome! Whose lordship filleth all the earth, whose heart Olympus' home, And with begirdling of her wall girds seven great burgs to her, Rejoicing in her man-born babes: e'en as the Earth-Mother Amidst the Phrygian cities goes with car and towered crown, Glad in the Gods, whom hundred-fold she kisseth for her own. All heaven-abiders, all as kings within the house of air. Ah, turn thine eyeballs hitherward, look on this people here, Thy Roman folk! Lo Caesar now! Lo all Iulus' race, Who 'neath the mighty vault of heaven shall dwell in coming days. 790 And this is he, this is the man thou oft hast heard foretold, Augustus Caesar, sprung from God to bring the age of gold Aback unto the Latin fields, where Saturn once was king. Yea, and the Garamantian folk and Indians shall he bring Beneath his sway: beyond the stars, beyond the course of years, Beyond the Sun-path lies the land, where Atlas heaven upbears, And on his shoulders turns the pole with burning stars bestrown. Yea, and e'en now the Caspian realms quake at his coming, shown By oracles of God; and quakes the far Maeotic mere, 799 And sevenfold Nile through all his mouths quakes in bewildered fear. Not so much earth did Hercules o'erpass, though he prevailed To pierce the brazen-footed hind, and win back peace that failed The Erymanthus' wood, and shook Lerna with draught of bow; Nor Liber turning vine-wreathed reins when he hath will to go Adown from Nysa's lofty head in tiger-yoked car.— Forsooth then shall we doubt but deeds shall spread our valour far? Shall fear forsooth forbid us rest in that Ausonian land?

"But who is this, the olive-crowned, that beareth in his hand The holy things? I know the hair and hoary beard of eld Of him, the Roman king, who first a law-bound city held, 810 Sent out from little Cures' garth, that unrich land of his, Unto a mighty lordship: yea, and Tullus next is this, Who breaks his country's sleep and stirs the slothful men to fight; And calleth on the weaponed hosts unused to war's delight But next unto him Ancus fares, a boaster overmuch; Yea and e'en now the people's breath too nigh his heart will touch. And wilt thou see the Tarquin kings and Brutus' lofty heart, And fasces brought aback again by his avenging part? He first the lordship consular and dreadful axe shall take; 819 The father who shall doom the sons, that war and change would wake, To pain of death, that he thereby may freedom's fairness save. Unhappy! whatso tale of thee the after-time may have, The love of country shall prevail, and boundless lust of praise.

"Drusi and Decii lo afar! On hard Torquatus gaze, He of the axe: Camillus lo, the banner-rescuer! But note those two thou seest shine in arms alike and clear, Now souls of friends, and so to be while night upon them weighs: Woe's me! what war shall they awake if e'er the light of days They find: what host each sets 'gainst each, what death-field shall they dight! The father from the Alpine wall, and from Monoecus' height 830 Comes down; the son against him turns the East's embattlement. O children, in such evil war let not your souls be spent, Nor turn the valour of your might against the heart of home. Thou first, refrain, O thou my blood from high Olympus come; Cast thou the weapons from thine hand!

"Lo to the Capitol aloft, for Corinth triumphing, One glorious with Achaean deaths in victor's chariot goes; Mycenae, Agamemnon's house, and Argos he o'erthrows, Yea and AEacides himself the great Achilles' son; Avenging so the sires of Troy and Pallas' house undone. 840 Great Cato, can I leave thee then untold? pass Cossus o'er? Or house of Gracchus? Yea, or ye, twin thunderbolts of war, Ye Scipios, bane of Libyan land? Fabricius, poor and strong? Or thee, Serranus, casting seed adown the furrows long? Fabii, where drive ye me outworn? Thou Greatest, thou art he, Who bringest back thy country's weal by tarrying manfully.

"Others, I know, more tenderly may beat the breathing brass, And better from the marble block bring living looks to pass; Others may better plead the cause, may compass heaven's face, And mark it out, and tell the stars, their rising and their place: 850 But thou, O Roman, look to it the folks of earth to sway; For this shall be thine handicraft, peace on the world to lay, To spare the weak, to wear the proud by constant weight of war."

So mid their marvelling he spake, and added furthermore: "Marcellus lo! neath Spoils of Spoils how great and glad he goes, And overtops all heroes there, the vanquisher of foes: Yea, he shall prop the Roman weal when tumult troubleth all, And ride amid the Punic ranks, and crush the rising Gaul, And hang in sire Quirinus' house the third war-taken gear."

Then spake AEneas, for he saw following Marcellus near 860 A youth of beauty excellent, with gleaming arms bedight, Yet little glad of countenance with eyes that shunned the light: "O father, who is he that wends beside the hero's hem, His son belike, or some one else from out that mighty stem? What murmuring of friends about! How mighty is he made! But black Night fluttereth over him with woeful mirky shade."

Then midst the rising of his tears father Anchises spoke: "O son, search not the mighty woe and sorrow of thy folk! The Fates shall show him to the world, nor longer blossoming Shall give. O Gods that dwell on high, belike o'ergreat a thing 870 The Roman tree should seem to you, should this your gift endure! How great a wail of mighty men that Field of Fame shall pour On Mavors' mighty city walls: what death-rites seest thou there, O Tiber, as thou glidest by his new-wrought tomb and fair! No child that is of Ilian stock in Latin sires shall raise Such glorious hope; nor shall the land of Romulus e'er praise So fair and great a nursling child mid all it ever bore. Goodness, and faith of ancient days, and hand unmatched in war, Alas for all! No man unhurt had raised a weaponed hand Against him, whether he afoot had met the foeman's band, 880 Or smitten spur amid the flank of eager foaming horse. O child of all men's ruth, if thou the bitter Fates mayst force, Thou art Marcellus. Reach ye hands of lily-blooms fulfilled; For I will scatter purple flowers, and heap such offerings spilled Unto the spirit of my child, and empty service do."

Thereafter upon every side they strayed that country through, Amid wide-spreading airy meads, and sight of all things won. But after old Anchises now through all had led his son, And kindled love within his heart of fame that was to be, Then did he tell him of the wars that he himself should see, 890 And of Laurentian peoples taught, and town of Latin folk; And how from every grief to flee, or how to bear its stroke.

Now twofold are the Gates of Sleep, whereof the one, men say, Is wrought of horn, and ghosts of sooth thereby win easy way, The other clean and smooth is wrought of gleaming ivory, But lying dreams the nether Gods send up to heaven thereby. All said, Anchises on his son and Sibyl-maid doth wait Unto the last, and sends them up by that same ivory gate. He wears the way and gains his fleet and fellow-folk once more.

So for Caieta's haven-mouth by straightest course they bore, 900 Till fly the anchors from the bows and sterns swing round ashore.



BOOK VII.

ARGUMENT.

AENEAS AND HIS TROJANS TAKE LAND BY THE TIBER-MOUTH, AND KING LATINUS PLIGHTETH PEACE WITH THEM; WHICH PEACE IS BROKEN BY THE WILL OF JUNO, AND ALL MEN MAKE THEM READY FOR WAR.

Thou also, O AEneas' nurse, Caieta, didst avail, E'en dying, unto these our shores to leave a deathless tale: And yet thy glory guards the place, thy bones have won it name Within the great Hesperian land, if that be prize of fame.

But good AEneas, when at last all funeral rites were paid And the grave heaped, when in a while the ocean's face was laid, Went on his way with sails aloft, and left the port behind: The faint winds breathe about the night, the moon shines clear and kind; Beneath the quivering shining road the wide seas gleaming lie.

But next the beach of Circe's land their swift ships glide anigh, 10 Where the rich daughter of the Sun with constant song doth rouse The groves that none may enter in, or in her glorious house Burneth the odorous cedar-torch amidst the dead of night, While through the slender warp she speeds the shrilling shuttle light. And thence they hear the sound of groans, and wrath of lions dread Fretting their chains; and roaring things o'er night-tide fallen dead; And bristled swine and caged bears cried bitter-wild, and sore; And from the shapes of monstrous wolves the howling seaward bore. These from the likeness of mankind had cruel Circe won By herbs of might, and shape and hide of beasts upon them done. 20 But lest the godly Trojan folk such wickedness should bear, Lest borne into the baneful bay they bring their keels o'er near, Their sails did Father Neptune fill with fair and happy breeze, And sped their flight and sent them swift across the hurrying seas.

Now reddened all the sea with rays, and from the heavenly plain The golden-hued Aurora shone amidst her rosy wain, Then fell the winds and every air sank down in utter sleep, And now the shaven oars must strive amid the sluggish deep: Therewith AEneas sees a wood rise from the water's face, And there it is the Tiber's flood amidst a pleasant place, 30 With many a whirling eddy swift and yellowing with sand Breaks into sea; and diversely above on either hand The fowl that love the river-bank and haunt the river-bed Sweetened the air with plenteous song and through the thicket fled. So there AEneas bids his folk shoreward their bows to lay, And joyfully he entereth in the stream's o'ershadowed way.

To aid, Erato! while I tell what kings, what deedful tide, What manner life, in Latin land did anciently abide When first the stranger brought his ships to that Ausonian shore; Yea help me while I call aback beginnings of the war. 40 O Goddess, hearten thou thy seer! dread war my song-speech saith: It tells the battle in array, and kings full fain of death, The Tyrrhene host, all Italy, spurred on the sword to bear: Yea, greater matters are afoot, a mightier deed I stir.

The king Latinus, old of days, ruled o'er the fields' increase, And cities of the people there at rest in long-drawn peace: Of Faunus and Laurentian nymph, Marica, do we learn That he was born: but Faunus came of Picus, who must turn To thee, O Saturn, for his sire: 'twas he that blood began. Now, as God would, this king had got no son to grow a man, 50 For he who first had dawned on him in earliest youth had waned: A daughter only such a house, so great a world sustained, Now ripe for man, the years fulfilled that made her meet for bed: And her much folk of Latin land were fain enow to wed, And all Ausonia: first of whom, and fairest to be seen, Was Turnus, great from fathers great; and him indeed the queen Was fain of for her son-in-law with wondrous love of heart: But dreadful portents of the Gods the matter thrust apart. Amidmost of the inner house a laurel-tree upbore Its hallowed leaves, that fear of God had kept through years of yore: 60 Father Latinus first, they said, had found it there, when he Built there his burg and hallowed it to Phoebus' deity, And on Laurentian people thence the name thereof had laid; On whose top now the gathered bees, O wondrous to be said! Borne on with mighty humming noise amid the flowing air, Had settled down, and foot to foot all interwoven there, In sudden swarm they hung adown from off the leafy bough.

