JCHUfcCH
 
 d
 
 STORIES FROM 
 
 VIRGIL 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. ALFRED J CHURCH M.A 
 
 AUTHOR OF STORIES FROM HOMER 
 
 NEW YORK 
 THOMAS Y. CROWELL &C9 
 
 PUBLISHERS
 
 TO THE 
 
 HONORED MEMORY 
 OF 
 
 3obn Coninato 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAOK 
 
 I. THE HORSE OF WOOD 1 
 
 II. THE SACK OF TROY 8 
 
 III. ^ENEAS AND ANCHISES 16 
 
 IV. POLYDORUS DELOS CRETE THE HARPIES. . 23 
 V. KINO HELENUS THE CYCLOPS 31 
 
 VI. THE SHIPWRECK 42 
 
 VII. CARTHAGE 47 
 
 VIII. DIDO 55 
 
 IX. THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO 63 
 
 X. THE FUNERAL, GAMES OF ANCHISES 77 
 
 XI. THE FUNERAL GAMES (CONTINUED) 86 
 
 XII. THE BURNING OF THE SHIPS THE VOYAGE 
 
 TO ITALY 92 
 
 XIII. THE SIBYL 99 
 
 XIV. THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD 105 
 
 XV. KING LATIMUS 119 
 
 v
 
 VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGK 
 
 XVI. THE WRATH OF JUNO 127 
 
 XVII. THE GATHERING OF THE CHIEFS 134 
 
 XVIII. KING EVANDER 139 
 
 XIX. THE ARMS OF ^NEAS 145 
 
 XX. NlSUS AND EURYALUS 152 
 
 XXI. THE BATTLE AT THE CAMP 161 
 
 XXII. THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE 168 
 
 XXIII. THE COUNCIL 181 
 
 XXIV. THE BATTLE AT THE CITY 188 
 
 XXV. THE BROKEN TREATY 196 
 
 XXVI. THE DEATH OF TURNUS. . . .202
 
 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE HORSE OF WOOD. 
 
 FOR ten years King Agamemnon and the men 
 of Greece laid siege to Troy. But though sen- 
 tence had gone forth against the city, yet the day 
 of its fall tarried, because certain of the gods 
 loved it well and defended it, as Apollo, and Mars, 
 the god of war, and Father Jupiter himself. 
 Wherefore Minerva put it into the heart of Epeius, 
 Lord of the Isles, that he should make a cunning 
 device wherewith to take the city. Now the de- 
 vice was this: he made a great Horse of wood, 
 feigning it to be a peace-offering to Minerva, that 
 the Greeks might have a safe return to their 
 homes. In the belly of this there hid themselves 
 certain of the bravest of the chiefs, as Menelaiis, 
 and Ulysses, and Thoas the ^Etolian, and Machaon, 
 the great physician, and Pyrrhus, son of Achilles 
 (but Achilles himself was dead, slain by Paris, 
 Apollo helping, even as he was about to take the 
 
 1
 
 2 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 city), and others also, and with them Epeius him- 
 self. But the rest of the people made as if they 
 had departed to their homes; only they went not 
 further than Tenedos, which was an island near 
 to the coast. 
 
 Great joy was there in Troy when it was noised 
 abroad that the men of Greece had departed. The 
 gates were opened, and the people went forth to 
 see the plain and the camp. And one said to an- 
 other, as they went, " Here they set the battle in 
 array, and there were the tents of the fierce? 
 Achilles, and there lay the ships." And some stood 
 and marvelled at the great peace-offering to 
 Minerva, even the Horse of wood. And Thymoe- 
 tes, who was one of the elders of the city, was 
 the first who advised that it should be brought 
 within the walls and set in the citadel. Now 
 whether he gave this counsel out of a false heart, 
 or because the Gods would have it so, no man 
 knows. But Capys, and others with him, said 
 that it should be drowned in water, or burned with 
 fire, or that men should pierce it and see whether 
 there were aught within. And the people were 
 divided, some crying one thing and some another. 
 Then came forward the priest Laocoon, and a 
 great company with him, crying, " What madness 
 is this ? Think ye that the men of Greece are in- 
 deed departed, or that there is any profit in their 
 gifts? Surely, there are armed men in this 
 mighty Horse; or haply they have made it that 
 they may look down upo. our walls. Touch it
 
 THE HORSE OF WOOD. 3 
 
 not, for as for these men of Greece, I fear them, 
 even though they bring gifts in their hands." 
 
 And as he spake he cast his great spear at the 
 Horse, so that it sounded again. But the Gods 
 would not that Troy should be saved. 
 
 Meanwhile there came certain shepherds drag- 
 ging with them one whose hands were bound be- 
 hind his back. He had come forth to them, they 
 said, of his own accord, when they were in the 
 field. And first the young men gathered about 
 him mocking him, but when he cried aloud, 
 " What place is left for me, for the Greeks suffer 
 me not to live, and the men of Troy cry for venge- 
 ance upon me ? " they rather pitied him, and bade 
 him speak, and say whence he came and what ho 
 had to tell. 
 
 Then the man spake, turning to King Priam: 
 " I will speak the truth, whatever befall me. My 
 name is Sinon, and I deny not that I am a Greek. 
 Haply thou hast heard the name of Palamedes, 
 whom the Greeks slew, but now, being dead, la- 
 ment; and the cause was that, because he coun- 
 selled peace, men falsely accused him of treason. 
 Now, of this Palamedes I was a poor kinsman, and 
 followed him to Troy. And when he was dead, 
 through the false witness of Ulysses, I lived in 
 great grief and trouble, nor could I hold my peace, 
 but sware that if ever I came back to Argos I 
 would avenge me of him that had done this deed. 
 Then did Ulysses seek occasion against me, whis- 
 pering evil things, nor rested till at the last, Cal-
 
 4: STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 chas the soothsayer helping him but what profit 
 it that I should tell these things? For doubtless 
 ye hold one Greek to be even as another. Where- 
 fore slay me, and doubtless ye will do a pleasure 
 to Ulysses and the sons of Atreus." 
 
 Then they bade him tell on, and he said, 
 " Often would the Greeks have fled to their 
 homes, being weary of the war, but still the 
 stormy sea hindered them 1 . And when this Horse 
 that ye see had been built, most of all did the 
 dreadful thunder roll from the one end of the 
 heaven to the other. Then the Greeks sent one 
 who should inquire of Apollo; and Apollo an- 
 swered them thus : ' Men of Greece, even as ye 
 appeased the winds with blood when ye came to 
 Troy, so must ye appease them with blood now 
 that ye would go from thence.' Then did men 
 tremble to think on whom the doom should fall, 
 and Ulysses, with much clamour, drew forth 
 Calchas the soothsayer into the midst, and bade 
 him say who it was that the Gods would have as 
 a sacrifice. Then did many forebode evil for me. 
 Ten days did the soothsayer keep silence, saying 
 that he would not give any man to death. But 
 then, for in truth the two had planned the mat- 
 ter beforehand, he spake, appointing me to die. 
 And to this thing they all agreed, each being 
 glad to turn to another that which he feared for 
 himself. But when the day was come, and all 
 things were ready, the salted meal for the sacrifice 
 and the garlands, lo ! I burst my bonds and fled,
 
 T&E HORSE OF WOOD. 5 
 
 and hid myself in the sedges of a pool, waiting till 
 they should have set sail, if haply that might be. 
 But never shall I see country, or father, or chil- 
 dren again. For doubtless on these will they 
 take vengeance for my flight. Only do thou, 
 king, have pity on me, who have suffered many 
 things, not having harmed any man.'* 
 
 And King Priam had pity on him, and bade 
 them loose his bonds, saying, " Whoever thou art, 
 forget now thy country. Henceforth thou art 
 one of us. But tell me true: why made they this 
 huge Horse? Who contrived it? What seek 
 they by it? to please the Gods or to further their 
 siege ? " 
 
 Then said Sinon, and as he spake he stretched 
 his hands to the sky, "I call you to witness, ye 
 everlasting fires of heaven, that with good right I 
 now break my oath of fealty and reveal the secrets 
 our hope has ever been in the help of Minerva, 
 of my countrymen. Listen then, king. All 
 But, from the day when Diomed and Ulysses 
 dared, having bloody hands, to snatch her image 
 from her holy place in Troy, her face was turned 
 from us. Well do I remember how the eyes of 
 the image, well-nigh before they had set it in the 
 camp, blazed with wrath, and how the salt sweat 
 stood upon its limbs, 33-6, and how it thrice leapt 
 from the ground, shaking shield and spear. Then 
 Calchas told us that we must cross the seas again, 
 and seek at home fresh omens for our war. And 
 this, indeed, they are doing even now, and will re-
 
 6 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 turn anon. Also the soothsayer said, ' Mean- 
 while ye must make the likeness of a Horse, to be 
 a peace-offering to Minerva. And take heed that 
 ye make it huge of bulk, so that the men of Troy 
 may not receive it into their gates, nor bring it 
 within their walls, and get safety for themselves 
 thereby. For if,' he said, ' the men of Troy harm 
 this image at all, they shall surely perish; but if 
 they bring it into their city, then shall Asia lay 
 siege hereafter to the city of Pelops, and our chil- 
 dren shall suffer the doom which we would fain 
 have brought on Troy.' ' : 
 
 These words wrought much on the men of 
 Troy, and as they pondered on them, lo ! the Gods 
 sent another marvel to deceive them. For while 
 Laocoon, the priest of Neptune, was slaying a 
 bull at the altar of his god, there came two ser- 
 pents across the sea from Tenedos, whose heads 
 and necks, whereon were thick manes of hair, were 
 high above the waves, and many scaly coils trailed 
 behind in the waters. And when they reached the 
 land they still sped forward. Their eyes were 
 red as blood and blazed with fire, and their forked 
 tongues hissed loud for rage. Then all the men 
 of Troy grew pale with fear and fled away, but 
 these turned not aside this way or that, seeking 
 Laocoon where he stood. And first they wrapped 
 themselves about his little sons, one serpent about 
 each, and began to devour them. And when the 
 father would have given help to his children, hav- 
 ing a sword in his hand, they seized upon himself,
 
 LAOCOON, WITH SONS. 
 Miiseo. Vatican, Rome.
 
 THE HORSE OF WOOD. 7 
 
 and bound him fast with their folds. Twice they 
 compassed him about his bod}', and twice his 
 neck, lifting their heads far above him. And all 
 the while he strove to tear them away with' his 
 hands, his priest's garlands dripping with blood. 
 Xor did he cease to cry horribly aloud, even as a 
 bull bellows when after an ill stroke of the axe 
 it flees from the altar. But when their work was 
 done, the two glided to the citadel of Minerva, and 
 hid themselves beneath the feet and the shield of 
 the goddess. And men said one to another, " Lo ! 
 the priest Laocob'n has been judged according to 
 his deeds; for he cast his spear against this holy 
 thing, and now the Gods have slain him." Then 
 all cried out together that the Horse of wood must 
 be drawn to the citadel. Whereupon they opened 
 the Scaean Gate, and pulled down the wall that 
 was thereby, and put rollers under the feet of the 
 Horse, and joined ropes thereto. So, in much joy, 
 they drew it into the city, youths and maidens 
 singing about it the while, and laying their hands 
 to the ropes with great gladness. And yet there 
 wanted not signs and tokens of evil to come. 
 Four times it halted on the threshold of the gate, 
 and men might have heard a clashing of arms 
 within. Cassandra also opened her mouth, 
 prophesying evil : but no man heeded her, for that 
 was ever the doom upon her, not to be believed 
 speaking truth. So the men of Troy drew the 
 Horse into the city. And that night they kept a 
 feast to all the Gods with great joy, not knowing 
 that the last day of the great city had come.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE SACK OF TROY. 
 
 BUT when night was now fully come, and the 
 men of Troy lay asleep, lo ! from the ship of King 
 Agamemnon there rose up a flame for a signal 
 to the Greeks ; and these straightway manned their 
 ships, and made across the sea from Tenedos, there 
 being a great calm, and the moon also giving them 
 light. Sinon likewise opened a secret door that 
 was in the great Horse, and the chiefs issued forth 
 therefrom, and opened the gates of the city, slay- 
 ing those that kept watch. 
 
 Meanwhile there came a vision to ^Eneas, who 
 now, Hector being dead, was the chief hope and 
 stay of the men of Troy. It was Hector's self 
 that he seemed to see, but not such as he had seen 
 him coming back rejoicing with the arms of 
 Achilles, or setting fire to the ships, but even as 
 he lay after that Achilles dragged him at his 
 chariot wheels, covered with dust and blood, his 
 feet swollen and pierced through with thongs. To 
 him said ^Eneas, not knowing what he said, " Why 
 hast thou tarried so long ? Much have we suffered 
 waiting for thee ! And what grief hath marked 
 thy face ? and whence these wounds ? " 
 B
 
 THE SACK OF TROY. 9 
 
 But to this the spirit answered nothing, but 
 said, groaning the while, " Fly, son of Venus, fly, 
 and save thee from these flames. The enemy is 
 in the walls, and Troy hath utterly perished. If 
 any hand could have saved our city, this hand had 
 done so. Thou art now the hope of Troy. Take 
 then her Gods, and flee with them for company, 
 seeking the city that thouj shalt one day build 
 across the sea." 
 
 And now the alarm of battle came nearer and 
 nearer, and J^neas, waking from sleep, climbed 
 upon the roof, and looked on the city. As a shep- 
 herd stands, and sees a fierce flame sweeping be- 
 fore the south wind over the corn-fields or a flood 
 rushing down from the mountains, so he stood. 
 And as he looked, the great palace of Deiphobus 
 sank down in the fire, and the house of Ucalegon, 
 that was hard by, blazed forth, till the sea by 
 Sigeiim shone with the light. Then, scarce know- 
 ing what he sought, he girded on his armour, 
 thinking, perchance, that he might yet win some 
 place of vantage, or, at the least, might avenge 
 himself on the enemy, or find honour in his death. 
 But as he passed from out of his house there met 
 him Panthus, the priest of Apollo that was on 
 the citadel, who cried to him, " ^neas, the glory 
 is departed from Troy, and the Greeks have the 
 mastery in the city; for armed men are coming 
 forth from the great Horse of wood, and thou- 
 sands also swarm in at the gates, which Sinon 
 hath treacherously opened." And as he spake
 
 10 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 others came up under the light of the moon, as 
 Hypanis, and Dymas, and young Coroebus, who 
 had but newly come to Troy, seeking Cassandra 
 to be his wife. To whom ^Eneas spake : " If ye 
 are minded, my brethren, to follow me to the 
 death, come on. For how things fare this night 
 ye see. The Gods who were the stay of this city 
 have departed from it; nor is aught remaining to 
 which we may bring succour. Yet can we die as 
 brave men in battle. And haply he that counts his 
 life to be lost may yet save it." Then, even as 
 ravening wolves hasten through the mist seeking 
 for prey, so they went through the city, doing 
 dreadful deeds. And for a while the men of 
 Greece fled before them. 
 
 First of all there met them Androgeos with a 
 great company following him, who, thinking 
 them to be friends, said, " Haste, comrades, why 
 are ye so late ? We are spoiling this city of Troy, 
 and ye are but newly come from the ships." But 
 forthwith, for they answered him not as he had 
 looked for, he knew that he had fallen amon^ 
 enemies. Then even as one who treads upon a 
 snake unawares among thorns, and flies from it 
 when it rises angrily against him with swelling 
 neck, so Androgeos would have fled. But the 
 men of Troy rushed on, and, seeing that they 
 knew all the place, and that great fear was upon 
 the Greeks, slew many men. Then said Corcebus, 
 " We have good luck in this matter, my friends. 
 Come now, let us change our shields, and put
 
 THE SACK OF TROY. 11 
 
 upon us the armour of these Greeks. For whether 
 we deal with our enemy by craft or by force, who 
 will ask ? " Then he took to himself the helmet 
 and shield of Androgeos, and also girded the 
 sword upon him. In like manner did the others, 
 and thus going disguised among the Greeks slew 
 many, so that some again fled to the ships and 
 some were fain to climb into the Horse of wood. 
 But lo ! men came dragging by the hair from the 
 temple of Minerva the virgin Cassandra, whom 
 when Corcebus beheld, and how she lifted up her 
 eyes to heaven (but as for her hands, they were 
 bound with iron), he endured not the sight, but 
 threw himself upon those that dragged her, the 
 others following him. Then did a grievous mis- 
 chance befall them, for the men of Troy that stood 
 upon the roof of the temple cast spears against 
 them, judging them to be enemies. The Greeks 
 also, being wroth that the virgin should be taken 
 from them, fought the more fiercely, and many 
 who had before been put to flight in the city came 
 against them, and prevailed, being indeed many 
 against few. Then first of all fell Coroebus, being 
 slain by Peneleus the Boeotian, and Rhipeus also, 
 the most righteous of all the sons of Troy. But 
 the Gods dealt not with him after his righteous- 
 ness. Hypanis also was slain and Dymas, and 
 Pan thus escaped not for all that more than other 
 men he feared the Gods and was also the priest of 
 Apollo. 
 
 Then was ^Eneas severed from the rest, having
 
 12 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 with him; two only, Iphitus and Pelias, Iphitus 
 being an old man and Pelias sorely wounded by 
 Ulysses. And these, hearing a great shouting, 
 hastened to the palace of King Priam, where the 
 battle was fiercer than in any place beside. For 
 some of the Greeks were seeking to climb the 
 walls, laying ladders thereto, whereon they stood, 
 holding forth their shields with their left hands, 
 and with their right grasping the roofs. And 
 the men of Troy, on the other hand, being in the 
 last extremity, tore down the battlements and the 
 gilded beams wherewith the men of old had 
 adorned the palace. Then ./Eneas, knowing of a 
 secret door whereby the unhappy Andromache in 
 past days had been wont to enter, bringing her son 
 Astyanax to his grandfather, climbed on to the 
 roof, and joined himself to those that fought 
 therefrom. Now upon this roof there was a 
 tower, whence all Troy could be seen and the 
 camp of the Greeks and the ships. This the men 
 of Troy loosened from its foundations with bars 
 of iron, and thrust it over, so that it fell upon 
 the enemy, slaying many of them. But not the 
 less did others press forward, casting the while 
 stones and javelins and all that came to their 
 hands. 
 
 Meanwhile others sought to break down the 
 gates of the palace, Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, 
 being foremost among them, clad in shining ar- 
 mour of bronze. Like to a serpent was he, which 
 sleeps indeed during the winter, but in the
 
 THE SACK OF TROY. 13 
 
 spring comes forth into the light, full fed on evil 
 herbs, and, having cast his skin and renewed his 
 youth, lifts his head into the light of the sun and 
 hisses with forked tongue. And with Pyrrhus 
 were tall Periphas, and Automedon, who had been 
 armour-bearer to his father Achilles, and follow- 
 ing them the youth of Scyros, which was the 
 kingdom of his grandfather Lycomedes. With a 
 great battle-axe he hewed through the doors, 
 breaking down also the door-posts, though they 
 were plated with bronze, making, as it were, a 
 great window, through which a man might see the 
 palace within, the hall of King Priam and of the 
 kings who had reigned aforetime in Troy. But 
 when they that were within perceived it, there 
 arose a great cry of women wailing aloud and 
 clinging to the doors and kissing them. But ever 
 Pyrrhus pressed on, fierce and strong as ever was 
 his father Achilles, nor could aught stand against 
 him, either the doors or they that guarded them. 
 Then, as a river bursts its banks and overflows the 
 plain, so did the sons of Greece rush into the 
 palace. 
 
 But old Priam, when he saw the enemy in his 
 hall, girded on him his armour, which now by 
 reason of old age he had long laid aside, and took 
 a spear in his hand, and would have gone against 
 the adversary, only Queen Hecuba called to him 
 from where she sat. For she and her daughters 
 had fled to the great altar of the household gods, 
 and sat crowded about it like unto doves that are
 
 14 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 driven by a storm. Xu\v the altar stood in an 
 open court that was in the midst of the palace, 
 with a great bay-tree above it. So when she saw 
 Priam, how he had girded himself with armour as 
 a youth, she cried to him and said, " What hath 
 bewitched thee, that thou girdest thyself with 
 armour? It is not the sword that shall help us 
 this day; no, not though my own Hector were 
 here, but rather the Gods and their altars. Come 
 hither to us, for here thou wilt be safe, or at the 
 least wilt die with us." 
 
 So she made the old man sit down in the midst. 
 But lo ! there came flying through the palace, 
 Polites, his son, wounded to death by the spear 
 of Pyrrhus, and Pyrrhus close behind him. And 
 he, even as he came into the sight of his father 
 and his mother, fell dead upon the ground. But 
 when King Priam saw it he contained not him- 
 self, but cried aloud, " Xow may the gods, if there 
 be any justice in heaven, recompense thee for this 
 wickedness, seeing that thou hast not spared to 
 slay the son before his father's eyes. Great 
 Achilles, whom thou falsely callest thy sire, did 
 not thus to Priam, though he was an enemy, but 
 reverenced right and truth, and gave the body of 
 Hector for burial, and sent me back to my city." 
 
 And as he spake the old man cast a spear, 
 but aimless and without force, and that pierced 
 not even the boss of the shield. Then said the 
 son of Achilles, " Go thou and tell my father of 
 his unworthy son and all these evils deeds. And
 
 THE SACK OF TROY. 15 
 
 that thou mayest tell him die ! " And as he 
 spake he caught in his left hand the old man's 
 white hair, and dragged him, slipping the while 
 in the blood of his own son, to the altar, and then, 
 lifting his sword high for a blow, drave it to the 
 hilt in the old man's side. So King Priam, who 
 had ruled mightily over many peoples and coun- 
 tries in the land of Asia, was slain that night, 
 having first seen Troy burning about him, and 
 his citadel laid even with the ground. So was 
 his carcass cast out upon the earth, headless, and 
 without a name.
 
 CHAPTEK III. 
 
 JEXEA.S AND ANCHISES. 
 
 ALL these things, indeed, ^Eneas beheld, but 
 could not bear help, being one against many. 
 But when the deed was done, and the old man lay 
 dead, he bethought him of his father Anchises, 
 and his wife Creiisa, and of his little son Ascanius, 
 and how he had left them without defence at 
 home. But as he turned to seek them, the night 
 being now, by reason of many fires, as clear as the 
 day, he espied Helen sitting in the temple of 
 Vesta, where she had sought sanctuary; for she 
 feared the men of Troy, to whom she had brought 
 ruin and destruction, and not less her own hus- 
 band, whom she had deceived. Then was his 
 wrath kindled, and he spake to himself, " Shall 
 this evil woman return safe to Sparta ? Shall she 
 see again her home and her children, with Tro- 
 jan women forsooth to be her handmaidens? 
 Shall Troy be burnt and King Priam be slain, 
 and she take no harm? Not so; for though there 
 be no glory to be won from such a deed, yet shall 
 I satisfy myself, taking vengeance upon her for 
 my kinsmen and my countrymen." But while 
 he thought these things in his heart, lo ! there ap- 
 16
 
 JENEAS AND ANCHISES. 17 
 
 peared unto him Venus, his mother, made mani- 
 fest as he had never seen her before, as fair and 
 as tall as the dwellers in heaven behold her. Then 
 Venus spake thus, " What meaneth all this rage, 
 my son ? Hast thou no care for me ? Hast thou 
 forgotten thy father Anchises, and thy wife, and 
 thy little son ? Of a surety the fire and the sword 
 had consumed them long since but that I cared for 
 them and saved them. It is not Helen; no, nor 
 Paris, that hath laid low this great city of Troy, 
 but the wrath of the Gods. See now, for I will 
 take away the mist that covers thine eyes ; see how 
 Neptune with his trident is overthrowing the 
 walls and rooting up the city from its founda^ 
 tions ; and how Juno stands with spear and shield 
 in the Scasan Gate, and calls fresh hosts from the 
 ships; and how Pallas sits on the height with the 
 storm-cloud about her and her Gorgon shield ; and 
 how Father Jupiter himself stirs up the enemy 
 against Troy. Fly, therefore, my son. I will 
 not leave thee till thou shalt reach thy father's 
 house." And as she spake she vanished in the 
 darkness. 
 
 Then did ^Eneas see dreadful forms and Gods 
 who were the enemies of Troy, and before his eyes 
 the whole city seemed to sink down into the fire. 
 Even as a mountain oak upon the hills on which 
 the woodmen ply their axes bows its head while 
 all its boughs shake about it, till at last, as blow 
 comes after blow, with a mighty groan it falls 
 crashing down from the height, even so the city
 
 18 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 seemed to fall. Then did ^Eneas pass on his way, 
 the goddess leading him, and the flames gave place 
 to him, and the javelins harmed him not. 
 
 But when he was come to his house he be- 
 thought him first of the old man his father; but 
 when he would have carried him to the hill?, 
 Anchises would not, being loath to live in some 
 strange country when Troy had perished. " Xay," 
 said he, " fly ye who are strong and in the flower 
 of your days. But as for me, if the Gods had 
 willed that I should live, they had saved this 
 dwelling for me. Enough it is, yea, and more 
 than enough, that once I have seen this city taken, 
 and lived. Bid me, then, farewell as though I 
 were dead. Death will I find for myself. And 
 truly I have long lingered here a useless stock 
 and hated of the Gods since Jupiter smote me with 
 the blast of his thunder." 
 
 Nor could the old man be moved from his pur- 
 pose, though his son and his son's wife, and even 
 the child Ascanius, besought him with many tears 
 that lie should not make yet heavier the doom that 
 was upon them. Then was ^Eneas minded to go 
 back to the battle and die. For what hope was 
 left? "Thoughtest thou, my father," he cried, 
 " that I should flee and leave thee behind ? What 
 evil word is this that has fallen from thy lips? 
 If the Gods will have it that nought of Troy 
 should be left, and thou be minded that thou and 
 thine should perish with the city, be it so. The 
 way is easy; soon will Pyrrhus be here; Pyrrhus,
 
 JENEAS AND ANCHISES. 19 
 
 red with Priam's blood ; Pyrrhus, who slays the son 
 before the face of the father, and the father at the 
 altar. Was it for this, kind Mother Venus, that 
 thou broughtest me safe through fire and sword, 
 to see the enemy in my home, and my father and 
 my wife and my son lying slaughtered together? 
 Comrades, give me my arms, and take me back 
 to the battle. At the least I will die avenged." 
 
 But as he girded on his arms and would have 
 departed from the house, his wife Creiisa caught 
 his feet upon the threshold, staying him, and held 
 out the little Ascanius, saying, " If thou goest to 
 thy death, take wife and child with thee; but if 
 thou hopest aught from arms, guard first the 
 house where thou hast father and wife and child." 
 
 And lo! as she spake there befell a mighty 
 marvel, for before the face of father and mother 
 there was seen to shine a light on the head of the 
 boy Ascanius, and to play upon his waving hair 
 and glitter on his temples. And when they feared 
 to see this thing, and would have stifled the flame 
 or quenched it with water, the old man Anchises in 
 great joy raised his eyes to heaven, and cried 
 aloud, " Father Jupiter, if prayer move thee at 
 all, give thine aid and make this omen sure." And 
 even as he spake the thunder rolled on his left 
 hand, and a star shot through the skies, leaving 
 a long trail of light behind, and passed over the 
 house-tops till it was hidden in the woods of Ida. 
 
 Then the old man lifted himself up and did 
 obeisance to the star, and said, " I delay no more:
 
 20 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 whithersoever yc lead I will follow. Gods of my 
 country, save my house and my grandson. This 
 omen is of you. And now, my son, I refuse not 
 to go." 
 
 Then said ^Eneas, and as he spake the fire came 
 nearer, and the light was clearer to see, and the 
 heat more fierce, " Climb, dear father, on my 
 shoulders; I will bear thee, nor grow weary with 
 the weight. We will be saved or perish together. 
 The little Ascanius shall go with me, and my wife 
 follow behind, not over near. And ye, servants 
 of my house, hearken to me; yc mind how that to 
 one who passes out of the city there is a tomb and 
 a temple of Ceres in a lonely place, and an ancient 
 cypress-tree hard by. There will we gather by 
 divers ways. And do thou, my father, take the 
 holy images in thy hands, for as for me, who have 
 but newly come from battle, I may not touch them 
 till I have washed me in the running stream." 
 
 And as he spake he put a cloak of lion's skin 
 upon his shoulders, and the old man sat thereon. 
 Ascanius also laid hold of his hand, and Creiisa 
 followed behind. So he went in much dread and 
 trembling. For indeed before sword and spear 
 of the enemy he had not feared, but now he feared 
 for them that were with him. But when he was 
 come nigh unto the gates, and the journey was 
 well-nigh finished, there befell a grievous mis- 
 chance, for there was heard a sound as of many 
 feet through the darkness; and the old man cried 
 to him, " Fly, my son, fly ; they are coming. I
 
 JENEAS AND ANCHISES. 21 
 
 see the 'flashing of shields and swords." But as 
 ^Eneas hasted to go, Creiisa his wife was severed 
 from him. But whether she wandered from the 
 way or sat down in weariness, no man may say. 
 Only he saw her no more, nor knew her to be lost 
 till, all his company being met at the temple of 
 Ceres, she only was found wanting. Very griev- 
 ous did the thing seem to him, nor did he oensr; 
 to cry out in his wrath against Gods and men. 
 Also he bade his comrades have a care of his 
 father and his son, and of the household Gods and 
 girded him again with' arms, and so passed into 
 the city. 'And first he went to the wall and to 
 the gate by which he had come forth, and then 
 to his house, if haply she had returned thither. 
 But there indeed the men of Greece were come, 
 and the fire had well-nigh mastered it. And after 
 that he went to the citadel and to the palace of 
 King Priam, And lo ! in the porch of Juno's tem- 
 ple, Phoenix and Ulysses were keeping guard over 
 the spoil, even the treasure of the temples, tables 
 of the Gods, and solid cups of gold, and raiment, 
 and a long array of them that had been taken cap- 
 tive, children and women. But not the less did 
 he seek his wife through all the streets of the city, 
 yea, and called her aloud by name. But lo! as 
 he called, the image of her whom he sought seemed 
 to stand before him, only greater than she had been 
 while she was yet alive. And the spirit spake say- 
 ing. "Why art thou vainly troubled? These 
 things have not befallen us against the pleasure of
 
 22 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 the Gods. The ruler of Olympus willeth not that 
 Creiisa shoulud bear thee company in thy journey. 
 For thou has a long journey to take, and many 
 seas to cross, till thou come to the Hesperian 
 shore, where Lydian Tiber flows softly through a 
 good land and a fertile. There shalt thou have 
 great prosperity, and take to thyself a wife of 
 royal race. Weep not then for Creiisa whom 
 thou lovest, nor think that I shall be carried 
 away to be a bond-slave to some Grecian woman. 
 Such fate befits not a daughter of Dardanus and 
 daughter-in-law of Venus. The mighty Mother 
 of the Gods keepeth me in this land to serve her. 
 And now, farewell, and love the young Ascanius, 
 even thy son and mine." 
 
 So spake the spirit, and, when ^Eneas wept 
 and would have spoken, vanished out of his sight. 
 Thrice he would have cast his arms about her 
 neck, and thrice the image mocked him, being 
 thin as air and fleeting as a dream. Then, the 
 night being now spent, he sought his comrades, 
 and found with much joy and wonder that a 
 great company of men and women were gathered 
 together, and were willing, all of them, to follow 
 him whithersoever he went. And now the morn- 
 ing star rose over Mount Ida, and ^Eneas, seeing 
 that the Greeks held the city, and that there was 
 no longer any hope of succor, went his way to 
 the mountains, taking with him his father.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 POLYDORUS DELOS CRETE THE HARPIES. 
 
 Now for what remained of that year (for it 
 was the time of summer when Troy was taken), 
 .^Eneas, and they that were gathered to him, 
 builded themselves ships for the voyage, dwell- 
 ing the while under Mount Ida; and when the 
 summer was well-nigh come again the work was 
 finished, and the old man Anchises commanded 
 that they should tarry no longer. Whereupon 
 they sailed, taking also their gods with them. 
 
 There was a certain land of Thrace, which the 
 god Mars loved beyond all other lands, whereof 
 in time past the fierce Lycurgus, who would have 
 slain Bacchus, was king. Here, therefore, for the 
 men of the land were friendly, or, at the least, 
 had been before evil days came upon Troy, ^Eneas 
 builded him a city, and called it after his own 
 name. But, after awhile, as he did sacrifice on 
 a certain day to his mother, even Venus, that he 
 might have a blessing on his work, slaying also 
 a white bull to Jupiter, there befell a certain hor- 
 rible thing. For hard by the place where he did 
 sacrifice there was a little hill, with much cornel 
 and myrtle upon it, whereto ^Eneas coming wov.ld 
 
 23
 
 24 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 have plucked wands having leaves upon them, 
 that he might cover therewith the altars. But 
 lo ! when he plucked a wand there dropped drops 
 of blood therefrom. Whereupon great fear came 
 on him, and wonder also. And when seeking to 
 know the cause of the thing he plucked other 
 wands also, there dropped blood even as before. 
 Then, having prayed to the nymphs of the land 
 and to Father Mars that they would turn all evil 
 from him, he essayed the third time with all his 
 might, setting his knee against the ground, to 
 pluck forth a wand. Whereupon there issued 
 from the hill a lamentable voice, saying, " ^Eneas, 
 why doest thou me such cruel hurt, nor lea vest 
 me in peace in my grave? For indeed I am, no 
 stranger to thee, nor strange is this blood which 
 thou seest. Fly, for the land is cruel, and the 
 shore greedy of gain. I am Polydorus. Here 
 was I pierced through with spears, which have 
 grown into these wands that thou seest." 
 
