Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Thus briefly, Jove. But golden Venus made
  2. less brief reply. “O Father, who dost hold
  3. o'er Man and all things an immortal sway!
  4. Of what high throne may gods the aid implore
  5. save thine? Behold of yonder Rutuli
  6. th' insulting scorn! Among them Turnus moves
  7. in chariot proud, and boasts triumphant war
  8. in mighty words. Nor do their walls defend
  9. my Teucrians now. But in their very gates,
  10. and on their mounded ramparts, in close fight
  11. they breast their foes and fill the moats with blood.
  12. Aeneas knows not, and is far away.
  13. Will ne'er the siege have done? A second time
  14. above Troy's rising walls the foe impends;
  15. another host is gathered, and once more
  16. from his Aetolian Arpi wrathful speeds
  17. a Diomed. I doubt not that for me
  18. wounds are preparing. Yea, thy daughter dear
  19. awaits a mortal sword! If by thy will
  20. unblest and unapproved the Trojans came
  21. to Italy, for such rebellious crime
  22. give them their due, nor lend them succor, thou,
  23. with thy strong hand! But if they have obeyed
  24. unnumbered oracles from gods above
  25. and sacred shades below, who now has power
  26. to thwart thy bidding, or to weave anew
  27. the web of Fate? Why speak of ships consumed
  28. along my hallowed Erycinian shore?
  29. Or of the Lord of Storms, whose furious blasts
  30. were summoned from Aeolia? Why tell
  31. of Iris sped from heaven? Now she moves
  32. the region of the shades (one kingdom yet
  33. from her attempt secure) and thence lets loose
  34. Alecto on the world above, who strides
  35. in frenzied wrath along th' Italian hills.
  36. No more my heart now cherishes its hope
  37. of domination, though in happier days
  38. such was thy promise. Let the victory fall
  39. to victors of thy choice! If nowhere lies
  40. the land thy cruel Queen would deign accord
  41. unto the Teucrian people,—O my sire,
  42. I pray thee by yon smouldering wreck of Troy
  43. to let Ascanius from the clash of arms
  44. escape unscathed. Let my own offspring live!
  45. Yea, let Aeneas, tossed on seas unknown,
  46. find some chance way; let my right hand avail
  47. to shelter him and from this fatal war
  48. in safety bring. For Amathus is mine,
  49. mine are Cythera and the Paphian hills
  50. and temples in Idalium. Let him drop
  51. the sword, and there live out inglorious days.
  52. By thy decree let Carthage overwhelm
  53. Ausonia's power; nor let defence be found
  54. to stay the Tyrian arms! What profits it
  55. that he escaped the wasting plague of war
  56. and fled Argolic fires? or that he knew
  57. so many perils of wide wilderness
  58. and waters rude? The Teucrians seek in vain
  59. new-born Troy in Latium. Better far
  60. crouched on their country's ashes to abide,
  61. and keep that spot of earth where once was Troy!
  62. Give back, O Father, I implore thee, give
  63. Xanthus and Simois back! Let Teucer's sons
  64. unfold once more the tale of Ilium's woe!”