But straight the seer cries out: "Ah me! I see him coming now, The stranger man; I see a host from that same quarter come To this same quarter, to be lords amidst our highest home." 70

But further, while the altar-fires she feeds with virgin brands, The maid Lavinia, and beside her ancient father stands, Out! how along her length of hair the grasp of fire there came, And all the tiring of her head was caught in crackling flame. And there her royal tresses blazed, and blazed her glorious crown Gem-wrought, and she one cloud of smoke and yellow fire was grown: And wrapped therein, the fiery God she scattered through the house: And sure it seemed a dreadful thing, a story marvellous: For they fell singing she should grow glorious of fame and fate, But unto all her folk should be the seed of huge debate. 80

So troubled by this tokening dread forth fareth now the king To Faunus' fane, his father-seer, to ask him counselling 'Neath Albunea the high, whose wood, the thicket most of worth, Resoundeth with the holy well and breathes the sulphur forth. From whence the folk of Italy and all Oenotrian land Seek rede amidst of troublous time. Here, when the priest in hand Hath borne the gifts, and laid him down amidst the hush of night On the strown fells of slaughtered ewes, and sought him sleep aright, He seeth wondrous images about him flit and shift, He hearkeneth many a changing voice, of talk with Gods hath gift, 90 And holdeth speech with Acheron, from deep Avernus come. There now the sire Latinus went seeking the answers home, And there an hundred woolly ewes in order due did slay, And propped upon the fells thereof on bed of fleeces lay, Till from the thickets inner depths the sudden answer came:

"Seek not thy daughter, O my son, to wed to Latin name; Unto the bridal set on foot let not thy troth be given: Thy sons are coming over sea to raise our blood to heaven, And sons of sons' sons from their stem shall see beneath their feet All things for them to shift and doom; all things the sun may meet, 100 As to and fro he wendeth way 'twixt either ocean wave."

Such warnings of the silent night that father Faunus gave, Shut up betwixt his closed lips Latinus held no whit, But through Ausonia flying fame had borne the noise of it, When that Laomedontian folk at last had moored their ships Unto the grassy-mounded bank whereby the river slips.

AEneas and Iulus fair, and all their most and best, Beneath a tall tree's boughs had laid their bodies down to rest: They dight the feast; about the grass on barley-cakes they lay What meat they had,—for even so Jove bade them do that day,— 110 And on the ground that Ceres gave the woodland apples pile. And so it happed, that all being spent, they turn them in a while To Ceres' little field, and eat, egged on by very want, And dare to waste with hands and teeth the circle thin and scant Where fate lay hid, nor spare upon the trenchers wide to fall.

"Ah!" cries Iulus, "so today we eat up board and all."

'Twas all his jest-word; but its sound their labour slew at last, And swift his father caught it up, as from his mouth it passed, And stayed him, by the might of God bewildered utterly. 119 Then forthwith: "Hail," he cried, "O land that Fate hath owed to me! And ye, O House-gods of our Troy, hail ye, O true and kind! This is your house, this is your land: my father, as I mind, Such secrets of the deeds of Fate left me in days of yore: 'O son, when hunger driveth thee stranded on outland shore To eat the very boards beneath thy victual scant at need, There hope for house, O weary one, and in that place have heed To set hand first unto the roof, and heap the garth around.' So this will be that hunger-tide: this waited us to bound Our wasting evils at the last. So come, and let us joyfully upon the first of dawn 130 Seek out the land, what place it is, what men-folk there abide, And where their city; diversely leaving the haven-side. But now pour out the bowls to Jove, send prayer upon the way To sire Anchises, and the wine again on table lay."

He spake, and with the leafy bough his temples garlanded, And to the Spirit of the Soil forthwith the prayer he said, To Earth, the eldest-born of Gods, to Nymphs, to Streams unknown As yet: he called upon the Night, and night-tide's signs new shown; Idaean Jove, the Phrygian Queen, the Mother, due and well He called on; and his parents twain in Heaven and in Hell. 140 But thrice the Almighty Father then from cloudless heaven on high Gave thunder, showing therewithal the glory of his sky All burning with the golden gleam, and shaken by his hand. Then sudden rumour ran abroad amid the Trojan band, That now the day was come about their fateful walls to raise; So eagerly they dight the feast, gladdened by omen's grace, And bring the beakers forth thereto and garland well the wine. But when the morrow's lamp of dawn across the earth 'gan shine, The shore, the fields, the towns of folk they search, wide scattering: And here they come across the pools of that Numician spring: 150 This is the Tiber-flood; hereby the hardy Latins dwell. But therewithal Anchises' seed from out them chose him well An hundred sweet-mouthed men to go unto the walls renowned, Where dwelt the king, and every one with Pallas' olive crowned, To carry gifts unto the lord and peace for Teucrians pray. So, bidden, nought they tarry now, but swift-foot wear the way.

But he himself marks out the walls with shallow ditch around, And falls to work upon the shore his first abode to found, In manner of a camp, begirt with bank and battlement.

Meanwhile his men beheld at last, when all the way was spent, 160 The Latin towers and roofs aloft, and drew the walls anigh: There were the lads and flower of youth afield the city by Backing the steed, or mid the dust a-steering of the car, Or bending of the bitter bow, hurling tough darts afar By strength of arm; for foot or fist crying the challenging. Then fares a well-horsed messenger, who to the ancient king Bears tidings of tall new-comers in outland raiment clad: So straight Latinus biddeth them within his house be had, And he upon his father's throne sat down amidmost there.

High on an hundred pillars stood that mighty house and fair, 170 High in the burg, the dwelling-place Laurentian Picus won, Awful with woods, and worshipping of sires of time agone: Here was it wont for kings to take the sceptre in their hand, Here first to raise the axe of doom: 'twas court-house of the land, This temple, and the banquet-hall; here when the host was slain The fathers at the endlong boards would sit the feast to gain. There too were dight in cedar old the sires of ancient line For there was fashioned Italus, and he who set the vine, Sabinus, holding yet in hand the image of the hook; And Saturn old, and imaging of Janus' double look, 180 Stood in the porch; and many a king was there from ancient tide, Who in their country's battle erst the wounds of Mars would bide: And therewithal were many arms hung on the holy door. There hung the axes crooked-horned, and taken wains of war, And crested helms, and bolts and locks that city-gates had borne; And spears and shields, and thrusting-beaks from ships of battle torn. There with Quirinus' crooked staff, girt in the shortened gown, With target in his left hand held, was Picus set adown,— The horse-tamer, whom Circe fair, caught with desire erewhile, Smote with that golden rod of hers, and, sprinkling venom's guile, 190 Made him a fowl, and colours fair blent on his shifting wings.

In such a temple of the Gods, in such a house of kings, Latinus sat when he had called those Teucrian fellows in, And from his quiet mouth and grave such converse did begin: "What seek ye, sons of Dardanus? for not unknown to me Is that your city or your blood; and how ye crossed the sea, That have I heard. But these your ships, what counsel or what lack Hath borne them to Ausonian strand o'er all the blue sea's back? If ye have strayed from out your course, or, driven by stormy tide (For such things oft upon the sea must seafarers abide), 200 Have entered these our river-banks in haven safe to lie, Flee not our welcome, nor unknown the Latin folk pass by; The seed of Saturn, bound to right by neither law nor chain, But freely following in the ways whereof the God was fain. Yea now indeed I mind a tale, though now with years outworn, How elders of Aurunce said that mid these fields was born That Dardanus, who reached at last the Phrygian Ida's walls, And Thracian Samos, that the world now Samothracia calls: From Tuscan stead of Corythus he went upon his ways; Whose throne is set in golden heaven, the star-besprinkled place, 210 Who adds one other to the tale of altared deities."

He ended, but Ilioneus followed in words like these: "O king, O glorious Faunus' child, no storm upon the main Drave us amid the drift of waves your country coast to gain; And neither star nor strand made blind the region of our road; But we by counsel and free will have sought out thine abode, Outcast from such a realm as once was deemed the mightiest The Sun beheld, as o'er the heaven she ran from east to west. Jove is the well-spring of our race; the Dardan children joy In Jove for father; yea, our king, AEneas out of Troy, 220 Who sends us to thy door, himself is of the Highest's seed. How great a tempest was let loose o'er our Idaean mead, From dire Mycenae Sent; what fate drave either clashing world, Europe and Asia, till the war each against each they hurled, His ears have heard, who dwells afar upon the land alone That ocean beats; and his no less the bondman of the zone, That midmost lieth of the four, by cruel sun-blaze worn. Lo, from that flood we come to thee, o'er waste of waters borne, Praying a strip of harmless shore our House-Gods' home to be, And grace of water and of air to all men lying free. 230 We shall not foul our land's renown; and thou, thy glory fair We know, and plenteous fruit of thanks this deed of thine shall bear: Nor ever may embrace of Troy Ausonia's soul despite. Now by AEneas' fates I swear, and by his hand of might, Whether in troth it hath been tried, or mid the hosts of war, That many folks—yea, scorn us not that willingly we bore These fillets in our hands today with words beseeching peace— That many lands have longed for us, and yearned for our increase. But fate of Gods and Gods' command would ever drive us home To this your land: this is the place whence Dardanus was come, 240 And hither now he comes again: full sore Apollo drave To Tuscan Tiber, and the place of dread Numicius' wave. Moreover, here some little gifts of early days of joy Giveth our king, a handful gleaned from burning-tide of Troy: Anchises at the altar erst would pour from out this gold; This was the gear that Priam used when in the guise of old He gave his gathered folk the law; sceptre, and holy crown, And weed the work of Ilian wives."

Now while Ilioneus so spake Latinus held his face, Musing and steadfast, on the ground setting his downcast gaze, 250 Rolling his eyes all thought-fulfilled; nor did the broidered gear Of purple move the King so much, nor Priam's sceptre fair, As on his daughter's bridal bed the thoughts in him had rest, For ancient Faunus' fateful word he turned within his breast. Here was the son, the fate-foretold, the outland wanderer, Called on by equal doom of God the equal throne to share; He from whose loins those glorious sons of valour should come forth To take the whole world for their own by utter might of worth.

At last he spake out joyfully: "God grace our deed begun, And his own bidding! man of Troy, thine asking shall be done: 260 I take your gifts: nought shall ye lack from King Latinus' hand, Riches of Troy, nor health and wealth of fat and fruitful land. But let AEneas come himself if he so yearn for me, If he be eager for our house, and would our fellow be; Nor let him fear to look upon friends' faces close anigh, Part of the peace-troth shall be this, my hand in his to lie. And now bear back unto your king this bidding that I send: I have a daughter; her indeed with countryman to blend The answers of my father's house forbid, and many a sign Sent down from heaven: from over sea comes one to wed our line; 270 They say this bideth Latin Land; a man to raise our blood Up to the very stars of heaven: that this is he fate would, I think, yea hope, if any whit my heart herein avail."

He spake, and bade choose horses out from all his noble tale, Whereof three hundred sleek and fair stood in the stables high: These biddeth he for Teucrian men be led forth presently, Wing-footed purple-bearing beasts, with pictures o'er them flung Of woven stuff, and, on their breasts are golden collars hung: Gold-housed are they, and champ in teeth the yellow-golden chain But to AEneas, absent thence, a car and yoke-beasts twain 280 He sends: the seed of heaven are they, and breathing very fire, The blood of those that Circe stole when she beguiled her sire, That crafty mistress, winning them, bastards, from earthy mare. So back again AEneas' folk high on their horses fare, Bearing Latinus' gifts and words, and all the tale of peace.

