Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. But lo! from Argos on her voyage of air
  2. rides the dread spouse of Jove. She, sky-enthroned
  3. above the far Sicilian promontory,
  4. pachynus, sees Dardania's rescued fleet,
  5. and all Aeneas' joy. The prospect shows
  6. houses a-building, lands of safe abode,
  7. and the abandoned ships. With bitter grief
  8. she stands at gaze: then with storm-shaken brows,
  9. thus from her heart lets loose the wrathful word:
  10. “O hated race! O Phrygian destinies —
  11. to mine forevermore (unhappy me!)
  12. a scandal and offense! Did no one die
  13. on Troy's embattled plain? Could captured slaves
  14. not be enslaved again? Was Ilium's flame
  15. no warrior's funeral pyre? Did they walk safe
  16. through serried swords and congregated fires?
  17. At last, methought, my godhead might repose,
  18. and my full-fed revenge in slumber lie.
  19. But nay! Though flung forth from their native land,
  20. I o'er the waves, with enmity unstayed,
  21. dared give them chase, and on that exiled few
  22. hurled the whole sea. I smote the sons of Troy
  23. with ocean's power and heaven's. But what availed
  24. Syrtes, or Scylla, or Charybdis' waves?
  25. The Trojans are in Tiber; and abide
  26. within their prayed-for land delectable,
  27. safe from the seas and me! Mars once had power
  28. the monstrous Lapithae to slay; and Jove
  29. to Dian's honor and revenge gave o'er
  30. the land of Calydon. What crime so foul
  31. was wrought by Lapithae or Calydon?
  32. But I, Jove's wife and Queen, who in my woes
  33. have ventured each bold stroke my power could find,
  34. and every shift essayed,—behold me now
  35. outdone by this Aeneas! If so weak
  36. my own prerogative of godhead be,
  37. let me seek strength in war, come whence it will!
  38. If Heaven I may not move, on Hell I call.
  39. To bar him from his Latin throne exceeds
  40. my fated power. So be it! Fate has given
  41. Lavinia for his bride. But long delays
  42. I still can plot, and to the high event
  43. deferment and obstruction. I can smite
  44. the subjects of both kings. Let sire and son
  45. buy with their people's blood this marriage-bond!
  46. Let Teucrian and Rutulian slaughter be
  47. thy virgin dower, and Bellona's blaze
  48. light thee the bridal bed! Not only teemed
  49. the womb of Hecuba with burning brand,
  50. and brought forth nuptial fires; but Venus, too,
  51. such offspring bore, a second Paris, who
  52. to their new Troy shall fatal wedlock bring.”