Aeneid

Virgil

Vergil. The Aeneid of Virgil. Williams, Theodore, C, translator. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1910.

  1. He spoke, and swiftlier than his word subdued
  2. the swelling of the floods; dispersed afar
  3. th' assembled clouds, and brought back light to heaven.
  4. Cymothoe then and Triton, with huge toil,
  5. thrust down the vessels from the sharp-edged reef;
  6. while, with the trident, the great god's own hand
  7. assists the task; then, from the sand-strewn shore
  8. out-ebbing far, he calms the whole wide sea,
  9. and glides light-wheeled along the crested foam.
  10. As when, with not unwonted tumult, roars
  11. in some vast city a rebellious mob,
  12. and base-born passions in its bosom burn,
  13. till rocks and blazing torches fill the air
  14. (rage never lacks for arms)—if haply then
  15. some wise man comes, whose reverend looks attest
  16. a life to duty given, swift silence falls;
  17. all ears are turned attentive; and he sways
  18. with clear and soothing speech the people's will.
  19. So ceased the sea's uproar, when its grave Sire
  20. looked o'er th' expanse, and, riding on in light,
  21. flung free rein to his winged obedient car.
  1. Aeneas' wave-worn crew now landward made,
  2. and took the nearest passage, whither lay
  3. the coast of Libya. A haven there
  4. walled in by bold sides of a rocky isle,
  5. offers a spacious and secure retreat,
  6. where every billow from the distant main
  7. breaks, and in many a rippling curve retires.
  8. Huge crags and two confronted promontories
  9. frown heaven-high, beneath whose brows outspread
  10. the silent, sheltered waters; on the heights
  11. the bright and glimmering foliage seems to show
  12. a woodland amphitheatre; and yet higher
  13. rises a straight-stemmed grove of dense, dark shade.
  14. Fronting on these a grotto may be seen,
  15. o'erhung by steep cliffs; from its inmost wall
  16. clear springs gush out; and shelving seats it has
  17. of unhewn stone, a place the wood-nymphs love.
  18. In such a port, a weary ship rides free
  19. of weight of firm-fluked anchor or strong chain.