Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. But now in dwellings of the gods on high,
  2. Diana to fleet-footed Opis called,
  3. a virgin from her consecrated train,
  4. and thus in sorrow spoke: “O maiden mine!
  5. Camilla now to cruel conflict flies;
  6. with weapons like my own she girds her side,
  7. in vain, though dearest of all nymphs to me.
  8. Nor is it some new Iove that stirs to-day
  9. with sudden sweetness in Diana's breast:
  10. for long ago, when from his kingdom driven,
  11. for insolent and envied power, her sire
  12. King Metabus, from old Privernum's wall
  13. was taking flight amidst opposing foes,
  14. he bore a little daughter in his arms
  15. to share his exile; and he called the child
  16. (Changing Casmilla, her queen-mother's name)
  17. Camilla. Bearing on his breast the babe,
  18. he fled to solitary upland groves.
  19. But hovering round him with keen lances, pressed
  20. the Volscian soldiery. Across his path,
  21. lo, Amasenus with full-foaming wave
  22. o'erflowed its banks—so huge a rain had burst
  23. but lately from the clouds. There would he fain
  24. swim over, but the love of that sweet babe
  25. restrained him, trembling for his burden dear.
  26. In his perplexed heart suddenly arose
  27. firm resolve. It chanced the warrior bore
  28. huge spear in his brawny hand, strong shaft
  29. of knotted, seasoned oak; to this he lashed
  30. his little daughter with a withe of bark
  31. pulled from a cork-tree, and with skilful bonds
  32. fast bound her to the spear; then, poising it
  33. high in his right hand, thus he called on Heaven: