Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Soon as the breaking dawn its glory threw
  2. along the hills, and from the sea's profound
  3. leaped forth the horses of the sun-god's car,
  4. from lifted nostrils breathing light and fire,
  5. then Teucrian and Rutulian measured out
  6. a place for duel, underneath the walls
  7. of the proud city. In the midst were set
  8. altars of turf and hearth-stones burning bright
  9. in honor of their common gods. Some brought
  10. pure waters and the hallowed flame, their thighs
  11. in priestly skirt arrayed, and reverend brows
  12. with vervain bound. Th' Ausonians, spear in hand,
  13. out from the city's crowded portals moved
  14. in ordered column: next the Trojans all,
  15. with Tuscan host in various martial guise,
  16. equipped with arms of steel, as if they heard
  17. stern summons to the fight. Their captains, too,
  18. emerging from the multitude, in pride
  19. of gold and purple, hurried to and fro:
  20. Mnestheus of royal stem, Asilas brave;
  21. and Neptune's offspring, tamer of the steed,
  22. Messapus. Either host, at signal given,
  23. to its own ground retiring, fixed in earth
  24. the long shafts of the spears and stacked the shields.
  25. Then eagerly to tower and rampart fly
  26. the women, the infirm old men, the throng
  27. of the unarmed, and sit them there at gaze,
  28. or on the columned gates expectant stand.
  1. But Juno, peering from that summit proud
  2. which is to-day the Alban (though that time
  3. nor name nor fame the hallowed mountain knew),
  4. surveyed the plain below and fair array
  5. of Trojan and Laurentine, by the walls
  6. of King Latinus. Whereupon straightway
  7. with Turnus' sister she began converse,
  8. goddess with goddess; for that nymph divine
  9. o'er Alba's calm lakes and loud rivers reigns;
  10. Jove, the high monarch of th' ethereal sky,
  11. gave her such glory when he stole away
  12. her virgin zone. “O nymph“, she said, “who art
  13. the pride of flowing streams, and much beloved
  14. of our own heart! thou knowest thou alone
  15. hast been my favorite of those Latin maids
  16. that to proud Jove's unthankful bed have climbed;
  17. and willingly I found thee place and share
  18. in our Olympian realm. So blame not me,
  19. but hear, Juturna, what sore grief is thine:
  20. while chance and destiny conceded aught
  21. of strength to Latium's cause, I shielded well
  22. both Turnus and thy city's wall; but now
  23. I see our youthful champion make his war
  24. with fates adverse. The Parcae's day of doom
  25. implacably impends. My eyes refuse
  26. to Iook upon such fight, such fatal league.
  27. If for thy brother's life thou couldst be bold
  28. to venture some swift blow, go, strike it now!
  29. 'T is fit and fair! Some issue fortunate
  30. may tread on sorrow's heel.” She scarce had said,
  31. when rained the quick tears from Juturna's eyes.
  32. Three times and yet again her desperate hand
  33. smote on her comely breast. But Juno cried,
  34. “No tears to-day! But haste thee, haste and find
  35. what way, if way there be, from clutch of death
  36. to tear thy brother free; arouse the war;
  37. their plighted peace destroy. I grant thee leave
  38. such boldness to essay.” With this command
  39. she left the nymph dismayed and grieving sore.