 But ^Eneas when he heard the voice was sore 
 dismayed, and he remembered him how King 
 Priam, thinking that it might fare ill with him 
 and the great city of Troy, had sent his son, 
 Polydorus, by stealth, and much gold with him, 
 to Polymestor, who was King of Thrace, and how 
 the king, when Troy had now perished, slew the 
 boy, and took the gold to himself. For of a truth 
 the love of gold is the root of all evil. And 
 JEneas told the thing to his father and to the 
 chiefs; and the sentence of all was that they
 
 POLYDORUS DELOS CRETE, ETC. 25 
 
 should depart from the evil land. But first they 
 made a great funeral for Polydorus, making 
 a high mound of earth, and building thereon 
 an altar to the dead. This also they bound 
 about with garlands of sad-colored wool and 
 cypress, and the women of Troy stood about it 
 with their hair loosened, as is the use of them 
 that mourn. They offered also bowls of warm 
 milk and blood, and laid the spirit in the tomb, 
 bidding him farewell three times with a loud 
 voice. 
 
 After this, when the time for voyaging was 
 come, and the south wind blew softly, they 
 launched the ships and set sail. And first they 
 came to the island of Delos, which, having been 
 used to wander over the sea, the Lord of the 
 Silver Bow made fast, binding it to Myconos and 
 Gyaros, and found there quiet anchorage. And 
 when they landed to worship, there met them 
 Anius, who was priest and king of the place, 
 having a crown of bay-leaves about his head, who 
 knew Anchises for a friend in time past, and 
 used to them nruch hospitality. Then did they 
 pray to the god, saying, " Give us, we beseech 
 thee, a home where we may dwell, and a name 
 upon the earth, and a city that shall abide, even 
 a second Troy for them that have escaped from 
 the hands of Achilles and the Greeks. And do 
 thou answer us, and incline our hearts that we 
 may know." 
 
 But when '.^Eneas had ended these words,
 
 26 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 straightway the place was shaken, even the gates 
 of the temple and the bay-trees that were hard 
 by. And when they were all fallen to the ground 
 there came a voice, saying, " Son of Dardanus, 
 the land that first bare you shall receive you 
 again. Seek, then, your ancient mother. Thence 
 shall the children of ^Eneas bear rule over all 
 lands, yea, and their children's children to many 
 generations/' Which when they had heard, they 
 greatly rejoiced, and would fain know what was 
 the city whither Phoebus would have them go, 
 that they might cease from their wanderings. 
 Then Anchises, pondering in his heart the things 
 which he had learnt from men of old time, spake 
 thus: "There lieth in mid-ocean a certain island 
 of Crete wherein is a mountain, Ida. There was 
 the first beginning of our nation. Thence came 
 Teucer, our first father, to the land of Troy. 
 Let us go, then, whither the Gods would send us, 
 first doing sacrifice to the Winds; and, indeed, 
 if but Jupiter help us, 'tis but a three days' 
 journey for our ships." 
 
 So they offered sacrifice, a bull to Xeptune 
 and a bull to the beautiful Apollo, and a black 
 sheep to the Storm and a white sheep to the West 
 Wind. There came also a rumor that Idome- 
 neus the Cretan had fled from his father's king- 
 dom, and that the land was ready for him who 
 should take it. Whereupon the men of Troy set 
 sail with a good heart, and passing among the 
 that are called Cyclades, the wind blow-
 
 POLYDORUS DELOS CRETE, ETC. 27 
 
 ing favorably behind them, so came to Crete. 
 There they builded a city, and called its name 
 Pergamea, after Pergama, which was the citadel 
 of Troy. And for a while they tilled the soil; 
 also they married and were given in marriage, as 
 purposing to abide in the land. But there came 
 a wasting sickness on the men, and a blight also 
 on the trees and harvests, filling the year with 
 death. The fields likewise were parched with 
 drought, and the staff of bread was broken. Then 
 the old Anchises bade them go yet again to the 
 oracle at Delos, and inquire of the god what end 
 there should be of these troubles, whence they 
 should seek for help, and whither they should go. 
 But as JEneas slept there appeared to him the 
 household gods, which he had carried out of the 
 burning of Troy, very clear to see in the light of 
 the moon, which shone through the window of 
 his chamber. And they spake unto him, saying, 
 " Apollo bids us tell thee here that which he will 
 tell thee if thou goest to Delos. We who have 
 followed thee over many seas, even we will bring 
 thy children's children to great honor, and make 
 their city ruler over many nations. Faint not, 
 therefore, at thy long wandering. Thou must 
 seek yet another home. For it was not in Crete 
 that Apollo bade thee dwell. There is a land 
 which the Greeks call Hesperia; an ancient land, 
 whose inhabitants are mighty men of valor; a 
 land of vineyards and wheat. There is our proper 
 home, and thence came Dardanus our father. Do
 
 28 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 thou, therefore, tell these things to the old man 
 Anchises. Seek ye for the land of Hesperia, 
 which men also call Italy; but as for Crete, 
 Jupiter willeth not that ye should dwell there."' 
 
 And for a while ^Eneas lay in great fear, with 
 a cold sweat upon him, so clear was the vision 
 of those whom he saw, nor in anywise like unto 
 a dream. Then he rose up from his bed, and 
 after prayer and sacrifice told the thing to An- 
 chises. And the old man saw that he had been 
 deceived in this matter, and he said, " my son, 
 now do I remember how Cassandra was wont to 
 prophesy these things to me, and would speak of 
 Hesperia and of the land of Italy. But, indeed, 
 no man thought in those days that the men of 
 Troy should voyage to Hesperia, nor did any take 
 account of the Avords of Cassandra. But now let 
 us heed the oracle of Apollo, and depart." 
 
 So the mm of Troy made their ships ready 
 and departed. And after a while, when they 
 could no more see the land, there fell a great 
 storm upon them, with a strong wind and groat 
 rolling waves, and much lightning also. Thus 
 were they driven out of their course, and for 
 three days and nights saw neither the sun nor 
 the stars. But on the fourth day they came to 
 a land where they saw hills, and smoke rising 
 therefrom. Then did .the men ply their oars 
 amain, and soon came to the shore. Now this 
 place they found to be one of certain islands 
 which men name the Strophades. And upon
 
 POLYDORUS DELOS CRETE, ETC. 29 
 
 these islands dwell creatures which are called 
 Harpies, very evil indeed, having the counte- 
 nances of women and wings like unto the wings 
 of birds and long claws. Also their faces are 
 pale as with much hunger. Now when the men 
 of Troy were come to this land, they saw many 
 herds of oxen and flocks of goats thereon, nor 
 any one to watch them. Of these they slew such 
 as they needed, and, not forgetting to give due 
 share to the Gods, made a great feast upon the 
 shore. But lo ! even while they made merry, there 
 came a great rushing of wings, and the Harpies 
 came upon them, making great havoc of the meat 
 and fouling all things most horribly. And when 
 they had departed, the men of Troy sought an- 
 other place where they might do sacrifice and eat 
 their meat in peace. But when the Harpies had 
 come thither also and done in the same fashion, 
 ^neas commanded that the men should draw 
 their swords and do battle with the beasts. 
 Therefore, the Harpies coming yet again, Misenus 
 with his trumpet gave the sound for battle. But 
 lo! they fought as those that beat the air, seeing 
 that neither sword nor spear availed to wound 
 the beasts. Then again these departed, one only 
 remaining, by name Celaeno, who, sitting on a 
 rock, spake after this fashion : " Do ye purpose, 
 sons of Laomedon, to fight for these cattle that 
 ye have wrongfully taken, or to drive the Har- 
 pies from their kingdom and inheritance? Hear, 
 therefore, my words, which indeed the almighty
 
 30 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Father told to Phoebus, and Phoebus told to me. 
 Ye journey to Italy, and to Italy shall ye come. 
 Only ye shall not build a city, and wall it about 
 with walls, till dreadful hunger shall cause you 
 to eat the very tables whereon ye sup." 
 
 So saying, she departed. But when great fear 
 was fallen upon all, Anchises lifted up his hands 
 to heaven and prayed to the Gods that they would 
 keep that evil from them.
 
 CHAPTEK V. 
 
 KING HELENUS THE CYCLOPS. 
 
 THEN they set sail, and, the south wind blow- 
 ing, passed by Zacynthus and Dulichium, and 
 also Ithaca, which they cursed as they passed, 
 because it was the land of the hateful Ulysses, 
 and so came to Actium, where they landed. 
 There also they did sacrifice to the Gods, and 
 had games of wrestling and others, rejoicing that 
 they had passed safely through so many cities of 
 their enemies. And there they wintered, and 
 ^Eneas fixed on the doors of the temple of 
 Apollo a shield of bronze which he had won in 
 battle from the valiant Abas, writing thereon 
 these words, " ^NEAS DEDICATES THESE ARMS 
 
 WON FROM THE VICTORIOUS GREEKS/' 
 
 But when the spring was come they set sail, 
 and, leaving behind them the land of Ph'aeacia, 
 came to Buthrotum that is in Epirus. There in- 
 deed they heard a marvellous thing, even that 
 Helenus, the son of Priam, was king in these 
 parts, in the room of Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles, 
 having also to wife Andromache", wbo was the 
 widow of Hector. And when ^Eneas, wishing to 
 know whether these things were so, journeyed 
 
 31
 
 32 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 towards the city, lo! in a grove hard by, by a 
 river which also was called Simois, there stood 
 this same Andromache, and made offerings to the 
 spirit of Hector not without many tears. And 
 at the first when she saw ^Eneas, and that he 
 wore such arms as the men of Troy were used 
 to wear, she swooned with fear, but after a while 
 spake thus : " Is this indeed a real thing that I 
 see? Art thou alive? or, if thou art dead, tell 
 me, where is my Hector ? " So she cried and 
 wept aloud. And ^Eneas answered her : " Yes, 
 lady, this is flesh and blood, and not a spirit, 
 that thou seest. But as for thee, what fortune 
 has befallen thee? Art thou still wedded to 
 Pyrrhus?" 
 
 And she, casting down her eyes, made answer, 
 " daughter of Priam, happy beyond thy sisters 
 in that thou wast slain at the tomb of Achilles, 
 nor wast taken to be a prey of the conqueror! 
 But as for me I was borne across the sea, to be 
 slave of the haughty son of Achilles. And when 
 he took to wife Hermione, who was the daughter 
 of Helen, he gave me to Helenus, as a slave is 
 given to a slave. But Pyrrhus, after a while, 
 Orestes slew, taking him unawares, even by the 
 altar of his father. And when he was dead, part 
 of his kingdom came to Helenus, who hath called 
 the land Chaonia, after Chaon of Troy, and hath 
 also builded a citadel, a new Pergama, upon the 
 hills. But tell me, was it some storm that drove 
 thee hither, or chance, or, lastly, some sending
 
 KING HELENUS THE CYCLOPS. 33 
 
 of the Gods? And is Ascanius yet alive the 
 boy whom, I remember? Doth he yet think of 
 his mother that is dead? And is he stout and 
 of a good courage, as befits the son of ^Eneas 
 and sister's son to Hector ? " 
 
 And while she spake there came Helenus from 
 the city with' a great company, and bade welcome 
 to his friends with much joy. And ^Eneas saw 
 how that all things were ordered and named even 
 as they had been at Troy, only the things at 
 Troy had been great, and the e were very small. 
 And afterwards King Helenus made a feast to 
 them in his house, and they drank together and 
 were merry. 
 
 But after certain days were passed, JEneas, 
 seeing that the wind favored them, spake to 
 Helenus, knowing him also to be a prophet of 
 the Gods: "Tell me now, seeing that thou art 
 wise in all manner of divination and prophesy, 
 how it will fare with us. For indeed all things 
 have seemed to favor us, and we go not on this 
 journey against the will of the Gods, yet did the 
 Harpy Cel&no prophesy evil things, that we 
 should endure great extremity of hunger. Say, 
 then, of what things I should most beware, and 
 how I shall best prosper." 
 
 Then Helenus, after due sacrifice, led ^Eneas 
 to the temple of Phoebus. And when they were 
 come thither, and the god had breathed into the 
 seer, even into Helenus, the spirit of prophesy, 
 he spake, saying, " Son of Venus, that thou takest 
 3
 
 34 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 thy journey across the sea with fav..r of the 
 Gods, is manifest. Hearken, therefore, and I 
 will inform thee of certain things, though indeed 
 they be few out of many, by which thou mayest 
 more safely cross unknown seas and get thee to 
 thy haven in Italy. Much indeed the Fates suffer 
 me not to know, and much Juno forbids me f o 
 speak. Know then, first of all, that Italy, which 
 thou ignorantly thinkest to be close at hand, is 
 yet far away across many seas. And let this be 
 a sign to thee that thou art indeed come to the 
 place where thou wouldst be. When thou shalt 
 see a white sow and thirty pigs at her teats, then 
 hast thou found the place of thy city that shall 
 be. And as to the devouring of thy tables for 
 famine, heed it not: Apollo will help thee at 
 need. But seek not to find a dwelling-place on 
 this shore of Italy which is near at hand, seeing 
 that it is inhabited by the accursed sons of Greece. 
 And when thou hast passed it by, and art come 
 to the land of Sicily, and shall see the strait of 
 Pelorus open before thee, do thou keep to thy 
 left hand and avoid the way that is on thy right. 
 For here in days past was the land rent asunder, 
 so that the waters of the sea flow between cities 
 and fields that of old time were joined together. 
 And on the right hand is Scylla, and on the left 
 Charybdis the whirlpool. But Scylla dwelleth in 
 her cave, a monster dreadful to behold; for to 
 the middle she is a fnir woman, but a beast of 
 the sea below, even the belly of a dolphin, with
 
 KING HELENUS THE CYCLOPS. 35 
 
 heads as of a wolf. Wherefore it will be hetter 
 for thee to fetch a compass round the whole land 
 of Sicily than to come nigh these things, or to 
 see them with thine eyes. Do thou also remember 
 thh, at all places and times, before all other Gods 
 to worship Juno, that thou mayest persuade her, 
 and so make thy way safely to Italy. And when 
 thou art come thither, seek the Sibyl that 
 dwelleth at Cumae, the mad prophetess that 
 writeth the sayings of Fate upon the leaves of 
 a tree. For these indeed at the first abide in 
 their places, but, the gate being opened, the wind 
 blows them hither and thither. And when they 
 are scattered she careth not to join them again, 
 so that they who would inquire of her depart 
 without an answer. Refuse not to tarry awhile, 
 that thou mayest take counsel of her, though all 
 things seem to prosper thy journey and thy com- 
 rades chide thy delay. For she shall tell thee all 
 that shall befall thee in Italy what wars thou 
 shalt wage, and what perils thou must endure, 
 and what avoid. So much, and no more, is it 
 lawful for me to utter. Do thou depart, and 
 magnify our country of Troy even to the heaven." 
 And when the seer had ended these sayings he 
 commanded his people that they should carry to 
 the ships gifts: gold, and carvings of ivory, and 
 much silver, and caldrons that had been wrought 
 at Dodona; also a coat of chain mail, and a 
 helmet with a fair plume, which Pyrrhus had 
 worn. Also he gave gifts to the old man Anchi.-es.
 
 36 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Horses, too, he gave, and guides for the journey, 
 and tackling for the ships, and arms for thu 
 whole company. Then did he bid farewell to the 
 old Anchises. Andromache also came, bringing 
 broidered robes, and for Ascanius a Phrygian 
 cloak, and many like things, which she gave him, 
 saying, " Take these works of my hands, that 
 they may witness to thee of the abiding love of 
 her that was once Hector's wife. For in truth 
 thou art the very image of my Astyanax; so like 
 are thy eyes and face and hands. And indeed he 
 would now be an age with thee." Then ^Eneas 
 also said farewell, weeping the while. " Be ye 
 happy, whose wanderings are over and rest already 
 won; ye have no seas to cross, nor fields of Italy, 
 still flying as we advance, to seek. Rather ye 
 have the likeness of Troy before your eyes. And 
 be sure that if ever I come to this land of Italy 
 which' I seek, there shall be friendship between 
 you and me, and between your children and my 
 children, for ever." 
 
 Then they set sail, and at eventide drew their 
 ships to the land and slept on the beach. But 
 at midnight Palinurus, the pilot, rising from his 
 bed, took note of the winds and of the stars, 
 even of Arcturus, and the Greater Bear and the 
 Less, and Orion with his belt of gold. Seeing 
 therefore that all things boded fair weather to 
 come, he blew loud the signal that they should 
 depart; which they did forthwith. And when 
 the morning was now growing red in the east,
 
 KING HELENUS THE CYCLOPS. 37 
 
 behold a land with hills dimly seen and shores 
 lying low in the sea. And, first of all, the old 
 man Anchises cried, " Lo! there is Italy," and 
 after him all the company. Then took Anchises 
 a mighty cup, and filled it with wine, and stand- 
 ing on the stern, said, " Gods of sea and land, 
 and ye that have power of the air, give us an 
 easy journey, and send such winds as may favor 
 us." And even as he spake the wind blew more 
 strongly behind. Also the harbor mouth grew 
 wider to behold, and on the hills was seen a tem- 
 ple of Minerva. And lo ! upon the shore four 
 horses white as snow, which the old man seeing, 
 said, " Thou speakest of war, land of the stranger; 
 for the horse signifieth war, yet doth he also use 
 himself to run in the chariot, and to bear the 
 bit in company; therefore also will we hope for 
 peace." Then did they sacrifice to Minerva, and 
 to Juno also, which rites the seer Helenus had 
 chiefly commanded. And this being done they 
 trimmed their sails and departed from the shore, 
 fearing lest some enemy, the Greeks being in that 
 place, should set upon them. So did they pass 
 by Tarentum, which Hercules builded, also the 
 hills of Caulon, and Scylacium, where many ships 
 are broken. And from Scylacium they beheld 
 ^Etna, and heard a great roaring of the sea, and 
 saw also the waves rising up to heaven. Then 
 said Anchises, "Lo! this is that Charybdis 
 whereof the seer Helenus spake to us. Ply your 
 oars, my comrades, and let us fly therefrom." So
 
 38 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 they strove amain in rowing, and Palinurus also 
 steered to the left, all the other ships following 
 him. And many times the waves lifted them to 
 the heaven, and many times caused them to go 
 down to the deep. But at the last, at setting of 
 the sun, they came to the land of the Cyclops. 
 
 There, indeed, they lay in a harbor, well 
 sheltered from all winds that blow, but all the 
 night ^Etna thundered dreadfully, sending forth 
 a cloud with smoke of pitch, and ashes fiery hot, 
 and also balls of fire, and rocks withal that had 
 been melted with heat. For indeed men say that 
 the giant Enceladus lieth under this mountain, 
 being scorched with the lightning of Jupiter, and 
 that from him cometh forth this flame; also 
 that when, being weary, he turned from one side 
 to the other, the whole land of the Three Capes is 
 shaken. All that night they lay in much fear, nor 
 knew what the cause of this uproar might be, for 
 indeed the sky was cloudy, nor could the moon 
 be seen. 
 
 And when it was morning, lo ! there came forth 
 from the woods a stranger, very miserable to be- 
 hold, in filthy garments fastened with thorns, and 
 with beard unshaven, who stretched out to them 
 his hands as one who prayed. And the men of 
 Troy knew him to be a Greek. But he, seeing 
 them, and knowing of what country they were, 
 stood awhile in great "fear, but afterwards ran 
 very swiftly towards them, and used to them many 
 prayers, weeping also the while. " I pray you,
 
 KING HELENUS THE CYCLOPS. 39 
 
 men of Troy, by the stars and by the Gods, and by 
 this air which we breathe, to take me away from 
 this land, whithersoever ye will. And indeed I ask 
 not whither. That I am a Greek, I confess, and 
 also that I bare arms against Troy. Wherefore 
 drown me, if ye will, in the sea. Only let me die, 
 if die I must, by the hands of men." 
 
 And he clung to their knees. Then ^Eneaa 
 bade him tell who he was, and how he came to be 
 in this plight. And the man made answer, " I aw 
 a man of Ithaca, and a comrade of the unhappy 
 Ulysses. My name is Achasmenides, and my 
 father was Adamastus. And when my comrades 
 fled from this accursed shore they left me in the 
 Cyclops' cave. Hideous is he to see, and savage, 
 and of exceeding great stature, and he feeds on 
 the flesh of men. I myself saw with these eyes 
 how lie lay and caught two of my companions 
 and bake them on the stone; aye, and I saw their 
 limbs quiver between his teeth. Yet did he not 
 do such things unpunished, for Ulysses endured 
 not to behold these deeds, and when the giant lay 
 asleep, being overcome with wine, we, after prayer 
 made to the gods and lots cast what each should do, 
 bored out his eye, for one eye he had, huge as a 
 round shield of Argos, or as the circle of the sun, 
 and so did we avenge our comrades' death. Do ye 
 then fly with all the speed ye may. For know that 
 as this shepherd Polyphemus a shepherd he is by 
 trade so are a hundred other Cyclopes, huge and 
 savage as he, who dwell on these shores and wander
 
 40 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 over the hills. And now for three months have I 
 dwelt in these woods, eating herries and cornels 
 and herbs of the field. And when I saw your 
 ships I hastened to meet them. Do ye with me, 
 therefore, as ye will, so that I flee from, this ac- 
 cursed race." 
 
 And even while he spake the men of Troy saw 
 the shepherd Polyphemus among his flocks, and 
 that he made as if he would come to the shore. 
 Horrible to behold was he, huge and shapeless and 
 blind. And when he came to the sea he washed 
 the blood from the wound, grinding his teeth the 
 while, and though he went far into the sea, yet 
 did not the waves touch his middle. And the 
 men of Troy, having taken the suppliant on board, 
 fled with all their might; and he hearing their 
 rowing would have reached to them, but could not. 
 Therefore did he shout aloud, and the Cyclopes 
 hearing him hasted to the shore. Then did the 
 men of Troy behold them, a horrid company, tall 
 as a grove of oaks or cypresses. Nor knew they in 
 their fear what they should do, seeing that on the 
 one hand was the land of the Cyclopes and on the 
 other Scylla and Charybdis, of which the seer 
 Helenus had bidden them beware. But while 
 they doubted, there blew a north wind from 
 Pelorus, wherewith they sailed onwards, and 
 Achaemenides with them. So they came to Orty- 
 gia, whither, as men say, the river Alpheus flow- 
 eth under the sea from the land of Pelops, and so 
 mingleth with Arethusa; and afterwards they
 
 KING HELENUS THE CYCLOPS. 41 
 
 passed the promontory of Pachynus, Camarina 
 also, and Gela, and other cities likewise, till they 
 came to Lilybaeum, and so at last to Drepanum. 
 There the old man Anchises died, and was buried.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE SHIPWRECK. 
 
 NOT many days after JEneas and his compan- 
 ions set sail. But scarce were they out of sight 
 of the land of Sicily when Juno espied them. 
 Very wroth was she that they should, he now 
 drawing near to the end of their journey, and 
 she said to herself, " Shall I be baulked of iny 
 purpose, nor be able to keep these men of Troy 
 from Italy? Minerva, indeed, because one man 
 sinned, even Ajax Oileus burned the fleet of the 
 Greeks, and drowned the men in the sea. For the 
 ships she smote with the thunderbolts of Jupiter; 
 and as for Ajax him she caught up with a whirl- 
 wind, and dashed him upon the rocks, piercing 
 him through. Only I, though I be both sister and 
 wife to Jupiter, avail nothing against this peo-* 
 pie. And who that heareth this in after time 
 shall pay me due honor and sacrifice ? " 
 
 Then she went, thinking these things in her 
 heart, to the land of ^Eolia, where King ^Eolus 
 keepeth the winds under bolt and bar. Mightily 
 do they roar within the mountain, but their king 
 restraineth them and keepeth them in bounds, be- 
 ing indeed set to do this very thing, lest they 
 42
 
 THE SHIPWRECK. 43 
 
 should carry both the heavens and the earth he- 
 fore them in their great fury. To him said 
 Juno, " ^Eolus, whom Jupiter hath made king 
 of the winds, a nation which I hate is sailing over 
 the Tuscan sea. Loose now thy storms against 
 them, and drown their ships in the sea. And 
 hearken what I will do for thee. Twelve maidens 
 I have that wait on me continually, who are pass- 
 ing fair, and the fairest of all, even De'iopea, I 
 will give thce to wife." 
 
 To whom answered King ^Eolus, " It is for thee, 
 Queen, to order what thou wilt, it being of thy 
 gift that I hold this sovereignty and eat at the 
 table of the Gods." 
 
 So saying he drave in with his spear the fold- 
 ing-doors of the prison of the winds, and these 
 straightway in a great host Tushed forth, even all 
 the winds together, and rolled great waves upon 
 the shore. And straightway there arose a great 
 shouting of men and straining of cables; nor could 
 the sky nor the light of the day be seen any more, 
 but a darkness as of night came down upon the 
 sea, and there were thunders and lightnings over 
 the whole heavens. 
 
 Then did ^Eneas grow cold with fear, and 
 stretching out his hands to heaven he cried, 
 " Happy they who fell under the walls of Troy, be- 
 fore their fathers' eyes! Would to the Gods that 
 thou hadst slain me, Diomed, bravest of the 
 Greeks, even as Hector fell by the spear of 
 Achilles, or tall Sarpedon, or all the brave war-
 
 44 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 riors whose dead bodies Simois rolled down to 
 the sea ! " 
 
 But as he spake a blast of wind struck his sails 
 from before, and his ship was turned broadside 
 to the waves. Three others also were tossed upon 
 the rocks which men call the " Altars," and three 
 into the quicksands of the Syrtis. And another, 
 in which sailed the men of Lycia, with Orontcs, 
 their chief, was struck upon the stern by a great 
 sea and sunk. And when ^Eneas looked, lo! 
 there were some swimming in the waves, and 
 broken planks also, and arms and treasures of 
 Troy. Others also were shattered by the waves, 
 as those of Ilioneiis and Achates, and of Abas and 
 the old man Alethes. 
 
 But King Neptune was aware of the tumult 
 where he sat at the bottom of the sea, and raising 
 his head above the waves, looked forth and saw 
 how the ships were scattered abroad and the men 
 of Troy were in sore peril. Also he knew his 
 sister's wrath and her craft. Then he called to 
 him the winds and said, " What is this, ye winds, 
 that ye trouble heaven and earth without leave of 
 me? Now will I but T must first bid the waves 
 be still, only be sure that ye shall not thus escape 
 hereafter. Begone, and tell your king that the 
 dominion over the sea belongeth unto me, and bid 
 him keep him to his rocks." 
 
 Then he bade the waves be still; also he scat- 
 tered the clouds and brought back the sun. And 
 Cymothea and Triton, gods of the sea, drew the
 
 THE SHIPWRECK. 45 
 
 ships from the locks, Neptune also lifting them 
 with his trident. Likewise he opened the quick- 
 sands, and delivered the ships that were therein. 
 And this being done he crossed the sea in his 
 chariot, and the waves beholding him sank to rest, 
 even as it befalls when there is sedition in the city, 
 and the people are wroth, and men throw stones 
 and firebrands, till lo ! of a -sudden there cometh 
 forth a reverend sire, a good man and true, and 
 all men are silent and hearken to him, and the 
 uproar is stayed. So was the sea stilled, beholding 
 its king. 
 
 Then ^neas and his companions, being sore 
 wearied with the storm, made for the nearest 
 shore, even Africa, where they found a haven run- 
 ning far into the land, into which the waves come 
 not till their force is spent. On either side 
 thereof are cliffs very high, and shining woods 
 over them. Also at the harbor's head is a cave 
 and a spring of sweet water within, a dwelling- 
 place of the Nymphs. Hither came ^Eneas, with 
 seven ships. Right glad were the men of Troy to 
 stand upon the dry land again. Then Achates 
 struck a spark out of fli^t, and they lighted a fire 
 with leaves and the like; also they took of the 
 wheat which had been in the ships, and made 
 ready to parch and to bruise it, that they might 
 eat. Meanwhile ^Eneas had climbed the cliff, if 
 haply he might see some of his companions' ships. 
 These indeed he saw not, but he espied three great 
 stags upon the shore and a herd following them.
 
 46 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Wherefore, taking the arrows and the bow which 
 Achates bare with him, he let fly, slaying the 
 leaders and others also, till he had gotten seven, 
 one for each ship. Then made he his way to the 
 landing-place, and divided the prey. Also he 
 made distribution of the wine which Acestes, their 
 host in Sicily, had given them as they were about 
 to depart, and spake comfortable words to them, 
 saying, " my friends, be ye sure that there will 
 be an end to these troubles; and indeed ye have 
 suffered worse things before. Be ye of good cheer 
 therefore. Haply ye shall one day have pleasure 
 in thinking of these things. For be sure that the 
 Gods have prepared a dwelling-place for us in Italy, 
 where we shall build a new Troy, in great peace 
 and happiness. Wherefore endure unto the day 
 of prosperity." 
 
 Then they made ready the feast, and roasted 
 of the meat upon spits, and boiled other in water. 
 Also they drank of the wine and were comforted. 
 And after supper they talked much of them that 
 were absent, doubting whether they were alive or 
 dead.
 
 JOVE (JUPITEK). 
 Museum at Naples. Excavated from J'ompeii in 1818.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CARTHAGE. 
 
 ALL these things did Jupiter behold; and even 
 as he beheld them there came to him Venus, hav- 
 ing a sad countenance and her shining eyes dim 
 with tears, and spake : " great Father, that 
 rulest all things, what have ^Eneas and the men of 
 Troy sinned against thee, that the whole world 
 is shut against them? Didst not thou promise 
 that they should rule over land and sea? Why, 
 then, art thou turned back from thy purpose? 
 With this I was wont to comfort myself for the 
 evil fate of Troy, but lo! this same fate follows 
 them still, nor is there any end to their troubles. 
 And yet it was granted to Antenor, himself also 
 a man of Troy, that he should escape from the 
 Greeks, and coming to the Liburnian land, where 
 Timavus flows with much noise into the sea, build 
 a city and find rest for himself. But we, who are 
 thy children, are kept far from the land which 
 thou hast sworn to give us." 
 
 Then her father kissed her once and again, and 
 answered smiling, " Fear not, my daughter, the 
 fate of thy children changeth not. Thou shalt 
 see this city for which thou lookcst, and shalt re- 
 
 47
 
 48 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 ceive thy son, the great-hearted ^Eneas, into the 
 heavens. Hearken, therefore, and I will tell thee 
 things to come. ^Eneas shall war with the na- 
 tions of Italy, and shall subdue them, and build a 
 city, and rule therein for three years. And after 
 the space of thirty years shall the boy Ascanius, 
 who shall hereafter be called lulus also, change 
 the place of his throne from Lavinium unto Alba ; 
 and for three hundred years shall there be kings 
 in Alba of the kindred of Hector. Then shall a 
 priestess bear to Mars twin sons, whom a she- 
 wolf shall suckle; of whom the one, even Romu- 
 lus, shall build a city, dedicating it to Mars, and 
 call it Rome, after his own name. To which city 
 have I given empire without bound or end. And 
 Juno also shall repent her of her wrath, and join 
 counsel with me, cherishing the men of Rome, so 
 that they shall bear rule even over Argos and 
 Mycenae." 
 
 And when he had said this, he sent down his 
 messenger, even Mercury, to turn the heart of 
 Dido and her people, where they dwelt in the city 
 of Carthage, which they had builded, so that they 
 should deal kindly with the strangers. 
 
 Now it came to pass on the next day that 
 ^neas, having first hidden his ships in a bay that 
 was well covered with trees, went forth to spy 
 out the new land whither he was come, and 
 Achates only went with him. And ^Eneas had in 
 each hand a broad-pointed spear. And as he 
 went there met him in the middle of the wood his
 
 CARTHAGE. 49 
 
 mother, but habited as a Spartan virgin, for she 
 had hung a bow from her shoulders after the 
 fashion of a huntress, and her hair was loose, and 
 her tunic short to the knees, and her garments 
 gathered in a knot upon her breast. Then first 
 the false huntress spake, " If perchance ye have 
 seen one of my sisters wandering hereabouts, 
 make known to me the place. She is girded with 
 a quiver, and is clothed with the skin of a spotted 
 lynx, or may be, she hunts a wild boar with horn 
 and hound." 
 
 To whom ^Eneas, " I have not seen nor heard 
 sister of thine, virgin for what shall I call 
 thee? for, of a surety, neither is thy look as of a 
 mortal woman, nor yet thy voice. A goddess cer- 
 tainly thou art, sister of Phoebus, or haply one 
 of the nymphs. But whatsoever thou art, look fa- 
 vorably upon us and help us. Tell us in what 
 land we be, for the winds have driven us hither, 
 and we know not aught of place or people." 
 