But lo, where great Jove's bitter wife comes from the town of Greece, From Argos wrought of Inachus, and holds the airy way. Far off she sees AEneas' joy, and where the ship-host lay Of Dardans: yea from Sicily and far Pachynus head She seeth him on earth at last and raising roofed stead, 290 And all the ships void: fixed she stood, smit through with bitter wrath, And shook her head: then from her breast the angry words came forth:

"Ah, hated race! Ah, Phrygian fates that shear my fates atwain! Was there no dead man's place for you on that Sigean plain? Had ye no might to wend as slaves? gave Troy so poor a flame To burn her men, that through the fire and through the swords ye came? I think at last my godhead's might is wearied and gone by, That I have drunk enough of hate, and now at rest may lie:— I, who had heart to follow up those outcasts from their land, And as they fled o'er all the sea still in their path would stand. 300 Against these Teucrians sea and sky have spent their strength for nought: Was Syrtes aught, or Scylla aught, or huge Charybdis aught? Lo now the longed-for Tiber's breast that nation cherisheth Safe from the deep and safe from me: while Mars might do to death Those huge-wrought folk of Lapithae: the very Father-God Gave up the ancient Calydon to Dian's wrath and rod. What was the guilt of Lapithae? what crime wrought Calydon? But I, the mighty spouse of Jove, who nought have left undone My evil hap might compass, I who ran through all craft's tale Am vanquished of AEneas now. But if of no avail 310 My godhead be, I will not spare to pray what is of might, Since Heaven I move not, needs must I let loose the Nether Night. Ah! say it is not fated me the Latin realm to ban, Lavinia must be fated wife of this same Trojan man, Yet may I draw out time at least, and those great things delay; At least may I for either king an host of people slay: For father and for son-in-law shall plenteous price be paid, With Trojan and Rutulian blood shalt thou be dowered, O maid; Bellona's self shall bridal thee; not Cisseus' seed alone Was big with brand; not she alone with wedding-ring has shone: 320 Yea, and this too is Venus' child; another Paris comes To kindle deadly torch again in new-born Trojan homes."

So spake she terrible, and sank into the earth below, Yea to the nether night, and stirred Alecto, forge of woe, From the dread Goddesses' abode: sad wars she loveth well, And murderous wrath, and lurking guile, and evil deeds and fell: E'en Pluto loathes her; yea, e'en they of that Tartarean place, Her sisters, hate her: sure she hath as many a changing face, As many a cruel body's form, as her black snakes put forth. To whom in such wise Juno spake and whetted on her wrath: 330

"Win me a work after thine heart, O Virgin of the night, Lest all my fame, unstained of old, my glory won aright, Give place: lest there AEneas' sons Latinus overcome By wedlock, and in Italy set up their house and home: Thou, who the brothers of one heart canst raise up each 'gainst each, And overturn men's homes with hate, and through the house-walls' breach Bear in the stroke and deadly brand—a thousand names hast thou,— A thousand arts of ill: Stir up thy fruitful bosom now; Be render of the plighted peace; of war-seed be the sower; 339 That men may yearn for arms, and ask, and snatch in one same hour."

Thereon Alecto, steeped at heart with Gorgon venoming. Sought Latium first and high-built house of that Laurentian king, And by the silent threshold stood whereby Amata lay, In whose hot heart a woman's woe and woman's wrath did play, About those Teucrian new-comers and Turnus' bridal bed: On her she cast an adder blue, a tress from off her head, And sent it to her breast to creep her very heart-strings through, That she, bewildered by the bane, may all the house undo. So he betwixt her bosom smooth and dainty raiment slid, And crawled as if he touched her not, and maddened her yet hid, 350 And breathed the adder's soul in her: the dreadful wormy thing Seemed the wrought gold about her neck, or the long silken string That knit her hair, and slippery soft it glided o'er her limbs. And now while first the plague begins, and soft the venom swims, Touching her sense, and round her bones the fiery web is pressed, Nor yet her soul had caught the flame through all her poisoned breast, Still soft, and e'en as mothers will, she spake the word and said Her woes about her daughter's case, and Phrygian bridal bed.

"To Teucrian outcasts shall our maid, Lavinia, wedded be? O Father, hast thou nought of ruth of her, forsooth, and thee? 360 Nor of the mother, whom that man forsworn shall leave behind, Bearing the maiden o'er the sea with the first northern wind? Nay, not e'en so the Phrygian herd pierced Lacedaemon's fold, And bore Ledaean Helen off unto the Trojan hold. Nay, where is gone thine hallowed faith, thy kinsomeness of yore? Thine hand that oft to Turnus' hand, thy kinsman, promise bore? Lo, if we needs must seek a son strange to the Latin folk, And Father Faunus' words on thee are e'en so strait a yoke, I deem, indeed, that every land free from our kingdom's sway Is stranger land, and even so I deem the Gods would say: 370 And Turnus comes, if we shall seek beginning of his race. From Inachus, Acrisius old, and mid Mycenae's place."

But when she thus had said in vain, and saw Latinus still Withstand her: when all inwardly the maddening serpent's ill Hath smitten through her heart of hearts and passed through all her frame, Then verily the hapless one, with dreadful things aflame, Raves through the city's length and breadth in God-wrought agonies: As 'neath the stroke of twisted lash at whiles the whip-top flies, Which lads all eager for the game drive, ever circling wide Round some void hall; it, goaded on beneath the strip of hide, 380 From circle unto circle goes; the silly childish throng Still hanging o'er, and wondering how the box-tree spins along, The while their lashes make it live: no quieter she ran Through the mid city, borne amid fierce hearts of many a man. Then in the wilderness she feigns the heart that Bacchus fills, And stirs a greater madness up, beginning greater ills, And mid the leafy mountain-side her daughter hides away, To snatch her from the Teucrian bed, the bridal torch to stay; Foaming: "Hail, Bacchus! thou alone art worthy lord to wed This virgin thing: for thee she takes the spear's soft-fruited head, 390 For thee she twinkleth dancing feet, and feeds her holy hair."

The rumour flies, and one same rage all mother-folk doth bear, Heart-kindled by the Fury's ill, to roofs of all unrest: They flee the house and let the wind play free o'er hair and breast: While others fill the very heavens with shrilly quivering wail, And skin-clad toss about the spear the wreathing vine-leaves veil: But she ablaze amidst of them upholds the fir-lit flame, And sings her daughter's bridal song, and sings of Turnus' name, Rolling her blood-shot eyes about; then eager suddenly She shouts: "Ho, mothers! Latin wives, wherever ye may be, 400 Hearken! if in your righteous souls abideth any love Of lorn Amata; if your souls a mother's right may move, Cast off the fillets from your locks, with me the madness bear."

So through the woodland wilderness and deserts of the deer Alecto drave the Queen around, with Bacchus' stings beset But when she deemed enough was wrought that rage of hers to whet, And that Latinus' rede and house was utterly undone, Forthwith away on dusky wings is borne that evil one Unto the bold Rutulian's wall: a city, saith the tale, Raised up by Danae for her Acrisian folks' avail 410 When on the hurrying South she fled: Ardea in days of yore Our fathers called it; nor as yet is name thereof passed o'er, Though wealth be gone: there Turnus lay within his house on high, And midmost sleep of dusky night was winning peacefully. When there Alecto cruel face and hellish body shed, And to an ancient woman's like her shape she fashioned, Wrinkling her forehead villanous; and hoary coifed hair She donned, and round about it twined the olive-garland fair, And seemed the ancient Calybe of Juno's holy place; And so with such a word she thrust before the hero's face: 420

"Turnus, and wilt thou bear it now, such labour spent in vain, And give thy folk to Dardan men, the outcasts of the main? The King gainsays thy wedding couch, and dowry justly bought By very blood, and for his throne an outland heir is sought. Go, thou bemocked, and thrust thyself mid perils none shall thank; For cloaking of the Latin peace o'erthrow the Tuscan rank! The mighty Saturn's Seed herself hath bid me openly To bear thee this, while thou in peace of middle night shouldst lie. So up! be merry! arm the lads! bid wend from out the gate. Up, up, and arm! The Phrygian folk who in the fair stream wait, Burn thou their dukes of men with fire! burn every painted keel! 'Tis heavenly might that biddeth this. Let King Latinus feel Thy strength, and learn to know at last what meaneth Turnus' sword, Unless he grant the wedding yet, and hold his plighted word."

But therewithal the young man spake, and answered her in scorn: "Thou errest: tidings of all this failed nowise to be borne Unto mine ears, how stranger ships the Tiber-flood beset. Nay, make me not so sore afeared,—belike she minds me yet, Juno, the Queen of Heaven aloft. Nay, mother, Eld the mouldy-dull, the empty of all sooth, 440 Tormenteth thee with cares in vain, and mid the arms of kings Bemocks the seer with idle shows of many fearful things. Nay, 'tis for thee to watch God's house, and ward the images, And let men deal with peace and war; for they were born for these."

But at such word Alecto's wrath in utter fire outbrake; A tremor ran throughout his limbs e'en as the word he spake; Fixed stared his eyes, the Fury hissed with Serpent-world so dread, And such a mighty body woke: then rolling in her head Her eyes of flame, she thrust him back, stammering and seeking speech, As on her head she reared aloft two adders each by each, 450 And sounded all her fearful whip, and cried from raving mouth:

"Lo, I am she, the mouldy-dull, whom Eld, the void of sooth, Bemocks amid the arms of kings with empty lies of fear! Look, look! for from the Sisters' House, the Dread Ones, come I here; And war and death I have in hand."

She spake, and on the youth she cast her torch and set its blaze, A mirky gleam of smoke-wreathed flame, amidmost of his heart: And mighty dread his slumber brake, and forth from every part, From bones and body, burst the sweat, and o'er his limbs 'gan fall; And wild he cries for arms, and seeks for arms from bed and wall: 460 The sword-lust rageth in his soul, and wicked thirst of war. So was it as at whiles it is, when with a mighty roar The twiggen flame goes up about the hollow side of brass; The water leapeth up therewith, within comes rage to pass, The while the cloudy foaming flood spouts up a bubbling stir, Until the sea refrains no more; the black cloud flies in air. So to the dukes of men he shows how peace hath evil end, And on Latinus biddeth them in weed of war to wend; That they may save their Italy, and thrust the foemen forth. And he will fare unto the field more than the twain of worth, 470 Teucrians and Latins: so he saith, and calls the Gods to aid. Then eagerly Rutulian men to war and battle bade: For some his glorious beauty stirred, and some his youth drave on, And some his sires; and some were moved by deeds his hand had done.

