Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. When Turnus from Laurentum's bastion proud
  2. published the war, and roused the dreadful note
  3. of the harsh trumpet's song; when on swift steeds
  4. the lash he laid and clashed his sounding arms;
  5. then woke each warrior soul; all Latium stirred
  6. with tumult and alarm; and martial rage
  7. enkindled youth's hot blood. The chieftains proud,
  8. Messapus, Ufens, and that foe of Heaven,
  9. Mezentius, compel from far and wide
  10. their loyal hosts, and strip the field and farm
  11. of husbandmen. To seek auxiliar arms
  12. they send to glorious Diomed's domain
  13. the herald Venulus, and bid him cry:
  14. “Troy is to Latium come; Aeneas' fleet
  15. has come to land. He brings his vanquished gods,
  16. and gives himself to be our destined King.
  17. Cities not few accept him, and his name
  18. through Latium waxes large. But what the foe
  19. by such attempt intends, what victory
  20. is his presumptuous hope, if Fortune smile,
  21. Aetolia's lord will not less wisely fear
  22. than royal Turnus or our Latin King.”