Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Such fixed resolve he uttered o'er and o'er,
  2. and would not yield, though with my tears did join
  3. my spouse Creusa, fair Ascanius,
  4. and our whole house, imploring the gray sire
  5. not with himself to ruin all, nor add
  6. yet heavier burdens to our crushing doom.
  7. He still cried, “No!” and clung to where he sat
  8. and to the same dread purpose. I once more
  9. back to the fight would speed. For death alone
  10. I made my wretched prayer. What space was left
  11. for wisdom now? What chance or hope was given?
  12. “Didst thou, dear father, dream that I could fly
  13. sundered from thee? Did such an infamy
  14. fall from a father's lips? If Heaven's decree
  15. will of this mighty nation not let live
  16. a single soul, if thine own purpose be
  17. to cast thyself and thy posterity
  18. into thy country's grave, behold, the door
  19. is open to thy death! Lo, Pyrrhus comes
  20. red-handed from King Priam! He has slain
  21. a son before a father's eyes, and spilt
  22. a father's blood upon his own hearthstone.
  23. Was it for this, O heavenly mother mine,
  24. that thou hast brought me safe through sword and fire?
  25. that I might see these altars desecrate
  26. by their worst foes? that I might look upon
  27. my sire, my wife, and sweet Ascanius
  28. dead at my feet in one another's blood?
  29. To arms, my men, to arms! The hour of death
  30. now beckons to the vanquished. Let me go
  31. whither the Greeks are gathered; let me stand
  32. where oft revives the flagging stroke of war:
  33. Not all of us die unavenged this day!”
  1. I clasped my sword-belt round me once again,
  2. fitted my left arm to my shield, and turned
  3. to fly the house; but at the threshold clung
  4. Creusa to my knees, and lifted up
  5. Iulus to his father's arms. “If thou
  6. wouldst rush on death,” she cried, “O, suffer us
  7. to share thy perils with thee to the end.
  8. But if this day's work bid thee trust a sword,
  9. defend thy hearthstone first. Who else shall guard
  10. thy babe Iulus, or thy reverend sire?
  11. Or me, thy wife that was—what help have I?”
  1. So rang the roof-top with her piteous cries:
  2. but lo! a portent wonderful to see
  3. on sudden rose; for while his parents' grief
  4. held the boy close in arm and full in view,
  5. there seemed upon Iulus' head to glow
  6. a flickering peak of fire; the tongue of flame
  7. innocuous o'er his clustering tresses played,
  8. and hovered round his brows. We, horror-struck,
  9. grasped at his burning hair, and sprinkled him,
  10. to quench that holy and auspicious fire.
  11. then sire Anchises with exultant eyes
  12. looked heavenward, and lifted to the stars
  13. his voice and outstretched hands. “Almighty Jove,
  14. if aught of prayer may move thee, let thy grace
  15. now visit us! O, hear this holy vow!
  16. And if for service at thine altars done,
  17. we aught can claim, O Father, lend us aid,
  18. and ratify the omen thou hast given!”