But while he fills Rutulian souls with love for glorious things, Alecto to the Teucrians wends on Stygian-fashioned wings, With fresh guile spying out the place where goodly on the shore, With toils and speed 'gainst woodland beasts, Iulus waged the war. Here for his hounds Cocytus' Maid a sudden madness blent, Crossing the nostrils of the beasts with long familiar scent, 480 As eagerly they chased a hart. This first began the toil, And kindled field-abiders' souls to war and deadly broil.

There was a hart most excellent, a noble horned thing, That Tyrrheus' sons had stolen from its own dam's cherishing, And fostered: he, their father, had the kingly herd to heed, And well was trusted far and wide, the warden of the mead. But to their sister Sylvia's hand the beast was used, and oft She decked him lovingly, and wreathed his horns with leafage soft, And combed him oft, and washed him oft in water of the well. Tame to her hand, and used enow amid manfolk to dwell, 490 He strayed the woods; but day by day betook him evermore, Of his own will at twilight-tide, to that familiar door. Him now Iulus' hunting hounds mad-eager chanced to stir Afar from home, and floating whiles adown the river fair, Or whiles on bank of grassy green beguiling summer's flame. Therewith Ascanius, all afire with lust of noble fame, Turned on the beast the spiky reed from out the curved horn; Nor lacked the God to his right hand; on was the arrow borne With plenteous whirr, and smote the hart through belly and through flank; Who, wounded, to the well-known house fled fast, and groaning shrank Into the stalls of his abode, and bloody, e'en as one 501 Who cries for pity, filled the place with woefulness of moan.

Then first the sister Sylvia there, smiting her breast, cried out, Calling to aid the hardy hearts of field-folk thereabout; And swifter than the thought they came; for still that bitter Bane Lurked in the silent woods: this man a half-burned brand did gain For weapon; that a knotted stake: whate'er came first to hand, The seeker's wrath a weapon made: there Tyrrheus cheers his band, Come from the cleaving of an oak with foursome driven wedge, Panting and fierce he tossed aloft the wood-bill's grinded edge. 510 But she, that Evil, on the watch, noting the death anigh, Climbs up upon the stall-house loft, and from its roof on high Singeth the shepherd's gathering sign, and through the crooked horn Sends voice of hell: and e'en therewith, as forth the notes were borne, The forest trembled; the deep woods resounded; yea afar The mere of Trivia heard the sound, and that white water, Nar, That bears the sulphur down its stream; the Veline well-springs heard: Mothers caught up their little ones, and trembled sore afeard. Then hurrying at the voice sent forth by the dread war-horn's song, The hardy-hearted folk of fields from everywhither throng, 520 With weapons caught in haste: and now the Trojan folk withal Pour from their opened gates, and on to aid Ascanius fall. And there the battle is arrayed; and now no war they wake, Where field-folk strive with knotty club or fire-behardened stake; But with the two-edged sword they strive: the meadows bristle black With harvest of the naked steel: the gleaming brass throws back Unto the clouds that swim aloft the smiting of the sun: As when the whitening of the wind across the flood doth run, And step by step the sea gets up, and higher heaps the wave, Until heaven-high it sweeps at last up from its lowest cave. 530

And here, by dint of whistling shaft in forefront of the fight, A youth, e'en Tyrrheus' eldest son, by name of Almo hight, Was laid alow: there in his throat the reedy bane abode, And shut with blood the path of speech, the tender life-breath's road. And many a body fell around: there, thrusting through the press With peaceful word, Galaesus old died in his righteousness; Most just of men; most rich erewhile of all Ausonian land: Five flocks of bleaters once he had: five-fold came home to hand His herds of neat: an hundred ploughs turned up the earth for him. 539

But while they wrought these deeds of Mars mid doubtful fate and dim, The Goddess, strong in pledge fulfilled, since she the war had stained With very blood, and death of men in that first battle gained, Leaveth the Westland, and upborne along the hollow sky, To Juno such a word of pride sets forth victoriously:

"Lo thou, the discord fashioned fair with misery of fight! Come let them join in friendship now, and troth together plight! But now, since I have sprinkled Troy with that Ausonian blood, I will do more, if thereunto thy will abideth good; For all the cities neighbouring to war my word shall bring, And in their souls the love of Mars and maddening fire shall fling 550 Till all strike in, and all the lea crops of my sowing bear."

But Juno answered: "Full enough there is of fraud and fear; Fast stands the stumbling-block of war, and hand to hand they fight: The sword that Fate first gave to them hath man's death stained aright Forsooth let King Latinus now and Venus' noble son Join hand to hand, and hold high feast for such a wedding won. But thee, the Father of the Gods, lord of Olympus high, Will nowise have a-wandering free beneath the worldly sky: Give place; and whatso more of toil Fortune herein may make Myself shall rule." 560 Such words as these Saturnian Juno spake, And on the wing the Evil rose, with snaky sweeping whirr, Seeking Cocytus' house, and left the light world's steep of air. Midst Italy a place there is 'neath mountains high set down, Whose noble tale in many a land hath fame and great renown, The valley of Amsanctus called, hemmed in by woody steep On either side, and through whose midst a rattling stream doth leap, With clattering stones and eddying whirl: a strange den gapeth there, The very breathing-hole of Dis; an awful place of fear, A mighty gulf of baneful breath that Acheron hath made When he brake forth: therein as now the baneful Fury laid 570 Her hated godhead, lightening so the load of earth and heaven.

No less meanwhile did Saturn's Queen still turn her hand to leaven That war begun. The shepherd folk rush from the battle-wrack Into the city of the king, bearing their dead aback, Almo the lad, Galaesus slain with changed befouled face. They bid Latinus witness bear, and cry the Gods for grace. Turnus is there, and loads the tale of bale-fire and the sword, And swells the fear: "The land shall have a Teucrian host for lord: With Phrygians shall ye foul your race and drive me from your door." Then they, whose mothers midst the wood God Bacchus overbore, To lead the dance—Amata's name being held in nowise light— 581 Together draw from every side, and weary for the fight. Yea, all with froward heart and voice cry out for war and death, That signs of heaven forbid so sore, that high God gainsayeth, And King Latinus' house therewith beset they eagerly; But he unmoved against them stands as crag amid the sea; As crag amid the sea, that stands unmoved and huge to meet The coming crash, while plenteously the waves bark round its feet: Vain is the roaring on the rocks and rattling shingly crash, The wrack from off its smitten sides falls down amid the wash. 590

But when no might is given him their blindness to o'ercome, And by the road fell Juno would the matter must win home, Sore called the father on the Gods and emptiness of air: "Ah, broken by the Fates," he cried, "amid the storm we bear! Ye with your godless blood yourselves shall pay the penalty, Unhappy men! But Turnus, thou, thine ill deed bideth thee With woe enough, and overlate the Gods shalt thou adore. For me, my rest is gained, my foot the threshold passeth o'er; Yet is my happy ending spilled." Nor further would he say; But, hedged within his house, he cast the reins of rule away. 600

In Latium of the Westland world a fashion was whilome, Thence hallowed of the Alban folk, held holy thence by Rome, Earth's mightiest thing: and this they used what time soe'er they woke Mars unto battle; whether they against the Getic folk, Ind, Araby, Hyrcanian men, fashioned the woeful wrack, Or mid the dawn from Parthian men the banners bade aback. For twofold are the Gates of War—still bear they such a name— Hallowed by awe of Mars the dread, and worship of his fame, Shut by an hundred brazen bolts, and iron whose avail Shall never die: nor ever thence doth door-ward Janus fail. 610 Now when amid the Fathers' hearts fast is the war-rede grown, The Consul, girt in Gabine wise, and with Quirinus gown Made glorious, doth himself unbar the creaking door-leaves great, And he himself cries on the war; whom all men follow straight, The while their brazen yea-saying the griding trumpets blare.

In e'en such wise Latinus now was bidden to declare The battle 'gainst AEneas' folk, and ope the gates of woe. But from their touch the Father shrank, and fleeing lest he do The evil deed, in eyeless dark he hideth him away. Then slipped the Queen of Gods from heaven, and ended their delay; For back upon their hinges turned the Seed of Saturn bore 621 The tarrying leaves, and burst apart the iron Gates of War, And all Ausonia yet unstirred brake suddenly ablaze: And some will go afoot to field, and some will wend their ways Aloft on horses dusty-fierce: all seek their battle-gear. Some polish bright the buckler's face and rub the pike-point clear With fat of sheep; and many an axe upon the wheel is worn. They joy to rear the banners up and hearken to the horn. And now five mighty cities forge the point and edge anew On new-raised anvils; Tibur proud, Atina staunch to do, 630 Ardea and Crustumerium's folk, Antemnae castle-crowned. They hollow helming for the head; they bend the withe around For buckler-boss: or other some beat breast-plates of the brass, Or from the toughened silver bring the shining greaves to pass. Now fails all prize of share and hook, all yearning for the plough; The swords their fathers bore afield anew they smithy now. Now is the gathering-trumpet blown; the battle-token speeds; And this man catches helm from wall; this thrusteth foaming steeds To collar; this his shield does on, and mail-coat threesome laid Of golden link, and girdeth him with ancient trusty blade. 640

O Muses, open Helicon, and let your song awake To tell what kings awoke to war, what armies for whose sake Filled up the meads; what men of war sweet mother Italy Bore unto flower and fruit as then; what flame of fight ran high: For ye remember, Holy Ones, and ye may tell the tale; But we—a slender breath of fame scarce by our ears may sail.

Mezentius first, the foe of Gods, fierce from the Tuscan shore Unto the battle wends his way, and armeth host of war: Lausus, his son, anigh him wends;—no lovelier man than he, Save Turnus, the Laurentine-born, the crown of all to see.— 650 Lausus, the tamer of the horse, the wood-deer's following bane, Who led from Agyllina's wall a thousand men in vain. Worthy was he to have more mirth than 'neath Mezentius' sway; Worthy that other sire than he had given him unto day.

The goodly Aventinus next, glorious with palm of prize, Along the grass his chariot shows and steeds of victories, Sprung from the goodly Hercules, marked by his father's shield, Where Hydra girded hundred-fold with adders fills the field: Him Rhea the priestess on a day gave to the sun-lit earth, On wooded bent of Aventine, in secret stolen birth; 660 The woman mingled with a God, what time that, Geryon slain, The conquering man of Tiryns touched the fair Laurentian plain, And washed amidst the Tuscan stream the bulls Iberia bred. These bear in war the bitter glaive and darts with piled head: With slender sword and Sabine staff the battle they abide; But he afoot and swinging round a monstrous lion's hide, Whose bristly brow and terrible with sharp white teeth a-row Hooded his head, beneath the roof where dwelt the king did go All shaggy rough, his shoulders clad with Herculean cloak.