 And Yenus said, " Nay, stranger I am not such 
 as ye think. We virgins of Tyre are wont to 
 carry a quiver and to wear a buskin of purple. 
 For indeed it is a Tyrian city that is hard by, 
 though the land be Lybia. And of this city Dido 
 is queen, having come hither from Tyre, flying 
 from the wrong-doing of her brother. And in- 
 deed the story of the thing is long, but I will re- 
 count the chief matter thereof to thee. The hus- 
 band of this Dido was one Sichaeus, richest among 
 all the men of Phoenicia, and greatly beloved of
 
 50 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 his wife, whom he married from a virgin. Xow 
 the brother of this Sichaeus was Pygmalion, the 
 king of the country, and he exceeded all men in 
 wickedness. And when there arose a quarrel be- 
 tween them, the king, being exceedingly mad after 
 gold, took him unaware, even as he did sacrifice 
 at the altar, and slew him. And the king hid the 
 matter many days from Dido, and cheated her 
 with false hopes. But at the last there came to 
 her in her dreams the likeness of the dead man, 
 baring his wounds and showing the wickedness 
 which had been done. Also he bade her make 
 haste and fly from that land, and, that she might 
 do this more easily, told her of great treasure, 
 gold and silver, that was hidden in the earth. 
 And Dido, being much moved by these things, 
 made ready for flight; also she sought for com- 
 panions, and there came together to her all as 
 many as hated the king or feared him. Then did 
 ilicy seize ships that chanced to be ready and 
 laded them with gold, even the treasure of King 
 Pygmalion, and so fled across the sea. And in all 
 this was a woman the leader. Then came they to 
 this place, where thou seest the walls and citadel 
 of Carthage, and bought so much land as they 
 could cover with a bull's hide. And now do ye 
 answer me this, Whence come ye, and whither do 
 ye go?" 
 
 Then answered JEneas, " Should I tell the 
 whole story of our wanderings, and thou have 
 leisure to hear, evening would come ere I could
 
 CARTHAGE. 51 
 
 make an end. We are men of Troy, who, having 
 journeyed over many seas, have njw been driven 
 by storms to this shore of Lybia. And as for me, 
 men call me Prince ^Eneas. The land I seek id 
 Italy, and my race is from Jupiter himself. With 
 twenty ships did I set sail, going in the way 
 whereon the Gods sent me. And of these scarce 
 seven are left. And now, seeing that Europe and 
 Asia endure me not, I wander over the desert 
 places of Africa." 
 
 But Venus suffered him not to speak more, but 
 said, " Whoever thou art, stranger, that art come 
 to this Tyrian city, thou art surely beloved by the 
 Gods. And now go, show thyself to the queen. 
 And as for thy ships and thy companions, I tell 
 thee that they are safe in the haven, if I have not 
 learnt augury in vain. See those twenty swans, 
 how joyously they fly ! And now there cometh an 
 eagle swooping down from the sky, putting them 
 to confusion, but now again they move in due 
 order, and some are settling on the earth and 
 some are preparing to settle. Even so doth it fare 
 with thy ships, for either are they already in the 
 haven or enter thereinto with sails full set." 
 
 And as she spake she turned away, and there 
 shone a rosy light from her neck, also there came 
 from her hair a sweet savour as of ambrosia, and 
 her garments grew under her feet; and -<33neas 
 perceived that she was his mother, and cried 
 aloud, 
 
 " my mother, why dost thou mock me so
 
 52 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 often with false shows, nor sufferest me to join 
 my hand unto thy hand, and to speak with thee 
 face to face?" 
 
 And he went towards the walls of the city. 
 But Venus covered him and his companions with 
 a mist, that no man might see them, or hinder 
 them, or inquire of their business, and then de- 
 parted to Paphos, where was her temple and also 
 many altars of incense. Then the men hastened 
 on their way, and mounting a hill which hung 
 over the city, marvelled to behold it, for indeed 
 it was very great and noble, with mighty gates and 
 streets, and a multitude that walked therein. 
 For some built the walls and the citadel, rolling 
 great stones with' their hands, and others marked 
 out places for houses. Also they chose those that 
 should give judgment and bear rule in the city. 
 Some, too, digged out harbors, and others laid 
 the foundations of a theatre, and cut out great 
 pillars of stone. Like to bees they were, when, 
 the summer being newly come, ihe young swarms 
 go forth, or when they labor filling the cells with 
 honey, and some receive the burdens of those that 
 return from the fields, and others keep off the 
 drones from the hive. Even so labored the men 
 of Tyre. And when ^Eneas beheld them he cried, 
 " Happy ye, who even now have a city to dwell 
 in ! " And being yet hidden by the mist, he went 
 in at the gate and mingled with the men, being 
 seen of none. 
 
 Xow in the midst of the city was a wood, very
 
 CARTHAGE. 53 
 
 thick with trees, and here the men of Carthage, 
 first come to the land from their voyage, had 
 digged out of the ground that which Juno had 
 said should be a sign to them, even a horse's head ; 
 for that, finding this, their city would be mighty 
 in war, and full of riches. Here, then, Dido w-is 
 building a temple to Juno, very splendid, with 
 threshhold of bronze, and many steps thereunto ; of 
 bronze also were the door-posts and the gates. 
 And here befel a thing which gave much com- 
 fort and courage to ^Eneas; for as he stood and 
 regarded the place, waiting also for the queen, he 
 saw set forth in order upon the walls the battles 
 that had been fought at Troy, the sons of Atreus 
 also, and King Priam, and fierce Achilles. Then 
 said he, not without tears, " Is there any land, 
 Achates, that is not filled with our sorrows? 
 Seest thou Priam? Yet withal there is a reward 
 for virtue here also, and tears and pity for the 
 troubles of men. Fear not, therefore. Surely 
 the fame of these things shall profit us." 
 
 Then he looked, satisfying his soul with the 
 paintings on the walls. For there was the city of 
 Troy. In this part of the field the Greeks fled and 
 the youth of Troy pursued them, and in that the 
 men of Troy fled, and Achilles followed hard upon 
 them in his chariot. Also he saw the white tents 
 of Rhesus, King of Thrace, whom the fierce Dio- 
 med slew in his sleep, when he was newly come to 
 Troy, and drave his horses to the camp before they 
 ate of the grass of the fields of Troy or drank the
 
 54: STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 waters of Xanthus. There also Tro'ilus was pic- 
 tured, ill-matched in battle with the great Achil- 
 les. His horses bare him along ; but he lay on his 
 back in the chariot, yet holding the reins, and his 
 neck and head were dragged upon the earth, and 
 the spear-point made a trail in the dust. And in 
 another place the women of Troy went suppliant- 
 wise to the temple of Minerva, bearing a great 
 and beautiful robe, sad and beating their breasts', 
 and with hair unbound ; but the goddess regarded 
 them not. Also Achilles dragged the body of 
 Hector three times round the walls of Troy, and 
 was selling it for gold. And yEneas groaned 
 when he saw the man whom he loved, and the old 
 man Priam reaching out helpless hands. Also he 
 knew himself, fighting in the midst of the Grecian 
 chiefs ; black Memnon also he knew, and the hosts 
 of the East; and Penthesilea leading the army of 
 the Amazons with shields shaped as the moon. 
 Fierce she was to see, with one breast bared for 
 battle, and a golden girdle beneath it, a damsel 
 daring to fight with men.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DIDO. 
 
 BUT while ^Eneas marveled to see these things 
 lo ! there came, with a great throng of youths be- 
 hind her, Dido, most beautiful of women, fair as 
 Diana, when, on the banks of Eurotas or on the 
 hills of Cynthus, she leads the dance with a thou- 
 sand nymphs of the mountains about her. On her 
 shoulder she bears a quiver, and overtops them all, 
 and her mother, even Latona, silently rejoices to 
 behold her. So fair and seemly to see was Dido 
 as she bare herself right nobly in the midst, being 
 busy in the work of her kingdom. Then she sat 
 herself down on a lofty throne in the gate of the 
 temple, with many armed men about her. And 
 she did justice between man and man; also she 
 divided the work of the city, sharing it equally 
 or parting it by lot. 
 
 Then of a sudden ^neas heard a great clamor, 
 and saw a company of men come quickly to the 
 place, among whom were Antheus and Sergestus 
 and Cloanthus, and others of the men of Troy 
 that had been parted from him in the storm. 
 Right glad was he to behold them, yet was not 
 without fear ; and though he would fain have come 
 
 55
 
 56 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 forth and caught them by the hand, yet did he 
 tarry, waiting to hear how the men had fared, 
 where they had left their ships, and wherefore 
 they were come. 
 
 Then Ilioneus, being now given that he should 
 speak, thus began : " Queen, whom Jupiter 
 permits to build a new city in these lands, we 
 men of Troy, whom the winds have carried over 
 many seas, pray thee that thou save our ships 
 from fire, and spare a people that serveth the 
 Gods. For, indeed, we are not come to waste the 
 dwellings of this land, or to carry off spoils to our 
 ships. For, of a truth, they who have suffered so 
 much think not of such deeds. There is a land 
 which the Greeks call Hesperia, but the people 
 themselves Italy, after the name of their chief; 
 an ancient land, mighty in arms and fertile of 
 corn. Hither were we journeying, when a storm 
 arising scattered our ships, and only these few 
 that thou seest escaped to the land. And can 
 there be nation so savage that it receiveth not ship- 
 wrecked men on its shore, but beareth arms 
 against them, and forbiddeth them to land ? Nay, 
 but if ye care not for men, yet regard the Gods, 
 who forget neither them that do righteously nor 
 them that transgress. We had a king, ^Eneas, 
 than whom there lived not a man more dutiful to 
 Gods and men, and greater in war. If indeed he 
 be yet alive, then we fear not at all. For of a 
 truth it will not repent thee to have helped us. 
 And if not, other friends have we, as Acestes of
 
 DIDO. 57 
 
 Sicily. Grant us, therefore, to shelter our ships 
 from the wind; also to fit them with fresh timber 
 from the woods, and to make ready oars for row- 
 ing, so that, finding again our king and our com- 
 panions, we may gain the land of Italy. But if 
 he be dead, and Ascanius his son lost also, then 
 there is a dwelling ready for us in the land of 
 Sicity, with Acestes, who is our friend." 
 
 Then Dido, her eyes bent on the ground, thus 
 spake, " Fear not, men of Troy. If we have 
 seemed to deal harshly with you, pardon us, see- 
 ing that, being newly settled in this land, we 
 must keep watch and ward over our coasts. But 
 as for the men of Troy, and their deeds in arms, 
 who knows them not? Think not that we in 
 Carthage are so dull of heart, or dwell so remote 
 from man, that we are ignorant of these things. 
 Whether, therefore, ye will journey to Italy, or 
 rather return to Sicily and King Acestes, know 
 that I will give you all help, and protect you ; or, if 
 ye will, settle in this land of ours. Yours is this 
 city which I am building. I will make no dif- 
 ference between man of Troy and man of Tyre. 
 Would that your king also were here ! Surely I 
 will send those that shall seek him in all parts of 
 Libya, lest haply he should be gone astray in any 
 forest or strange city of the land." 
 
 And when ^neas and Achates heard these 
 things they were glad, and would have come forth 
 from the cloud, and Achates said, " W T hat thinkest 
 thou? Lo, thy comrades are safe, saving him
 
 58 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 whom we saw with our own. eyes drowned in the 
 waves; and all other things are according as thy 
 mother said." 
 
 And even as he spake the cloud parted from 
 about them, and u.'Eneas stood forth, very bright to 
 behold, with face and breast as of a god, for his 
 mother had given to him hair beautiful to see, and 
 cast about him the purple light of youth, even as 
 a workman sets ivory in some fair ornament, or 
 compasseth about silver or marble of Paros with 
 gold. Then spake he to the queen, " Lo ! I am he 
 whom ye seek, even ^Eneas of Troy, scarcely saved 
 from the waters of the sea. And as for thee, O 
 Queen, seeing that thou only hast been found to 
 pity the unspeakable sorrows of Troy, and biddest 
 us, though we be but poor exiles and lacking all 
 things, to share thy city and thy home, may the 
 Gods do so to thee as thou deservest. And, of a 
 truth, so long as the rivers run to the seas, and the 
 shadows fall on the hollows of the hills, so long 
 will thy name and thy glory survive, whatever be 
 the land to which the Gods shall bring me." Then 
 gave he his right hand to Ilioneus, and his left 
 hand to Sergestus, and greeted them with great 
 joy. 
 
 And Dido, hearing these things, was silent for 
 a while, but at the last he spake: "What ill 
 fortune brings thee into perils so great? what 
 power drave thee to these savage shores? Well do 
 I mind me how in days gone by there came to 
 Sidon one Teucer, who, having been banished
 
 DIDO. 59 
 
 from his country, sought help from Belus that he 
 might find a kingdom for himself. And -it 
 chanced that in those days Belus, my father, had 
 newly conquered the land of Cyprus. From that 
 day did I know the tale of Troy, and thy name 
 also, and the chiefs of Greece. Also I remember 
 that Teucer spake honorably of the men of Troy, 
 saying that he was himself sprung of the old 
 Teucrian stock. Come ye, therefore, to my pal- 
 ace. I too have wandered far, even as you, and 
 =o have come to this land, and having suffered 
 much have learnt to succor them that suffer." 
 
 So saying she led ^neas into her palace; also 
 she sent to his companions in the ships great 
 store of provisions, even twenty oxen and a hun- 
 dred bristly ewine and a hundred ewe sheep with 
 their lambs. But in the palace a great feast was 
 set forth, couches covered with broidered purple, 
 and silver vessels without end, and cups of gold, 
 whereon were embossed the mighty deeds of the 
 men of old time. 
 
 And in the mean time ^Eneas sent Achates in 
 haste to the ships, that he mi<?ht fetch Ascanius 
 to the feast. Also he bade that the boy should 
 bring with him gifts of such things as they had 
 saved from the ruins of Troy, a mantle stiff with 
 broidery of gold and a veil bordered with yellow 
 acanthus, which the fair Helen had taken with 
 her, flying from her home; but Leda, her mother, 
 had given them to Helen ; a scepter likewise 
 which Ilione, first-bom of the daughters of Priam,
 
 60 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 had carried, and a necklace of pearls and a double 
 crown of jewels and gold. 
 
 But Venus was troubled in heart, fearing evil 
 to her son should the men of Tyre be treacherous, 
 after their wont, and Juno remember her wrath. 
 Wherefore, taking counsel with herself, she called 
 to the winged boy, even Love, that was her son, 
 and spake, " My son, who art all my power and 
 strength, who laughest at the thunders of Jupiter, 
 thou knowest how Juno, being exceedingly wroth 
 against thy brother ^Eneas, causoth him to wander 
 out of the way over all lands. This day Dido 
 hath him in her palace, and speaketh him fair; 
 but I fear me much how these things may end. 
 Wherefore hear thou that which I purpose. Thy 
 brother hath even now sent for the boy Ascanius, 
 that he may come to the palace, bringing with him 
 gifts of such things as they saved from the ruins 
 of Troy. Him will I cause to fall into a deep 
 sleep, and hide in Cythera or Idalium, and do 
 thou for one night take upon thee his likeness. 
 And when Queen Dido at the feast shall hold thee 
 in her lap, and kiss and embrace thee, do thou 
 breathe by stealth thy fire into her heart." 
 
 Then did Love as his mother bade him, and put 
 off his wings, and took upon him the shape of 
 Ascanius, but on the boy Venus caused there to 
 fall a deep sleep, and carried him to the woods of 
 Idaliumi., and lapped him in sweet-smelling 
 flowers. And in his stead Love carried the gifts 
 to the queen. And when he was come they sat
 
 DIDO. 61 
 
 down to the feast, the queen being in the midst 
 under a canopy. ^Eneas also and the men of Troy 
 lay on coverlets of purple, to whom serving-men 
 brought water and bread in baskets and napkins; 
 and within fifty handmaids were ready to re- 
 plenish the store of victual and to fan the fire; 
 and a hundred others, with pages as many, loaded 
 the tables with dishes and drinking-cups. Many 
 men of Tyre also were bidden to the feast. Much 
 they marvelled at the gifts of ^Eneas, and much 
 ai the false Ascanius. Dido also could not satisfy 
 herself with looking on him, nor knew what trou- 
 ble he was preparing for her in the time to come. 
 And he, having first embraced the father who was 
 not his father, and clung about his neck, ad- 
 dressed himself to Queen Dido, and she ever fol- 
 lowed him with her eyes, and sometimes would 
 hold him on her lap. And still he worked upon 
 her that she should forget the dead Sichaeus and 
 conceive a new love in her heart. 
 
 But when they first paused from the feast, lo! 
 men set great bowls upon the table and filled 
 them to the brim with wine. Then did the queen 
 call for a great vessel of gold, with many jewels 
 upon it, from which Belus, and all the kings from 
 Belus, had drunk, and called for wine, and having 
 filled it she cried, " Jupiter, whom they call 
 the god of hosts and guests, cause that this be 
 a day of joy for the men of Troy and for them 
 of Tyre, and that our children remember it for 
 ever. Also Bacchus, giver of joy, be present, and
 
 62 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 kindly Juno." 'And when she had touched the 
 wine with her lips, she handed the great cup to 
 Prince Bitias, who drank thereout a mighty 
 draught, and the other princes after him. Then 
 the minstrel lopas, whom Atlas himself had 
 taught, sang to the harp, of the moon, how she 
 goes on her way, and of the sun, how his light 
 is darkened. He sang also of men, and of the 
 beasts of the field, whence they come; and of the 
 stars, Arcturus, and the Greater Bear and the 
 Less, and the Hyades; and of the winter sun, 
 why he hastens to dip himself in the ocean; and 
 of the winter nights, why they tarry so long. 
 The queen also talked much of the story of Troy, 
 of Priam, and of Hector, asking many things, 
 as of the arms of Memnon, and of the horses of 
 Diomed, and of Achilles, how great he was. And 
 at last she said to yEneas, " Tell us now thy story, 
 how Troy was taken, and thy wanderings over 
 land and sea." And ^Eneas made answer, " Nay, 
 Queen, but thou biddest me renew a sorrow 
 unspeakable. Yet, if thou art minded to hear 
 these things, hearken." And he told her all that 
 had befallen him, even to the day when his father 
 Anchises died.
 
 - -s 
 : I
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 
 
 MUCH was Queen Dido moved by the story, 
 and much did she marvel at him that told it, 
 and scarce could sleep for thinking of him. And 
 the next day she spake to Anna, her sister, " 
 my sister, I have been troubled this night with 
 ill dreams, and my heart is disquieted within me. 
 What a man is this stranger that hath come to 
 our shores ! How noble of mien ! How bold in 
 Avar! Sure I am that he is of the sons of the 
 Gods. What fortunes have been his! Of wh'at 
 wars he told us! Surely were I not steadfastly 
 purposed that I would not yoke me again in mar- 
 riage, this were the man to whom I might yield. 
 Only he for I will tell thee the truth, my sister 
 only he, since the day when Sichaeus died by 
 his brother's hand, hath moved my heart. But 
 may the earth swallow me up, or the almighty 
 Father strike me with lightning, ere I stoop to 
 such baseness. The husband of my youth hath 
 carried with him my love, and he shall keep it 
 in his grave." 
 
 So she spake, with many tears. And her sister 
 made answer, "Why wilt thou waste thy youth 
 
 63
 
 64: STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 in sorrow, without child or husband? Thinkest 
 thou that there is care or remembrance of such 
 things in the grave? No suitors indeed have 
 pleased thee here or in Tyre, but wilt thou also 
 contend with a love that is after thine own heart ? 
 Think too of the nations among whom thou 
 dwellest, how fierce they are, and of thy brother 
 at Tyre, what he threatens against thee. Surely 
 it was by the will of the Gods, and of Juno 
 chiefly, that the ships of Troy came hither. And 
 this city, which thou buildest, to what greatness 
 will it grow if only thou wilt make for thyself 
 such alliance ! How great will be the glory of 
 Carthage if the strength of Troy be joined unto 
 her ! Only do thou pray to the Gods and offer 
 sacrifices; and, for the present, seeing that the 
 time of sailing is now past, make excuse that 
 these strangers tarry with thee awhile." 
 
 Thus did Anna comfort her sister and en- 
 con rage her. And first the two offered sacrifice 
 to the Gods, chiefly to Juno, who careth for the 
 bond of marriage. Also, examining the entrails 
 of slain beasts, they sought to learn the things 
 that should happen thereafter. And ever Dido 
 would company with ^neas, leading him about 
 the walls of the city which she builded. And 
 often she would begin to speak and stay in the 
 midst of her words. And when even was como, 
 she would hear again and again at the banquet 
 the tale of Troy, and while others slept would 
 watch, and while he was far away would seem to
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 65 
 
 see him and to hear him. Ascanius, too, she 
 would embrace for love of his father, if so she 
 might cheat her own heart. But the work of the 
 city was stayed meanwhile; nor did the towers 
 rise in their places, nor the youth practise them- 
 selves in arms. 
 
 Then Juno, seeing how it fared with the queen, 
 spake to Venus, " Are ye satisfied with your vic- 
 tory, thou and thy son, that ye have vanquished 
 the two of you one woman? Well I knew that 
 thou fearedst lest this Carthage should harm thy 
 favorite. But why should there be war between 
 us? Thou hast what thou seekedst. Let us make 
 alliance. Let Dido obey a Phrygian husband, 
 and bring the men of Tyre as her dowry." 
 
 But Venus knew that she spake with ill intent, 
 to the end that the men of Troy should not reign 
 in the land of Italy. Nevertheless she dissembled 
 with her tongue, and spake, " Who would not 
 rather have peace with thee than war? Only I 
 doubt whether this thing shall be to the pleasure 
 of Jupiter. This thou must learn, seeing that 
 thou art his wife, and where thou leadest I will 
 follow." 
 
 So the two, taking counsel together, ordered 
 things in this wise. The next day a great hunt- 
 ing was prepared. For as soon as ever the sun 
 was risen upon the earth, the youth of the city, 
 assembled, with nets and hunting spears and dogs 
 that ran by scent. And the princes of Carthage 
 waited for the queen at the palace door, where 
 
 5
 
 66 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 her horse stood champing the bit, with trappings 
 of purple and gold. And after a while she came 
 forth, with many following her. And she had 
 upon her a Sidonian mantle, with a border 
 wrought with divers colors; of gold was her 
 quiver, and of gold the knot of her hair, and of 
 gold the clasp to her mantle. yEneas likewise 
 came forth, beautiful as is Apollo when he 
 leaveth Lydia and the stream of Xanthus, com- 
 ing to Delos, and hath about his hair a wreath 
 of bay-leaves and a circlet of gold. So fair was 
 ^neas to see. And when the hunters came to 
 the hills they found great store of goats and stags, 
 which they chased. And of all the company 
 Ascanius was the foremost, thinking scorn of 
 such hunting, and wishing that a wild boar or a 
 lion out of the hills should come forth to be his 
 prey. 
 
 And now befell a great storm, with much 
 thunder and hail, from which the hunters sought 
 shelter. But ^Eneas and the queen, being left 
 of all their company, came together to the same 
 cave. And there they plighted their troth one to 
 another. Nor did the queen after that make 
 secret of her love, but called v'Eneas her husband. 
 
 Straightway went Rumor and told these things 
 through' the cities of Libya. Now Rumor, men 
 say, is the youngest daughter of Earth, a mar- 
 velous creature, moving very swiftly with feet and 
 wings, and having many feathers upon her, and 
 under every feather an eye and a tongue and a
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 67 
 
 mouth and an car. In the night she flieth be- 
 tween heaven and earth, and sleepeth not; and 
 in the day she sitteth on some housetop or lofty 
 tower, or spreadeth fear over mighty cities; and 
 she loveth that which is false even as she loveth that 
 which is true. So now she went telling through 
 Libya how ^Eneas of Troy was come, and Dido 
 was wedded to him, and how they lived careless 
 and at ease, and thinking not ef the work to 
 which they were called. 
 
 And first of all she went to Prince larbas, who 
 himself had sought Dido in marriage. And 
 larbas was very wroth when he heard it, and, 
 coming to the temple of Jupiter, spread his grief 
 before the god, how that he had given a place on 
 his coasts to this Dido, and would have taken her 
 to wife, but that she had married a stranger from 
 Phrygia, another Paris, whose dress and adorn- 
 ments were of a woman rather than of a man. 
 
 And Jupiter saw that this was so, and he said 
 to Mercury, who was his messenger, " Go speak 
 to ^neas these words : ' Thus saith the King of 
 Gods and men. Is this what thy mother promised 
 of thee, twice saving thee from the spear of the 
 Greeks? Art thou he that shall rule Italy and 
 its mighty men of war, and spread thy dominion 
 to the ends of the world? If thou thyself for- 
 gettest these things, dost thou grudge to thy son 
 the citadels of Rome? What doest thou here? 
 Why lookest thou not to Italy ? Depart and tarry 
 not!'
 
 68 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Then Mercury fitted the winged sandals to his 
 feet, and took the wand with which he driveth 
 the spirits of the dead, and came right soon to 
 Mount Atlas, which standeth bearing the heaven 
 on his head, and having alwa} r s clouds about his 
 top, and snow upon his shoulders, and a beard 
 that is stiff with ice. There Mercury stood awhile ; 
 then, as a bird which seeks its prey in the sea, 
 shot headlong down, and came to ^Eneas where 
 he stood, with a yellow jasper in his sword-hilt, 
 and a cloak of purple shot with gold about his 
 shoulders, and spake: "Buildest thou Carthage, 
 forgetting thine own work? The Almighty 
 Father saith to thee, ' What meanest thou ? Why 
 tarriest thou here? If thou carest not for thy- 
 self, yet think of thy son, and that the Fates 
 have given to him Italy and Rome.' " 
 
 And zEneas saw him no nore. And he stood 
 stricken with fear and doubt. Fain would he 
 obey the voice, and g3 as the Gods commanded. 
 But how should he tell this purpose to the queen ? 
 But at the last it seemed good to him to call 
 certain of the chiefs, as Mnestheus, and Sergestus, 
 and Antheus, and bid them make ready the ships 
 in silence, and gather together the people, but 
 dissemble the cause, and he himself would watch 
 a fitting time to speak and unfold the matter to 
 the queen. 
 
 Yet was not Dido deceived, for love is keen of 
 sight. Rumor also told her that they made ready 
 the ships for tailing. Then, flying through the
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 69 
 
 city, even as one on whom has come the frenzy 
 of Bacchus flies by night over Mount Cithaeron, 
 she came upon JEneas, and spake : " Thoughtest 
 thou to hide thy crime, and to depart in silence 
 from this land? Carest thou not for her whom 
 thou leavest to die? And hast thou no fear of 
 winter storms that vex the sea? By all that I 
 have done for thee and given thee, if there be 
 yet any place for repentance, repent thee of this 
 purpose. For thy sake I suffer the wrath of the 
 princes of Libya and of my own people; and if 
 thou leavest me, for what should I live? till 
 my brother overthrow my city, or larbas carry me 
 away captive? If but I had a little -^Eneas to 
 play in my halls I should not seem so altogether 
 desolate." 
 
 But ^Eneas, fearing the words of Jupiter, 
 stood with eyes that relented not. At the last 
 he spake : " I deny not, Queen, the benefits 
 that thou hast done unto me, nor ever, while I 
 live, shall I forget Dido. I sought not to fly by 
 stealth; yet did I never promise that I would 
 abide in this place. Could I have chosen accord- 
 ing to my will I had built again the city of Troy 
 where it stood; but the Gods command that I 
 should seek Italy. Thou hast thy Carthage: why 
 dost thou grudge Italy to us? Nor may I tarry. 
 Night after night have I seen my father Anchises 
 warning me in dreams. Also even now the mes- 
 senger of Jupiter came to me with these ears 
 I heard him and bade me depart."
 
 YO STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Then, in great wrath, with eyes askance, did 
 Dido break forth upon him : " Surely no goddess 
 was thy mother, nor art thou come of the race of 
 Dardanus. The rocks of Caucasus brought thee 
 forth, and an Hyrcanian tigress gave thee suck. 
 For why should I dissemble? Was he moved at 
 all my tears? Did he pity my love? Nay, 
 the very Gods are against me. This man I took 
 to myself when he was shipwrecked and ready to 
 perish. I brought back his ships, h's companions 
 from destruction. And now forsooth comes the 
 messenger of Jupiter with dreadful commands 
 from the Gods. As for thee, I keep thee not. 
 Go, seek thy Italy across the seas: only, if there 
 is any vengeance in heaven, thou wilt pay the 
 penalty for this wrong, being wrecked on some 
 irock in their midst. Then wilt thou call on 
 Dido in vain. Aye, .and wherever thou shalt go 
 T will haunt th'ee, and rejoice in the dwellings 
 below to hear thy doom." 
 
 Then she turned, and hasted to go into the 
 house. But her spirit left her, so that her 
 maidens bare her to her chamber and laid her 
 on her bed. 
 
 Then JEneas, though indeed he was much 
 troubled in heart, and would fain have com- 
 forted the queen, was obedient to the heavenly 
 word, and departed to his ships. And the men 
 of Troy busied themselves in making them, ready 
 for the voyage. Even as the ants spoil a great 
 heap of corn and store it in their dwellings against
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 71 
 
 winter, moving in a black line across the field, 
 and some carry the great grains, and some chide 
 those that linger, even so did the Trojans swarm 
 along the ways and labor at the work. 
 
 But when Dido saw it she called to Anna her 
 sister, and said, " Seest thou how they hasten the 
 work along the shore? Even now the sails are 
 ready for the winds, and the sailors have wreathed 
 the ships with garlands, as if for departure. Go 
 thou the deceiver always trusted thee, and thou 
 knowest how best to move him go and entreat 
 him. I harmed not him nor his people; let him 
 then grant me this only. Let him wait for a 
 fairer time for his journey. I ask not that he 
 give up his purpose; only that he grant me a 
 short breathing space, till I may learn how to 
 bear this sorrow." 
 
 And Anna hearkened to her sister, and took 
 the message to JEneas, yet profited nothing, for 
 the Gods shut his ears that he should not hear. 
 Even as an oak stands firm when the north wind 
 would root it up from the earth its leaves are 
 scattered all around, yet doth it remain firm, for 
 its roots go down to the regions below, even as 
 far as its branches reach to heaven so stood 
 /Eneas firm, and, though he wept many tears, 
 changed not his purpose. 
 
 Then did Dido grow weary of her life. For 
 when she did sacrifice, the pure water would 
 grow black and the wine be changed into blood. 
 Also from the shrine of her husband, which was
 
 72 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 in the midst of her palace, was heard a voice call- 
 ing her, and the owl cried aloud from the house- 
 top. And in her dreams the cruel Eneas seemed 
 to drive her before him; or she seemed to be 
 going a long way with none to bear her company, 
 and be seeking her own people in a land that 
 was desert. Therefore, hiding the thing that was 
 in her heart, she spake to her sister, saying, " I 
 have found a. way, my sister, that shall bring him 
 back to me or set me free from him. Near the 
 shore of the Great Sea, where the Ethiopians 
 dwell, is a priestess, who guards the temple of 
 the daughters of Hesperus, being wont to feed 
 the dragons that kept the apples of gold. She is 
 able by her charms to loose the heart from care 
 or to bind it, and to stay rivers also, and to turn 
 the courses of the stars, and to call up the spirits 
 of the dead. Do thou, therefore for this is 
 what the priestess commands build a pile in the 
 open court, and put thereon the sword which he 
 left hanging in our chamber, and the garments 
 he wore, and the couch on which he lay, even all 
 that was his, so that they may perish together." 
 And when these things were done for Anna 
 knew not of her purpose and also an image of 
 Eneas was laid upon the pile, the priestess, with 
 her hair unbound, called upon all the gods that 
 dwell below, sprinkling thereon water that was 
 drawn, she said, from the lake of Avernus, and 
 scattering evil herbs that had been cut at the full 
 moon with' a sickle of bronze. Dido also, with
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 73 
 
 one foot bare and her garments loosened, threw 
 meal upon the fire and called upon the Gods, if 
 haply there be any, that look upon those that love 
 and suffer wrong. 
 
 In the meantime ^Eneas lay asleep in the hind 
 part of his ship, when there appeared to him in 
 a dream the god Mercury, even as he had seen 
 him when he brought the commandment of 
 Jupiter. And Mercury spake, saying, " Son of 
 Venus, canst thou sleep? seest thou not what 
 perils surround thee, nor hearest how the favor- 
 able west wind calls? The queen purposes evil 
 against thee. If thou lingerest till the morning 
 come thou wilt see the shore covered with them 
 that wish thee harm. Fly, then, and tarry not; 
 for a woman is ever of many minds." 
 
 Then did ^neas in great fear start from his 
 sleep, and call his companions, saying, " Wake, 
 and sit on the benches, and loose the sails. 'Tis 
 a god thus bids us fly." And even as h'e spake 
 he cut the cable with his sword. And all hasted 
 to follow him, and sped over the sea. 
 
