Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Fronting the surf-beat shore, far out at sea
  2. rises a rock, which under swollen waves
  3. lies buffeted unseen, when wintry storms
  4. mantle the stars; but when the deep is calm,
  5. lifts silently above the sleeping wave
  6. its level field,—a place where haunt and play
  7. flocks of the sea-birds, Iovers of the sun.
  8. Here was the goal; and here Aeneas set
  9. a green-leaved flex-tree, to be a mark
  10. for every captain's eye, from whence to veer
  11. the courses of their ships in sweeping curves
  12. and speed them home. Now places in the line
  13. are given by lot. Upon the lofty sterns
  14. the captains ride, in beautiful array
  15. of Tyriao purple and far-flaming gold;
  16. the crews are poplar-crowned, the shoulders bare
  17. rubbed well with glittering oil; their straining arms
  18. make long reach to the oar, as on the thwarts
  19. they sit attentive, listening for the call
  20. of the loud trumpet; while with pride and fear
  21. their hot hearts throb, impassioned for renown.
  22. Soon pealed the signal clear; from all the line
  23. instant the galleys bounded, and the air
  24. rang to the rowers, shouting, while their arms
  25. pulled every inch and flung the waves in foam;
  26. deep cut the rival strokes; the surface fair
  27. yawned wide beneath their blades and cleaving keels.
  28. Not swifter scour the chariots o'er the plain,
  29. sped headlong from the line behind their teams
  30. of mated coursers, while each driver shakes
  31. loose, rippling reins above his plunging pairs,
  32. and o'er the lash leans far. With loud applause
  33. vociferous and many an urgent cheer
  34. the woodlands rang, and all the concave shores
  35. back from the mountains took the Trojan cry
  36. in answering song. Forth-flying from his peers,
  37. while all the crowd acclaims, sped Gyas' keel
  38. along the outmost wave. Cloanthus next
  39. pushed hard upon, with stronger stroke of oars
  40. but heavier ship. At equal pace behind
  41. the Pristis and the Centaur fiercely strive
  42. for the third place. Now Pristis seems to lead,
  43. now mightier Centaur past her flies, then both
  44. ride on together, prow with prow, and cleave
  45. long lines of foaming furrow with swift keels.
  46. Soon near the rock they drew, and either ship
  47. was making goal,—when Gyas, in the lead,
  48. and winner of the half-course, Ioudly hailed
  49. menoetes, the ship's pilot: “Why so far
  50. to starboard, we? Keep her head round this way!
  51. Hug shore! Let every oar-blade almost graze
  52. that reef to larboard! Let the others take
  53. the deep-sea course outside!” But while he spoke,
  54. Menoetes, dreading unknown rocks below,
  55. veered off to open sea. “Why steer so wide?
  56. Round to the rock, Menoetes!” Gyas roared, —
  57. again in vain, for looking back he saw
  58. cloanthus hard astern, and ever nearer,
  59. who, in a trice, betwixt the booming reef
  60. and Gyas' galley, lightly forward thrust
  61. the beak of Scylla to the inside course,
  62. and, quickly taking lead, flew past the goal
  63. to the smooth seas beyond. Then wrathful grief
  64. flamed in the warrior's heart, nor was his cheek
  65. unwet with tears; and, reckless utterly
  66. of his own honor and his comrades, lives,
  67. he hurled poor, slack Menoetes from the poop
  68. headlong upon the waters, while himself,
  69. pilot and master both, the helm assuming,
  70. urged on his crew, and landward took his way.
  71. But now, with heavy limbs that hardly won
  72. his rescue from the deep, engulfing wave,
  73. up the rude rock graybeard Menoetes climbed
  74. with garment dripping wet, and there dropped down
  75. upon the cliff's dry top. With laughter loud
  76. the Trojan crews had watched him plunging, swimming,
  77. and now to see his drink of bitter brine
  78. spewed on the ground, the sailors laughed again.