Then next twin brethren wend away from Tibur's town and folk, 670 Whose brother-born, Tiburtus, erst had named that citied place; Catillus, eager Coras they, men of the Argive race; In forefront of the battle-wood, mid thick of sleet they fare, Like as two centaurs cloud-begot, that down the mountains bear, Leaving the high-piled Homole, and Othrys of the snow With hurrying hoofs: the mighty wood yields to them as they go; The tangle of the thicket-place before them gives aback.

Nor did Praeneste's raiser-up from field of battle lack, That Caeculus, whom king of men mid cattle of the mead, All ages of the world have trowed was Vulcan's very seed 680 Found on the hearth: from wide away gathered his rustic band: Those housed upon Praeneste's steep; they of the Juno land Of Gabii: abiders near cool Anio, they that dwell On Hernic rocks, the stream-bedewed: they whom thou feedest well, Anagnia rich; the foster-sons of Amasenus' coast. Not all had arms, or clash of shield, or war-wain; but the most Cast the grey plummets forth, and some, the dart in hand they bear, And on the head the fallow fell of woodland wolf they wear For helming: now with all of them the left foot goes aground, Naked and bare; but with the hide untanned the left is bound. 690

Messapus lo, the horse-tamer, a child by Neptune won, Ne'er by the fire to be spilled, nor by the steel undone; His folk this long while sunk in peace, a battle-foolish band, He calleth suddenly to fight, and taketh sword in hand; AEqui Falisci are of these, Fescennium's folk of fight, These lie upon Flavinium's lea, and hold Soracte's hight, And mere and mound of Ciminus, Capena's woodland broad. With measured footfalls on they go, a-singing of their lord: As whiles the snowy swans will fare amid the world of cloud, Returning from their feeding-field; far goes the song and loud, 700 Whose notes along their necks they pour: the flood resounds, and all The Asian marish beat with song. Scarce might ye deem the brazen ranks of such a mighty host Were gathered there: but rather fowl a-driving toward the coast, An airy cloud of hoarse-voiced things drawn from the wallowing sea.

Lo sprung from ancient Sabine blood comes Clausus presently, Leading a mighty host, himself a very host of war; From whom the Claudian tribe and race hath spread itself afar Through Latium, since the Sabine folk was given a share in Rome: With him the Amiternian host and old Quirites come; 710 Eretus' host and they that keep Mutusca's olive gain, The biders in Nomentum's wall, and Veline Rosea's plain, The bristling rocks of Tetricae and high Severus' flank, Casperia and Foruli and wet Himella's bank; The drinkers of the Tiber-stream and Fabaris, and folk Cool Nursia sends, and Horta's troop, and men of Latin yoke; And they whom hapless Allia parts with wash of waters wan: As many as on Lybian main the tumbling waves roll on When fierce Orion falls to sleep in wintry waters' lair; Or thick as stand the wheaten ears the young sun burneth there 720 On Hermus' plain or Lycia's lea a-yellowing for the hook: Loud clashed the shields, and earth afeared beneath their footfalls shook.

Halaesus, Agamemnon's blood, a foe to Troy inbred, Next yoked the horses to the car; a thousand men he led, Fierce folk for Turnus: they that hoe the vine-fair Massic soil; And they that from their lofty hills adown unto the broil Aruncan fathers sent, and they of Sidicinum's lea; All who leave Cales, all whose homes beside Vulturnus be, The shoally water: with them went Saticula's fierce band, And host of Oscans: slender shafts are weapons of their hand, 730 Which same to toughened casting-thong amid the fight they tie; With bucklered left and scanty blade they come to blows anigh.

Nor, Oebalus, shalt thou unsung from this our story fail, Whom Telon on nymph Sebethis begat as tells the tale When Teleboan Capreae he reigned o'er waxen old; Whose son might not abide to sit within his father's fold; But even then held neath his sway the country far and wide, Sarrastes' folk, and all the plain along the Sarnus side. Celenna's lea, and Batulum, and folk of Rufra's town, And those on whom Abella's walls, the apple-rich, look down. 740 But these are wont to hurl the spear after the Teuton wise, Their heads are helmed with e'en such bark as on the holm-oak lies: All brazen-wrought their targets gleam, their brazen sword-blades flash.

'Twas Nursae in the heart of hills sent thee to battle-clash, O Ufens, well renowned of fame, and rich in battle's grace; Whose folk are roughest lived of men, eager for woodland chase; AEquiculi they hight; who dwell on land of little gain, And ever armed they till the earth, and ever are they fain To drive the spoil from hour to hour, and live upon the prey.

Then Umbro of the hardy heart went on the battle-way; 750 Priest was he of Marruvian folk; about his helm was bent The happy olive, leaf and twig: him King Archippus sent: Wont was he with his hand and voice the bitter viper-kind And water-worms of evil breath in bonds of sleep to bind; And he would soothe the wrath of them, and dull their bite by craft, Yet nothing might he heal the hurt that came of Dardan shaft; Nay, nothing might the sleepy song avail against his bane, All herbs on Marsian mountains plucked were nought thereto and vain. Anguitia's thicket wept for thee, Fucinus wave of glass, The thin wan waters wept for thee. 760

Most goodly Virbius went to war, Hippolytus' own son: His mother fair Aricia sent this battle-glorious one From fostering of Egeria's wood, from out the marish place Where standeth Dian's altar rich fulfilled of plenteous grace. For folk say, when Hippolytus, undone by step-dame's lie, Had paid unto his father's wrath that utmost penalty, He, piecemeal torn by maddened steeds, yet came aback to live Beneath the starry firmament, and air that heaven doth give, Brought back to life by healing herbs and Dian's cherishing: Then the Almighty Father, wroth that any mortal thing 770 Should rise again to light of life from nether shadows wan, Beat down with bolt to Stygian wave the Phoebus-gotten man, The finder of such healing craft, the wise in such an art. But Trivia's lovingkindness hid Hippolytus apart, And in the nymph Egeria's wood she held him many a day: Alone in woods of Italy he wore his life away, Deedless, his very name all changed, and Virbius by-named then. So for this cause to Trivia's fane and hallowed grove do men Drive horn-foot steeds, because, o'ercome by sea-beasts dread of yore, Piecemeal the chariot and the man they strewed about the shore. 780 No less his son would drive the steeds across the level plain For all their heat, and rush to war aloft in battle-wain.

Now mid the forefront Turnus self of body excellent, Strode sword in hand: there by the head all others he outwent: His threefold crested helm upbore Chimaera in her wrath; Where very flame of AEtna's womb her jaws were pouring forth; And fiercer of her flames was she, and madder of her mood As bloomed the battle young again with more abundant blood. But on the smoothness of his shield was golden Io shown With upraised horns, with hairy skin, a very heifer grown,— 790 A noble tale;—and Argus there was wrought, the maiden's ward; And father Inachus from bowl well wrought the river poured.

A cloud of foot-folk follow him; his shielded people throng The meadows all about; forth goes the Argive manhood strong; Aruncan men and Rutuli, Sicanians of old years, Sacranian folk, Labicus' band the blazoned shield-bearers: Thy thicket-biders, Tiber; those that holy acres till Beside Numicus, those that plough Rutulian holt and hill, And ridges of Circaei: they whose meadows Anxur Jove Looks down on, where Feronia joys amid her fair green grove; 800 Where Satura's black marish lies, where chilly Ufens glides, Seeking a way through lowest dales, till in the sea he hides.

And after these from Volscian folk doth fair Camilla pass, Leading a mighty host of horse all blossoming with brass; A warrior maid, whose woman's hands unused to ply the rock, Unused to bear Minerva's crate, were wise in battle's shock. The very winds might she outgo with hurrying maiden feet, Or speed across the topmost blades of tall unsmitten wheat, Nor ever hurt the tender ears below her as she ran; Or she might walk the middle sea, and cross the welter wan, 810 Nor dip the nimble soles of her amid the wavy ways. From house and field the youth pours forth to wonder and to gaze; The crowd of mothers stands at stare all marvelling, and beholds Her going forth; how kingly cloak of purple dye enfolds Her shining shoulders, how the clasp of gold knots up her hair, And how a quiver Lycian-wrought the Queen herself doth bear, And shepherd's staff of myrtle-wood steel-headed to a spear.



BOOK VIII.

ARGUMENT.

THE LATINS SEEK HELP OF DIOMEDE, AND AENEAS OF EVANDER, TO WHOM HE GOETH AS A GUEST. VENUS CAUSETH VULCAN TO FORGE ARMOUR AND WEAPONS FOR HER SON AENEAS.

When Turnus from Laurentum's burg the battle-sign upreared, When with their voices hard and shrill the gathering trumpets blare, When he had stirred his war-steeds on and clashed his weed of war, All troubled were the minds of men, and midst of tumult sore All Latium swore the battle oath, and rage of men outbroke; Messapus then, and Ufens great, the dukes of warring folk, Mezentius, scorner of the Gods, these drive from every side The folk to war, and waste the fields of tillers far and wide. And Venulus is sent withal to Diomedes' town To pray for aid, and tell him how the Teucrians are come down 10 On Latium: how AEneas comes with ship-host, carrying His vanquished House-Gods, calling him the Fate-ordained King; How many a folk of Italy hath joined the Dardan lord, How that his name in Latin land is grown a mighty word— 'What thing the man will build from this, what way the prize of fight, If Fortune aid him he shall turn—through this thou see'st more light Than cometh to King Turnus yet or King Latinus eyes.

So goes the world in Latium now, and noting how all lies, The Trojan hero drifts adown a mighty tide of care, And hither now his swift thought speeds, now thither bids it fare, 20 And sends it diversely about by every way to slip: As quivering light of water is in brazen vessel's lip, Smit by the sun, or casting back the image of the moon. It flitteth all about the place, and rising upward soon Smiteth the fashioned ceiling spread beneath the tiling steep.

Night fell, and over all the world the earthly slumber deep Held weary things, the fowl of air, the cattle of the wold, And on the bank beneath the crown of heaven waxen cold, Father AEneas, all his heart with woeful war oppressed, Lay stretched along and gave his limbs the tardy meed of rest: 30 When lo, between the poplar-leaves the godhead of the place, E'en Tiber of the lovely stream, arose before his face, A veil of linen grey and thin the elder's body clad, And garlanding of shady sedge the tresses of him had; And thus AEneas he bespeaks to take away his woe:

"O Seed of Gods, who bearest us Troy-town from midst the foe, Who savest Pergamus new-born no more to die again, Long looked-for on Laurentine earth and fields of Latin men; This is your sure abiding-place, your House-Gods' very stead; Turn not, nor fear the battle-threats, for now hath fallen dead 40 The swelling storm of godhead's wrath. And lest thou think I forge for thee an idle dream of sleep, Amid the holm-oaks of the shore a great sow shalt thou see, Who e'en now farrowed thirty head of young; there lieth she All white along, with piglings white around her uddered sides: That earth shall be thy dwelling-place; there rest from toil abides. From thence Ascanius, when the year hath thrice ten times rolled round, Shall raise a city, calling it by Alba's name renowned. No doubtful matters do I sing,—but how to speed thee well, And win thee victor from all this, in few words will I tell: 50 Arcadian people while agone, a folk from Pallas come, Following Evander for their king, have borne his banners home, And chosen earth, and reared their town amid a mountain place E'en Pallanteum named, from him who first began their race: This folk against the Latin men for ever wages fight, Bid them as fellows to thy camp, and treaty with them plight; But I by bank and flow of flood will straightly lead thee there, While thou with beating of the oars the stream dost overbear. Arise, arise, O Goddess-born, when the first star-world sets, Make prayer to Juno in due wise; o'ercome her wrath and threats 60 With suppliant vows: victorious grown, thou yet shalt worship me; For I am that abundant flood whom thou today dost see Sweeping the bank and cleaving way amid the plenteous earth, Blue Tiber, sweetest unto heaven of all the streams of worth. This is my mighty house; my head from lofty cities sweeps."

