Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. So saying, he hied him to his lordly halls,
  2. summoned his steeds, and with pleased eye surveyed
  3. their action proud: them Orithyia, bride
  4. of Boreas, to Sire Pilumnus gave,
  5. which in their whiteness did surpass the snow
  6. in speed the wind. The nimble charioteers
  7. stood by and smote with hollowed hand and palm
  8. the sounding chests, or combed the necks and manes.
  9. But he upon his kingly shoulders clasped
  10. his corselet, thick o'erlaid with blazoned gold
  11. and silvery orichalch; he fitted him
  12. with falchion, shield, and helm of purple plume,
  13. that falchion which the Lord of Fire had made
  14. for Daunus, tempering in the Stygian wave
  15. when white it glowed; next grasped he the good spear
  16. which leaned its weight against a column tall
  17. in the mid-court, Auruncan Actor's spoil,
  18. and waved it wide in air with mighty cry:
  19. “O spear, that ne'er did fail me when I called,
  20. the hour is come! Once mighty Actor's hand,
  21. but now the hand of Turnus is thy lord.
  22. Grant me to strike that carcase to the ground,
  23. and with strong hand the corselet rip and rend
  24. from off that Phrygian eunuch: let the dust
  25. befoul those tresses, tricked to curl so fine
  26. with singeing steel and sleeked with odorous oil.”
  27. Such frenzy goads him: his impassioned brow
  28. is all on flame, the wild eyes flash with fire.
  29. Thus, bellowing loud before the fearful fray,
  30. some huge bull proves the fury of his horns,
  31. pushing against a tree-trunk; his swift thrusts
  32. would tear the winds in pieces; while his hoofs
  33. toss up the turf and sand, rehearsing war.