 And now it was morning, and Queen Dido, 
 from her watch-tower, saw the ships upon the sea. 
 Then she smote upon her breast and tore her hair, 
 and cried, " Shall this stranger mock us thus ? 
 Hasten to follow him. Bring down the ships 
 from the docks, make ready sword and fire. And 
 this was the man who bare upon his shoulders his 
 aged father! Why did I not tear him to pieces, 
 and slay his companions with the sword, and serve
 
 74: STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 up the young Ascanius at his meal ? And if I had 
 perished, what then ? for I die to-day. Sun, that 
 regardest all the earth and Juno, that carest for 
 marriage bonds, and Hecate, Queen of the dead, 
 and ye Furies that take vengeance on evildoers, 
 hear me. If it be ordered that he reach this land, 
 yet grant that he suffer many things from his 
 enemies, and be driven from his city, and beg for 
 help from strangers, and see his people cruelly 
 slain with the sword; and, when he shall have 
 made peace on ill conditions, that he enjoy not 
 long his kingdom, but die before his day, and lie 
 unburied on the plain. And ye, men of Tyre, 
 hate his children and his people for ever. Let 
 there be no love or peace between you. And may 
 some avenger arise from my grave who shall per- 
 secute the race of Dardanus with fire and sword. 
 So shall there be war for ever between him and 
 me." 
 
 Then she spake to old Barce, who had been 
 nurse to her husband Sichasus, " Bid my sister 
 bathe herself in water, and bring with her beasts 
 for sacrifice. And do thou also put a garland 
 about thy head, for I am minded to finish this 
 sacrifice which I have begun, and to burn the 
 image of the man of Troy." 
 
 And when the old woman made haste to do her 
 bidding, Queen Dido ran to the court where the 
 pile was made for the burning, and mounted on 
 the pile, and drew the sword of yEneas from the 
 scabbard. Then did she throw herself upon the
 
 THE LOVE AND DEATH OF DIDO. 75 
 
 bed, and cry, " Now do I yield up my life. I 
 have finished my course. I have built a mighty 
 city. I have avenged my husband on him that 
 slew him. Happy had I been, yea too happy! 
 had the ships cf Troy never come to this island." 
 Then she kissed the bed and cried, " Shall I die 
 unavenged? Nevertheless let me die. The man 
 of Troy shall see this fire from the sea whereon 
 he journeys, and carry with him an augury of 
 death." 
 
 And when her maidens looked, lo ! she had fal- 
 len upon the sword, and the blood was upon her 
 hands. And a great cry went up through the pal- 
 ace, exceeding loud and bitter, even as if the 
 enemy had taken Carthage or ancient Tyre, and 
 the fire were mounting over the dwellings of men 
 and of Gods. And Anna her sister heard it, and 
 rushing through the midst called her by name, " 
 my sister, was this th'y purpose? Were the pile 
 and the sword and the fire for this? Why 
 wouldst thou not suffer that I should die with 
 thee? For surely, my sister, thou hast slain thy- 
 self, and me, and thy people, and thy city. But 
 give me water, ye maidens, that I may wash her 
 wounds, and if there be any breath left in her, 
 we may yet stay it." 
 
 Then she climbed on to the pile, and caught 
 her sister in her arms, and sought to staunch the 
 blood with her garments. Three times did Dido 
 strive to raiee her eyes; three times did her spirit 
 leave her. Three times she would have raised her-
 
 76 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 self upon her elbow; three times she fell back 
 upon the bed, looking with wandering eyes for the 
 light, and groaning that she yet beheld it. 
 
 Then Juno, looking down from heaven, saw 
 that her pain was long, and pitied her, and sent 
 down Iris, her messenger, that she might loose 
 the soul that struggled to be free. For, seeing 
 that she died not by nature, nor yet by the hand 
 of man, but before her time and of her own mad- 
 ness, Queen Proserpine had not shred the ringlet 
 fronl her head which she shreds from them that 
 die. Wherefore Iris, flying down with dewy 
 wings from heaven, with a thousand colors 
 about her from the light of the sun, stood above 
 her head and said, " I give thee to death, even as 
 I am bidden, and loose thee from thy body/' 
 Then she shred the lock, and Queen Dido gave up 
 the ghost.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 
 
 Now were ^neas and the men of Troy far from 
 land. And looking back they saw a great light, 
 nor knew what it might be ; only they feared some 
 evil hap, knowing the rage that was in Dido's 
 heart, and what a woman in her madness may do. 
 And indeed the people of the queen were burning 
 her body on the pile which she had made. 
 
 But lo ! the sky grew dark overhead, and there 
 were signs as of a great storm. And Palinurus, 
 the pilot, cried from the stern, where he stood 
 with the rudder in his hand, " What mean these 
 clouds ? What doest thou, Father Neptune ? " 
 And he bade the men clear the decks and put out 
 the oars to row, and shift the sails to the wind. 
 Then he spake to ^Eneas, saying, " Italy we may 
 not hope to reach with this weather. No, not 
 though Jupiter himself promise it to us. But if 
 I remember me aright, the havens of Sicily are at 
 hand, wherefore let us turn our course thither." 
 
 And ./Eneas answered, " It is well : for I see 
 that the winds are contrary to us. And, of a 
 truth, there is no land whither I would more 
 gladly go, seeing that my father Anchises is 
 buried there." 
 
 77
 
 78 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Then they shifted their course, and let their 
 ships run before the wind, and so caine with much 
 speed to the land of Sicily. Now Acestes, who 
 was king of the land, was the son of a woman of 
 Troy, and, seeing them from a hill-top, he came 
 to meet them, having the skin of a lion on hU 
 shoulders and a javelin in his hand, and refreshed 
 them with food and drink. 
 
 The next day at dawn ^Eneas called the men of 
 Troy together, and spake, saying, " It is a full 
 year since we buried my father in this land, and 
 this, if I err not, is the very day: which I will 
 that we keep holy with festival; for such, indeed, 
 would I do were I wandering in the wilderness 
 of Africa or shut up in Mycenaa itself. 'Now, 
 therefore, seeing that we are in a land that is 
 friendly to us, let us keep it with' solemnity. And 
 let us vow also that we will keep it year by yeav 
 in the land of Italy, if so be that, having pros- 
 perous winds, we shall come thereunto. Likewise, 
 King Acestes gives to us oxen, for every ship two ; 
 wherefore make merry and rejoice. And if the 
 ninth day from this be fair, I will that there bo 
 games of running in a race, and of throwing the 
 javelin, and of shooting with the bow, and of box- 
 ing, and the like. And now make ready for the 
 sacrifice." 
 
 Then he put upon his head a wreath of his 
 mother's myrtle. And old Acestes did the like, 
 and the boy Ascanius, and the others. Then he 
 came near to the tomb of his father, and poured
 
 THE FUXERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 79 
 
 out two cups of wine and two of new milk, and 
 scattered flowers, and said, " Hail to thee, my 
 father, whom* the Gods suffered not to enter with 
 me into the land of Italy." 
 
 And even -as he spake there came forth a great 
 snake from the depth of the tomb. Seven coils 
 he had, and on his body were spots of blue and 
 gold, and as many colors as are the colors of the 
 rainbow in the clouds. And when ^Eneas stood 
 astonied, lo ! the snake passed between the altars 
 and tasted of the sacrifice' and of that which had 
 been poured out. And ^neas, doubting what this 
 might be, made fresh offerings, two sheep, and 
 two swine, and two black oxen, calling on the 
 spirit of Anchises. And the men of Troy also 
 brought gifts, and slew oxen for sacrifice, and 
 feasted on the flesh, roasting it with fire. 
 
 And now the ninth day was come, and the sky 
 was fair. Great was the concourse of people, for 
 the name of King Acestes was famous in the land. 
 Also many came to see the men of Troy, and some 
 to strive in the games. First were the prizes put 
 in the midst, three-footed tables for sacrifices, and 
 crowns, and palms, and weapons, and purple gar- 
 ments, and talents of gold and silver; and then 
 the trumpet sounded and called the people to- 
 gether. 
 
 And first of all was the race of ships. Four 
 were they that strove together, Mnestheus with the 
 Sea-Horse, and Gyas with the Chimsera, and Ser- 
 gestus with' the Centaur, and Cloanthus with the
 
 80 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Scylla. Now far out in the sea was a rock, which 
 is covered by the waves when the sea is rough, but 
 stands above them if it be calm, and upon it the 
 cormorants love to bask. Here did ^Eneas set a 
 young tree, a holm-oak, as a goal, that the ships 
 should round it and so return. First they cast 
 lots for places, and the captains stood upon the 
 sterns, in purple and gold, and the rowers had 
 garlands of honor about their heads and were 
 anointed with oil. Thus they sat upon the 
 benches, holding the oars for a stroke, and their 
 hearts beat high with hope. And when the 
 trumpet sounded each ship leapt from its place, 
 and the sea foamed with the strokes of many oars. 
 And all the people shouted aloud, having favor 
 for this or for that of the captains. And first of 
 all came Gyas with the Chimaera, and next to him 
 Cloanthus with the Scylla, for his men were in- 
 deed the stronger, but the ship more heavy. And 
 after the Scylla came the Sea-Horse and the Cen- 
 taur at equal speed, now this one being foremost 
 and now that. But when they were now come 
 near the rock, Gyas, being in the first place, cried 
 to his helmsman Mencetes, " Why goest tliou over- 
 much to the right ? Keep thou close to the rock. 
 Let others choose the sea if they will." But 
 Mencetes, fearing the hidden rocks, turned ever 
 the prow to the sea. Then a second time cried 
 Gyas, " Make for the rock, Mencetes." And as he 
 spake, the Scylla now came near, taking the inner 
 course between the rock and his ship, and passed
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 81 
 
 him by. Then was he greatly wroth and wept for 
 rage ; and laying hold of Mencetes he cast him into 
 the sea, and himself put his hand to the helm and 
 turned it to the rock. But Mencetes, being an old 
 man and weighed down with his garments, hardly 
 climbed upon the rock and sat thereon. Loud 
 laughed the men to see him fall, and swim, and 
 vomit the salt water from his mouth. But when 
 Mnestheus with the Sea-Horse, and Scrgestus 
 with the Centaur, saw what had befallen, they 
 hoped to pass the Chimasra in the race. Eagerly 
 strove the two together, and Mnestheus, seeing 
 that the Centaur wa/s yet before him in the race, 
 ran among his men as they rowed, crying, " my 
 friends whom I chose to be my comrades, quit ye 
 like men, even as ye did in the seas of Africa and 
 the Ionian waves. The first place I seek not, but 
 last I would not return." And the men strove 
 with all their might, bending forward to the 
 stroke. And even then chance gave them that 
 which they desired. For the Centaur, being 
 steered too close, struck on a jutting piece of the 
 rock, and the oars were broken, and the prow stuck 
 fast. And while the men, with poles and the 
 like, were thrusting her forth, Mnestheus with the 
 Sea-Horse had gained the open sea. And first 
 he overtakes Gyas in the Chimera, and vanquishes 
 it, .seeing that it had lost its helmsman. And 
 now only Cloanthus with the Scylla remains, and 
 upon him also he presses hard. Then did all the 
 people cry aloud, bidding Mnestheus make good 
 ri
 
 82 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 speed that he might take the first place. And the 
 one were loath to lo that which they had gained, 
 and the others having done much would do yet 
 more, and would give their lives so that they 
 might prevail. And now, perchance, had the two 
 been equal for the first prize, hut Cloanthus 
 stretched forth his hands to the sea and prayed 
 to the Gods that have power therein. " Gods of 
 the sea, wherein I hold my course, help me now, 
 so will I slay a milk-white bull at your altars, and 
 cast the entrails into the waves, and pour clear 
 wine therewith." And all the band of the Nereids 
 heard him, and the virgin Panopea ; and Portum- 
 nus himself with mighty hand drave the vessel 
 forward swifter than the south wind or an arrow 
 from the bow, so that it first totfched the shore. 
 Then a herald cried aloud that Cloanthus with the 
 Scylla had won the mastery in the race, and bound 
 a garland of bay about his head. Then to the 
 rowers ^Eneas gave three oxen, and jars of wine, 
 and a talent of silver; and to the captains gifts 
 for themselves; to the first a scarf broidcred with 
 gold with a double border of purple, and on it was 
 wrought the royal boy Ganymede, as he hunted 
 on Mount Ida. Eager was he, and as one that 
 panted in the chase; but on the other side the 
 eagle bare him away, and the old men that had 
 charge of him stretched out their hands and the 
 dogs barked fiercely to the sky. And to the sec- 
 ond ^Eneas gave a hauberk of chain-mail with 
 rings of gold, which he had himself taken from
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 83 
 
 Demoleon by the river of Simo'is. Scarce could 
 his two servants carry it, so heavy was it; yet 
 Demoleon had worn it, and chased the men of 
 Troy, running at full speed. And the third prize 
 was two cauldrons of bronze and cups of silver em- 
 bossed. But when all had departed rejoicing 
 with their gifts, lo! Sergestus came creeping 
 home with his ship, which he had scarce won from, 
 the rocks, disabled, with one tier of rowers, even 
 as a serpent which' a wheel has maimed upon the 
 road, which with his fore part lifts himself up 
 and threatens, but his hind part trails upon the 
 ground. So came Sergestus back to the haven, 
 and to him tineas gave also his reward, seeing 
 that he had brought back ship and crew, even a 
 woman of Crete, Pholoe by name, very skilful in 
 the work of the loom. 
 
 After this ^Eneas chose him out a level space, 
 with woods about it, and having sat down in the 
 midst upon a throne, caused it to be proclaimed 
 that all should come who would contend together 
 in running. And many came, both men of Troy 
 and Sicilians. First of all Euryalus, a comely 
 youth, and Nisus with him (now between these 
 two was great love) ; next, Diores, of the house of 
 Priam, then Salius and Patron, Greeks both of 
 them; and two young hunters, Helymus and 
 Panopes, who were of Sicily and of the court of 
 Acestes, and many others also. Then said yEnea?, 
 " To each will I give two javelins of Crete and an 
 ax ornamented with silver, so that none may de-
 
 84 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 part without a gift. Aiid the first three shall 
 have crowns of olive. Also to the first will 1 give 
 a horse with his furniture, and to the second a 
 quiver after the fashion of the Amazons, with ar- 
 rows of Thrace, and to fasten it a belt embossed 
 with gold, and a jewel for a clasp thereon. And 
 let the third take this helmet of Greece, and be 
 content." 
 
 Then, when they had ranged them in a line, and 
 the sign was given, they ran. And for a while all 
 were near together. Then ISasus outran the rest; 
 and next to him was Salius, but with a great 
 space between, and the third Euryalus ; and after 
 him Belymus, and Diores pressing close upon 
 him, even leaning over his shoulder and ready 
 to outrun him had the course been longer. And 
 now were they at the very end, when Nisus 
 slipped in the blood of an ox which chanced to 
 have been slain in the place, and kept not his feet, 
 but fell, fouling himself with blood and mire. 
 Yet did he not forget Euryalus whom he loved, 
 but lifted himself from the ground and tripped 
 Salius, so that he also rolled upon the earth. So 
 came Euryalus first to the post, and Helymus 
 next, and Diores the third. But Salius made loud 
 complaint to all the assembly, great and small, 
 that he had been vanquished by fraud; yet the 
 people favored Euryalus, for he was fair to look 
 iipon, and fairness ever commendeth virtue. Also 
 Diores was urgent, who else had not won the third 
 prize. Then said Father J^neus, "I change not
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 85 
 
 the order; as each reached the goal so shall each 
 take his prize. Yet may I pity him who suffered 
 wrongfully." And he gave to Salius the great 
 skin of an African lion, with shaggy hair and 
 claws covered with gold. Then said Nisus, " Yet, 
 if thou givest such prizes to the vanquished and 
 hast such pity on them that fall, what hast thou 
 for me? For surely I had won the first reward 
 but for the ill fortune which Salius also accuseth." 
 And he showed his face and body foul with mire. 
 And the kindly prince laughed, and gave him a 
 shield, the work of Didyrnaon.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES (CONTINUED). 
 
 THEN did ^Eneas offer rewards for boxers: for 
 the conqueror an ox with gilded horns; for the 
 vanquished a sword and helmet. Straightway 
 rose up the huge Dares, who only had daxed to 
 stand in the lists against Prince Paris, and also at 
 the funeral games of Hector had vanquished 
 Butes, hurting him so sore that he died. (This 
 Butes, was of the race of Amycus, the great boxer 
 whom Pollux slew, and no man had stood before 
 him.) But when they saw the broad shonilders of 
 the man and his might there was not found one 
 to contend with him. Therefore Dares came near 
 to ^neas, and, laying his left hand on the horns 
 of the ox, spake, saying, " If there be no man to 
 stand against me, why do I tarry ? Bid them bring 
 the prize." Thereupon Acestes rebuked Entellus, 
 who sat near him upon the grass : " Sufferest thou 
 such gifts to be taken without contest? What of 
 Eryx, thy master ? What of thy fame, which hath 
 gone through all the knd of Sicily, and the spoils 
 that hang in thy house ? " 
 
 Then said Entellus, "Think not, Acestes, that 
 I am fearful, or careless of honor. But I am 
 86
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 87 
 
 old: my strength is gone from me. Were I young, 
 as that boaster yonder, I had not waited for gifts 
 that I should go forth to the battle/' 
 
 Then cast he into the midst two gauntlets 
 which Eryx, the great boxer, had been wont to 
 wear. And all men marvelled to see them, so 
 huge were they, and heavy with bull's hide and 
 lead and iron. And Dares stood astonied, nor 
 would stand against such arms. And when 
 ^Eneas regarded them and tried their weight, En- 
 tellus spake, saying, " What had the man of Troy 
 said had he seen the gauntlets of Hercules himself, 
 and the dreadful battle that befell on this very 
 shore? These gauntlets Eryx, who was my 
 mother's son, was wont to wear: thou seest them 
 stained yet with blood and brains, and I also was 
 wont to wear them in the days of my youth. But 
 if Dares liketh them not, be it so; I put them 
 away, and he shall do the like with his." 
 
 Then he threw his garment from his shoulders, 
 showing his mighty arms and sinews. And 
 ^Eneas gave the two equal gauntlets, and they 
 stood with heads thrown back, and began the bat- 
 tle. Dares indeed was swifter to move, and vig- 
 orous, and young; and Entellus was huge of 
 stature, but slow and scant of breath. Many blows 
 they aimed at each other: many times one smote 
 the other on his breast or his cheek, but struck 
 not home. And ever Entellus abode in the same 
 place, swaying himself hither and thither with 
 watchful eyes. But Dares was as ono who be-
 
 >> STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 sieges a city or a fort on the hills, and tries now 
 this approach, now that, and searches out all the 
 place, and assails it in many ways. But at the 
 last Entellus lifted his right hand and dealt a 
 mighty blow, which the other, foreseeing it as it 
 fell, avoided; so that the old man wasted his 
 strength in air, and fell with a great crash to the 
 earth, even as falls a pine torn up by the roots on 
 Mount Erymanthus or Mount Ida. Then the 
 men of Troy and the men of Sicily rose up from 
 their places to see the thing ; Acestes also ran for- 
 ward and lifted up the old man from the earth 
 and would have comforted him. But he went 
 back in great wrath to the battle, anger and shame 
 stirring him up. And Dares fled before him over 
 the plain, and he followed him, smiting him now 
 with the right hand, now with the left, and his 
 blows were as the hail that rattles upon the roof. 
 But ^Eneas bade him stay his anger, and spake 
 kindly to Dares, bidding him cease from the bat- 
 tle. " Seest thou not that this day the victory is 
 another's, and that the Gods are against thee? 
 Fight not against the Gods." Then he com- 
 manded that the battle should cease. And the 
 companions of Dares led him to the ships, scarcely 
 dragging his legs, and vomiting thick blood from 
 his mouth, and teeth in the blood. Also they took 
 the shield and helmet which were his reward, but 
 the palm-branch and the ox they left to Entellus. 
 Then said the conqueror, " See, son of the goddess, 
 and ye men of Troy, what strength dwelt in this
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHISES. 89 
 
 body while I was yet young, and from what a death 
 ye have saved this Dares.*' Then stood he over 
 against the ox and smote it with his gauntlet be- 
 tween the horns. And it fell dead upon the earth. 
 And Entellus cried aloud, " Eryx, I offer thee 
 this life for the life of Dares, being indeed the 
 better for the worse. And I lay aside these gaunt- 
 lets and this art." 
 
 Xext -<Eneas called for those who would shoot 
 with the bow, setting up a mast from the ship of 
 Sergestus, and fastening thereto a dove by a cord, 
 at which mark were all to shoot. Then came the 
 men together and cast lots, drawing them from 
 the helmet. And first came Hippocoon, son of 
 Hyrtacus; and next to him Mjiestheus; and third 
 Eurytion, brother of Pandarus, who broke the 
 treaty between the men of Troy and the Greeks, 
 shooting his arrow at Menelaiis; but the lot of 
 Acests lingered in the helmet and le?pt not forth. 
 Then first Hippocoon drew his bow and smote the 
 mast so that it shook, and the bird fluttered his 
 wings in fear; and next Mnestheus shot his ar- 
 row, and the bird he touched not, but the string 
 which bound it he cut ; and Eurytion let fly, call- 
 ing the while on his brother Pandarus, the mighty 
 archer, to help him, and smote the dove as she 
 flew rejoicing through the air, so that she fell to 
 the earth and the arrow in her body. And only 
 Acestes was left, not having whereat he should 
 aim; yet shot he into the air, for he would show 
 his skill and the might of his bow. Then lo! a
 
 90 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 marvel befel, whereof in after days men knew the 
 fulfilment ; for the arrow burned as it sped through 
 the air, leaving a line of fire, till it was altogether 
 consumed, even as a star that shoots across the 
 sky by night. And men marveled to see it, and 
 prayed to the Gods that it might be well. Then 
 great .^Eneas refused not the omen, but embraced 
 Acestes and gave him many gifts, saying, " Take 
 these gifts, my father, for Jupiter willeth that 
 thou shouldest have especial honor in this thing. 
 I give thee, therefore, this bowl embossed with 
 figures of men. Old Anchises had it, and to him 
 Cisseus, who was the father of Queen Hecuba, 
 gave it." Also he put a crown of bay upon his 
 head. Nor did the good Eurytion murmur, 
 though he had slain the bird; the others also had 
 their gifts and were content. 
 
 Not even now was the assembly dismissed, there 
 remaining yet another sight to behold. For As- 
 canius and the youths that were his companions 
 came riding on horses, and each had a wreath 
 about his head. Each also had two javelins of 
 cornel wood, and some had quivers on their shoul- 
 ders, and each a collar of gold that lay on the 
 top of his breast. Three companies they were, 
 and to each a leader and twelve that followed. 
 And one of the leaders wasPriamus,son of Polite 3, 
 called by the name of his grandfather, on a horse 
 that was black, with pasterns of white and forehead 
 of white ; and another Atys, whom Ascanius loved ; 
 and third, fairest of all to behold, Ascanius, on a
 
 THE FUNERAL GAMES OF ANCHTSES. 91 
 
 horse of Sidon, which Queen Dido had given him ; 
 but to the rest Acestes had given horses of Sicily. 
 And when these came forth there was much 
 shouting and clapping of hands, and the men of 
 Troy rejoiced to see the lads, so like were they to 
 the famous men their fathers. Then, a signal 
 being given, the companies were divided into 
 bands, and these made as if they fought a battle. 
 For sometimes they would fly, and sometimes 
 would pursue, and sometimes would ride alto- 
 gether this way or that. Many were their ways 
 and movements, even as are the paths of the Laby- 
 rinth in Crete. Swift also were they and nimble, 
 even as dolphins which sport among the waves in 
 the Carpathian Sea or African. This custom did 
 Ascanius teach to his people when he built the city 
 of Alba, and the men of Alba taught it to their 
 children after them, and mighty Rome learnt it 
 also, and kept it in the time to come.
 
 CHAPTEK XII. 
 
 THE BURNING OF THE SHIPS THE VOYAGE TO 
 ITALY. 
 
 BUT while the men of Troy were busy with 
 the games, Juno prepared mischief against them 
 in her heart, and sent down Iris, her messenger, 
 to accomplish it. Now the women sat apart on 
 the shore, and lifted up their voices and bewailed 
 the old man Anchises. But when they looked 
 upon the sea they lamented for themselves that 
 they had so much travel to accomplish, for they 
 were weary of the sea, and would fain have a 
 city to dwell in. Which when Iris perceived, lay- 
 ing aside the semblance of a goddess, she took 
 upon herself the form of Beroe, the wife of Dory- 
 clus, and went among the women of Troy and 
 spake, saying, " unhappy, that ye were not 
 dragged to death by the hands of the Greeks! 
 For now the seventh summer is come, and yet 
 we journey over many lands and seas and seek 
 this Italy which ever flies before us. Here we 
 have friends and kindred. What forbids that we 
 build here a city? Shall I never see the walls 
 of another Troy, nor find Xanthus and Simoi's, 
 rivers of Troy, in a strange laud? Why burn we 
 
 09
 
 THE BURNING OF THE SHIPS. 93 
 
 not these accursed ships that carry us hither and 
 thither? I saw in a dream the seeress Cassandra, 
 and she seemed to put a torch in my hand, and 
 to say, ' Here seek ye for Troy ; here is your 
 home.' And lo! here are altars and fire." 
 
 Then she caught a brand from an altar, and 
 cast it far from her at the ships. Then cried 
 out Pyrgo, who had been nurse to the sons of 
 Priam, " mothers of Troy, this is not Beroe 
 whom ye see. Mark ye her shining eyes, and her 
 voice, and her gait. But as for Beroe I left her 
 long since, sick and sore vexed that she was ab- 
 sent this day from our solemnity." 
 
 And for a while the women stood in doubt re- 
 garding the ships, loving indeed the land where- 
 on they stood, yet knowing that the Fates called 
 them, to another. But when the goddess rose on 
 her wings, and passed up by the path of the 
 rainbow in the heavens, then a great fury fell 
 upon them, so that they caught brands from the 
 altars and set fire to the ships. And straightway 
 the flames ran over the benches and the oars and 
 the stems of painted pine. Then ran Eumelus 
 to the men of Troy where they sat at the games, 
 and told them how the ships were burning; also 
 they themselves saw the black cloud of smoke 
 rolling before the wind. And Ascanius, in the 
 midst of his horsemanship, heard the matter and 
 sped to the camp. And being come he cried aloud, 
 " What madness is this ? Ye burn not the camp 
 of the Greeks, ye burn our own hopes. Lo! I
 
 94 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 am your Xscanius." And he threw his helmet 
 on the ground, that they should know him. Also 
 ^Eneas and the men of Troy made haste to come 
 up. Then were the women ashamed of that which 
 they had done, and would have hidden themselves, 
 their fury being past. But not the more did the 
 flame cease to devour the ships; and they who 
 would have quenched the fire availed nothing. 
 Then the pious ^Eneas rent his garments and 
 prayed to the Gods, saying, " Jupiter, if thou 
 dost not altogether hate us, save our ships from 
 the fire, and suffer us not to perish utterly; but 
 if thou art angry, and so it seem good to th'ee, 
 slay me with thy thunderbolt." 
 
 And even as he spake there came up a great 
 storm from the south, with thunder and lightning 
 and a great rain, and the fire was quenched, but 
 of the ships four were burnt altogether. 
 
 Now ^Eneas was sore troubled at these things, 
 and doubted much whether he should still abide 
 in the land of Sicily nor heed the Fates, or should 
 yet follow after Italy. Then the old man, N"autes, 
 the priest of Pallas, in whom more than in all 
 men besides dwelt the wisdom of the goddess, 
 spake to him, saying, " Son of the goddess, it 
 must needs be that we go whither the Gods call 
 us. Yet mayest thou devise something for this 
 present necessity, taking counsel with King 
 Accstes, seeing that he also is a son of Troy. 
 For now, four ships being burned, the people are 
 over many for such as are left to us; some also
 
 THE BURNING OF THE SHIPS. 95 
 
 faint at this thing that we purpose; also there 
 are old men and women wearied of the sea, and 
 the weak and the fearful. Suffer, then, that he 
 take these to himself to be his people and build 
 a city for them, and call it Acesta, after his own 
 name." 
 
 And while ^Eneas thought on these things he 
 slept. And lo! in his dream there came to him 
 his father, Anchises, and spake, saying, " I come, 
 my son, at the bidding of Jupiter. Take thou 
 heed to the counsel which Nautes giveth thee, 
 for it is good. Let the chosen youth of thy peo- 
 ple go with thee, for thou hast a mighty people 
 and a fierce in Latium with whom to do battle. 
 But first must thou seek the dwellings of the dead 
 and hold converse with me. For indeed I dwell 
 not in Tartarus, with the evil-doers, but in Ely- 
 sium, with the companies of the blessed. And 
 thither shall the Sibyl guide thee, and thou shalt 
 learn all that shall befall thee and thy people 
 after this. And now farewell, for the morning 
 cometh, and I must depart." 
 
 And the spirit of Anchises vanished out of his 
 sight, even as smoke into the air, nor heeded him 
 when he would have stayed it; and ^Eneas arose 
 and did sacrifice to the household gods and to 
 Vesta. Then he took counsel with his compan- 
 ions and with Acestes. And Acestes hearkened 
 to his words. And they separated such' as would 
 tarry in the place, both men and women; but the 
 others, few in number indeed, but strong and of
 
 96 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 a good courage, made ready the ships to depart. 
 And in the meantime ./Eneas marked the bound- 
 aries of the city with a plowshare, and Acestes 
 set it in order with laws and government. Also 
 on the mountain of Eryx they built a temple to 
 Venus, and they consecrated a grove and a priest 
 at the tomb of Anchises. 
 
 Then for nine days they feasted; and after, 
 for it was fine weather, and the south wind blew 
 softly, they made ready to sail. There was then 
 a great weeping and embracing on the shore; and 
 now were all fain to go, willing not to be parted 
 from kindred and friends. But ^Eneas comforted 
 them, and, having sacrificed three calves to Eryx 
 and a lamb to the Storms, so departed. 
 
 And Venus spake to Neptune, saying, " It 
 troubleth me sore that Juno will not lay aside 
 her wrath. For the city of Troy she overthrew, 
 and, it being overthrown, she pursueth them that 
 are left with hatred that cannot be appeased; and 
 now I fear me much what she may do, for she 
 stirred up ^Eolus that he loosed all the winds 
 against them; and even now she put into the 
 hearts of the women this great madness that they 
 should burn the ships. Wherefore I pray thee 
 that thou shouldst give them now a safe voyage 
 to Italy." And the King of the sea made answer, 
 " Thou doest well to put thy trust in my realms 
 and me. For both have I stilled the madness of 
 the sea and also on the land have I taken thought 
 for thy /Eneas. Mindest thou not the day when
 
 THE VOYAGE TO ITALY. 97 
 
 Achilles pursued the men of Troy to their city, 
 and filled the rivers with dead bodies, so that 
 Xanthus could not make his way to the sea, and 
 how ^Eneas would have met him in battle, being 
 weaker, and I snatched him away in a cloud, yea 
 though I desired from my heart to overthrow the 
 city of Troy, even the works of my own hands? 
 Fear not, therefore: he shall come safe to the 
 haven of Avernus. One only of his company 
 must perish, even one life for many." 
 
 Then did he pass over the sea in his chariot, 
 and there was a great calm as he went, and the 
 clouds flew from the sky, and the great beasts 
 of the sea went with him; also the gods and god- 
 desses of the sea, as Glaucus and Pala3mon, and 
 the company of the Tritons and Thetis and the 
 virgin Panopea. 
 
 And the men of Troy loosed the sheets, and 
 spread all the sails to the wind; and the fore- 
 most of the fleet was the ship of ^Eneas, Palin- 
 urus being the helmsman. And in the night Sleep 
 came down from the sky, and taking the shape 
 of Phorbas, spake to Palinurus, saying, " All 
 things are quiet; rest awhile: it is the hour of 
 rest. I will take thy office for thee." But Paliu- 
 urus, scarce lifting his eyes, made answer : " Dost 
 thou bid me trust calm seas and gentle winds? 
 Not so. Too often have I been deceived." Nor 
 did he loose his hold upon the rudder, or take 
 his eyes from the stars. Then did Sleep wave 
 over him a bough that had been dipped in the
 
 98 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 water of Lethe; and when he slept, as he must 
 needs do, thrust him into the sea and a portion 
 of the rudder with him; and he fell, calling 
 vainly for help. 
 
 And when the ships were close to the rocks of 
 the Sirens, which in old time were white with 
 bones of men, but now with spray and broken 
 waves, yEneas perceived that the ship strayed 
 from its course. For indeed, seeing that the 
 helmsman had perished, the winds and the waves 
 had their will of it. Then did he lay hold on 
 the rudder himself, but it grieved him much that 
 such mischance had befallen his friend.
 
 THE Cl'MKAN SlIlYL. 
 
 Michael Angela. Sistine Chapel.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE SIBYL. 
 
 So ^Eneas came to the land of Italy, nigh 
 unto Cumae, which was the dwelling-place of the 
 Sibyl. And the men turned the forepart of the 
 ships to the sea, and made them fast with an- 
 chors. Then they leapt forth upon the shore, 
 and kindled a fire; and some cut wood in the 
 forest, or fetched water from the stream. But 
 -^Eneas went up to the great cave of the Sibyl, 
 where, by the inspiration of Apollo, she fore- 
 telleth things to come. 
 