The River spake, and hid himself amid the watery deeps; But night and slumber therewithal AEneas' eyes forsook; He rose and toward the dawning-place and lights of heaven 'gan look, And duly in his hollow hand he lifted water fair 69 From out the stream, and unto heaven in such wise poured his prayer:

"O Nymphs, Laurentian Nymphs, from whence the race of rivers springs, And thou, O father Tiber fair, with holy wanderings, Cherish AEneas; thrust from me the bitter following bane, What pool soe'er may nurse thy spring, O pityer of my pain, From whatso land, O loveliest, thy stream may issue forth. For ever will I give thee gifts, and worship well thy worth, Horned river, of all Westland streams the very king and lord; Only be with me; faster bind thy great God-uttered word."

Thus having said, two twi-banked keels he chooseth from the fleet, And mans the oars and dights his folk with gear and weapons meet. 80

But lo meanwhile a wondrous sign is thrust before his eyes; For on the green-sward of the wood a snow-white sow there lies Down by the strand, her little ones, like-hued, about her pressed; Whom god-loving AEneas slays to thee, O mightiest, O Juno, at thine altar-fires hallowing both dam and brood.

Now while the long night wore away, the swelling of his flood Had Tiber soothed, and eddying back in peace the stream was stayed, And in the manner of a mere the water's face was laid, Or as a pool, that so the oars unstrained their work may ply. So now they speed their journey forth amid a happy cry; 90 The oiled fir slips along the seas, the waves fall wondering then,— The woods, unused, fall wondering sore to see the shields of men Shine far up stream; to see the keels bepainted swimming there: But day and night, with beat of oars, the watery way they wear, And conquer reaches long, o'erlaid with many a shifting tree, And cleave the forest fair and green along the waveless sea.

Unto the midmost crown of heaven had climbed the fiery sun, By then the walls, and far-off burg, and few roofs one by one They see; the place raised high as heaven by mightiness of Rome, Where in those days Evander had an unrich, scanty home: 100 So thither swift they turned their prows, and toward the city drew.

That day it chanced the Arcadian King did yearly honour do Unto Amphitryon's mighty son, and on the God did call In grove before the city-walls: Pallas, his son, withal, The battle-lords, the senate poor of that unwealthy folk Cast incense there; with yet warm blood the altars were a-smoke. But when they saw the tall ships glide amidst the dusky shade Of woody banks, and might of men on oars all silent laid, Scared at the sudden sight they rise, and all the boards forsake: But Pallas, of the hardy heart, forbids the feast to break, 110 While he, with weapon caught in haste, flies forth to meet the men, And crieth from a mound afar: "Fellows, what drave you then? And whither wend ye on your ways by road untried before? What folk and from what home are ye? and is it peace or war?"

Then spake the father AEneas the lofty deck aboard, As with the peaceful olive-bough he reached his hand abroad; "Troy's folk ye see and weapons whet against the Latin side, Whom they have driven forth by war amid their plenteous pride. We seek Evander: go ye forth and tell him this, and say That chosen dukes of Troy are come for plighted troth to pray." 120

The sound of such a mighty name smote Pallas with amaze: "Come forth," he said, "whoso ye be: before my father's face Say what ye would; come to our Gods and in our house be guest."

So saying he gave his hand to him, and hard his right hand pressed; Therewith they leave the river-bank, and wend amidst the wood: But spake AEneas to the king fair friendly words and good:

"O best of Greeks, whom fortune wills that I should now beseech, And unto thee the suppliant staff of olive garlands reach, I feared thee not for Arcas' seed or Duke of Danai, Nor for thy being to Atreus' twins a kinsman born anigh: 130 Rather my heart, and holy words that Gods have given forth, Our fathers' kin, the world-wide tale that goeth of thy worth, Bind me to thee, and make me fain of what Fate bids befall. Now Dardanus, first setter-up and sire of Ilian wall, Born of Electra, Atlas' child, as Greekish stories say, Came to the Teucrians: Atlas huge Electra gave today, Atlas, who on his shoulders rears the round-wrought heavenly house: But Mercury thy father is, whom Maia glorious Conceived, and shed on earth one day on high Cyllene cold; But Atlas Maia too begot, if we may trow tale told, 140 That very Atlas who the stars of heavenly house doth raise, So from one root the race of us wends on its twofold ways. Stayed by these things none else I sent, nor guilefully have sought, Assaying of thee, but myself unto thyself I brought, And mine own head; and here I stand a suppliant at thy door. And that same Daunian folk of men drive us with bitter war As fall on thee: if us they chase, what stay but utterly, (So deem they) all the Westland earth beneath their yoke shall lie, With all the upper flood of sea, and nether waters' wash. Take troth and give it: hearts are we stout in the battle's clash, 150 High-counselled souls, men well beheld in deeds that try the man."

He ended: but Evander's look this long while overran His face, his speaking eyes, and all his body fair to see; Then in few words he answered thus: "How sweet to welcome thee, Best heart of Troy! and how I mind the words, and seem to hear Anchises' voice, and see the face that mighty man did bear: For I remember Priam erst, child of Laomedon, Came to Hesione's abode, to Salamis passed on, And thence would wend his ways to seek Arcadia's chilly place. The blossom of the spring of life then bloomed upon my face, 160 When on the Teucrian lords I looked with joy and wonderment; On Priam, too: but loftier there than any other went Anchises; and his sight in me struck youthful love awake. I yearned to speak unto the man, and hand in hand to take: So fain I met him, led him in to Phineus' walled place; And he, departing, gave to me a noble arrow-case And Lycian shafts; a cloak thereto, all shot across with gold, And golden bridles twain, that now Pallas, my son, doth hold. Lo, then, the right hand that ye sought is joined in troth to thine; And when tomorrow's light once more upon the world shall shine, 170 Glad, holpen, shall I send you forth and stay you with my store. Meanwhile, since here ye come our friends, with us the Gods adore At this our hallowed yearly feast, which ill it were to stay: Be kind, and with your fellows' boards make friends without delay."

Therewith he bids bring forth once more the wine-cups and the meat, And he himself sets down the men upon a grassy seat; But chiefly to the bed bedight with shaggy lion's skin He draws AEneas, bidding him the throne of maple win. Then vie the chosen youth-at-arms, the altar-priest brings aid; They bear in roasted flesh of bulls, and high the baskets lade 180 With gifts of Ceres fashioned well, and serve the Bacchus' joy; So therewithal AEneas eats and men-at-arms of Troy Of undivided oxen chines and inwards of the feast. But when the lust of meat was dulled and hunger's gnawing ceased, Saith King Evander: "This high-tide that we are holding thus, This ordered feast, this altar raised to God all-glorious, No idle task of witch-work is, that knoweth not the Gods Of ancient days: O Trojan chief, we, saved from fearful odds, Here worship, and give glory new to deeds done gloriously. Note first the crag, whose world of stones o'ertoppleth there anigh; 190 What stone-heaps have been cast afar, how waste and wild is grown The mountain-house, what mighty wrack the rocks have dragged adown. Therein a cave was erst, that back a long way burrowing ran, Held by the dreadful thing, the shape of Cacus, monster-man. A place the sun might never see, for ever warm and wet With reek of murder newly wrought; o'er whose proud doorways set The heads of men were hanging still wan mid the woeful gore. Vulcan was father of this fiend; his black flame did he pour Forth from his mouth, as monster-great he wended on his ways. But to our aid, as whiles it will, brought round the lapse of days 200 The help and coming of a God: for that most mighty one, All glorious with the death and spoils of threefold Geryon, Alcides, our avenger came, driving the victor's meed, His mighty bulls, who down the dale and river-bank did feed. But Cacus, mad with furious heart, that nought undared might be Of evil deeds, or nought untried of guile and treachery, Drave from the fold four head of bulls of bodies excellent, And e'en so many lovely kine, whose fashion all outwent; Which same, that of their rightful road the footprints clean might lack, Tail-foremost dragged he to his den, turning their way-marks back; 210 And so he hid them all away amid that stonydark, Nor toward the cave might he that sought find any four-foot mark.

"Meanwhile, his beasts all satiate, from fold Amphitryon's son Now gets them ready for the road, and busks him to be gone; When lo, the herd falls bellowing, and with its sorrow fills The woodland as it goes away, and lowing leaves the hills. Therewith a cow gave back the sound, and in the cavern hid Lowed out, and in despite his heed all Cacus' hope undid. Then verily Alcides' ire and gall of heart outbroke In fury, and his arms he caught and weight of knotty oak, 220 And running, sought the hill aloft that thrusteth toward the skies. Then first our folk saw Cacus scared and trouble in his eyes, And in a twinkling did he flee, no eastern wind as fleet, Seeking his den, and very fear gave wings unto his feet; But scarcely was he shut therein, and, breaking down the chains, Had dropped the monstrous rock that erst his crafty father's pains Hung there with iron; scarce had he blocked the doorway with the same, When lo, the man of Tiryns there, who with his heart aflame Eyed all the entries, here and there turning about his face, Gnashing his teeth: afire with wrath, thrice all that hilly place 230 Of Aventine he eyeth o'er, thrice tries without avail The rocky door, thrice sits him down awearied in the dale.

"There was a peaked rock of flint with ragged edges dight, Which at the cave's back rose aloft exceeding high to sight, A dwelling meet for evil fowl amidst their nests to bide; This, that hung o'er the brow above the river's leftward side, Hard from the right he beareth on, and shakes, and from its roots Wrencheth it loose, and suddenly adown the bent side shoots. Then ringeth all the mighty heaven with thunder of its wrack, The banks are rent, the frighted stream its waters casteth back; 240 But Cacus' den and kingly house showed all uncovered there, The inmost of the shadowy cave was laid undoored and bare: As if the inner parts of earth 'neath mighty stroke should gape, Unlocking all the house of hell, showing that country's shape, The wan land all forlorn of God: there shows the unmeasured pit, And ghosts aquake with light of day shot through the depths of it.

