Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Forthwith the sovereign hands of Juno haste
  2. to consummate the war. The shepherds bear
  3. back from the field of battle to the town
  4. the bodies of the slain: young Almo's corse
  5. and gray Galaesus' bleeding head. They call
  6. just gods in heaven to Iook upon their wrong,
  7. and bid Latinus see it. Turnus comes,
  8. and, while the angry mob surveys the slain,
  9. adds fury to the hour. “Shall the land
  10. have Trojan lords? Shall Phrygian marriages
  11. debase our ancient, royal blood—and I
  12. be spurned upon the threshold?” Then drew near
  13. the men whose frenzied women-folk had held
  14. bacchantic orgies in the pathless grove,
  15. awed by Amata's name: these, gathering,
  16. sued loud for war. Yea, all defied the signs
  17. and venerable omens; all withstood
  18. divine decrees, and clamored for revenge,
  19. prompted by evil powers. They besieged
  20. the house of King Latinus, shouting-loud
  21. with emulous rage. But like a sea-girt rock
  22. unmoved he stood; like sea-girt rock when surge
  23. of waters o'er it sweeps, or howling waves
  24. surround; it keeps a ponderous front of power,
  25. though foaming cliffs around it vainly roar;
  26. from its firm base the broken sea-weeds fall.
  27. But when authority no whit could change
  28. their counsels blind, and each event fulfilled
  29. dread Juno's will, then with complaining prayer
  30. the aged sire cried loud upon his gods
  31. and on th' unheeding air: “Alas,” said he,
  32. “My doom is shipwreck, and the tempest bears
  33. my bark away! O wretches, your own blood
  34. shall pay the forfeit for your impious crime.
  35. O Turnus! O abominable deed!
  36. Avenging woes pursue thee; to deaf gods
  37. thy late and unavailing prayer shall rise.
  38. Now was my time to rest. But as I come
  39. close to my journey's end, thou spoilest me
  40. of comfort in my death.” With this the King
  41. fled to his house and ceased his realm to guide.