Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Then Venus, by her offspring's guiltless woe
  2. sore moved, did cull from Cretan Ida's crest
  3. some dittany, with downy leaf and stem
  4. and flowers of purple bloom—a simple known
  5. to mountain goats, when to their haunches clings
  6. an arrow gone astray. This Venus brought,
  7. mantling her shape in cloud; and this she steeped
  8. in bowls of glass, infusing secretly
  9. ambrosia's healing essence and sweet drops
  10. of fragrant panacea. Such a balm
  11. aged Iapyx poured upon the wound,
  12. though unaware; and sudden from the flesh
  13. all pain departed and the blood was staunched,
  14. while from the gash the arrow uncompelled
  15. followed the hand and dropped: his wonted strength
  16. flowed freshly through the hero's frame. “Make haste!
  17. Bring forth his arms! Why tarry any more?”
  18. Iapyx shouted, being first to fire
  19. their courage 'gainst the foe. “This thing is done
  20. not of man's knowledge, nor by sovereign skill;
  21. nor has my hand, Aeneas, set thee free.
  22. Some mighty god thy vigor gives again
  23. for mighty deeds.” Aeneas now put on,
  24. all fever for the fight, his golden greaves,
  25. and, brooking not delay, waved wide his spear.
  26. Soon as the corselet and the shield were bound
  27. on back and side, he clasped Ascanius
  28. to his mailed breast, and through his helmet grim
  29. tenderly kissed his son. “My boy", he cried,
  30. “What valor is and patient, genuine toil
  31. learn thou of me; let others guide thy feet
  32. to prosperous fortune. Let this hand and sword
  33. defend thee through the war and lead thee on
  34. to high rewards. Thou also play the man!
  35. And when thy riper vigor soon shall bloom,
  36. forget not in thy heart to ponder well
  37. the story of our line. Heed honor's call,
  38. like Sire Aeneas and Hector thy close kin.”
  1. After such farewell word, he from the gates
  2. in mighty stature strode, and swung on high
  3. his giant spear. With him in serried line
  4. Antheus and Mnestheus moved, and all the host
  5. from the forsaken fortress poured. The plain
  6. was darkened with their dust; the startled earth
  7. shook where their footing fell. From distant hill
  8. Turnus beheld them coming, and the eyes
  9. of all Ausonia saw: a chill of fear
  10. shot through each soldier's marrow; in their van
  11. Juturna knew full well the dreadful sound,
  12. and fled before it, shuddering. But he
  13. hurried his murky cohorts o'er the plain.
  14. As when a tempest from the riven sky
  15. drives landward o'er mid-ocean, and from far
  16. the hearts of husbandmen, foreboding woe,
  17. quake ruefully,—for this will come and rend
  18. their trees asunder, kill the harvests all,
  19. and sow destruction broadcast; in its path
  20. fly roaring winds, swift heralds of the storm:
  21. such dire approach the Trojan chieftain showed
  22. before his gathered foes. In close array
  23. they wedge their ranks about him. With a sword
  24. Thymbraeus cuts huge-limbed Osiris down;
  25. Mnestheus, Arcetius; from Epulo
  26. Achates shears the head; from Ufens, Gyas;
  27. Tolumnius the augur falls, the same
  28. who flung the first spear to the foeman's line.
  29. Uprose to heaven the cries. In panic now
  30. the Rutules in retreating clouds of dust
  31. scattered across the plain. Aeneas scorned
  32. either the recreant or resisting foe
  33. to slaughter, or the men who shoot from far:
  34. for through the war-cloud he but seeks the arms
  35. of Turnus, and to single combat calls.