"But Cacus, caught unwares by day whereof he had no doubt, Imprisoned in the hollow rock, in strange voice bellowing out, Alcides fell on from above, calling all arms to aid, And plenteous cast of boughs and stones upon the monster laid; 250 While he, since now no flight availed to 'scape that peril's hold, Pours from his mouth a mighty smoke, O wondrous to be told! Enwrapping all the house about with blinding misty shroud, Snatching the sight from eyes of men, and rolling on the cloud, A reeking night with heart of fire and utter blackness blent. Alcides' spirit bore it nought; his body swift he sent With headlong leap amid the fire where thickest rolled the wave Of smoke, and with its pitchy mist was flooding all the cave; Cacus he catcheth in the dark spueing out fire in vain, And knitteth him in knot about, and, strangling him, doth strain 260 The starting eyes from out of him, and throat that blood doth lack: Then the mirk house is opened wide; the doors are torn aback; The stolen kine, that prey his oath foreswore to heaven are shown, And by the feet is dragged today the body hideous grown; Nor may men satiate their hearts by gazing on the thing; His fearful eyes, the face of him, the man-beast's fashioning Of bristled breast; those jaws of his, whence faded is the flame.

"Hence is this honour celebrate, and they that after came Still kept the day all joyfully; Potitius wrought it first, This feast of mighty Hercules; the house Pinarian nursed, 270 The altar of the grove he reared, which Mightiest yet we call, And ever more, in very sooth, shall mightiest be of all. So come, O youths, these glorious deeds I bid you glorify: Wreathe round your hair, put forth your hands and raise the cup on high! Call on the God whom all we love, and give the wine full fain!"

He spake: the leaf of Hercules, the poplar coloured twain, Shaded his hair; the leaves entwined hung down aback his head; The holy beaker filled his hand: then merry all men sped, And on the table poured their gift, and called the Gods to hear.

Meanwhile unto the slopes of heaven the Western Star drew near, 280 And then the priests, and chief thereof, Potitius, thither came, All clad in skins, as due it was, and bearing forth the flame. New feast they dight, and gifts beloved of second service bring, And on the altar pile again the plates of offering. The Salii then to singing-tide heart-kindled go around The altars; every brow of them with poplar leafage bound: And here the youths, the elders there, set up the song of praise, And sing the deeds of Hercules: How, on his first of days, The monsters twain his stepdame sent, the snakes, he crushed in hand; And how in war he overthrew great cities of the land, 290 Troy and Oechalia: how he won through thousand toils o'ergreat, That King Eurystheus laid on him by bitter Juno's fate. "O thou Unconquered, thou whose hand beat down the cloud-born two, Pholeus, Hylaeus, twin-wrought things, and Cretan monsters slew: O thou who slew'st the lion huge 'neath that Nemean steep, The Stygian mere hath quaked at thee, the ward of Orcus deep Quaked in his den above his bed of half-gnawed bones and blood. At nothing fashioned wert thou feared; not when Typhoeus stood Aloft in arms: nor from thine heart fell any rede away When round thee headed-manifold the Worm of Lerna lay. 300 O very child of Jupiter, O Heaven's new glory, hail! Fail not thy feast with friendly foot, nor us, thy lovers, fail!"

With such-like song they sing the praise, and add to all the worth The cave of Cacus, and the beast that breathed the wildfire forth. The woods sing with them as they sing; the hills are light with song.

So, all the holy things fulfilled, they wend their ways along Unto the city: the old king afoot was with them there, And bade AEneas and his son close to his side to fare, And as he went made light the way with talk of many a thing. AEneas wonders, and his eyes go lightly wandering 310 O'er all; but here and there they stay, as, joyful of his ways, He asks and hears of tokens left by men of earlier days.

Then spake the King Evander, he who built up Rome of old: "These woods the earth-born Fauns and Nymphs in time agone did hold, And men from out the tree-trunk born and very heart of oak; No fashion of the tilth they knew, nor how the bulls to yoke, Nor how to win them store of wealth, or spare what they had got; The tree-boughs only cherished them and rugged chase and hot. Then from Olympus of the heavens first Saturn came adown, Fleeing the war of Jupiter and kingdom overthrown: 320 He laid in peace the rugged folk amid the mountains steep Scattered about, and gave them laws, and willed them well to keep The name of Latium, since he lay safe hidden on that shore. They call the days the Golden Days that 'neath that king outwore, Amid such happiness of peace o'er men-folk did he reign. But worsened time as on it wore, and gathered many a stain; And then the battle-rage was born, and lust of gain outbroke: Then came the host Ausonian; then came Sicanian folk; And oft and o'er again the land of Saturn cast its name. 329 Then kings there were, and Thybris fierce, of monstrous body came, From whom the Tiber flood is named by us of Italy, Its old true name of Albula being perished and gone by. Me, driven from my land, and strayed about the ocean's ends, Almighty Fortune and the Fate no struggling ever bends Set in these steads; my mother's word well worshipped hither drave, The nymph Carmentis; and a god, Apollo, wayfare gave."

Now, as he spake, hard thereunto the altar-stead doth show, And gate that by Carmentis' name the Roman people know; An honour of the olden time to nymph Carmentis, she, The faithful seer, who first foretold what mighty men should be 340 AEneas' sons; how great a name from Pallanteum should come. Then the great grove that Romulus hallowed the fleer's home He showeth, and Lupercal set beneath the cliff acold, Called of Lycaean Pan in wise Parrhasia used of old. Thereafter Argiletum's grove he shows and bids it tell, A very witness, where and how the guesting Argus fell. Next, then, to the Tarpeian stead and Capitol they went, All golden now, but wild of yore with thickets' tanglement: E'en then at its dread holiness the folk afield would quake And tremble sore to look upon its cliff-besetting brake. 350

"This grove," saith he, "this hill thou seest with thicket-covered brow, Some godhead haunts, we know not who: indeed Arcadians trow That very Jove they there have seen, when he his blackening shield Hath shaken whiles and stirred the storm amidst the heavenly field. Look therewithal on those two burgs with broken walls foredone! There thou beholdest tokens left by folk of long agone: For one did Father Janus old, and one did Saturn raise, Janiculum, Saturnia, they hight in ancient days."

Amid such talk they reach the roofs whereunder did abide Unrich Evander; and they see the herd-beasts feeding wide 360 And lowing through the Roman Courts amid Carinae's shine.

But when they came unto the house, "Beneath these doors of mine Conquering Alcides went," he said; "this king's house took him in. Have heart to scorn world's wealth, O guest, and strive thou too to win A godhead's worth: take thou no scorn of our unrich estate."

He spake, and 'neath the narrow roof AEneas' body great He led withal, and set him down; and such a bed was there As 'twas of leaves, and overlaid with skin of Libyan bear.

Night falleth, and its dusky wings spreads o'er the face of earth, When Venus, fearful in her soul (nor less than fear 'twas worth), 370 Sore troubled by Laurentine threats and all the tumult dread, Bespeaketh Vulcan, as she lay upon his golden bed, And holiness of very love amidst her words she bore:

"When Argive kings were wasting Troy predestined with their war, Were wracking towers foredoomed to fall mid flames of hating men, No help of thine for hapless ones, no arms I asked for then, Wrought by thy craft and mastery: nor would I have thee spend Thy labour, O beloved spouse, to win no happy end; Though many things to Priam's house meseemeth did I owe, And oftentimes I needs must weep AEneas' pain and woe. 380 But now that he by Jove's command Rutulian shores hath won, I am thy suppliant, asking arms, a mother for her son, Praying thy godhead's holiness: time was when Nereus' seed, Tithonus' wife, with many tears could bend thee to thy need. Look round, what peoples gather now; what cities shut within Their barred gates are whetting sword to slay me and my kin."

She spake: with snowy arms of God she fondled him about, And wound him in her soft embrace, while yet he hung in doubt: Sudden the wonted fire struck home; unto his inmost drew The old familiar heat, and all his melting bones ran through: 390 No otherwise than whiles it is when rolls the thunder loud, And gleaming of the fiery rent breaks up the world of cloud. In glory of her loveliness she felt her guile had gained. Then spake the Father, overcome by Love that ne'er hath waned:

"Why fish thy reasons from the deep? where is thy trust in me, I prithee, O my God and Love? Had such wish weighed on thee, Then, also, had it been my part to arm the Teucrian hand, Nor had the Almighty Sire nor Fate forbidden Troy to stand, And Priam might have held it out another ten years yet. And now if thou wouldst wage the war, if thus thy soul is set, 400 Thy longing shall have whatsoe'er this craft of mine may lend; Whatever in iron may be done, or silver-golden blend; Whatever wind and fire may do: I prithee pray no more, But trust the glory of thy might." So when his words wore o'er He gave the enfolding that she would, and shed upon her breast He lay, and over all his limbs he drew the sleepy rest. But when the midmost night was worn, and slumber, past its prime, Had faded out, in sooth it was that woman's rising-time, Who needs must prop her life with rock and slender mastery 409 That Pallas gives: she wakes the ash and flames that smouldering lie, And, adding night unto her toil, driveth her maids to win Long task before its kindled light, that she may keep from sin Her bride-bed; that her little ones well waxen-up may be. Not otherwise that Might of Fire, no sluggard more than she, To win his art and handicraft from that soft bed arose. Upon the flank of Sicily there hangs an island close To Lipari of AEolus, with shear-hewn smoky steep; Beneath it thunder caves and dens AEtnaean, eaten deep With forges of the Cyclops: thence men hear the anvils cry 'Neath mighty strokes, and through the cave the hissing sparkles fly 420 From iron of the Chalybes, and pants the forge with flame. The house is Vulcan's, and the land Vulcania hath to name.

Thither the Master of the Fire went down from upper air, Where Cyclop folk in mighty den were forging iron gear; Pyracmon of the naked limbs, Brontes and Steropes. A thunderbolt half-fashioned yet was in the hands of these, Part-wrought, suchwise as many an one the Father casts on earth From all the heaven, but otherwhere unfinished from the birth, Three rays they wrought of writhen storm, three of the watery wrack; Nor do the three of ruddy flame nor windy winging lack: 430 And now the work of fearful flash, and roar, and dread they won, And blent amid their craftsmanship the flame that followeth on. But otherwhere they dight the wain and winged wheels of Mars, Wherewith the men and walls of men he waketh up to wars. There angry Pallas's arms they wrought and AEgis full of fear, And set the gold and serpent scales, and did with mighty care The knitted adders, and for breast of very God did deck The Gorgon rolling eyen still above her severed neck. "Do all away," he said, "lay by the labour so far done; Cyclops of AEtna, turn your minds to this one thing alone: 440 Arms for a great man must be wrought; betake ye to your might; Betake ye to your nimble hands and all your mastery's sleight, And hurry tarrying into haste." No more he spake: all they Fall swift to work and portion out the labour of the day: The brazen rivers run about with metal of the gold, And soft the Chalyb bane-master flows in the forges' hold. A mighty shield they set on foot to match all weapons held By Latin men, and sevenfold ring on ring about it weld. Meanwhile, in windy bellows' womb some in the breezes take And give them forth, some dip the brass all hissing in the lake, 450 And all the cavern is agroan with strokes on anvil laid. There turn and turn about betwixt, with plenteous might to aid, They rear their arms; with grip of tongs they turn the iron o'er.

