Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. She with averted eyes and glance that rolled
  2. speechless this way and that, had listened long
  3. to his reply, till thus her rage broke forth:
  4. “No goddess gave thee birth. No Dardanus
  5. begot thy sires. But on its breast of stone
  6. Caucasus bore thee, and the tigresses
  7. of fell Hyrcania to thy baby lip
  8. their udders gave. Why should I longer show
  9. a lying smile? What worse can I endure?
  10. Did my tears draw one sigh? Did he once drop
  11. his stony stare? or did he yield a tear
  12. to my lament, or pity this fond heart?
  13. Why set my wrongs in order? Juno, now,
  14. and Jove, the son of Saturn, heed no more
  15. where justice lies. No trusting heart is safe
  16. in all this world. That waif and castaway
  17. I found in beggary and gave him share—
  18. fool that I was!—in my own royal glory.
  19. His Iost fleet and his sorry crews I steered
  20. from death away. O, how my fevered soul
  21. unceasing raves! Forsooth Apollo speaks!
  22. His Lycian oracles! and sent by Jove
  23. the messenger of Heaven on fleeting air
  24. the ruthless bidding brings! Proud business
  25. for gods, I trow, that such a task disturbs
  26. their still abodes! I hold thee back no more,
  27. nor to thy cunning speeches give the lie.
  28. Begone! Sail on to Italy, thy throne,
  29. through wind and wave! I pray that, if there be
  30. any just gods of power, thou mayest drink down
  31. death on the mid-sea rocks, and often call
  32. with dying gasps on Dido's name—while I
  33. pursue with vengeful fire. When cold death rends
  34. the body from the breath, my ghost shall sit
  35. forever in thy path. Full penalties
  36. thy stubborn heart shall pay. They'll bring me never
  37. in yon deep gulf of death of all thy woe.”
  38. Abrupt her utterance ceased; and sick at heart
  39. she fled the light of day, as if to shrink
  40. from human eyes, and left Aeneas there
  41. irresolute with horror, while his soul
  42. framed many a vain reply. Her swooning shape
  43. her maidens to a marble chamber bore
  44. and on her couch the helpless limbs reposed.