 Now the temple was a marvelous place to look 
 upon. For Dadalus, when he fled from Minos, 
 King of Crete, flying through the air upon wings, 
 came northwards to the land of Cumae, and tar- 
 ried there. Also he dedicated his wings in the 
 temple. On the doors thereof was set forth, 
 graven in stone, the death of Androgeos, and the 
 men of Attica choosing by lot seven of their chil- 
 dren who should be given as a ransom yearly; 
 and, rising from the sea upon the other side, the 
 land of Crete. Likewise the Labyrinth was there 
 and its winding ways; but Icarus they saw not, 
 for when his father would have wrought the man- 
 
 99
 
 100 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 ner of his death in gold his hands failed him: 
 twice he strove and twice they failed. And when 
 vEneas would have looked further, the priestess 
 said, " Linger not with these things, but slay 
 forthwith' seven bullocks from the herd, and seven 
 sheep duly chosen out of the flock.'' And when 
 they came to the cave now there are a hundred 
 doors, and a voice cometh forth from each the 
 Sibyl cried, " It is time. Lo ! the god, the god ! " 
 And even as she spake her look was changed and 
 the color of her face; also her hair was loosened, 
 and her breast panted, and she waxed greater 
 than is the stature of a man. Then she cued, 
 " Delayest thou to pray, ^Eneas of Troy ? delayest 
 thou ? for the doors open not but to prayer." Nor 
 said she more. Then ./Eneas prayed, saying, " 
 Phoebus, who didst always pity the sorrows of 
 Troy, and didst guide the arrow of Paris that it 
 slew the great Achilles, I have followed thy bid- 
 ding, journeying over many lands, and now I lay 
 hold on this shore of Italy, which ever seemed 
 to fly before me. Grant thou that our ill fortune 
 follow us no more. And all ye Gods and God- 
 desses who loved not Troy, be merciful to us. 
 And thou, Prophetess, give, if it may be, such 
 answer as I would hear. So will I and my peo- 
 ple honor thee forever. And write it not, I pray 
 thee, upon leaves, lest the winds carry them away, 
 but speak with thy voice." 
 
 And for awhile the prophetess strove against 
 the spirit; but at the last it mastered her, and
 
 THE SIBYL. 101 
 
 the doors flew open, and she spake, saying, " The 
 perils of the sea thou hast escaped, but there 
 await thee yet worse perils upon the land. The 
 men of Troy shall come to the kingdom of 
 Lavinium. Fear not for that; yet will they fain 
 not have come. I see battles, and the Tiber 
 loaming with blood, and a new Xanthus and 
 Simois, and another Achilles, himself also god- 
 dess-born. Juno also shall be ever against thee. 
 And thou shalt be a suppliant to many cities. 
 And the cause of all these woes shall be again a 
 woman. Only yield not thou, but go ever more 
 boldly when occasion shall serve. Little thinkest 
 thou that thy first succor shall be from a city of 
 the Greeks." 
 
 And when she had ended these words, ^Eneas 
 made answer: "0 Lady, no toil or peril shall 
 take me unawares; for I have thought over all 
 things in my heart. But one thing I ask of thee. 
 Here is the door of the dwellings of the dead. 
 Fain would I pass thereby, that I may visit my 
 father. I carried him on my shoulders out of 
 the fires of Troy, and with me he endured many 
 things by land and sea, more than befitted his 
 old age. Likewise he bade me ask this boon of 
 thee. Do thou therefore pity both father and 
 son, for thou hast the power, if only thou wilt. 
 Did not Orpheus bring back his wife from the 
 dead, having his harp only? Also Pollux goeth 
 many times this same path, redeeming his brother 
 from death. And why should I tell of Theseus
 
 102 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 and Hercules? And I also am of the lineage of 
 Jupiter." 
 
 Then the Sibyl spake, saying, " Son of An- 
 chises, it is easy to go down to hell. The door is 
 open day and night. But to return, and struggle 
 to the upper air, that is the labor. Few only 
 have done it, and these of the lineage of the Gods 
 and dear to Jupiter. Yet if thou wilt attempt 
 it, hearken unto me. There lieth hid in the 
 forest a bough of gold which is sacred to the 
 Queen of hell. Nor may any man go on this 
 journey till he have plucked it, for the Queen 
 will have it as a gift for herself. And when the 
 bough is plucked, there ever groweth another; 
 and if it be the pleasure of the Gods that thou 
 go, it will yield to thy hand. But know that 
 one of thy companions lieth dead upon the shore. 
 First must thou bury him, and after offer due 
 sacrifice, even black sheep. So shalt thou approach 
 the dwellings of the dead." 
 
 Then ^Eneas departed from, the cave, and 
 Achates went with him, and much' they won- 
 dered who it might be that was dead. And when 
 they came to the shore, lo ! Misenus lay there, 
 than whom no man was more skilful to call men 
 to battle with the voice of the trumpet. Hector's 
 companion he had been in old time, and then 
 followed ^Eneas. And now, blowing his trumpet 
 on the shore, he had challenged the gods of the 
 sea to compare with hinT; wherefore a Triton 
 caught him and plunged him into the sea, so
 
 THE SIBYL. 103 
 
 that he died. Then did JEneas and his com- 
 panions prepare for the burial, cutting ilex and 
 oak and mountain-ash from the wood. But when 
 /Eneas beheld the forest, how vast it was, he said, 
 " Now may the Gods grant that in this great 
 forest the bough of gold discover itself." And 
 as he spake, lo! two doves flew before his face, 
 and settled on the grass, and he knew them to 
 be the birds of his mother, and cried, saying, 
 " Guide me now to the Bough of gold, and thou 
 my mother help me as before." Then the birds 
 flew so that he could still see them with his eyes, 
 and he followed after them. But when they came 
 to the mouth of Avernus, they sat both of them 
 on the tree. And lo ! the bough of gold glittered 
 among the branches and rustled in the wind. 
 Right gladly did /Eneas break it off, and carry 
 it to the dwelling of the Sibyl. 
 
 In the meantime the men of Troy made a great 
 burial for Misenus on the shore, building a pile 
 of wood, and washing and anointing the body. 
 Also they laid the body on a bier, and on it the 
 garments which he had worn being yet alive. 
 Then others, with faces turned away, held a 
 torch to the wood, whereon also were burnt in- 
 cense and offerings of oil. And when the burn- 
 ing was ended they quenched the ashes with wine. 
 And Corynseus gathered the bones into an urn of 
 bronze, and purified the people, sprinkling them 
 with water with a bough of an olive-tree. Then 
 ^Eneas made a great mound, and put thereon the
 
 104 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 trumpet of the man and his bow; and the moun- 
 tain is called Misenus, after him, to this day. 
 
 But when the burial was ended he did as the 
 Sibyl had commanded. A great cavern there is, 
 from which cometh so evil a stench that no bird 
 may fly across. There they brought four black 
 oxen, and the priestess poured wine upon their 
 heads and cut hairs from between the horns. 
 And when they had burned these they slew the 
 oxen, holding dishes for the blood. And ^neas 
 offered a black lamb to the Furies and a barren 
 heifer to the Queen of hell, smiting them with 
 his sword. Then they burned the entrails with 
 fire, pouring oil upon them. Then did the ground 
 give a hollow sound beneath them, and the dogs 
 howled, for the goddess was at hand. And the 
 priestess cried, "Go ye who may not take part 
 in this matter. And thou, ^Eneas, draw thy 
 sword from its sheath and follow. Xow hast 
 thou need of all thy strength and courage." 
 Then she plunged into the cave, and ^Eneas went 
 with her.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. 
 
 So they went together through the land of 
 shadows, like unto men who walk through a 
 wood in a doubtful light, when the moon indeed 
 hath risen, but there are clouds over the sky. 
 And first they came to where, in front of the 
 gates of hell, dwell Sorrow and Remorse, and 
 pale Disease and Fear, and Hunger that tempteth 
 men to sin, and Want, and Death, and Toil, and 
 Slumber, that is Death's kinsman, and deadly 
 War; also they saw the chambers of the Furies, 
 and Discord, whose hair is of snakes that drip 
 with' blood. And in this region there is an an- 
 cient elm, in the boughs whereof dwell all man- 
 ner of dreams, and shapes of evil monsters, as 
 many as have been, such as were the Centaurs, 
 half man, half horse, and Briareus with the hun- 
 dred hands, and others also. These ^neas, when 
 he saw them, sought to slay, rushing upon them 
 with the sword, but his guide warned him that 
 they were shadows only. 
 
 After this they came to the river of hell, where- 
 on plies the Boatman Charon. A long white 
 beard hath he and unkempt; and his eyes are 
 
 105
 
 106 S10UIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 fixed in a fiery stare, and a scarf is knotted upon 
 his shoulder, as is a pilot's wont. An old man 
 he seemeth to be, but hale and ruddy. Now 
 there was ever rushing to the bank a great crowd, 
 wives and mothers, and valiant men of war, boys, 
 and girls dead before they were given in mar- 
 riage, and young men laid on the funeral pile 
 before their parents' eyes. Thick they were as 
 the leaves that fall to the earth at the first frost 
 of autumn, or as the swallows, when they gather 
 themselves together, making ready to fly across 
 the sea to the lands of the sun. And of the.-e 
 Charon would take some into his boat; but others 
 he would forbid, and drive from the shore. This 
 when ^Eneas saw, he marveled, and said, " 
 Lady, what meaneth this concourse at the river? 
 What seek these souls? Why be some driven 
 from the bank and some ferried across?" 
 
 And the Sibyl made answer: "This river that 
 thou seest is the Styx, by which the Gods in 
 heaven swear, and fear to break their oath. Those 
 whom thou seest to be driven from the bank are 
 such as have lacked burial, but those who are 
 ferried across have been buried duly; for none 
 pass this stream till their bodies have been laid 
 in the grave, otherwise they wander for a hun- 
 dred years, and so at last may cross over." 
 
 Much did ^Eneas pity their ill fortune, and the 
 more when he beheld Orontes and his Ly clans 
 whom the sea had swallowed up alive before his 
 eyes. Here likewise there met him his pilot
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. 107 
 
 Palinurus, to whom, when he knew him, for in- 
 deed he scarce could see him in the darkness, he 
 said, " What god took thee from us and drowned 
 thee in the sea? Surely, in this one matter, 
 Apollo hath deceived me, sayiug that thou 
 shouldst escape the sea and come to the land of 
 Italy." 
 
 Then answered Palinurus, " Xot so, great 
 ^Eneas. For indeed to the land of Italy I came. 
 Three nights the south wind carried me over the 
 sea, and on the fourth day I saw the land of 
 Italy from the top of a wave. And when I swam 
 to the shore, and was now clinging to the rocks, 
 my garments being heavy with water, the savage 
 people came upon me, and took me for a prey, 
 and slew me. And now the winds and waves 
 bear me about as they will. Wherefore I pray 
 thee, by thy father, and lulus, the hope of thy 
 house, that thou deliver me from these woes. Go, 
 therefore, I beseech thee, to the haven of Velia, 
 and cast earth upon me for burial; or give me 
 now thy hand, and take me with thee across this 
 river." 
 
 Then said the priestess, " Palinurus, what 
 madness is this? Wilt thou without due burial 
 cross the river, and look upon the awful faces 
 of the Furies? Think not that the Fates can be 
 changed by prayers. Yet hear this, and be com- 
 forted. They that slew thee, being sore troubled 
 by many plagues, shall make due expiation to 
 thee, and build a tomb, and make offerings there-
 
 108 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 on year by year; and the place where they slew 
 thee shall be called after thy name." 
 
 Then he took comfort and departed. But 
 when they came near to the river, the Boatman 
 beheld them, and cried, " Stay thou, whoever 
 thou art, that comest armed to this river, and 
 tell me what thou seekest. This is the land of 
 Shadows, of Sleep, and of Night. The living 
 may not be ferried in this boat. An evil day it 
 was when I carried Hercules, and Theseus, and 
 Pirithoiis, though they were children of the Gods. 
 For Hercules chained the Watch-dog of hell, and 
 dragged him trembling from his master's seat. 
 And Theseus and his friend sought to carry away 
 the Queen even from the chamber of her hus- 
 band." 
 
 Then the Sibyl made answer : " Be not 
 troubled. We come not hither with evil thoughts. 
 Let the Watch-dog of hell make the pale ghosts 
 afraid; let your Queen abide in her husband's 
 palace; we will not harm them. ^Eneas of Troy 
 cometh down to hell that he may speak with his 
 father. And if thou takest no account of such 
 piety, yet thou wilt know this token." 
 
 And she showed him the bough of gold. And 
 when lie saw it he laid aside his anger, rejoicing 
 to behold, now after many years, the marvelous 
 gift. Then he brought near his boat to the bank, 
 and drave out the souls that were therein; and 
 took on board ^neas and the priestess. Much 
 did it groan with the weight, and the water
 
 TIIHKK FATES. 
 Michael Angela. 1'itti (lallery, Florence
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. 109 
 
 poured apace through the seams thereof. Yet did 
 they come safe across. 
 
 Then they saw Cerberus, the Watch-dog, ill his 
 cave. And to him the Sibyl gave a cake of honey 
 and poppy-seed, causing sleep. And this he 
 swallowed, opening wide his three ravenous 
 mouths, and straightway stretched himself out 
 asleep across the cave. 
 
 After this they heard a great wailing of in- 
 fants, even the voices of such as are taken away 
 before they have had lot or part in life. And 
 near to these were such as have died by false ac- 
 cusation; 'yet lack they not justice, for Minos 
 trieth their cause. And yet beyond, they that, 
 being guiltless, have laid hands upon themselves. 
 Fain would they now endure hardships, being yet 
 alive, but may not, for the river keeps them in 
 with his unlovely stream as in a prison. Not 
 far from these are the Mourning Fields, where 
 dwell the souls of those that have died of love, 
 as Procris, whom Cephalus slew in error, and 
 Laodamia, who died of grief for her husband. 
 And among these was Dido, fresh from the wound 
 wherewith she slew herself. And when ^Eneas 
 saw her darkly through the shadows, even as one 
 who sees, or thinketh that he sees, the new moon 
 lately risen, he wept, and said, " Dido, it was 
 truth, then, that they told me, saying that thou 
 hadst slain thyself with the sword. Tell me, 
 was I the cause of thy death? Loath was I, 
 Queen I swear it by all that is most holy in
 
 110 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 heaven or hell to leave thy land. But the Gods, 
 at whose bidding I come hither this day, con- 
 strained me; nor did I think that thou wouldst 
 take such sorrow from my departure. But stay; 
 depart not; for never again may I speak to thee 
 but this once only." 
 
 So he spake, and would fain have appeased her 
 wrath. But she cast her eyes to the ground, and 
 her heart was hard against him, even as a rock. 
 And she departed into a grove that was hard by, 
 wherein was her first husband, Sicha?us, who 
 loved her even as he was loved. After this they 
 came to the land where the heroes dwell. And 
 there they saw Tydeus, who died before Thebes; 
 and Adrastus, and also many men of Troy, as 
 the three sons of Antenor, and Idsus, who was 
 the armor-bearer of King Priam, and bare the 
 arms and drave the chariot yet. All these gath- 
 ered about him, and would fain know wherefore 
 he had come. But when the hosts of Agamem- 
 non saw his shining arms through the darkness, 
 they fled, as in old days they had fled to the 
 ships ; and some would have cried aloud, but could 
 not, so thin are the voices of the dead. 
 
 Among these he saw De'iphobus, son of Priam. 
 Cruelly mangled was he, for his hands had been 
 cut off, and his ears and his nostrils likewise. 
 Scarce did ^neas know him, and he himself in 
 shame would have hidden his wounds; but the 
 son of Anchises spake to him, saying, " Who hath 
 dealt so foully with thee, great De'iphobus? Men
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. Ill 
 
 told me that on the last night of Troy thou 
 didst fall dead on a heap of Greeks whom thou 
 hadst slain. Wherefore I built thee a tomb by 
 the sea, and thrice called aloud thy name. But 
 thee I found not, that I might lay thee therein." 
 
 Then De'iphobus made answer : " Thou hast left 
 nothing undone, but hast paid me all due honor. 
 But my ill fate and the accursed wickedness of 
 the Spartan woman have destroyed me. How we 
 spent that last night in idle rejoicings thou 
 knowest. And she, while the women of Troy 
 danced before the Gods, stood holding a torch on 
 the citadel, as though she were their leader, yet 
 in truth she called therewith the Greeks from 
 Tenedos. But I lay overcome with weariness in 
 my chamber. Then did she, a noble wife, for- 
 sooth! take all the arms out of the house, and 
 my trusty sword also from under my head; and 
 after brought thereunto Menelaiis, so hoping to 
 do away her sin against him; and Ulysses also, 
 always ready with evil counsels. What need of 
 more? May the Gods do so and more also to 
 them. But tell me why hast thou come hither?" 
 
 And it was now past noonday, and the two 
 had spent in talk all the allotted time. There- 
 fore the Sibyl spake: "Night cometh, ^Eneas, 
 and we waste the day in tears. Lo! here are two 
 roads. This on the right hand leadeth to the 
 palace of Pluto and to the Elysian plains; and 
 that on the left to Tartarus, the abode of the 
 wicked." And De'iphobus answered : " Be not
 
 112 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 wroth, great priestess; I depart to my own place. 
 Do thou, my friend, go on and prosper." 
 
 But as JEneas looked round he saw a great 
 building, and a three-fold wall about it, and 
 round the wall a river of fire. Great gates there 
 were, and a tower of brass, and the fury Tisi- 
 phone sat as warder. Also he heard the sound 
 of those that smote upon an anvil, and the clank- 
 ing of chains. And he stood, and r said, " What 
 mean these things that I see and hear ? " Then 
 the Sibyl made answer : " The foot of the right- 
 eous may not pass that threshold. But when the 
 Queen of hell gave me this office she herself led 
 me through the place and told me all. There 
 sitteth Khadamanthus the Cretan, and judgeth 
 the dead. And them that be condemned Tisi- 
 phone taketh, and the gate which thou seest 
 openeth to receive them. And within is a great 
 pit, and the depth thereof is as the height of 
 heaven. Herein lie the Titans, the sons of Earth, 
 whom Jupiter smote with the thunder; and herein 
 the sons of Aloeus, who strove to thrust the Gods 
 from heaven; and Salmoneus, who would have 
 mocked the thunder of Jupiter, riding in his 
 chariot through the cities of Elis, and shaking a 
 torch, and giving himself out to be a god. But 
 the lightning smote him in his pride. Also I 
 saw Tityos, spread over nine acres of ground, 
 and the vulture feeding on his heart. And over 
 some hangs a great stone ready to fall ; and some 
 sit at the banquet, but when they would eat, tKe
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. 113 
 
 Fury at their side forbids, and rises and shakes 
 her torch and thunders in their ears. These are 
 they who while they were yet alive hated their 
 brothers, or struck father or mother, or deceived 
 one that trusted to them, or kept their riches for 
 themselves, nor cared for those of their own 
 household (a great multftude are they), or stirred 
 up civil strife. And of these some roll a great 
 stone and cease not, and some are bound to 
 wheels, and some sit for ever crying, ' Learn to 
 do righteousness and to fear the Gods.' " 
 
 And when the priestess had finished these 
 words they hastened on their way. And, after 
 a while, she said, " Lo ! here is the palace which 
 the Cyclopes built for Pluto and the Queen of 
 hell. Here must we offer the gift of the bough 
 of gold." And this being accomplished, they 
 came to the dwellings of the righteous. Here 
 are green spaces, with woods about them; and 
 the light of their heaven is fuller and brighter 
 than that which men behold. Another sun they 
 have and other stars. Some of them contend to- 
 gether in wrestling and running; and some dance 
 in measure, singing the while a pleasant song; 
 and Orpheus, clad in a long robe, makes music, 
 touching his harp, now with his fingers and now 
 with an ivory bow. Here did ^Eneas marvel to 
 see the mighty men of old, such as were Ilus, 
 and Dardanus, builder of Troy. Their spears 
 stood fixed in the earth, and their horses fed 
 about the plain; for they love spear and chariot 
 8
 
 114: STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 and horses, even as they loved them upon earth. 
 And others sat and feasted, sitting on the grass 
 in a sweet-smelling grove of bay, whence flows 
 the river which men upon the earth call the Po. 
 Here were they who had died for their country, 
 and holy priests, and poets who had uttered 
 nothing base, and such as had found out witty 
 inventions, or had done great good to men. All 
 these had snow-white garlands on their heads. 
 Then spake the Sibyl to MiisaBiis, who stood in 
 the midst, surpassing them all in stature : " Tell 
 me, happy souls, where shall we find Anchises." 
 And Musasus answered, " We have no certain 
 dwelling-place; but climb this hill, and ye can 
 see the whole plain below, and doubtless him 
 whom ye seek." 
 
 Then they beheld Anchises where he sat in a 
 green valley, regarding the spirits of those who 
 should be born in after-time of his race. And 
 when he beheld ^Eneas coming, he stretched out 
 his hands and cried, " Comest thou, my son ? 
 Hast thou won thy way thither to me? Even ?o 
 I thought that it would be, and lo ! my hope hath 
 not failed me." 
 
 And ^Eneas made answer, "Yea, I have come 
 a long way to see thee, even as thy spirit bade me. 
 And now let me embrace thee with my arms." 
 
 But when he would have embraced him it was 
 as if he clasped the air. 
 
 Then tineas looked and beheld a river, and a 
 great company of souls thereby, thick as the bees
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. 115 
 
 on a calm summer day in a garden of lilies. And 
 when he would know the meaning of the con- 
 course, Anchises said, " These are souls which 
 have yet to live again in a mortal body, and they 
 are constrained to drink of the water of forgetful- 
 ness." And ^Eneas said, " Nay, my father, can 
 any desire to take again upon them the body of 
 death ? " Then Anchises made reply : " Listen, 
 my son, and I will tell thee all. There is one 
 soul in heaven and earth and the stars and the 
 shining orb of the moon and the great sun him- 
 self; from which soul also cometh the life of man 
 and of beast, and of the birds of the air, and of 
 the fishes of the sea. And this soul is of a divine 
 nature, but the mortal body maketh it slow and 
 dull. Hence come fear and desire, and grief and 
 joy, so that, being as it were shut in a prison, th.j 
 spirit beholdeth not any more the light that is 
 without. And when the mortal life is ended yet 
 are not men quit of all the evils of the body, see- 
 ing that these must needs be put away in many 
 marvelous ways. For some are hung up to the 
 winds, and with some their wickedness is washed 
 out by water, or burnt out by fire. But a ghostly 
 pain we all endure. Then we that are found 
 worthy are sent unto Elysium and the plains of 
 the blest. And when, after many days, the soul 
 is wholly pure, it is called to the river of forget- 
 fulness, that it may drink thereof, and so return 
 to the world that is above." 
 
 Then he led ./Eneas and the Sibyl to a hill
 
 116 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 whence they could see the whole company, and 
 regard their faces as they came; and he said, 
 " Come, and I will show thee them that sliall come 
 after thee. That youth who leans upon >i point- 
 less spear is Silvius, thy youngest child, whom 
 Lavinia shall bear to thee in thy old age. He 
 shall reign in Alba, and shall be the father of 
 kings. And many other kings are there who 
 shall build cities great and famous. Lo! there is 
 Romulus, whom Ilia shall bear to Mars. He shall 
 build Rome, whose empire shall reach to the ends 
 of the earth and its glory to the heaven. Seest 
 thou him with the olive crown about his head and 
 the white beard? That is he who shall first give 
 laws to Rome. And next to him is Tullus, the 
 warrior. And there are the Tarquins; and Bru- 
 tus, who shall set the people free, aye, and shall 
 slay his own sons when they would be false to their 
 country. See also the Decii; and Torquatus, 
 with the cruel ax; and Camillus winning back 
 the standards of Rome. There standeth one who 
 shall subdue Corinth; and there another who 
 shall avenge the blood of Troy upon the race of 
 Achilles. There, too, thou mayest see the Scip- 
 ios, thunderbolts of war, whom the land of Africa 
 shall fear ; and there Regulus, busy in the furrow? ; 
 and there the Fabii, chiefly him, greatest of the 
 name, who shall save thy country by wise delay. 
 Such, my son, shall be thy children's children. 
 Others with softer touch shall carve the face of 
 man in marble or mold the bronze; some more
 
 THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD. 117 
 
 skilfully shall plead, or map the skies, or tell the 
 rising of the stars. 'Tis thine, man of Eome, to 
 subdue the world. This is thy work, to set the 
 rule of peace over the vanquished, to spare the 
 humble, and to subdue the proud." 
 
 Then he spake again : " Kegard him who is the 
 first of all the company of conquerors. He is 
 Marccllus; he shall save the state in the day of 
 trouble, and put to flight Carthaginian and Gaul." 
 
 Then said ^Eneas, for lie chanced to see by his 
 side a youth clad in shining armor, and very fair 
 to look upon, but sad, and with downcast eyes, 
 " Tell me, father, who is this ? How noble is he ! 
 What a company is about him ! but there is a 
 shadow of darkness round his head." 
 
 And Anchises made answer, " my son, seek 
 not to know the greatest sorrow that shall befall 
 thy children after thee. This youth the Fates 
 shall only show for a brief space to man. Rome 
 would seem too mighty to the Gods should he but 
 live! What mourning shall there be for him! 
 What a funeral shalt thou see, river of Tiber, 
 as thou flowest by the new-made tomb ! No youth 
 of the race of Troy shall promise so much as he. 
 Alas ! for his righteousness, and truth, and valour 
 unsurpassed ! luckless boy, if thou canst haply 
 break thy evil doom thou shalt be a Marcellus. 
 Give handfuls of lilies. I will scatter the bright 
 flowers and pay the idle honors to my grandson's 
 shade." 
 
 Thus did Anchises show his son things to be,
 
 118 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 and kindled his soul with desire of glory. Also 
 he showed him what wars he must wage, and how 
 he should endure, or, if it might be, avoid the evils 
 to come. 
 
 There are two gates of Sleep, of horn the one, 
 by which true dreams go forth ; of ivory the other, 
 by which the false Then did Anchises send forth 
 his son and the Sibyl by the ivory gate. And 
 ^Eneas returned to the ships, and making sail 
 came to the cape which was afterwards called 
 Caieta.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 KING LATINUS. 
 
 WHILE they tarried at Cumae, Caieta, who was 
 the nurse of ^Eneas, died and was buried; and 
 they called the cape after her name. And after- 
 wards they set sail, and passed by the island 
 wherein dwelt Circe, who is the daughter of the 
 Sun. Pleasantly doth she sing, sitting at the 
 loom, and burneth torches of sweet-smelling cedar 
 to give her light by night. And round about her 
 dwelling you may hear the growling of lions and 
 wild boars and bears and* wolves, which' are men 
 whom the goddess with her enchantments hath 
 changed into the shapes of beasts. But Neptune 
 would not that the men of Troy, being fearers 
 of the Gods, should suffer such things. There- 
 fore did he send them favorable winds, so that 
 they passed quickly by that land. 
 
 Now when it was dawn, the wind being now 
 lulled, they came to a great wood upon the shore, 
 and in the midst of the wood the river Tiber yel- 
 low with much abundance of sand, flowing into the 
 sea. And on the shore and in the wood were 
 many birds. Thither the men of Troy brought 
 their ships safe to land. 
 
 119
 
 120 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Of this country Latinus was king, who was 
 son of Faunus, who was the son of Picus, who was 
 the son of Saturn. And King Latiuus had not a 
 son, but a daughter only, Lavinia by name, who 
 was now of an age to be married. Many chiefs 
 of Latium, and of all Italy, desired to have her to 
 wife ; of whom the first was Turnus, a very comely 
 youth, and of a royal house. Xow the queen, the 
 mother of the virgin, loved him, and would fain 
 have married her daughter to him, but the Gods 
 hindered the marriage with ill omens and marvels. 
 In the midst of the palace was a great bay-tree, 
 which the king who builded the house had dedi- 
 cated to Phoebus. On this there lighted a great 
 swarm of bees, and hung like unto a cluster of 
 grapes from a bough thereof. And the seers be- 
 holding the thing, cried, " There cometh a 
 stranger who shall be husband to Lavinia, and a 
 strange people who shall bear rule in this place." 
 Also when Lavinia lighted the fire upon the altar, 
 standing by her father, a flame leapt therefrom 
 upon her hair, and burned the ornament that was 
 upon her head and the crown of jewels and gold, 
 and spread with smoke and fire over the whole 
 palace. Whereupon the prophets spake, saying, 
 " The virgin indeed shall be famous and great, but 
 there cometh a dreadful war upon her people." 
 And King Latinus, fearing what these things 
 might mean, inquired of the oracle of Faunus, his 
 father, which is by the grove of Albunea. Now 
 the custom is that the priest offereth sacrifice in
 
 KING LATINUS. 121 
 
 the grove and lieth down to sleep on the skins of 
 the sheep that he hath slain; and it cometh to 
 pass that he seeth visions in the night and heareth 
 the voice of the Gods. So King Latinus, being 
 himself a priest, made a great sacrifice, even of 
 a hundred sheep, and lay down to sleep upon the 
 skins thereof. And when he was laid down, 
 straightway there came a voice from the grove, 
 saying, " Seek not, my son, to marry thy daugh- 
 ter to a chief of this land. There shall come a 
 son-in-law from beyond the sea, who shall exalt 
 our name from the one end of heaven to the 
 other." Nor did the king hide these things, but 
 noised them abroad, and the fame thereof was 
 great in these days when JEneas and his company 
 came to the land of Italy. 
 
 Now it so chanced that ^neas and lulus his 
 son, and others of the princes, sat down to eat un- 
 der a tree ; and they had platters of dough whereon 
 to eat their meat. And when they had ended, and 
 were not satisfied, they ate their platters also, not 
 thinking what they did. Then said lulus, mak- 
 ing sport, " What ! do we eat even our tables ? " 
 And ^neas was right glad to hear this thing, and 
 embraced the boy, and said, " Now know I that 
 we are come to the land which the Gods have prom- 
 ised to me and to my people, that they would 
 give us. For my father, Anchises, spake to me, 
 saying, ' My son, when thou shalt come to a land 
 that thou knowest not, and hunger shall constrain 
 thee to eat thy tables, then know that thou hast
 
 122 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 found thee a home.' Now, therefore, seeing that 
 these things have an accomplishment, let us pour 
 out libations to Jupiter, and make our prayers also 
 to my father, Anchises, and make merry. And 
 in the morning we will search out the country, 
 and see who they be that dwell herein." 
 
 Then he bound a garland of leaves about his 
 head, and made his prayers to Mother Earth, and 
 to the gods of the land, of whom indeed he knew 
 not who they were, and to Father Jupiter, and 
 to the other gods also. And when he had ended 
 his prayer, Jupiter thundered thrice from the sky. 
 Then was it noised abroad among the men of Troy 
 that now indeed were they come to the land where 
 they should build them a city; and they eat and 
 drank and made merry. 
 
 The next day those who should search out the 
 country went forth. And when it was told ^Eneas, 
 saying that this ri\ 7 er was the Tiber, and that the 
 people who dwelt in the land were the Latins, 
 valiant men of war, he chose out a hundred men 
 who should go, with crowns of olive upon their 
 heads, to the city of the king, having also gifts in 
 their hands, and should pray that there might be 
 peace between the men of Troy and his people. 
 And the men made haste to depart; and in the 
 meanwhile JEneas marked out for himself a camp, 
 and bade that they should make a rampart and 
 a ditch'. 
 
 Now when they that were sent came nigh to the 
 city, they saw the young men in the plain that
 
 KING LATINUS. 123 
 
 was before it, riding upon horses and driving char- 
 iots. Others shot with the bow or cast javelins, 
 and some contended in running or boxing. And 
 one rode on horseback and told the king, saying 
 that certain men in strange raiment were come. 
 Then the king commanded that they should be 
 brought into the palace, and sat upon the throne 
 of his fathers, and gave audience to them.: 
 
 Now the palace stood on the hill that was in 
 the midst of the city, where King Picus had 
 builded it, having woods about it very sacred. 
 Here did the kings first receive the sceptre, that 
 they should bear rule over the people. A senate- 
 house also it was, and a banqueting-house, where 
 the princes sat feasting. Very great was it and 
 magnificent, having a hundred pillars; and in the 
 halls were the statues of ancient kings, carven in 
 cedar, even Italus, and Sabinus the vine-dresser, 
 and Father Saturn, and Janus with the two faces. 
 Also on the wall hung trophies of war, chariots, 
 and battle-axes, and helmets, and javelins, and the 
 beaks of ships. And sitting on a throne was the 
 image of King Picus, clad in royal apparel, bear- 
 ing a shield on his left arm. But the king him- 
 self his wife Circe had changed into a bird. 
 
 And King Latinus spake, saying, " Tell me, 
 men of Troy, for I know you who you are, what 
 seek ye? For what cause are ye come to the land 
 of Italy? Have ye gone astray in your journey? 
 or have the storms driven you out of the way as 
 ofttimos bef allot h men that sail upon the sea?
 
 124 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Ye are welcome. And know that we be of the 
 race of Saturn, who do righteously, not by con- 
 straint, but of our own will. From hence also, 
 even from Corythus, which is a city of the Etru- 
 rians, went forth Dardanus, and abode in the land 
 of Troy." 
 