But while the Lemnian Father thus speeds on the AEolean shore The lovely light Evander stirs amid his lowly house, And morning song of eave-dwellers from sleep the king doth rouse. Riseth that ancient man of days and on his kirtle does, And both his feet he binds about with bonds of Tyrrhene shoes; Then Tegeaean sword he girds to shoulder and to side, And on the left he flings aback the cloak of panther-hide. 460 Moreover, from the threshold step goes either watchful ward, Two dogs to wit, that follow close the footsteps of their lord. So to the chamber of his guest the hero goes his way, Well mindful of his spoken word and that well-promised stay. Nor less AEneas was afoot betimes that morning-tide, And Pallas and Achates went each one their lord beside. So met, they join their right hands there and in the house sit down, And win the joy of spoken words, that lawful now hath grown; And thuswise speaks Evander first:

"O mightiest duke of Trojan men,—for surely, thou being safe, 470 My heart may never more believe in Troy-town's vanquishing,— The battle-help that I may give is but a little thing For such a name: by Tuscan stream on this side are we bound; On that side come Rutulian arms to gird our walls with sound. But 'tis my rede to join to you a mighty folk of fight, A wealthy lordship: chance unhoped this hope for us hath dight; So draw thou thither whereunto the Fates are calling on. Not far hence is a place of men, on rock of yore agone Built up; Agylla's city 'tis, where glorious folk of war, The Lydian folk, on Tuscan hills pitched their abode of yore. 480 A many years of blooming once they had, until the king Mezentius held them 'neath his pride and cruel warfaring. Why tell those deaths unspeakable, and many a tyrant's deed? May the Gods store them for the heads of him and all his seed! Yea, yea, dead corpses would he join to bodies living yet, And hand to hand, O misery! and mouth to mouth would set; There, drenched with gore and drenched with dew of death, must they abide, A foul embrace unspeakable, and long and long they died. Worn out at last, his folk in arms beset his house about, And him therein all mad with rage, cut of his following rout, 490 And cast the wildfire therewithal over his roof on high: But he, amidst the slaughter slipped, to fields of Rutuli Made shift to flee, and there is held a guest by Turnus' sword. So by just anger raised today Etruria is abroad, Crying with Mars to aid, 'Give back the king to pay the cost!' AEneas, I will make thee now the captain of their host: For down the whole coast goes the roar from out their ship-host's pack; They cry to bear the banners forth; but them still holdeth back The ancient seer, thus singing Fate: Maeonia's chosen peers, The heart and flower of men of old, whom grief's just measure bears 500 Against the foe; souls that your king hath stirred to righteous wrath, No man of Italy is meet to lead this army forth; Seek outland captains. Then, indeed, the Tuscan war array, Feared by such warnings of the Gods, amidst these meadows lay. Tarchon himself hath hither sent sweet speakers, bearing me Their lordships' kingly staff and crown, and signs of royalty; And bidding take the Tuscan land and join their camp of war. But eld adull with winter frost and spent with days of yore, My body over-old for deeds begrudged such government. I would have stirred my son, but he, with Sabine mother blent, 510 Shared blood of this Italian land: but thee the Fates endow With years and race full meet hereto; the Gods call on thee now. Go forth, O captain valorous of Italy and Troy. Yea, I will give thee Pallas here, my hope and darling joy, And bid him 'neath thy mastery learn in battle to be bold, And win the heavy work of Mars, and all thy deeds behold; And, wondering at thy valiancy, win through his earliest years. Two hundred knights of Arcady, the bloom of all it bears, I give thee; in his own name, too, like host shall Pallas bring."

Scarce had he said, and still their gaze unto the earth did cling, 520 AEneas of Anchises born and his Achates true, For many thoughts of matters hard their minds were running through, When Cytherea gave a sign amid the open sky; For from the left a flash of light went quivering suddenly, And sound went with it, and all things in utter turmoil fared, And clangour of the Tyrrhene trump along the heavens blared. They look up; ever and anon a mighty clash they hear, And gleams they see betwixt the clouds, amid the sky-land clear, The glitter of the arms of God, the thunder of their clang.

The man of Troy, while others' hearts amazed and fearful hang, 530 Knoweth the sound, the promised help, his Goddess-mother's meed. He saith: "Yea, verily, O host, to ask is little need What hap this portent draweth on: the Gods will have me wend; The God that made me promised erst such heavenly signs to send If war were toward; and through the sky she promised to bear down Arms Vulcan-fashioned for my need. Woe's me for poor Laurentium's folk! what death, what bloody graves! —Ah, Turnus, thou shalt pay it me!—how many 'neath thy waves, O Father Tiber, shalt thou roll the shields and helms of men, And bodies of the mighty ones! Cry war, oath-breakers, then!" 540

And as he spake the word he rose from off the lofty throne, And the slaked fire of Hercules roused on the altar-stone; And joyfully he drew anear the God of yesterday And little House-Gods: chosen ewes in manner due they slay, Evander and the youth of Troy together side by side. Then to the ships they wend their ways, where yet their fellows bide: There men to follow him in fight he chooseth from the peers, The flower of hardy hearts; the rest the downlong water bears; Deedless they swim adown the stream, Ascanius home to bring The tidings of his coming sire and matters flourishing. 550

But horses get such Teucrian men as are for Tyrrhene mead; By lot they choose AEneas one which yellow lion's weed Goes all about; full fair it shone, for it was golden-clawed. Then sudden through the little town the rumour flies abroad, That knights will speedily ride forth to Tyrrhene kingly stead. Then fear redoubleth mothers' prayers, and nigher draweth dread In peril's hand, and greater still the face of Mars doth grow.

Father Evander strains the hand of him that needs must go, Clinging with tears insatiate, and such a word doth say: "O me! would Jove bring back again the years long worn away! 560 Were I as when the foremost foes upon Praeneste's field I felled, and burnt victoriously a heap of shield on shield: When with this very hand I sent King Herilus to Hell, Whose dam, Feronia, at his birth,—wild is the tale to tell,— Had given him gift of threefold life; three times the sword to shake, And thrice to fall upon the field: yet did this right hand take That threefold life away from him, thrice spoiled him of his gear. O were I such, ne'er would I break from thine embracing dear, O son; nor had Mezentius erst, the tyrant neighbour lord, In my despite so many deaths wrought with his cruel sword, 570 Nor widowed this our city here of such a host of sons. But ye, O Gods!—thou Mightiest, King of all heavenly ones, O Jove, have pity now, I pray, upon the Arcadian King, And hear a father's prayers! for if your mighty governing,— If Fate shall keep my Pallas safe, and I may live to see His face again,—if he return to keep our unity, Then may I live, and any toil, such as ye will, abide! But, Fortune, if thou threatenest ill, and misery betide, Then let me now, yea, now indeed, the cruel life break through, While yet my fear is unfulfilled and hope may yet come true; 580 While thee, beloved joy of eld, I wrap mine arms around, Ere yet the tale of evil hap mine ancient ears may wound."

Thus at their last departing-tide the father poured the prayer, Whom, fainting now, the serving-men back within doors must bear; While forth from out the open gate the host of horsemen ride, AEneas and Achates leal in forefront of their pride, And then the other Trojan lords: amidst the company, In cloak adorned and painted arms, was Pallas fair to see: E'en such as Lucifer, when he bathed in the ocean stream, The light beloved of Venus well o'er every starry beam, 590 Hath raised his holy head in heaven and down the darkness rent. The fearful mothers on the walls their eyen after sent, Following the dusty cloud of them and ranks of glittering brass. But mid the thicket places there by nighest road they pass Unto their end in weed of war: with shout and serried band The clattering hooves of four-foot things shake down the dusty land.

There is a mighty thicket-place by chilly Caeres' side, By ancient dread of fathers gone held holy far and wide: A place that hollow hills shut in and pine-wood black begirds. Men say that to Silvanus erst, the God of fields and herds, 600 The old Pelasgi hallowed it, and made a holy day, E'en those who in the time agone on Latin marches lay. No great way hence the Tuscan folk and Tarcho held them still In guarded camp; the host of them from rising of a hill Might now be seen, as far and wide they spread about the field. Father AEneas and his folk, the mighty under shield, Speed hither, and forewearied now their steeds and bodies tend. But through the clouds of heavenly way doth fair white Venus wend, Bearing the gift; who when she saw in hidden valley there Her son afar, apart from men by river cool and fair, 610 Then kind she came before his eyes, and in such words she spake: "These promised gifts, my husband's work, O son, I bid thee take: So shalt thou be all void of doubt, O son, when presently Laurentines proud and Turnus fierce thou bidst the battle try."

So spake the Cytherean one and sought her son's embrace, And hung the beaming arms upon an oak that stood in face. But he, made glad by godhead's gift, and such a glory great, Marvelleth and rolleth o'er it all his eyes insatiate, And turns the pieces o'er and o'er his hands and arms between; The helm that flasheth flames abroad with crest so dread beseen: 620 The sword to do the deeds of Fate; the hard-wrought plates of brass, Blood-red and huge; yea, e'en as when the bright sun brings to pass Its burning through the coal-blue clouds and shines o'er field and fold: The light greaves forged and forged again of silver-blend and gold: The spear, and, thing most hard to tell, the plating of the shield. For there the tale of Italy and Roman joy afield That Master of the Fire had wrought, not unlearned of the seers, Or blind to see the days before. The men of coming years, Ascanius stem, all foughten fields, were wrought in due array.

In the green den of Mavors there the fostering she-wolf lay, 630 The twin lads sporting round the beast, clung to her udders there, And sucked the nursing mother-wolf, and nothing knew of fear; But she, with lithe neck turned about, now this now that caressed, And either body with her tongue for hardy shaping pressed. Rome had he done anigh thereto and Sabine maidens caught From concourse of the hollow seats when roundway games were wrought There for the sons of Romulus the sudden war upstarts With Tatius, the old king of days, and Cures' hardy hearts. Then those two kings, the battle quenched, yet clad in battle-gear, Stand with the bowl in hand before the fire of Jupiter, 640 As each to each o'er slaughtered sow the troth of peace they plight.

Anigh is Metius piecemeal dragged by foursome chariots light. —Ah, Alban, by the troth of words 'twere better to abide!— There Tullus strews his lying flesh about the thicket wide, Nor sprinkling of a traitor's blood the bramble-bushes lack.

There was Porsena bidding men take outcast Tarquin back, The while his mighty leaguer lay about the city's weal. For freedom there AEneas' sons were rushing on the steel: As full of wrath, as one who threats, might ye behold his frown, Because that Cocles was of heart to break the bridge adown; 650 And Cloelia from her bursten bonds was swimming o'er the flood.