Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Below th' horizon the Sicilian isle
  2. just sank from view, as for the open sea
  3. with heart of hope they sailed, and every ship
  4. clove with its brazen beak the salt, white waves.
  5. But Juno of her everlasting wound
  6. knew no surcease, but from her heart of pain
  7. thus darkly mused: “Must I, defeated, fail
  8. of what I will, nor turn the Teucrian King
  9. from Italy away? Can Fate oppose?
  10. Had Pallas power to lay waste in flame
  11. the Argive fleet and sink its mariners,
  12. revenging but the sacrilege obscene
  13. by Ajax wrought, Oileus' desperate son?
  14. She, from the clouds, herself Jove's lightning threw,
  15. scattered the ships, and ploughed the sea with storms.
  16. Her foe, from his pierced breast out-breathing fire,
  17. in whirlwind on a deadly rock she flung.
  18. But I, who move among the gods a queen,
  19. Jove's sister and his spouse, with one weak tribe
  20. make war so long! Who now on Juno calls?
  21. What suppliant gifts henceforth her altars crown?”
  1. So, in her fevered heart complaining still,
  2. unto the storm-cloud land the goddess came,
  3. a region with wild whirlwinds in its womb,
  4. Aeolia named, where royal Aeolus
  5. in a high-vaulted cavern keeps control
  6. o'er warring winds and loud concourse of storms.
  7. There closely pent in chains and bastions strong,
  8. they, scornful, make the vacant mountain roar,
  9. chafing against their bonds. But from a throne
  10. of lofty crag, their king with sceptred hand
  11. allays their fury and their rage confines.
  12. Did he not so, our ocean, earth, and sky
  13. were whirled before them through the vast inane.
  14. But over-ruling Jove, of this in fear,
  15. hid them in dungeon dark: then o'er them piled
  16. huge mountains, and ordained a lawful king
  17. to hold them in firm sway, or know what time,
  18. with Jove's consent, to loose them o'er the world.
  19. To him proud Juno thus made lowly plea:
  1. “Thou in whose hands the Father of all gods
  2. and Sovereign of mankind confides the power
  3. to calm the waters or with winds upturn,
  4. great Aeolus! a race with me at war
  5. now sails the Tuscan main towards Italy,
  6. bringing their Ilium and its vanquished powers.
  7. Uprouse thy gales. Strike that proud navy down!
  8. Hurl far and wide, and strew the waves with dead!
  9. Twice seven nymphs are mine, of rarest mould;
  10. of whom Deiopea, the most fair,
  11. I give thee in true wedlock for thine own,
  12. to mate thy noble worth; she at thy side
  13. shall pass long, happy years, and fruitful bring
  14. her beauteous offspring unto thee their sire.”