 Then Ilioneiis made answer, saying, " Great 
 King, we have not gone astray in our journey, 
 nor have storms driven us out of the way. Of 
 set purpose are we come to this land. For we 
 were driven away by ill-fortune from our country, 
 of which things we doubt not, King, that thou 
 knowest the certainty. For who is there under 
 the whole heaven who knoweth not what a storm 
 of destruction came forth from the land of Greece 
 and overthrew the great city of Troy, Europe and 
 Asia setting themselves in arms against each 
 other? And now are we come to ask for a parcel 
 of land whereon we may dwell; and for air and 
 water, which indeed are common to all men. 
 Nor shall we do dishonor to this realm, nor be 
 unthankful for these benefits. And be sure, 
 king, that it will not repent thee that thou hast 
 received us. For indeed many nations and lands 
 would fain have joined us to themselves. But 
 the Gods laid a command upon us that we should 
 come to this country of Italy. For indeed, as 
 thou sayest, Dardanus came forth from hence, 
 and thither his children, Apollo bidding them, 
 would return. And now, behold, ^Eneas sends 
 thee these gifts of the things which remain to us
 
 KING LATINUS. 125 
 
 of the riches which we had aforetime. This scep- 
 ter King Priam held when he did justice among 
 his people; here is a crown also, and garments 
 which the women of Troy have worked with their 
 hands." 
 
 Then for awhile King Latinus kept silence, fix- 
 ing his eyes upon the ground. Deeply did he 
 ponder in his heart upon the marriage of his 
 daughter, and upon the oracles of Faunus his 
 father, whether indeed this stranger that was now 
 come to his land might haply be the son-in-law 
 of whom the prophets had spoken. At the last he 
 spake, saying, " May the Gods prosper this matter 
 between you and me. We grant, men of Troy, 
 that which ye ask. Also we regard these your 
 gifts. Know ye that while we reign in this land 
 ye shall not want for riches, even unto the measure 
 of the riches of Troy. And for your king ^Eneas, 
 if he desire, as ye say, to join himself with us, 
 let him come and look upon us, face *o face. And 
 also take ye back this message to your king. I 
 have a daughter, whom the Gods suffer me not to 
 marry to a husband of this land. For they say 
 that there shall come a stranger who shall be my 
 son-in-law, and that from his loins shall come 
 forth those who shall raise our name even unto 
 the stars." 
 
 Then the king commanded that they should 
 bring forth horses from the stalls. Now there 
 stood in the stalls three hundred horses, very 
 fleet of foot. And of these they brought forth
 
 12G STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 one hundred, one for each man of Troy ; and they 
 were decked with trappings of purple, and 
 champed on bits of gold. And for JEneas him- 
 self ho sent a chariot, and two horses breathing 
 fire from their nostrils, which were of the breed 
 of the horses of the Sun. So the men of Troy 
 went back riding on horses, and took to ^3Eneas 
 the gifts and the message of peace.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE WRATH OF JUNO. 
 
 Now Juno beheld how the men of Troy were 
 come to the land of Italy, and were now building 
 them houses to dwell in; and great wrath came 
 into her heart, and she spake to herself, saying, 
 " Of a truth' this accursed race hath vanquished 
 me. For the flames of Troy burned them not, 
 neither hath the sea devoured them. And, lo ! 
 they are come to the pla5ce where they would be, 
 even to the river of Tiber. Yet could Mars de- 
 story the whole nation of the Lapithae, when he 
 was wroth' with them ; and Jupiter suffered Diana 
 to prevail against the land of Calydon. Yet had 
 not the Lapithae or Calydon done so great wicked- 
 ness as hath this nation of Troy. And I, who am 
 the wife of Jupiter, am vanquished by ^Eneas ! 
 Yet have I means yet remaining to me, for if the 
 Gods of heaven will not help me, then will I be- 
 take me to the powers of hell. From the kingdom 
 of Latium I may not keep him, and the Gods de- 
 cree that he shall have Lavinia to wife. Yet may 
 I hinder the matter. Surely at a great price shall 
 they buy this alliance; and thy dowry, virgin, 
 shall be the blood of Italy and of Troy." 
 
 127
 
 128 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Then Juno descended to the lower parts of the 
 earth, and called to her Alecto from the dwellings 
 of her sisters the Furies Alecto who loveth war 
 and anger and treachery, and all evil deeds. 
 Even Pluto hateth her, aye, and her sisters like- 
 wise, so dreadful is she to behold. And Juno 
 spake to her, saying, " Now would I have thee 
 help me, Daughter of Night, that I lose not my 
 proper honor. I will not that ^neas should 
 have the daughter of Latinus to wife, or dwell in 
 the land of Italy. Seeing therefore that thou 
 canst set brother against brother, and bring en- 
 mity into houses and kingdoms, that they should 
 fall, break this peace that they have made, and 
 bring to pass some occasion of war." 
 
 Then straightway Alecto betook herself to the 
 dwelling of King Latinus. There found she 
 Amiata, the queen, in great trouble and wrath, for 
 she loved not the men of Troy, and would have 
 Turnus for her son-in-law. And the Fury took 
 a snake from her hair, and thrust it into the 
 bosom of the queen. About her breast it glided 
 unfelt, and breathed poisonous breath into her 
 heart. And now it became a collar of twisted 
 gold about her neck, and now a crown about her 
 head, binding her hair. At the first indeed, when 
 the poison began to work, and her whole heart 
 was not as yet filled with the fever, she spake 
 gently and after the wont of a mother, weeping 
 much the while over her daughter. " Art thou 
 then ready, my husband, to give thy daughter to
 
 THE WRATH OF JUNO. 129 
 
 this exile of Troy ? Hast thou no pity for thyself, 
 or thy daughter, or me? Well know I that with 
 the first north wind he will fly and carry her away 
 over the sea. And what of thy word, and of thq 
 faith that thou hast pledged so many times to 
 Turnus thy kinsman? If thou must seek a son- 
 in-law from the land of the stranger, I hold that 
 they all be strangers who obey not thy rule, and 
 that the Gods mean not other than this. And 
 Turnus, if thou wilt inquire more deeply into his. 
 descent, is of the lineage of Inachus, and cometh 
 in the beginning from the land of Mjcenae." 
 
 But when she perceived that her husband heeded 
 not these words, and when also the poison of the 
 serpent had now altogether prevailed over her, 
 she ran through the city like to one that is mad. 
 Nay, she feigned that the frenzy of Bacchus was 
 upon her, and fled into the woods, taking her 
 daughter with her, to the end that she might hin- 
 der the marriage. Many other women also, when 
 they heard this thing, went forth, leaving their 
 homes. With bare necks and hair unbound they 
 went, crying aloud the while; and in their hands 
 they held staves of pine, and were clad in the 
 skins of wild beasts. And in the midst of them 
 stood the queen, holding a great pine torch in her 
 hand, and singing the marriage song of her daugh- 
 ter and Turnus ; and her eyes were red as blood. 
 
 Next after this the Fury, deeming that she 
 had overthrown the counsels of Latinus, sped to 
 the city of Turnus the Rutulian. Now the name
 
 130 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 of the city was called Ardea, and Danae builded 
 it in old time; Ardea is it called to this day, but 
 its glory hath departed. Now Turnus was asleep 
 in his palace, and Alecto took upon her the shape 
 of an old woman, even of Chalybe, who was the 
 priestess of Juno ; and she spake, saying, " Turnus, 
 wilt thou suffer all thy toil to be in vain, and thy 
 kingdom to be given to another? King Latinus 
 taketh from thee thy betrothed wife, and chooseth 
 a stranger that he should inherit his kingdom. 
 Juno commanded that I should tell thee this in 
 thy sleep. Rise, therefore, and arm thy people. 
 Consume these strangers and their ships with 
 fire. And if King Latinus yet will not abide by 
 his promise, let him know for himself what 
 Turnus can do in the day of battle." 
 
 But Turnus laughed her to scorn. " That the 
 ships of the stranger have come to the Tiber, I 
 know full well. But tell me not these tales. 
 Queen Juno forgetteth me not, therefore I am 
 not afraid; but thou, mother, art old and wan- 
 derest from the truth, and troublest thyself for 
 nought, and art mocked with idle fear. Thy busi- 
 ness it is to tend the temples of the Gods and their 
 images, but as for war, leave that to men, seeing 
 that it is their care." 
 
 Greatly wroth was Alecto to hear such words. 
 And even while he spake the young man shud- 
 dered and stared with his eyes, for the Fury 
 hissed before him with a thousand snakes. And 
 when he would have spoken more, she thrust him
 
 THE WRATH OF JUNO. 131 
 
 back, and caught two snakes from her hair, and 
 lashed him therewith, and cried aloud, " Old am 
 I ! and wander from the truth ! and am mocked 
 with idle fears ! Xay, but I come from the dwell- 
 ing of the Furies, and war and death are in my 
 hand ! " 
 
 And she cast a torch at the youth, and fixed it 
 smoking with baleful light in h'is heart. Then, 
 in great fear, he woke, and a cold sweat burst forth 
 upon him, and he cried aloud for his arms, and 
 was exceedingly mad for battle. Also he bade the 
 youth arm themselves, saying that he would 
 thrust the men of Troy out of Italy, aye, and 
 fight, if need were, with the Latins also. And 
 the people hearkened unto him, so fair was he, and 
 of noble birth and great renown in war. 
 
 Then Alecto hied her to the place where liilus 
 was hunting the beasts of the forest. Now there 
 was a stag, very stately, with exceeding great 
 horns, which Tyrrheus and his children had 
 brought up from a fawn. And Silvia, a fair vir- 
 gin who was his daughter, was wont to adorn it 
 with garlands, and to comb it and to wash it with 
 water. By day it would wander in the woods, and 
 at nightfall come back to the house. This stag, 
 then, the dogs of liilus having scented pursued, 
 and indeed Alecto brought it to pass that this 
 mischief shall befall; and liilus also, following 
 hard upon his dogs, shot an arrow at it, nor 
 missed (for the Fury would have it so), but 
 pierced it through. Then the wounded beast fled
 
 132 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 back to the house which it knew, being covered 
 with blood, and filled it with a lamentable voice, 
 as one that crieth for help. And Silvia heard it, 
 and cried to the country folk for aid, who came 
 forthwith, Alecto urging them (for the accursed 
 thing lay hid in the woods). And one had a 
 charred firebrand and another a knotted stick, 
 each such weapon as came to his hand. And 
 Tyrrheus, who chanced to be splitting a tall oak 
 with wedges, led the way, having a great ax in 
 his hand. 
 
 Then did Alecto climb upon the roof, and, 
 sounding with hellish voice through a clarion, 
 sent abroad the shepherds' signal. And all the 
 forest trembled at the sound, and Trivia's lake, and 
 Nar, with his white sulphurous wave, and the 
 fountains of Velia; and trembling mothers 
 pressed their children to their breasts. 
 
 Then ran together all the country folk, and the 
 youth of Troy hasted also to the help of liilus. 
 And now they fought not with clubs and charred 
 stakes, but with swords and spears in battle array. 
 Then Almo fell, the eldest of the sons of Tyr- 
 rheus, stricken in the throat, with many others 
 round him, and among them the old man Galaesus, 
 even as he offered himself to be a mediator be- 
 tween the two. Most righteous of men was he, 
 and richest likewise, for he had five flocks of 
 sheep and five herds of cattle, and tilled {lie earth 
 with a hundred ploughs. 
 
 But Alecto, when she had accomplished these
 
 THE WRATH OF JUNO. 133 
 
 things, hasted to Juno, and spake, saying, "I 
 have done thy bidding; and now, if thou wilt, I 
 will to the neighboring cities, spreading among 
 them rumors of wars." But Juno answered, " It 
 is enough ; there hath been the shedding of blood. 
 It were not well that the Father should see thee 
 wandering in the upper air, wherefore depart, and 
 if aught remain to be done, I will see to it."
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE GATHERING OF THE CHIEFS. 
 
 AFTER this the shepherds hasted back to the 
 city, and bare with' them the dead, even the youth 
 Almo and the old man Galassus, and cried for 
 vengeance to the Gods and to the king. And 
 fiercest of all was Turnus, complaining that men 
 of Troy were called to reign over them, and that 
 he himself was banished. And all the multitude 
 was urgent with the king that he should make war 
 against the strangers; neither did any man re- 
 gard the commands of the Gods. But the king 
 stood firm, even as a great rock in the sea is not 
 moved though the waves roar about it and the sea- 
 weed is dashed upon its sides. But when he saw 
 that he could not prevail against these evil coun- 
 sels, he called the Gods to witness, crying, "The 
 storm strikes upon me, and I may not stand 
 against it. foolish Latins, ye shall pay for this 
 madne?? with your blood, and thou, Turnus, 
 shalt suffer the worst punishment of all; and 
 when thou shalt turn to the Gods they shall not 
 hear thee. But as for me, my rest is at hand; I 
 lose but the honors of my funeral." 
 
 It was a custom in Latium, which Alba kept in 
 134
 
 THE GATHERING OF THE CHIEFS. 135 
 
 after time, and mighty Rome yet keepeth to this 
 day, that when she beginncth to make war, be it 
 on the men of Thrace or the men of East, Arab, or 
 Indian, or Parthian, they open the great gates 
 of the temple (double they are, and made strong 
 with bolts of brass and iron), on the threshold 
 whereof sitteth Janus, the guardian. For the 
 Consul himself, with robe and girdle, so soon as 
 the fathers give their sentence for war, throweth 
 them wide, and the people follow the Consul, and 
 the horns blow a great blast together. Even so 
 they bade King Latinus, after the custom of his 
 country, declare war against the men of Troy, and 
 open the gates of slaughter ; but he would not, fly- 
 ing and hiding himself in darkness. Then did 
 great Juno herself come down and burst asunder 
 the iron-bound gates of war. 
 
 Then through the land of Italy men prepared 
 themselves for battle, making bright shield and 
 spear and sharpening the ax upon the whetstone. 
 And in five cities did they set up anvils to make 
 arms thereon, head-pieces, and shields of wicker, 
 and breast-plates of bronze, and greaves of silver. 
 Nor did men regard any more the reaping-hook 
 nor the plow, making new for battle the swords of 
 their fathers. 
 
 Now the greatest of the chiefs were these: 
 First, Prince Mezentius, the Tuscan, who re- 
 garded not the Gods; and with him Lausus his 
 son, than whom was none fairer in the host but 
 Turnus only. A thousand men followed him
 
 136 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 from Agylla. Worthy was he of a better father. 
 
 Next came, with horses that none might sur- 
 pass, Aventinus, son of Hercules; and on his 
 shield was the emblem of his father, the Hydra, 
 with its hundred snakes. Long swords had his 
 men and Sabine spears; and he himself had about 
 his head and shoulders a great lion's skin, with 
 terrible mane and great white teeth. 
 
 And from Tibur came two youths of Argos, 
 twin brothers, Catillus and Coras, swift and 
 strong as two Centaurs from the hills. And 
 Caeculus, who builded Praeneste, was there, son 
 of Vulcan, and a great company of country folk 
 with him, whereof many bare not shield nor 
 spear, but slings with bullets of lead, and javelins 
 in either hand, and helmets of wolf's skin upon 
 their heads. 
 
 After him marched Messapus, tamer of horses, 
 Neptune's son, whom no man might lay low with 
 fire or sword; and the people followed, singing a 
 war-song of their king, like to a great flock of 
 swans, which flies with many cries across the Asian 
 marsh. And next Clausus the Sabine, from whom 
 is sprung the great Claudian house ; and Halesus, 
 companion of Agamemnon, and enemy of Troy 
 from of old, with many nations behind him ; clubs 
 had they, fastened with thongs of leather, and 
 wicker shields on their left arms, and their swords 
 were shaped as reaping-hooks. After these came 
 CEbalus, son of Telon, with the men of Campania, 
 wearing helmets of cork, and having shields and
 
 THE GATHERING OF THE CHIEFS. 137 
 
 swords of bronze ; also Ufens, of Nersae, with his 
 robber bands, and Umbro, the Marsian priest, a 
 mighty wizard and charmer of serpents, who also 
 could heal their bite ; but the wound of the Trojan 
 spears he could not heal, nor did all his charms and 
 mighty herbs avail him. 
 
 With them also came Virbius, son of Hippolytus, 
 from Egeria. For men say that Hippolytus, when 
 the curse of his father had fallen upon him, and he 
 had perished by the madness of his horses, was 
 made alive by the skill of ^Esculapius, and that 
 Jupiter, being wroth that a mortal should return 
 from the dead, slew the healer, the son of Phoebus, 
 with his thunderbolt ; but that Hippolytus Diana 
 hid in the grove of Aricia, that he might spend 
 the rest of his days obscure and without offence. 
 And therefore do they yet hinder horses from 
 coming near to the temple of Diana. Nevertheless 
 the youth Virbius drave horses in his chariot. 
 
 But chief among them all was Turnus, who 
 moved in the midst, clad in armor, and overtop- 
 ping them all by his head. And he had a helmet 
 with three crests, and the Chimaera thereon for a 
 sign; and on his shield was lo, with her horns 
 lifted to heaven, and Argus the herdsman, and 
 Inachus pouring a river from his urn. A great 
 multitude followed him, Rutulians and Sicanians, 
 and they that dwelt about the Tiber, and about 
 Anxur, and about the green woods of Feronia. 
 
 Last of all came Camilla the Volscian, with a 
 great company on horses, clad in armor of bronze.
 
 138 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 She loved neither distaff nor the basket of Mi- 
 nerva, but rather to fight and to outstrip the winds 
 in running. And a mighty runner was she, for 
 she would run over the harvest-field nor harm the 
 corn, and when she sped across the waves of the sea 
 she wetted not her foot therein. All the youth 
 marvelled to behold her, and the women stood 
 gazing upon her as she went. For a robe of royal 
 purple was about her shoulders, and a snood of 
 gold about her hair; and she carried a Syrian 
 quiver and a pike of myrtle-wood, as the shepherds 
 are wont.
 
 CHAPTEE XVIII. 
 
 KING EVANDER. 
 
 So the chiefs were gathered together, and mucli 
 people with them, Mezentius, and Ufens, and 
 Messapus being their leaders. They sent an em- 
 bassy likewise to Diomed (for Diomed had built 
 him a city in Italy, even Arpi), to tell him that 
 /Eneas and the men of Troy were setting up a 
 kingdom in these parts, and to bid him take 
 counsel for himself. 
 
 But /Eneas was much troubled at these things, 
 and cast about in his mind where he should look 
 for help. And while he meditated thereon he 
 slept. And lo ! in his dreams the god of the river, 
 even Father Tiber, appeared to him. An old man 
 was he, and clad in a blue linen robe, and having 
 a crown of reeds upon his head. And he spake, 
 saying, " Thou art welcome to this land, to which 
 thou hast brought the gods of Troy. Be not dis- 
 mayed at wars and rumors of wars, nor cease from 
 thy enterprise. And this shall be a sign unto thee. 
 Thou shalt find upon the shore a white sow with 
 thirty young, white also, about her teats. And it 
 shall come to pass that after thirty years lulus 
 
 139
 
 HO STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 shall build him the White City. And now I will 
 tell thee how thou shalt have victory in this war. 
 Certain men of Arcadia, following their king, 
 Evander, have built a city in this land, and called 
 its name Pallantium. These wage war continually 
 with the Latins. To them therefore thou must go, 
 making thy way up the stream of the river. Rise 
 therefore and offer sacrifice to Juno, appeasing her 
 wrath. And to me thou shalt perform thy vows 
 when thou shalt have prevailed. For know that I 
 am Tiber the river, and that of all the rivers on 
 earth none is dearer to the Gods." 
 
 Then yEneas roused him from sleep, and made 
 his supplications to the Nymphs and the river god, 
 that they would be favorable to him. And when 
 he looked, lo! upon the shore a white sow with 
 thirty young, white also, about her teats. Of these 
 he made a sacrifice to Juno. And after this he 
 commanded that they should make ready two ships, 
 and so went on his way. And Tiber stayed his 
 stream so that the men might not toil in rowing. 
 Quickly they sped, and many trees were above their 
 heads, and the image thereof in the water beneath. 
 And at noonday they beheld a city with walls, and 
 a citadel, and a few houses round about. 
 
 Now it chanced that Evander and his people 
 were holding a sacrifice that day to Hercules before 
 the city. But when they saw through the trees the 
 ships approaching, they were astonished, and all 
 rose from the feast. But Pallas, who was the son 
 of the king, commanded that they should not in-
 
 KING EVANDER. 141 
 
 terrupt the sacrifice, and, snatching a spear, he 
 cried from the mound whereon the altar stood: 
 " Strangers, why come ye ? what seek ye ? Do ye 
 bring peace or war ? " 
 
 Then ^neas cried from the stern of his ship, 
 holding out the while an olive branch: "We be 
 men of Troy, enemies of the Latins, and we seek 
 King Evander. Say, therefore, to him that /Eneas, 
 prince of Troy, is come, seeking alliance with him." 
 
 Much did Pallas marvel to hear this name, 
 and said, " Approach thou, whoever thou art, and 
 hold converse with my father ; " and he caught 
 him by the hand. 
 
 And when /Eneas was set before King Evander 
 he spake, saying, " I come to thee, king, not un- 
 willing or fearful, though indeed thou art a 
 Greek and akin to the sons of Atreus. For between 
 thee and me also there is kindred. For Dardanus, 
 builder of Troy, was the son of Electra, who was 
 the daughter of Atlas. And ye come from Mer- 
 curius, who was the son of Cyllene, who was also 
 the daughter of Atlas. Wherefore, I sent not am- 
 bassadors to thee, but came myself , fearing nothing. 
 Know thou that the Daunian race, which warreth 
 against thee, pursueth us also; against whom if 
 they prevail, without doubt they shall rule over 
 Italy, from the one sea even to the other. I would 
 therefore, that we make alliance together." 
 
 And as he spake, Evander ceased not to regard 
 him, and, when he had ended, spake, saying, 
 "Welcome, great son of Troy. Gladly do I recog-
 
 142 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 nisc the voice and face of Anchises. For I remem- 
 ber how Priam came of old time to the kingdom 
 of his sister Hesione, who was the wife of Tela- 
 mon; and many princes were with him, but the 
 mightiest of them was Anchises. Much did 1 love 
 the man, and took him with me to Pheneus. And 
 he gave me when he departed a quiver and arrows 
 of Lycia, and a cloak with threads of gold, and 
 two bridles of gold, which my son Pallas hath to 
 this day. The alliance that thou seekest I grant. 
 To-morrow shalt thou depart, with such help as I 
 can give. But now, since ye be come at such good 
 time, join us in our sacrifice and feast." 
 
 So they feasted together on the flesh of oxen 
 and drank wine, and were merry. And when they 
 had made an end of eating and drinking, King 
 Evander spake, saying, " This great feast, my 
 friend, we hold not without good reason, which 
 thou shalt now hear from me. Seest thou this 
 great ruin of rocks ? Here in old time was a cave, 
 running very deep into the cliff, wherein Cacus 
 dwelt, a monster but half man, whose father was 
 Vulcan. The ground thereof reeked with blood, 
 and at the mouth were fixed the heads of dead 
 men. Very great of stature was he, and breathed 
 out fire from his mouth. To this land came Her- 
 cules driving before him the oxen of Geryon, whom 
 he had slain. And when he had left these to feed 
 in the valley by the river, Cacus, that he might fill 
 up the measure of his wickedness, stole four bulls 
 and four heifers, the very chiefest of the herd.
 
 KING EVANDER. 143 
 
 And that he might conceal the thing, he dragged 
 them by the tails backward, so that the tracks led 
 not to the cave. But it chanced that the herd made 
 a great bellowing when Hercules would have driven 
 them away in the morning. And one of the 
 heifers which Cacus hadhidden in the cavebellowed 
 also, making answer. Then was Hercules very 
 wroth, and caught up in his hand his great knotted 
 club, and climbed to the top of the hill. Then was 
 Cacus sore afraid, and fled to his cave swift as the 
 wind, fear giving wings to his feet. And when he 
 was come thither, he shut himself therein, letting 
 fall a great stone which he had caused to hang 
 over the mouth thereof by cunning devices that he 
 had learned from his father. And when Hercules 
 was come he sought to find entrance and could not ; 
 but at the last he saw one of the rocks that it was 
 very high and leaned to the river. This he pushed 
 from the other side, so that it fell with a great 
 crash into the water. Then did the whole cave of 
 Cacns lie open to view, horrible to behold, asthough 
 the earth were to open her mouth and show the 
 regions of the dead. And first Hercules shot at 
 the monster with arrows, and cast boughs and great 
 stones at him ; and Cacus vomited forth from his 
 mouth fire and smoke, filling the whole cave. And 
 Hercules endured not to be so baffled, but plunged 
 into the cave, even where the smoke was thickest, 
 and caught him, twining his arms and legs about 
 him, and strangled him, that he died. Of which 
 deed, my friends, we keep the remembrance year
 
 144 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 by year. Do ye, therefore, join in our feast, put- 
 ting first wreaths of poplar about your heads, for 
 the poplar is the tree of Hercules." 
 
 So they feasted ; and the priests, even the Salii, 
 being in two companies, young and old, sang the 
 great deeds of Hercules : how, being yet an infant, 
 he strangled the snakes that Juno sent to slay him, 
 and overthrew mighty cities, and endured many 
 grievous labors, slaying the Centaurs and the lion 
 of Xemea; and how he went down to hell, and 
 dragged the dog Cerberus therefrom, and many 
 other things likewise. 
 
 And at even they went back to the city, and as 
 they went Evander told yEneas many things con- 
 cerning the country: how of old a savage race 
 dwelt therein, living even as the beasts, whom 
 Saturn, flying from his son Jupiter, first taught, 
 giving them customs and laws; and how other 
 kings also had borne rule over them, and how he 
 himself had come to the land at the bidding of 
 Apollo. Also he showed him the city which he 
 had founded, and the places thereof : very famous 
 were they in after-time, then mighty Rome was 
 builded, even on the selfsame ground. And when 
 they came to his palace he said, " Hercules entered 
 this dwelling, though indeed it be small and lowly. 
 Think not, then, overmuch of riches, and so make 
 thyself worthy to ascend to heaven, as he also 
 ascended." 
 
 Then he led him within the palace, and bade him 
 rest on a couch, whereon was spread the skin of an 
 African bear.
 
 HERCULES IN BATTLE WITH A CENTAUR. 
 
 Flore n ce . Joli n of Jiolog n a .
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE ARMS OF AENEAS. 
 
 VERY early the next morning the old man 
 Evander rose up from his bed, and donned his 
 iunic, and bound his Tuscan sandals on his feet, 
 and girt his Tegean sword to his side, flinging a 
 panther's hide over his left shoulder. Pallas, 
 his son, also went with him. And two hounds, 
 which lay by his chamber, followed him. For he 
 would fain have speech with ^Eneas, whom, in- 
 deed, he found astir, and Achates with him. Then 
 spake Evander: "Great chief of Troy, good will 
 have we, but scanty means; for our folk are few 
 and our bounds narrow. But I will tell thee of a 
 great people and a wealthy, with whom thou may- 
 est make alliance. Nigh to this place is the famous 
 city Agylla, which the men of Lydia, settling in 
 this land of Etruria, builded aforetime. Now of 
 this Agylla Mezentius was king, who surpassed all 
 men in wickedness. For he would join a living 
 man to a dead corpse, and so leave him to perish 
 miserably. But after awhile the citizens rebelled, 
 saying that he should not reign over them, and 
 slew his guards and burnt his palace. But on him 
 they laid not hands, for he fled to Prince Turnus. 
 10 145
 
 146 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Therefore there is war between Turnus and Agylla. 
 Now in this war thou shalt be leader; for as yet 
 when they would have gone forth to battle, the 
 soothsayers have hindered them, saying, ' Though 
 your wrath against Mezentius be just, yet must no 
 man of Italy lead this people ; but look you for a 
 stranger.' And they would fain have had me for 
 their leader, but I am old and feeble. And my son 
 Pallas also is akin to them, seeing that he was 
 born of a Sabine mother. But thou art in thy 
 prime, and altogether a stranger in race. Where- 
 fore take this office upon thyself. Pallas also 
 shall go with thee, and learn from thee to bear 
 himself as a warior. Also I will send with thee 
 two hundred chosen horsemen, and Pallas will give 
 thee as many." 
 
 And even before he had made an end of speak- 
 ing, Venus gave them a sign, even thunder in a 
 clear sky; and there was heard a voice as of a 
 Tuscan trumpet, and when they looked to the 
 heavens, lo! there was a flashing of arms. 
 
 And J^neas knew the sign and the interpreta- 
 tion thereof, even that he should prosper in that 
 to which he set his hand. Therefore he bade 
 Evander be of good cheer. Then again they did 
 sacrifice, and afterwards ^Eneas returned to his 
 companions, of whom he chose some, and them the 
 bravest, who should go with him to Agylla, and 
 the rest he bade return to lulus, to the camp. 
 
 But when he was now ready to depart, Evander 
 took him by the hand, saying, " that Jupiter
 
 THE ARMS OF JENEAS. 147 
 
 would give me back the years that are gonc^ when 
 I slew, tinder Promcste, King Erulus, to whom at 
 his birth his mother, Feronia v gave three lives. 
 Thrice must he needs be slain and thrice I slew 
 him. Then had I not parted from thee, my son, 
 nor had the wicked Mezentius slain so many of my 
 people. And now, may the Gods hear my prayer: 
 If it be their pleasure that Pallas should come 
 back, may I live to sec it; but if not, may I die 
 even now while I hold thee in my arms, my son, 
 my one and only joy." 
 
 And his spirit left the old man, and they carried 
 him into the palace. Then the horsemen rode out 
 from the gates, with Pallas in the midst, adorned 
 with mantle and blazoned arms, fair as the Morn- 
 ing Star, which Venus loves beyond all others in 
 the sky. The women stood watching them from 
 the walls, while they shouted aloud and galloped 
 across the plain. And after a while they came to 
 a grove, near to which the Etruscans and Tarchon, 
 their leader, had pitched their camp. 
 
 Now in the meantime Venus had bestirred her- 
 self, for her son, for while he slept in the palace of 
 Evander she spake to her husband, even Vulcan, 
 saying, "While the Greeks were fighting against 
 Troy, I sought not thy help, for I would not that 
 thou shouldst labor in vain ; but now that ^Eneas 
 is come to Italy by the command of the Gods, I 
 ask thee that thou shouldst make arms and armor 
 for my son. This Aurora asked for Memnon; 
 this Thetis for Achilles, and thou grantedst it to
 
 148 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 them. And now thou seest how the nations join 
 themselves to destroy him. Wherefore I pray 
 thee to help me." And he hearkened to her voice. 
 Therefore when the morning was come, very 
 early, even as a woman who maketh her living by 
 the distaff riseth and kindleth her fire, and giveth 
 tasks to her maidens, that she may provide for her 
 husband and her children, even so Vulcan rose be- 
 times to his work. Now there is an island, Lipare, 
 nigh unto the shore of Sicily, and there the god 
 had set up his furnace and anvil, and the Cyclopes 
 were at work, forging thunderbolts for Jupiter, 
 whereof one remained half wrought. Three parts 
 of hail had they used, and three of rain-cloud, and 
 three of red fire and the south wind ; and now they 
 were adding to it lightning, and noise, and fear, 
 and wrath, with avenging flames. And elsewhere 
 they wrought a chariot for Mars and a shirt of 
 mail for Minerva., even the ^gis, with golden 
 scales as of a serpent, and in the midst the Gor- 
 gon's head, lopped at the nape, with rolling eyes. 
 But the god cried, " Cease ye your toils. Ye must 
 make arms for a hero." Then they all bent them to 
 their toil. Then bronze, and gold, and iron flowed 
 in streams ; and some plied the bellows, and others 
 dipped the hissing mass in water, and a third 
 turned the ore in griping pincers. 
 
