Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Aeneas at the sight stood terror-dumb
  2. with choking voice and horror-rising hair.
  3. He fain would fly at once and get him gone
  4. from that voluptuous land, much wondering
  5. at Heaven's wrathful word. Alas! how stir?
  6. What cunning argument can plead his cause
  7. before th' infuriate Queen? How break such news?
  8. Flashing this way and that, his startled mind
  9. makes many a project and surveys them all.
  10. But, pondering well, his final counsel stopped
  11. at this resolve: he summoned to his side
  12. Mnestheus, Sergestus, and Serestus bold,
  13. and bade them fit the fleet, all silently
  14. gathering the sailors and collecting gear,
  15. but carefully dissembling what emprise
  16. such novel stir intends: himself the while
  17. (Since high-born Dido dreamed not love so fond
  18. could have an end) would seek an audience,
  19. at some indulgent time, and try what shift
  20. such matters may require. With joy they heard,
  21. and wrought, assiduous, at their prince's plan.
  1. But what can cheat true love? The Queen foreknew
  2. his stratagem, and all the coming change
  3. perceived ere it began. Her jealous fear
  4. counted no hour secure. That unclean tongue
  5. of Rumor told her fevered heart the fleet
  6. was fitting forth, and hastening to be gone.
  7. Distractedly she raved, and passion-tossed
  8. roamed through her city, like a Maenad roused
  9. by the wild rout of Bacchus, when are heard
  10. the third year's orgies, and the midnight scream
  11. to cold Cithaeron calls the frenzied crew.
  12. Finding Aeneas, thus her plaint she poured:
  13. “Didst hope to hide it, false one, that such crime
  14. was in thy heart,—to steal without farewell
  15. out of my kingdom? Did our mutual joy
  16. not move thee; nor thine own true promise given
  17. once on a time? Nor Dido, who will die
  18. a death of sorrow? Why compel thy ships
  19. to brave the winter stars? Why off to sea
  20. so fast through stormy skies? O, cruelty!
  21. If Troy still stood, and if thou wert not bound
  22. for alien shore unknown, wouldst steer for Troy
  23. through yonder waste of waves? Is it from me
  24. thou takest flight? O, by these flowing tears,
  25. by thine own plighted word (for nothing more
  26. my weakness left to miserable me),
  27. by our poor marriage of imperfect vow,
  28. if aught to me thou owest, if aught in me
  29. ever have pleased thee—O, be merciful
  30. to my low-fallen fortunes! I implore,
  31. if place be left for prayer, thy purpose change!
  32. Because of thee yon Libyan savages
  33. and nomad chiefs are grown implacable,
  34. and my own Tyrians hate me. Yes, for thee
  35. my chastity was slain and honor fair,
  36. by which alone to glory I aspired,
  37. in former days. To whom dost thou in death
  38. abandon me? my guest!—since but this name
  39. is left me of a husband! Shall I wait
  40. till fell Pygmalion, my brother, raze
  41. my city walls? Or the Gaetulian king,
  42. Iarbas, chain me captive to his car? .
  43. O, if, ere thou hadst fled, I might but bear
  44. some pledge of love to thee, and in these halls
  45. watch some sweet babe Aeneas at his play,
  46. whose face should be the memory of thine own —
  47. I were not so forsaken, Iost, undone!”