 A helmet they made with nodding crest, that 
 blazed like fire, and a sword, and a cuirass of 
 ruddy bronze, and greaves of gold molten many 
 times, and a spear, and a shield whereon was
 
 THE ARMS OF AENEAS. 149 
 
 wrought a marvellous story of things to come. For 
 the god had set forth all the story of Koine. There 
 lay the she-wolf in the cave of Mars, suckling the 
 twin babes that feared her not and she, bending 
 back her neck , licked them with her tongue ; and 
 there the men of Kome carried off the Sabine vir- 
 gins to be their wives; and hard by the battle 
 raged, and there again the kings made peace to- 
 gether, with offerings and sacrifice. Also there 
 were wrought the chariots that tore asunder Met- 
 tus of Alba for his treachery, and Porsenna bid- 
 ding the Eomans take back their king, besieging 
 the city, but the men of Rome stood in arms against 
 him. Angry and threatening stood the king to 
 see how Codes broke down the bridge, and Cloelia 
 burst her bonds to swim across the river. There 
 Manlius stood to guard the Capitol, and a goose 
 of silver flapped his wings in arcades of gold, and 
 showed the Gauls at hand. And they, under cover 
 of the darkness, were climbing through the thick- 
 ets even to the edge of the hill. Their hair was 
 wrought in gold, in gold their raiment ; and their 
 cloaks were of divers colors crossed; milk-white 
 their necks and clasped with gold; two spears had 
 each and an oblong shield. Likewise he wrought 
 the dwellings of the dead, of the just and of the 
 unjust. Here Catiline hung from the rock while 
 the Furies threatened him ; there Cato gave the 
 people laws. And all about was the sea wrought 
 in gold; but the waves were blue, and white the 
 foam, and therein sported dolphins of silver. But
 
 150 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 in the midst was wrought a great battle of ships at 
 the cape of Actium. On the one side Augustus led 
 the men of Italy to battle, standing very high on 
 the stern of the ship. From either temple of his 
 head blazed forth a fire. And Agrippa also led on 
 his array with a naval crown about his head. And 
 on the other side stood Anthony, having with him 
 barbarous soldiers arrayed in divers fashions, and 
 leading to battle Egypt and Persia and the armies 
 of the East ; and lo ! behind him a shameful 
 sight his Egyptian wife. But in another part 
 the battle raged, and all the sea was in a foam 
 with oars and triple beaks. It seemed as though 
 islands were torn from their places, or mountain 
 clashed against mountain, so great was the shock 
 of the ships. And all about flew javelins with 
 burning tow, and the sea was red with blood. In 
 the midst stood Queen Cleopatra, with a timbrel 
 in her hand, and called her armies to the battle : 
 behind her you might see the snakes by whose bite 
 she should die. And on one side the dog Anubis, 
 with other monstrous shapes of gods, and over 
 against them Xoptune, and Venus, and Minerva. 
 And in the midst Mars was seen to rage embossed 
 in steel ; and the Furies hovered above, and Dis- 
 cord stalked with garment rent, while above 
 Apollo stretched his bow, and Egyptian and In- 
 dian and Arab fled before him. And in a third 
 place great Caesar rode through Rome in triumph, 
 and the city was full of joy, and the matrons were 
 gathered in the temples ; and through the street
 
 THE ARMS OF AENEAS. 151 
 
 there passed a long array of nations that he had 
 conquered from the east and from the west, and 
 from the north, and from the south. Such was the 
 shield which A r ulcan wrought. 
 
 And Venus, when she saw her son that none was 
 with him, for he had wandered apart from his 
 companions, brought the arms and laid them 
 down before him, saying, " See the arms that I 
 promised I would give thee. These my husband, 
 the Fire-god, hath wrought for thee. With these 
 thou needst shun no enemy; no, not Turnus him- 
 self." Eight glad was he to see them, and fitted 
 them upon him, and swung the shield upon his 
 shoulder, nor knew what mighty fates of his chil- 
 dren he bare thereon.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 NISUS AND EURYALUS. 
 
 BUT Juno, ever seeking occasion against the men 
 of Troy, sent Iris, the messenger of tho Gods, to 
 Turnus, as he sat in the grove of Pilumnus his 
 father. Iris said " That which none of the Gods 
 had dared to promise thee, lo! time itself hath 
 brought. ./Eneas hath left his companions and 
 his ship, seeking the city of Evander, yea, and the 
 Tuscans also. Do thou, therefore,, take the occa- 
 sion and surprise the camp while he is yet ab- 
 sent." 
 
 And she spread her wings and mounted to 
 heaven by the arch of the rainbow, and Turnus 
 cried, " I know theei, goddess, and follow thy 
 sign." And having first washed his hands, he 
 prayed and vowed his vows to the Gods. 
 
 So the army went forth to the battle. Messa- 
 pus led the first line, and the sons of Tyrrheus the 
 rear; and in the midst was Turnus. And the 
 men of Troy saw a great cloud of dust upon the 
 plain, and Cacus cried from the walls, " What 
 meaneth this cloud that I see? To arms, my 
 friends. Climb the walls. The enemy is at 
 hand." Then did the men of Troy shut the gates 
 152
 
 NISUS AND EURYALUS. 153 
 
 and man the walls. For so had .Eneas com- 
 manded them, saying, " Fight not, whatever be- 
 fall in battle, nor trust yourselves to the plain, 
 but defend your walls." Therefore they shut 
 their gates, and waited till the enemy should 
 come near. And Turnus, on a horse of Thrace, 
 rode first, and twenty youths with him; and he 
 cried, " Is there a man who will first venture the 
 attack ? " and he threw his javelin, making a be- 
 ginning of battle, and his companions shouted 
 aloud. Much they marveled that the men of 
 Troy kept them within the walls and came not 
 forth to the battle. And Turnus ever regarded 
 the walls, how he might enter therein. Even as 
 a wolf prowleth round the fold at midnight, while 
 the lambs within bleat, being safe by their 
 mothers, but he rageth without to hear them, being 
 mad with wrath and hunger, and his tongue is 
 thirst for blood, even so did Turnus rage round 
 the camp, and cast about how he might draw 
 forth the men of Troy into the plain. And at 
 the last he bethought him of the ships, which lay 
 at the camp's side, and called for torches of pine, 
 and the people followed him with a shout, and 
 the smoke rose up to the heavens. 
 
 Then did a marvelous thing befall. Now in 
 the days when yEneas was building his ships upon 
 Mount Ida, Cybele, mother of the Gods, spake to 
 Jupiter, saying " Grant, my son, that these ships, 
 which -^Eneas builded of my pine-trees, for these 
 have I given to him freely, may be safe from
 
 154 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 winds and waves." But Jupiter answered, " What 
 is this that thou askest, my mother? Wouldst 
 thou have immortality for mortal ships ? Not so. 
 But this I grant: that whichsoever of these shall 
 come safe to the land of Italy shall become 
 Nymphs of the sea." And now the day was come. 
 Wherefore there was heard an awful voice, saying, 
 " Fear not, men of Troy ; nor care to defend your 
 ships," and to the ships, " Go ! henceforth ye are 
 Nymphs of the sea. And lo! straightway the 
 cables brake, and where the ships had been were 
 the shapes of women, for each ship a woman. 
 
 Much did the Latins wonder to behold the 
 thing, and Tiber stayed his stream to see it. But 
 Turnus trembled not, crying, " This marvel 
 meaneth evil for the men of Troy. Their ships 
 abide not our attack. Nor have they any longer 
 that wherewith they may flee from us. And ari 
 for fate, I heed it not. It was the fate of the 
 men of Troy that they should touch the land of 
 Italy. It is my fate that I should destroy the ac- 
 cursed race. They rob me of my wife. That 
 wrong toucheth others besides Menelaiis. Surely, 
 it had been enough to perish once. But why, 
 then, will they sin again? It had been well had 
 they loathed thereafter all womankind. Or do 
 they think that this rampart shall protect them? 
 Did they not see the walls which Neptune builded 
 settle down in the fire? And now, who cometh 
 with me to storm their camp? I need not arms 
 from Vulcan's forge, or a thousand ships. Deeds
 
 NISUS AND EURYALUS. 155 
 
 of darkness and of stealth they need not fear. 
 We will not hide us in a Horse of wood. In day- 
 light will we burn their walls. For surely the 
 youth of Italy is not as the youth of Greece, whom 
 Hector kept at bay for ten years." Then he com- 
 manded that they should lay siege to the camp; 
 and Messapus he sat to watch the gate, and four- 
 teen Rutulian chiefs, with each a hundred youths, 
 kept guard on the walls. So all the night they 
 watched, and feasted, and drank, and made merry. 
 
 But the men of Troy labored meanwhile, mak- 
 ing strong the gates and the towers of the walls. 
 And Mnestheus and Sergestus were instant with 
 command and exhortation, for yEneas had ap- 
 pointed them to this thing should any need arise, 
 he being absent. 
 
 Now the keeper of the gate was Nisus, a val- 
 iant man of war, and with him Euryalus, the 
 goodliest youth among the men of Troy; and 
 great love was between them. And as they 
 watchecl, Nisus said, " Whether it be a bidding of 
 the Gods, or prompting of my own heart, I know 
 not, but I have a great desire to do somewa?t 
 this night. Seest thou how the enemy lie asleep 
 and drunken ? Can I not win some honor hence, 
 and carry the tidings of these things to ^Eneas? 
 For yonder by the hill lieth the way to the city 
 of Evander." 
 
 Then Euryalus made answer : " Nay, but thou 
 goest not alone, Nisus, nor leavest me. My father 
 Opheltes trained me not to such baseness, nor have
 
 156 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 I so borne myself in thy company. And truly I 
 should count life well lost for such honor." 
 
 Then said Nisus : " I thought not so ill of 
 thee. So may Jupiter bring me back in safety 
 and honor. Yet should some mischance befall 
 I would that thou yet shouldst live, to buy my 
 body back, or, if that may not be, to pay due 
 honor to my spirit. Think, too, of thy mother, 
 who, alone of all thy mothers of Troy, hath, for 
 love of thee, come to this land of Italy." 
 
 But Euryalus said : " Thou makest idle ex- 
 cuses, for I am steadfastly purposed to go. Let 
 us hasten, therefore." So they woke those who 
 should take their places at the gate, and sought 
 speeech of the chiefs. These indeed were hold- 
 ing counsel, and stood leaning on their spears in 
 the midst of the camp. And Nisus said that he 
 had somewhat to say, and that the matter pressed. 
 Then lulus bade him speak; and he made an- 
 swer : " The enemy lie sleeping and drunken 
 about the walls, and the fires are extinguished. If 
 fortune favor us we will win our way to .'Eneas, 
 to the city of Evander, and slay many, and take 
 much spoil likewise. The way indeed we know, 
 having learnt it while we hunted in these parts." 
 Then the old man Aletes said : " Surely, Troy 
 hath not altogether perished, having yet such 
 hearts as yours." And he threw his arms about 
 them, weeping. And lulus said, " Bring back my 
 father, and all shall be well. And I will give you 
 two cups of silver embossed with figures of men,
 
 NISUS AND EURYALUS. 157 
 
 which my father took from the city of Arisba. 
 And if we subdue this land of Italy, thou, Nisus, 
 shalt have the horses and the arms of Turnus, 
 and twelve women-captives likewise, and twelve 
 men with their arms, and the domain of King 
 Latinus. And thou, Euryalus, who art nearer of 
 age to me, shalt be next to myself in all things." 
 
 Then Euryalus made answer : " One thing I 
 ask thee more. I have a mother, of the lineage 
 of Priam. To her I say not farewell, not being 
 able to endure her tears. Do thou care for her, 
 if she be bereaved of me." And liilus said: 
 " She shall be as my mother to me." 
 
 Then he gave him his own sword, with its scab- 
 bard of ivory, and Mnestheus gave to Nisus a 
 lion's skin, and Aletes a helmet. And all went 
 with them to the gates, with many prayers and 
 vows; also liilus, being wise beyond his years, 
 sent many messages to his father. 
 
 Then they crossed the moat, and came upon the 
 enemy as they slept, Nisus being before, and 
 Euryalus keeping watch lest any should assail 
 them from behind. And first Nisus slew Rhamnes 
 as he slept : an augur he was, whom Turnus most 
 trusted, yet he knew not his own doom. Next 
 he slew the three servants and the armor-bearer 
 and the charioteer of Remus, and, after, Remus 
 himself, cutting off his head. Others also he 
 slew, and among them Serranus, a fair youth, who 
 had been foremost in his sport that night. It 
 had been well for him had he prolonged it even
 
 158 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 unto dawn. Many also did Euryalus slay, all of 
 them in their sleep, pave Rhoetus only, who, being 
 a\ ake, would fain have hidden himself behind a 
 great jar, but could not. But when he would 
 have assailed Messapus and his comrades, Nisus, 
 seeing that he was mastered by the love of 
 slaughter, cried aloud, " Cease : the day approach- 
 eth. It is enough that we have made us a way 
 through the enemy." Much spoil did they leave 
 behind them; but Euryalus took a sword-belt 
 with knobs of gold from Rhamnes Caedicus gave 
 it to Remulus of Tibur, and he to his grandson, 
 from whom Rhamnes had won it in war and put 
 on his head the helmet of Messapus. So they de- 
 parted from the camp. 
 
 But it so chanced that three hundred horse- 
 men, with Volscens their leader, were riding to 
 the camp from the city. And as they came nigh, 
 one of them espied, in the light of the moon, the 
 helmet which Euryalus, being but a youth and 
 unwary, had put on him. And Volscens cried, 
 "Who are ye? Whither do ye go?" 
 
 But they answered nothing, making haste to 
 fly. Then Volscens commanded that they should 
 keep the wood on every side. Very thick it was 
 with dark ilex-trees and brambles. And Eurya- 
 lus, indeed, being laden with his spoil and fear- 
 ful, wandered from the way, but Nisus got him- 
 self clear. But when he came to the stalls where 
 they kept the cattle of King Latinus, he knew 
 himself to be alone, and looked round for his
 
 NISUS AND EURYALUS. 159 
 
 companion, but saw aim not. Then returning he 
 searched through the wood till he heard the 
 sound of horsemen approaching ; and lo ! Eurya- 
 lus was in the midst, seeking to get free, but could 
 not. Forthwith, having first prayed to Diana 
 that she would help him, if perchance he might 
 scatter this company, he cast his spear. It 
 pierced the back of Sulmo, and passed even 
 through his heart. And while they all looked, 
 lo ! another spear, and it pierced the head of Tagus 
 from temple to temple. Very wroth was Volscens 
 to see such slaughter, and know not how it befell ; 
 and he cried, " Thou at least shalt suffer for these 
 deeds," and flew upon Euryalus. This could not 
 Nisus endure to see, but rushed from his hiding- 
 place, and cried, " Lo ! I am the man ^ -ho wrought 
 this slaughter. Turn your swords against me. 
 He did not, nay, he could not do such deeds. He 
 did but follow his friend." But not the less did 
 the sword of Volscens pierce the side of Euryalus ; 
 and the blood gushed out over his fair body, and 
 his head drooped, even as a flower, which the 
 plow-share cuts in the field, or a poppy whose 
 stalk is broken. Then rushed Nisus into the 
 midst, thinking only how he might slay Volscens j 
 nor could the enemy stay him, but that he thrust 
 his sword into his mouth and slew him. And 
 afterwards, being pierced with many wounds, he 
 fell dead upon the body of his friend. 
 
 But when the horsemen were come to the camp, 
 they found the slaughter that had been done. And
 
 160 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 when the day dawned they set the battle in array 
 against the men of Troy, and the heads of Nisus 
 and Euryalus they fixed upon poles, and showed 
 them. 
 
 But when the report of these things came to 
 the ears of the mother of Euryalus, she threw 
 down her distaff, and hasted through the camp; 
 and coming to the wall, she cried, " Is it thus I 
 see thee, my son ? Why was it not granted to me 
 to bid thee farewell? And now I may not close 
 thine eyes or wrap thee in the garments which I 
 have made, solacing my cares with the labors of 
 the loom. Slay me with your spears, ye Latins; 
 or thou, great Jupiter, smite me with thy thunder, 
 since I may not rid me otherwise of this hateful 
 life." 
 
 But when with her wailing she touched the 
 hearts of the men so that they forgat their valor, 
 Ilioneus and liilus commanded Idaeus and Actor 
 that they should lay hands upon her and carry 
 her to her dwelling.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CAMP. 
 
 AND now the trumpet gave the signal for bat- 
 tle. First the Volscians drew near to the wall. 
 These held their shields over their heads, joining 
 them in close array so that they were like unto 
 the shell of a tortoise, and they that bare them 
 filled the moat and pulled down the wall. And 
 some would have mounted the walls on ladders; 
 while the men of Troy cast spears at them and 
 thrust at them with poles, being indeed well used 
 to the manner of such a fight from walls. But 
 on the covering of shields they threw down a huge 
 block, breaking it through and scattering the men, 
 who would not indeed fight any more in such 
 fashion, but cast all manner of javelins and the 
 like against the men of Troy. And Mezentius the 
 Tuscan came on, shaking a lighted torch of pine 
 in his hand, and Messapus tore down the ram- 
 part and called for a scaling-ladder, that he might 
 mount up into the breach. 
 
 Now there was a tower upon the wall, which 
 the Italians sought to take, and the men of Troy 
 to defend it cast stones and darts through the loop- 
 holes thereof. On to this Turnus cast a torch, 
 11 161
 
 162 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 settting fire to the wall, and the flame, the wind 
 fanning it, climbed from story to story. And 
 when they that were therein fled to the part that 
 was yet unconsumed, lo ! the whole tower fell for- 
 ward, and all perished, two only escaping, Hel- 
 enor and Lycus. And Helenor was the elder, and 
 when he saw that the enemy was about him on 
 every side, then, even as a beast which the hunters 
 compass about with a great ring waxeth desperate 
 and flingeth himself over the nets upon their 
 spears, so he threw himself on the ranks of the 
 Latins where the spears were thickest, and so 
 died. But Lycus was very swift of foot, and won 
 even as far as the wall, and would fain have 
 climbed thereon. But Turnus caught him, cry- 
 ing, " Thinkest thou to escape me ? " and he laid 
 hands upon him as he hung from the wall, drag- 
 ging down much v all likewise : even as an eagle 
 seizes a swan or a wolf a lamb, so he seized him. 
 Then did the battle wax fiercer and fiercer, and 
 many fell on this side and on that. For Ilioneus 
 smote Lucetius when he would have set fire to 
 the gates, and Capys slew Privernus, and Mezen- 
 tius, having cast away his spear, smote the son 
 of Arcens with a bullet of lead from his sling. 
 
 And now lulus, having used his bow aforetime 
 on beasts of the field only, now first drew it against 
 a man, even against Numanus, who had to wife 
 the sister of Turnus. For this Numanus, think- 
 ing himself to be some great one, stood in the 
 front rank, and defied the men of Troy, saving.
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CAMP. 103 
 
 " Are ye not ashamed, ye that have already been 
 twice conquered, now to be besieged again? What 
 madness brought you to Italy? We are a hardy 
 race, for our new-born babes are dipped in the 
 stream, and our boys are hunters in the woods; 
 and when we be men our hands are ever on the 
 plowshare or the sword, yea^ and old age sub- 
 dues us not, for when our hair is white yet do we 
 cover it with the helmet. But ye with your man- 
 tles of purple and saffron, and sleeved tunics, and 
 ribboned miters, lovers of sleep and of the dance, 
 ye men, nay rather ye women, of Phrygia, what 
 do ye here ? " 
 
 But the young lulus endured not to hear such 
 boasting. He fixed an arrow in his bow and drew 
 the string, which was of horsehair, and ere he let 
 fly, he cried to Jupiter, " Help me now, great 
 Father so will I bring, year by year, to thy tem- 
 ple a steer with gilded horns." And Jupiter 
 heard, and thundered on the left hand. And now, 
 together with the thunder, clanged the bow-string, 
 sending death, and the arrow hissed in the air and 
 smote Numanus through the head, even from 
 temple to temple. " This is the answer that the 
 twice-conquered men of Troy send thee." So cried 
 the young lulus, and all the people shouted for 
 joy. And Apollo, where he sat in heaven and re- 
 garded the battle, spake, " Go thou on as thou be- 
 ginnest, child and father of gods: 'tis thus that 
 the race of Troy shall hereafter bring all wars to 
 an end.' Then he came down from heaven into
 
 ICi STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 the camp of Troy, and took upon himself the shape 
 of the old man Butes: he had been aforetime the 
 armor-bearer of Anchises, and now followed 
 liilus. And the gods spake, saying, " It is enough 
 that thou hast slain the boaster Numanus. The 
 archer Apollo envieth thee not this glory. But 
 tempt the battle no more." So saying he van- 
 ished out of their sight. But the chiefs knew 
 him who he was, yea, and heard the rattle of his 
 quiver as he departed. And they suffered not 
 liilus to draw his bow again. But all the more 
 the battle raged along the walls. 
 
 Now there were two youths, sons of Alcanor 
 of Mount Ida, tall as pine-trees; and their names 
 were Pandarus and Bitias. These having charge 
 of the gate opened it, and standing on the right 
 hand and on the left, even as towers, bade the 
 enemy enter. And many of these, seeing the 
 open gate, rushed forward, but fell slain upon 
 the threshold. And now the men of Troy took 
 heart, and pressed on beyond the walls. 
 
 But when Turnus heard tidings of these things 
 he made haste to the gate. And first he slew 
 Antiphates, who was a son of Sarpedon, and 
 others also, and Bitias himself with them. Not 
 with a javelin did he slay him (no javelin had 
 done such deed), but with a great spear of Sa- 
 guntum, having a point of a cubit's length. 
 Through two bulls' hides it passed and two folds 
 of his coat of mail. With a great crash he fell,
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CAMP. 165 
 
 and his shield upon him, even as falls a great pile 
 which men set up in the bay of Baia?. So Bitias 
 fell ; and Pandarus, his brother, seeing that things 
 fared ill with the men of Troy, shut-to the gate, 
 thrusting it into its place with his broad shoul- 
 ders. Many of his companions he left without 
 among their enemies, and many he shut in. But 
 being blind with haste and fear, he saw not that 
 he shut in among them Prince Turnus himself. 
 But Turnus raged for blood, as a tiger rageth 
 among herds of cattle, and the men of Troy fled 
 before him. But Pandarus feared not to meet 
 him, hoping also that he should have vengeance 
 for his brother. And he cried, " This is not thy 
 city of Ardea, but the camp of thy enemies. 
 Hence thou goest not forth." But Turnus made 
 answer, " Begin, if thou hast any valor in thy 
 heart. Thou shalt find another Achilles here." 
 Then Pandarus cast a great spear with a knotted 
 staff, whereon the bark was left; but Juno 
 turned it aside, so that it fixed itself in the gate. 
 And Turnus said, " My weapon thou escapest not 
 thus, nor maketh my hand such error." And he 
 lifted his s\vord, rising to the blow and cleft the 
 man's head, so that it fell divided upon his shoul- 
 ders. Then, indeed, if only Turnus had bo- 
 thought him to open the gate that the Latins 
 should come in, there had come an end that day 
 to the war and to the whole nation of Troy. But 
 he thought not of it, caring only to slay the en-
 
 166 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 emy. Many did he smite, some on the back as 
 they fled, and some in front; among them 
 Amycus the hunter and Clytius the singer, whom 
 the Muses loved. 
 
 But now the chiefs of Troy, Mnestheus and 
 Sergestus, began to gather the people together, 
 and to make head against Turnus. And Mnes- 
 theus cried, " Whither will ye flee ? Have ye any 
 walls beside? Shall one man work such slaughter 
 in the city? Have you no thought, ye cowards, 
 for your king ? " Then the men of Troy took 
 heart again, and joined themselves in close array, 
 so that Turnus could not but give way before 
 them. Just so a lion is driven back by a crowd of 
 men. Frightened is he, yet fierce withal and his 
 courage suffereth him not to flee, yet, so many arc 
 against him, he dareth not to stand. Even thus 
 did Turnus give way. Twice he turned and put 
 the men of Troy to flight, and twice they mas- 
 tered him. For the helmet on his head rang with 
 the javelins, and was broken with stones; and the 
 crest was stricken off, and the shield was shat- 
 tered with blows; and the sweat poured off from 
 him, and scarce could he breathe, till at the last, 
 having now come to the river, he plunged therein, 
 and so returned to his companions. 
 
 And still the battle grew fiercer and fiercer 
 about the walls, and the ring of them that de- 
 fended the camp grew thinner and thinner. There 
 stood Asius, the son of Imbrasus, and Clarus and
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CAMP. 167 
 
 Themon, brothers of Sarpedon the Lycian, and 
 Acmon, the brother of Mnestheus, and others with 
 them. And in the midst stood the young lulus 
 with his comely head uncovered, like to a jewel 
 that is set in gold or ivory, or that is compassed 
 about with boxwood or terebinth.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE. 
 
 IN the meanwhile ^Deas had made alliance 
 with Tarchon and the Tuscans. For when he had 
 expounded all things to Tarchon their chief, tell- 
 ing him withal whence he had come, the people, 
 believing that all things were now fulfilled as the 
 Gods would have them b followed him willingly. 
 Now, therefore, he was returning to the camp, 
 leading the way in his ship, on the prow whereof 
 were two lions, and above them the image of the 
 goddess Ida. Pallas also sat beside him, and 
 him and asked him, now concerning the stars by 
 which men guide their ways at night and now con- 
 cerning the things which he had himself endured 
 by land and sea. 
 
 After him came Massicus, in the Tiger, with 
 whom were a thousand men from Clusium and 
 Cosae; and Abas, with six hundred from Popu- 
 lonia; and from Ilva, rich in mines, three hun- 
 dred more. Asilas also the soothsayer, came lead- 
 ing a thousand men from Pisa ; and Astyr, the fair- 
 est of men, with three hundred from Caere and 
 from the corn-fields of Minio and from Pyrgi. 
 
 Also the Ligurians came, with Cinyras, son of 
 168
 
 THE BATTLE OX THE SHORE. 169 
 
 Cycnus, who had for his crest swan feathers; 
 and his ship was called the Centaur. And Oenus 
 came from Mantua in the Mincius, and five hun- 
 dred with him; and Aulestes in the Triton; and 
 the number of the ships was thirty in all. 
 
 And now the night had fallen, and as ^Eneas 
 sat at the helm, for care suffered him not to sleep, 
 lo ! there appeared to him a troop of Nymphs, 
 which once had been his ships. And one of these, 
 by name Cymodocea, came behind and caught the 
 stern of the ship with the right hand, swimming 
 meanwhile with the left. Then she spake, saying, 
 " Wakest thou., son of the goddess ? We are pines 
 of Mount Ida, once thy ships, but now changed 
 to Nymphs when Turnus would have burned us 
 with fire. Know that thy son is besieged in the 
 camp. Arm thyself therefore with the arms 
 which Vulcan hath wrought for thee. To-morrow 
 thou shalt lay many Latins low in death.'' And 
 as she spake she pushed the ship with hor hand, 
 and it sped along through the waters and the rest 
 also with it. 
 
 And when the day was come, ^Eneas commanded 
 that all should make them ready for battle. And 
 now the camp was in sight, as he stood on the 
 stern and lifted in his left hand a flashing shield. 
 Much did the men of Troy rejoice to see that 
 sight, and shouted amain. And Turnus and his 
 companions marveled, till they looked behind 
 them, and lo! the sea was covered with ships, and 
 in the m,idst was JSneas. And it was as if a
 
 170 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 flame poured forth from his helmet and his shield, 
 bright as is a comet when it shines in the night- 
 time red as blood, or as the Dog Star in the hot 
 summer-tide with baleful light bringing fevers 
 to the race of men. 
 
 Yet did not Turnus lose heart, but would oc- 
 cupy the shore, and hinder from landing those 
 that came. Wherefore he cried, " Xow have ye 
 that which ye wished for. Lo ! the enemy hides 
 not himself behind a wall, but meets us face to 
 face. Eemember wife and child and home and 
 the great deeds of }'our fathers. Let us meet them 
 on the shore ere yet their footing is firm." And 
 he thought within himself who should watch the 
 walls, and who should meet the enemy when he 
 would gain the shore. 
 
 But in the meantime ^Eneas landed his men 
 on gangways from the ships. And some leapt on 
 shore, having watched for the ebb of the waves, 
 and some ran along the oars. Tarchon also, the 
 Etrurian, having spied a place where the sea broke 
 not in waves, commanded his men that they should 
 beach the ships, which indeed they did without 
 harm. Only the ship of Tarchon himself was 
 caught upon a ridge and the men thrown there- 
 from. Yet these also, after a while., got safe to the 
 shore. 
 
 Then did ^Eneas do great deeds against the 
 enemy. For first he slew Theron, who surpassed 
 all men in stature smiting through his coat of 
 mail; and Cisseus and Gyas, who wielded clubs
 
 THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE. 171 
 
 after the manner of Hercules. Sons were they 
 of Melampus, who had borne Hercules company 
 in all his labors. Then the sons of Phorcus came 
 against him, seven in number; and they cast at 
 him seven spears, whereof some rebounded from 
 his shield and some grazed his body, but harmed 
 him not. Then cried ^Eneas to Achates, " Give 
 me spears enough. Spears which have slain the 
 Greeks on the fields of Troy shall not be cast in 
 vain against these Latins." Then of the seven he 
 slew Mason and Alcanor, for the spear pierced 
 the breast-plate and heart of Mason, and when 
 Alcanor would have held him up, passed through 
 his arm and yet kept on its way. And many others 
 fell on this side and on that, for they fought with 
 equal fortune. On the very threshold of Italy 
 they fought, and neither would the Italians give 
 place nor yet the men of Troy, for foot was planted 
 close to foot, and man stood fast by man. 
 
 In another part of the battle Pallas fought 
 with his Arcadians. And when he saw that they 
 fled, not being wont to fight on foot (for by reason 
 of the ground they had sent away their horses), 
 he cried, " Now, by the name of your King Evan- 
 dcr, and by my hope that I may win praise like 
 unto his, I beseech you that ye trust not to your 
 feet. Ye must make your way through the enemy 
 with your swords. Where the crowd is the thick- 
 est follow me. Nor have ye now gods against you. 
 These are but mortal mon that ye see." And he 
 rushed into the mid si of the enemy. First he
 
 172 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 smote Lagus with his spear, even as he was lift- 
 ing a great stone from the earth. In the back he 
 smote him, and, having smitten him, strove todraw 
 forth his spear, and while he strove, Hisbo would 
 have slain him; but Pallas was aware of his com- 
 ing, and pierced him in the breast with his sword. 
 Next he slew the twin brothers, Larides and 
 Thymber. Very like they were, and it pleased 
 father and mother that they knew not the one from 
 the other; but Pallas made a cruel difference be- 
 tween them, for from Thymber he struck off the 
 head and from Larides the right hand. And after 
 this he slew Rhcetus, as he fled past him in his 
 chariot. And now, even as a shepherd sets fire 
 to a wood, and the flames are borne along by the 
 wind, so Pallas, and his Arcadians following, 
 raged through the battle. And when Hala3sus. 
 the companion of Agamemnon, would have stayed 
 them, Pallas, first praying to Father Tiber, smote 
 him through the breast with a spear, that he died. 
 Then came to the help of the Latins Lausus, the 
 son of King Mezentius, and slew Abas of Popu- 
 lonia, and others also. Then the battle was equal 
 for a space, for Pallas supported it on the one 
 side and Lausus on the other. Fair were they 
 both to behold and of equal age, and for both it 
 was ordained that they should not return to their 
 native country. Yet they met not in battle, see- 
 ing that the doom of each was that he should fall 
 by a greater hand. 
 
 And now the nymph Juturna, who was sister
 
 THE BATTLE OX THE SHORE. 173 
 
 to Turnus, bade her brother haste to the help 
 of Lausus. And when he was come, he cried 
 to the Latins, " Give place : I only will deal with 
 Pallas. I only would that his father were here 
 to see." Much did Pallas marvel to behold him 
 and to see the men give place. But, being no 
 whit afraid, he went forth into the space between 
 the hosts, and the blood of the Arcadians ran cold 
 when they saw him go. Then Turnus leapt from 
 his chariot, for he would meet him on foot. And 
 first Pallas prayed, saying, " Hercules ! if thou 
 wast indeed my father's guest, help me to-day ! " 
 And Hercules heard him where he sat in heaven, 
 and wept because he could avail nothing. Then 
 said Father Jupiter, " My son, the days of men 
 are numbered; yet may they live forever by 
 noble deeds. This at least can valor do. Did not 
 many sons of the gods fall at Troy? yea, and 
 my own Sarpedon. And for Turnus, toe>, the day 
 of doom is at hand." And he turned his eyes 
 from the battle. Then Pallas cast his spear with 
 all his might. Through the shield of Turnus it 
 passed, and through the corslet, yea, and grazed 
 the top of his shoulder. Then Turnus balanced 
 his spear awhile, and said, " This, methinks, shall 
 better make its way," and he cast it. Through 
 the shield, through the stout bull's hide, and 
 through the folds of bronze it passed, and 
 through the corslet, and pierced the breast of Pal- 
 las from front to back. And Pallas tore from the 
 wound the reeking steel, and the blood gushed
 
 IT-t STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 out, and the life therewith. Then Turnus stood 
 above the corpse, and said, " Men of Arcadia, tell 
 these my words to Evander : * Pallas I send him 
 back, even as he deserved that I should send him. 
 I grudge him not due honors of burial. Yet of a 
 truth the friendship of ^Eneas hath cost him 
 dear/ " Then he put his foot upon the body and 
 dragged therefrom the belt. Great and heavy it 
 was, and Clonius had wrought thereon in gold the 
 deed of the fifty daughters of Danaiis, how they 
 slew their husbands in one night. But even then 
 the time was very near when Turnus would wish 
 that he had left that spoil untouched. And after- 
 wards, with much groaning and weeping, the com- 
 panions of Pallas laid him upon a shield and bare 
 him back. 
 
 And now tidings came to ^iEneas that it fared 
 ill with his men, and that Pallas was slain. 
 Across the field he sped, and all his heart was full 
 of wrath against Turnus and pity for the old man 
 Evander; and first he took alive eight youths, 
 whom he should slay upon the tomb. Then he cast 
 his spear at Lagus; but Lagus avoided it by 
 craft, and rushed forward, and caught him by the 
 knees, beseeching him by the spirit of his father 
 and the hopes of lulus that he would spare him, 
 and take a ransom for his life. But ^Eneas made 
 answer, " Talk not of sparing nor of ransom ; for 
 to all courtesy of war there is an end now that 
 Turnus hath slain Pallas." And he caught the 
 man's helmet with his left hand, and. bending
 
 THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE. 175 
 
 back his neck, thrust in the sword up to the hilt. 
 And many other valiant chiefs he slew, as Haem- 
 onides, priest of Phcebus and Diana, and Tar- 
 quitus, son of Faunus, and dark Gamers, son of 
 Volscens. And now there met him two brethren 
 on one chariot, Lucagus and Liger. And Liger, 
 who indeed drave the horses, cried aloud, " These 
 are not the horses of Diomed, nor this the char- 
 iot of Achilles, from which thou mayest escape. 
 Lo ! the end of thy battles and thy life is come." 
 But ^Eneas spake not, but cast his spear, and even 
 as Lucagus made himself ready for battle it sped 
 through his shield and pierced his thigh. Then he 
 fell dying on the plain. And ^Eneas cried, mock- 
 ing him, " Thy horses are not slow to flee, nor 
 frightened by a shadow. Of thy own will thou 
 leavest thy chariot." And he caught the horses 
 by the head. Then Liger stretched out his hands 
 to him in supplication, saying, " I beseech thee, 
 by thy parents, have pity upon me." But ^Eneas 
 made answer, " Nay, but thou spakest not thus 
 before. Die! and desert not thy brother." And 
 he thrust the sword into his breast. Thus did 
 vEneas deal death through the host, even as he 
 had been the giant Typhoeus with the hundred 
 hands. And when liilus and the men of Troy 
 beheld him they brake forth from the camp. 
 
 And now Juno bethought her how she might 
 save Turnus, whom she loved. So she caused that 
 there should pass before his eyes an image as of 
 s, which seemed to defy him to battle. And
 
 176 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 when Turnus would have fought, lo! the false 
 yEneas fled, and Turnus followed him. Now 
 there chanced to be lying moored to a great rock 
 a certain ship, on which King Asinius had come 
 from Clusium. Into this the false ^Eneas fled, 
 and Turnus followed hard upon him, hut found 
 not the man. And when he looked, Juno had 
 burst the moorings of the ship, and the sea was 
 about him on every side. Then he cried, " What 
 have I done, great Jupiter, that I should suffer 
 such shame? What think the Latins of my 
 flight? Drown me, ye winds and waves, or drive 
 me where no man may see me more." Thrice he 
 would have cast himself into the sea ; thrice would 
 he have slain himself with the sword; but Juno 
 forbade, and brought him safe to the city of 
 Daunus, his father. 
 
 In the meanwhile King Mezentius joined the 
 battle. Nor could the men of Troy, nor yet the 
 Tuscans,, stay him. Many valiant men he slew, 
 as Mimas, whom his mother Theano bare the same 
 night that Hecuba bare Paris to King Priam ; and 
 Actor, a Greek, who had left his promised wife, 
 and carried her purple favor in his helmet; and 
 tall Orodes. Orodes, indeed, was flying, but the 
 king deigned not to slay him in his flight, but 
 met him face to face and smote him. Also when 
 Orodes cried, " Whoever thou art, thou gocst not 
 long unpunished: a like doom awaits thee; and 
 in this land shall thou find thy grave," Mezentius
 
 THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE. 177 
 
 laughed, and made answer, " Die thou, but let 
 the king of Gods and men see to me." 
 
 But after awhile ^Eneas spied Mezentius as he 
 fought, and made haste to meet him. Nor did 
 the king give place, but cried, " Now may this 
 right hand and the spear which I wield be my gods, 
 and help." And he cast his spear. It smote the 
 shield of JEneas, but pierced it not. Yet did it 
 not fly in vain, for glancing off it smote Antores 
 in the side Antores who once had been comrade to 
 Hercules., and afterwards followed Evander. Now 
 he fell, and in his death remembered the city 
 which he loved, even Argos. Then in his turn 
 ^Eneas cast his spear. Through the bull's-hide 
 shield it passed, wounding the king in the groin, 
 but not to death. And ^Eneas was right glad to 
 see the blood flow forth, and drew his sword and 
 pressed on; and Mezentius, much cumbered with 
 the spear and the wound, gave place. But when 
 Lausus, his son, saw this, he groaned aloud and 
 leapt forward and took the blow upon his sword ; 
 and his companions followed him with a shout 
 and cast their spears at ^Eneas, staying him till 
 Mezentius had gotten himself safe away. And 
 ./Eneas stood awhile under the shower of spears, 
 even as a traveler stands hiding himself from a 
 storm. Then he cried to Lausus, " What seekest 
 thou, madman? Why venturest thou that which 
 thy strength may not endure?" But Lausus 
 heeded him not at all, but still pressed on. Then 
 the heart of ^Eneas was filled with wrath, and the 
 12
 
 178 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 day was come for Lausus that he should die. For 
 the king smote him with his sword: through 
 shield it passed and tunic woven with gold, and was 
 hidden to the hilt in his body. And ^Eneas pitied 
 him as he lay dead, bethinking him how he, too, 
 would fain have died for his father, and spake, 
 saying, " What shall ^neas give thee, unhappy 
 boy, for this thy nobleness? Keep thy arms, in 
 which thou hadst such delight, and let thy father 
 care as he will for thy body; and take this com- 
 fort in thy death, that thou fallest by the hand 
 of the great ^neas." Then he lifted him from the 
 earth, and bade his companions carry him away. 
 
 In the meantime his father tended his wounds, 
 leaning on the trunk of a tree by the Tiber bank. 
 His helmet hung from a branch, and his anus lay 
 upon the ground, while his followers stood around. 
 And ever he asked tidings of Lausus, and sent 
 those who should bid him return. But when 
 they brought back his body on a shield, his father 
 knew it from afar, and threw dust upon his white 
 hair, and fell upon the body, crying, " Had I such 
 desire to live, my son, that I suffered thee to meet 
 in my stead the sword of the enemy ? Am I saved 
 by these wounds? Do I live by thy death? /Vnd 
 indeed, my son, I did dishonor to thee by my mis- 
 deeds. Would that I had given my guilty life for 
 thine! But indeed I die: nevertheless not yet, 
 for I have first somewhat that I must do." 
 
 Then he raised himself on his thigh, and com- 
 manded that they should bring his horse. His
 
 THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE. 179 
 
 pride it was and comfort, and had borne him con- 
 queror from many fights. Very sad was the beast, 
 and he spake to it saying, " Rhcebus, thou and I 
 have lived long enough, if indeed aught on earth 
 be long. To-day thou shalt bring back the head 
 and the arms of .^Eneas, and so avenge my Lausus; 
 or thou shalt die with me. For a Trojan master 
 thou wilt not, I know, endure." 
 
 Then he mounted the horse and took spears in 
 both his hands, and so hasted to meet ^Eneas. 
 Thrice he called him by name, and ^Eneas re- 
 joiced to hear his voice, and cried, " Now may 
 Jupiter and Apollo grant that this be true. 
 Begin the fight." And Mezentius made answer: 
 " Seek not to make afraid. Thou canst do me no 
 harm now that thou hast slain my son. I am 
 come to die, but take thou first this gift ; " and he 
 cast his spear, and then another, and another, as 
 he rode in a great circle about the enemy. But 
 they brake not the boss of gold. And ^Eneas 
 stood firm, bearing the forest of spears in his 
 shield. But at last, issuing forth in anger from 
 behind his shield, he cast his spear and smote the 
 war-horse Rhcebus between his temples. Then 
 the horse reared himself and lashed the air with 
 his feet, and fell with his rider beneath him. And 
 the men of Troy and the Latins sent up a great 
 shout. Then ^Eneas hasted and drew his sword, 
 and stood above him, crying, " Where is the fierce 
 Mezentius now ? " And the king said, when he 
 breathed again, " Why threatenest thou me with
 
 180 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 death? Slay me; thou wrongest me not. I made 
 no covenant with thee for life, nor did my Lausus 
 when he died for me. Yet grant me this one 
 thing. Thou knowest how my people hateth me. 
 Keep my body, I pray thee, from them, that they 
 do it no wrong. And let my son be buried with 
 me in my grave." And he gave his throat to the 
 sword and feared not.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE COUNCIL. 
 
 So the battle had an end. And the next day, 
 early in the morning, ^Eneas paid his vows. For 
 he took an oak-tree, and lopped the branches 
 round about, and set it on a mound. And thereon 
 he hung, for a trophy to Mars, the arms of King 
 Mezentius, the crest dripping with blood, and the 
 headless spears, and the corslet pierced in twelve 
 places. Also he fastened on the left hand the 
 shield, and hung about the neck the ivory-hilted 
 sword. And next, the chiefs being gathered about 
 him, he spake, saying, " We have wrought a great 
 deed. Here ye see all that remaineth of Mezen- 
 tius. Xow, therefore, let us make ready to carry 
 the war against the city of Latinus. This, there- 
 fore, will we do with the first light to-morrow. 
 And now let us bury the dead, doing such honor 
 to them as we may, for indeed they have purchased 
 a country for us with their own blood. But first 
 will 1 send back Pallas to the city of Evander." 
 
 Then he went to the tent where the dead body 
 was laid, and old Accetes kept watch there 
 Acretes, who had been armor-bearer to Evander, 
 and now had followed his son, but with evil for- 
 
 181
 
 182 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 tune ; and the women of Troy, with their hair un- 
 bound, mourned about him. But when they saw 
 ^Eneas they beat their breasts, and sent up a great 
 cry even to heaven. And when the king saw the 
 pillowed head and the great wound in the breast 
 he wept, and said, " Ah ! why did Fortune grudge 
 me this, that thou shouldst see my kingdom, and 
 go back in triumph to thy father's home? This 
 is not what I promised to Evander when he gave 
 thee to my charge, and warned me that the men 
 of Italy were valiant and fierce. And now haply, 
 old man, thou makest offerings and prayers for 
 him who oweth not service any more to the Gods 
 of heaven. Yet, at least, thou wilt see that he 
 beareth an honorable wound. But what a son 
 thou losest, Italy ! and what a friend, thou, 
 lulus ! " 
 
 Then he chose a thousand men who should go 
 with the dead and share the father's grief. After 
 this they made a bier of arbutus boughs and oak, 
 and put also over it a canopy of branches, and 
 laid the dead thereon, like unto a flower of violet 
 or hyacinth which a girl hath plucked,, which still 
 hath beauty and color, but the earth nonrisheth it 
 no more. And ^Eneas took two robes of purple, 
 which Dido had woven with thread of gold, and 
 with one he wrapped the body and with the other 
 the head. And behind were carried the arms 
 which Pallas had won in fight; and they led the 
 old man Acretes, smiting on his breast and tear- 
 ing his cheeks, and throwing himself upon the
 
 THE COUNCIL. 183 
 
 ground; and the war-horse zEthon walked beside 
 with the great tears rolling down his cheeks. And 
 also they bare behind him his helmet and shield, 
 for all else Turnus had taken; and then followed 
 the whole company, the men of Troy, the Arca- 
 dians, and the Tuscans, with arms reversed. And 
 ^Eneas said, " The same cares and sorrows of war 
 call me elsewhere. Farewell, my Pallas, for- 
 ever ! " And he departed to the camp. 
 
 And now there came ambassadors from the city, 
 having olive-branches about their heads, praying 
 for a truce, that they might bury their dead. 
 Then J^neas made answer, " Ye ask peace for the 
 dead ; fain would I give it to the living. I had not 
 come to this land but for the bidding of the Fates. 
 And if your king changeth from me and my 
 friendship to Turnus, I am blameless. Yet me- 
 thinks Turnus should rather have taken this dan- 
 ger upon himself. And even now, if he be will- 
 ing to fight with me, man to man, so be it. But 
 now bury ye your dead." 
 
 Then they made truce for twelve days. And 
 the men of Troy and the Latins labored together, 
 hewing wood upon the hills;, pine and cedar and 
 mountain ash. And the men of Troy built great 
 piles upon the shore and burned the dead bodies 
 of their companions thereon, and their arms with 
 them. And the Latins did likewise. Also they 
 that had been chosen to do this thing carried the 
 body of Pallas to his city. And King Evander and 
 the Arcadians made a great mourning for him.
 
 184 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 But when they had made an end of burning 
 the dead there arose a great tumult in the city, for 
 many had lost husband,, or brother, or son. 
 Wherefore they cried out that it was an evil war, 
 and they cursed the marriage of Turnus, and 
 would have him fight with ^Eneas, man to man, 
 that there might be an end of these troubles. And 
 lo! in the midst of the tumult there came back 
 the ambassadors that had been sent to Diomed, 
 saying that their prayers and gifts had availed 
 nothing. Then King Latinus called a council of 
 the chiefs, and sat him down upon his throne, and 
 bade the men say on. Then Yenulus, who was 
 the chief est among them, spake, saying, " We went 
 to Arpi, to the city of King Diomed. And the 
 man received us, and asked us wherefore we had 
 come, and when we had told him, he spake, say- 
 ing, " Men of Italy, why will ye thus tempt your 
 fate? Know ye not that we, as many of us as 
 lifted hand against the men of Troy, have suf- 
 fered grievous things? For the Lesser Ajax per- 
 ished on the rocks of Eubcea; and Menelaiis was 
 driven even to the island of Proteus, which is hard 
 by the land of Egypt; and Ulysses scarcely es- 
 caped from the Cyclops; and as for King Aga- 
 memnon, an adulterer slew him in his palace. 
 And us the Gods suffered not to see wife or coun- 
 try again. But as for this which ye ask of me, 
 I fight not against men of Troy any more. These 
 gifts which ye bring to me, give rather to .^Eneas. 
 We have fought together, and I know how might-
 
 THE COUNCIL. 185 
 
 ily he rises to the stroke of his sword and casts 
 his spear. I tell you this: if there had been in 
 Troy two others such as he, the war had come to 
 the gates of Argos, and Greece had suffered even 
 what she wrought. 'Twas he and Hector who 
 for ten years bore up against our arms; both val- 
 iant men and strong, and this man the dearer to 
 the Gods. Make peace with him, if ye may; but 
 beware that ye meet him not in war." 
 
 And when they had made an end of speaking 
 there was a murmur in the council, some saying 
 one thing, and some another. Then King Latinus 
 said from his throne, " This is an ill time for 
 counsel when the enemy is about our walls. Yet 
 hearken to my words. Ye do ill to wage this war : 
 for the men of Troy are dear to the Gods, nor 
 may any sword prevail against them. Ye have 
 heard what saith King Diomed; ye see also how 
 low our fortunes be brought. My sentence there- 
 fore is this : I have a domain near to the Tiber, 
 stretching far to the west, a land of corn-fields 
 and pasture. This, and the pine forests also on 
 the hills, will I give to the men of Troy, and I will 
 divide also my kingdom. But if they would rather 
 seek some other land, let us build them twelve 
 ships, or more, if they be able to fill them, and 
 let them depart in peace. Now therefore let us 
 send ambassadors, even a hundred men, and let 
 them carry gifts, talents of gold, and ivory, and 
 also a throne and a robe, which are the emblems 
 of kingship."
 
 186 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 Then spake Drances. (Xow Drances had great 
 jealousy of Turnus. Bountiful was he, and elo- 
 quent, and skilful in counsel and debate, but 
 feeble to fight.) "This matter about which thou 
 askest us, King, is manifest, and needeth not 
 speech; for all men know what shall best profit 
 the people, yet fear to say it. 'Tis this man that 
 hindereth us from speech ; this man for whose evil 
 pride aye, I will say it though he threaten me 
 with death so many valiant chiefs have fallen 
 while he makes a vain show of his valor. And 
 now, King, I would bid thee add one more to 
 thy gifts. Give thy daughter to this great son-in- 
 law, and make peace sure forever. . Yea, Turnus, 
 3 r ield thou this to thy country. Lo ! we all ask it 
 of thee, even I, whom thou boldest to be thine en- 
 emy. But if thou wilt not, counting a royal wife 
 to be more than thy country, call not on us to die 
 for thee, but meet thy rival face to face." 
 
 Then in great wrath Turnus made answer, 
 " Thou hast always many words at command, 
 Drances, and, when the senators are called, art 
 ever the first to come. But where is thy valor? 
 Where arc the trophies which thy right hand hath 
 set up ? Wilt thou make trial of it now ? Lo ! 
 the enemy is at hand. Shall we go? Dost thou 
 linger? Is all thy valor in thy boasting tongue 
 and coward feet? And thou doubtest, forsooth, 
 of my courage. What? hast thou not heard of 
 Pallas slain, and Bitias and Pandarus,, and all 
 whom I laid low when they shut me within thoir
 
 THE COUNCIL. 187 
 
 Avails? And now I would speak of thee and thy 
 counsel, my father. If thou thinkest that one de- 
 feat is enough, and that fortune may not change, 
 be it so: let us pray for peace. Happy then he 
 who hath died before he saw such foul disgrace! 
 But if we have yet strength remaining, and na- 
 tions and cities that will yet help us; if these men 
 of Troy have won their victory dear, why faint we 
 at the threshold, and tremble before the trumpet 
 sounds? Diomed will not help us. But we have 
 Messapus, and the augur Tolumnius, and all the 
 chiefs of Italy, yea and the Volscian Camilla, 
 with her squadrons clad in bronze. And if they 
 would have me fight man to man, I refuse not in 
 such a cause. Let him be mighty as Achilles, and 
 don the arms which Vulcan hath made: I refuse 
 not the battle, for my life is for you and your 
 king." 
 
 But while they disputed there came a messen- 
 ger unto the palace bringing tidings of fear. For 
 the men of Troy, he said, were marching in 
 battle line from their camp. Then there arose a 
 great uproar, some crying aloud for arms, and 
 some weeping; loud was it as the clamor of birds 
 that settle in some deep wood, or of swans by the 
 mouth of Po. And Turnus cried, " Call your 
 councils, my friends, speak of peace as you sit. 
 But the enemy is at the gate." And he made haste 
 and rushed forth from the senate-house.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CITY. 
 
 THEN Turnus commanded that of the chiefs 
 some should set the battle in array, and some 
 should fortify the gates, and some should follow 
 after himself. And men dug trenches before the 
 gates, and gathered store of stones and stakes; 
 and the women and children stood upon the walls. 
 But the queen and the chief est of the matrons 
 went to the temple of Pallas, and with them was 
 the virgin Lavinia, from whom all these sorrows 
 sprang, casting down her beautiful eyes to the 
 ground. And they offered incense and prayer to 
 the goddess, that she would break the Phrygian 
 robber's spear, and lay him low before the walls 
 of the city. Then Turnus armed himself for the 
 battle, and ran down from the citadel, and lo ! 
 at the gate there met him Camilla, with a troop 
 of virgins riding on horses. And when they had 
 lighted down therefrom, the Queen spake, saying, 
 " I promise thee, Turnus, to meet the horsemen of 
 Troy and of the Tuscans. Do thou abide here on 
 foot and guard the walls." And Turnus, stead- 
 fastly regarding her, made answer, " What thanks 
 shall I give thee for such service? But now 
 188
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CITY. 189 
 
 hearken to me. There lieth a valley whereby 
 ./Eneas purposeth to come against this city : in the 
 mouth thereof will I lay an ambush; do thou, 
 therefore, meet the Tuscan horsemen in battle 
 having with thee Messapus and the horsemen of 
 Tibur." And when he had said this he departed 
 and laid the ambush against ./Eneas. 
 
 In the mean time Diana, where she sat in 
 heaven, spake to Opis, who was one of the nymphs 
 that waited on her : " Camilla goeth forth to bat- 
 tle, who is dearer to me than all virgins beside, 
 and hath been so even from a child. She is the 
 daughter of .King Metabus. Now Metabus, being 
 banished from his city, even Privernum, by rea- 
 son of his violence, fled, taking with him his 
 daughter. Her he carried in his bosom, and the 
 Volscians pressed hard upon him as he fled. And 
 he came to the river Amasenus, and it chanced 
 that the river was swollen with abundance of rain, 
 and overflowed his banks. And the king, when 
 he would have crossed it by swimming, feared for 
 the child. Therefore he took the great spear 
 which he carried in his hand, and bound the girl 
 thereto with strips of bark, and balanced it in his 
 hands, saying, ' I vow this child to thee, daughter 
 of Latona, to be thy servant forever.' And he 
 cast the spear with all his might, so that it fell on 
 the other side of the river. Then did he throw 
 himself into the stream, and so escaped from the 
 land of his enemies. Thereafter he dwelt not in 
 house or city, but lived on the hills with the shep-
 
 190 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 herds. And the child he nourished with mare's 
 milk, and the like. And when she could first put 
 her feet upon the ground, he put a javelin in her 
 hand, and gave her a bow also and arrows. Xo 
 gold had she on her hair, nor wore she long gar- 
 ments such as women use, but was adorned with a 
 tiger-skin. Also from a child she would cast the 
 javelin from her hand, and whirl the sling above 
 her head, and strike the crane or the wild swan 
 even in the midst of the clouds. Many Tuscan 
 mothers would have had her for their daughter-in 
 law, but marriage pleased her not. I would she had 
 not come to this war. Then had I made her one 
 of my companions. But seeing that her doom 
 is upon her. I give thee this charge concerning her. 
 Pass thou down to the earth, to the Latin land, 
 where they begin even now this evil battle. And 
 take from thy quiver an avenging arrow, and who- 
 soever shall harm the virgin, be he man of Troy 
 or Italian, shall pay the penalty. But her will I 
 carry back to her native country, neither shall any 
 man spoil her of her arms." 
 
 In the meanwhile ^Eneas and his army were 
 come near to the walls. And first the horsemen 
 ran together against each other, holding their 
 spears forth in front. In this battle Tyrrhenus 
 the Tuscan met Aconteus, and drave him from 
 his horse with the shock, as a thunderbolt is driven 
 from the sky or a stone from an engine; and the 
 ranks of the Latins were troubled and fled and 
 the men of Troy pursued them; but when they
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CITY. 191 
 
 came near to the gates the Latins turned upon 
 them, and the men of Troy fled in their turn. 
 Even as a wave upon the shore floweth and ebbeth, 
 so twice they fled and twice they pursued. But 
 the third time they joined battle, and gave not 
 place one to the other. Then fell many men and 
 horses dying on the ground. Orsilochus smote 
 the horse of Remulus between the temples, and the 
 beast reared and threw his rider to the earth. 
 Xext Catillus of Tibur slew lollas, and Herminius, 
 who fought with breast and shoulders bare, driv- 
 ing his spear through him from side to side. But 
 fiercest of all was the virgin Camilla. With one 
 breast bare she fought; and now she would shoot 
 arrows from her bow, and now would ply the bat- 
 tle-axe. And the virgins that were her fellows, 
 as Larina and Tulla and Tarpeia, followed close 
 behind her. Like to the Amazons they were when, 
 having their shelds shaped as is the moon, they 
 throng around their Queen Penthesilea or Hip- 
 polyte. Euneiis she slew, a man of Troy ; and 
 Pagasus and Liris, Etruscans; and others besides. 
 With ever} r arrow she slew a man. And the hunter 
 Ornytus came against her, having for helmet 
 the head of a wolf with white teeth, and in his 
 hand a hunting spear. He was of greater stature 
 than other men, but she slew him, and mocked 
 him, saying, " Didst thou think, Tuscan, that 
 thou wert hunting wild beasts this day? Lo! a 
 woman's arms have brought thy boast to nothing." 
 Then she slew Orsiloclms and Butes, mighty men
 
 192 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 of Troy. Butes she smote as he fled fom her, but 
 from Orsilochus she made as she would flee ; then, 
 wheeling round, met him face to face, and cleft 
 his head in twain. The son of Aunus, whose 
 father dwelt amongst the Apennines, trembled to 
 see the deed, and was fain to escape her by craft, 
 after the fashion of his country, being a man of 
 Lignria. Therefore he said, " What glory is it if 
 thou prevailest by reason of the swiftness of thy 
 horse? Fight with me now on foot, and let us 
 see who shall gain the victory," And when the 
 virgin leapt to the ground, giving her horse to her 
 companions, he turned his horse to flee. But the 
 virgin cried, " Thinkest thou to escape me thus, 
 thou fool? Xever shalt thou see thy father, the 
 crafty Aunus, again." And she made haste and 
 outran the horse, and catching the reins in her 
 hands, stood before him and slew him. 
 
 Then did Tarchon the Tuscan rebuke his horse- 
 men, calling each by his name, saying, " What 
 fear, what baseness, is this, ye Tuscans? Shall 
 a woman drive you before her? Eeady enough 
 are ye for the dance, and the feast, and the sac- 
 rifice; but ye lag behind in war." And he drave 
 his horse at Venulus of Tibur, and caught him in 
 his arms, and carried him away. As an eagle 
 carries a snake which he hath caught, and the 
 snake, winding his coils about the bird, struggles 
 and hisses, so did Tarchon carry him off, and spy 
 out a place where he might smite him, and Venu- 
 lus strove amain to keep the sword from his throat.
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CITY. 193 
 
 And all the men of Troy and the Tuscans charged 
 again when they saw their chief do so valiantly. 
 But all the while Arruns watched the virgin 
 Camilla, that he might take her unawares. Now 
 there was a certain Chloreus, priest of Cybele 
 who rode through the battle, very splendid to be- 
 hold. For his horse was clad in bronze mail, that 
 was clasped with gold; and he himself was clad 
 in purple from beyond the seas; his bow was of 
 Lycia and his arrows of Crete; of gold was his 
 bow, and of gold the helmet; and his saffron scarf 
 was clasped with gold; and his tunic was em- 
 broidered with needlework, and his trews were 
 of divers colors. Him alone the virgin followed, 
 blind to all beside, with a woman's love of beau- 
 tiful spoil. And Arruns watched her from the 
 ambush where he lay; and when the time was 
 come., he cried, " Apollo, lord of Soracte, help me 
 now; if ever I and my people have passed over 
 the burning coals in thy honor, help me now. 
 I seek not spoil nor glory ; let me return without 
 honor to my country, so but I slay this fury." 
 And part of his prayer the god heard, and part 
 was scattered by the winds. Camilla, indeed, he 
 *lew, but to his country he went not back. But 
 when the bow twanged, all the Volscians turned 
 their eyes to the queen ; but she was not aware of 
 the arrow, even till it smote her under her breast. 
 Then her companions ran together and caught her 
 as she fell. And she would have drawn forth 
 the arrow, but it was deep in her side. Then did 
 13
 
 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 her eyes swim cold in death, and the color, that 
 was the color of a rose, faded from her cheek. 
 And as she died, she said to Acca, who was dearest 
 to her of all her companions, " Acca, my sister, 
 my strength faileth me. Bid Turnus that he join 
 the battle, and keep the men of Troy from the 
 city." And she loosed hold of the reins, and fell 
 to the earth ; and the battle grew fiercer as she lay. 
 
 But when the nymph Opis saw that she was 
 dead, she groaned, and cried, " Virgin, thou 
 hast paid the penalty cf thy deed, in that thou 
 dcfiedst the men of Troy. Neither hath it 
 profited thee to be the servant of Diana. Yet 
 will she not have thee unhonored in thy death ; 
 for whosoever hath harmed thee shall surely die.'"' 
 Then she flew through the air, and lighted on a 
 mound that was the tomb of Laurens, that had 
 once been king of the land. And when she saw 
 Arruns boasting of his deed for at first he had 
 fled stricken with fear, but had now taken heart 
 again she cried, " Come hither, that thou mayest 
 suffer thy doom, in that thou hast slain the vir- 
 gin Camilla." And she drew the bow till the ends 
 thereof came close together, and her left hand 
 was on the arrowhead and her right hand on the 
 string. And even as Arruns heard the clang of 
 the bow the arrow smote him that he died. 
 
 But when Camilla was dead her companions 
 fled, and the Rutulians also, and the chiefs were 
 scattered and the battalions left desolate. And 
 there rose a great cloud of dust that rolled ever
 
 THE BATTLE AT THE CITY. 195 
 
 nearer the city; and a dreadful shout went up to 
 heaven. Then those that first came to the gates 
 were trodden down by the crowd behind them, 
 that they died, yea, even in the sight of their 
 homes. And those that were within shut the 
 gates and drave back with arms such as would 
 have entered. And then was slaughter and confu- 
 sion without end. And even the women upon the 
 walls cast javelins with their hands, and thrust 
 with stakes of wood that had been charred with 
 fire, even as with spears. 
 
 . But now there came ill tidings to Turnus as he 
 lay in ambush in the wood, even that Camilla was 
 dead, and that the enemy had the mastery. 
 Wherefore he rose up from his place, and came 
 out upon the plain ; and even as he rose up, ^Eneas 
 had won his way through the wood and overpassed 
 the ridge. Then did they both haste towards the 
 walls. And ^Eneas saw Turnus and knew him, 
 and Turnus also saw ^Eneas; but the darkness hin- 
 dered them that they should not fight together 
 that day.
 
 CHAPTEE XXV. 
 
 THE BROKEN TREATY. 
 
 PRINCE TURNUS, seeing that the Latins had fled 
 in the battle, and that men looked to him that 
 he should perform that which he had promised, 
 even to meet ^Eneas face to face, was filled with 
 rage. Even as a lion which a hunter hath 
 wounded breaketh the arrow wherewith he hath 
 been stricken, and rouseth himself to battle, shak- 
 ing his mane and roaring, so Turnus arose. And 
 first he spake to King Latinus, saying, " ISTot for 
 me, my father, shall these cowards of Troy go 
 back from that which they have covenanted. I 
 will meet this man face to face, and slay him while 
 ye look on ; or, if the Gods will that he vanquish 
 me so, he shall rule over you, and have Lavinia to 
 wife." 
 
 But King Latinus made answer : " Yet think 
 awhile, my son. Thou hast the kingdom of thy 
 father Daunus; and there are other noble virgins 
 in Latium whom thou mayest have to wife. Wilt 
 thou not then be content ? For to give my daugh- 
 ter to any husband of this nation I was forbid- 
 den, as thou knowest. Yet did I disobey, being 
 moved by love of thee, my wife also beseeching 
 196
 
 THE BROKEN TREATY. 197 
 
 me with many tears. Thou seest what troubles I 
 and my people, and thou more than all, have suf- 
 fered from that time. Twice have we fled in the 
 battle, and now the city only is left to us. If 
 I must yield me to these men, let me yield whilst 
 thou art yet alive. For what doth it profit me 
 that thou shouldst die? Nay, but all men would 
 cry shame on me if I gave thee to death ! " 
 
 Now for a space Turnus spake not for wrath. 
 Then he said, " Be not troubled for me, my father. 
 For I, too, can smite with the spear; and as for 
 this ^Eneas, his mother will not be at hand to 
 snatch him in a cloud from my sight." 
 
 Then Amata cried to him, saying, " Fight not, 
 I beseech thee, with these men of Troy, my son; 
 for surely what thou sufferest I also shall suffer. 
 Nor will I live to see ^Eneas my son-in-law." 
 
 And Lavinia heard the voice of her mother, 
 and wept. As a man stains ivory with crimson, 
 or as roses are seen mixed with lilies, even so the 
 virgin's face burned with crimson. And Turnu?, 
 regarding her, loved her exceedingly, and made 
 answer : " Trouble me not with tears or idle 
 words, my -mother, for to this battle I must go. 
 And do thou, Idmon the herald, say to the Phry- 
 gian king, ' To-morrow, when the sun shall rise, 
 let the people have peace, but we two will fight to- 
 gether. And let him that prevaileth have La- 
 vinia to wife.' " 
 
 Then first he went to the stalls of his horses. 
 The wife of the North Wind gave them to Pilum-
 
 198 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 nus. Whiter than snow were they, and swifter 
 than the wind. Then he put the coat of mail 
 about his shoulders, and fitted a helmet on his 
 head, and took the great sword which Vulcan had 
 made for Daunus his father, and had dipped it 
 when it was white-hot in the river of Styx. His 
 spear also he took where it stood against a pillar, 
 saying, " Serve me well, my spear, that hast never 
 failed me before, that I may lay low this woman- 
 ish robber of Phrygia, and soil with dust his curled 
 and perfumed hair." 
 
 The next day the men of Italy and the men of 
 Troy measured out a space for the battle. And 
 in the midst they builded an altar of turf. And 
 the two armies sat on the one side and on the 
 other, having fixed their spears in the earth and 
 laid down their shields. Also the women and the 
 old men stood on the towers and roofs of the city, 
 that they might see the fight. 
 
 But Queen Juno spake to Juturna^ the sister of 
 Turnus, saying, " Seest thou how these two are 
 now about to fight, face to face? And indeed 
 Turnus goeth to his death. As for me, I endure 
 not to look upon this covenant or this battle. 
 But if thou canst do aught for thy brother, lo! 
 the time is at hand." And when the Xymph wept 
 and beat her breast, Juno said, " This is no time 
 for tears. Save thy brother, if thou canst, from 
 death ; or cause that they break this covenant." 
 
 After this came the kings, that they might 
 make the covenant together. And King Latinus
 
 THE BROKEN TREATY. 199 
 
 rode in a chariot with four horses, and he had on 
 his head a crown with twelve rays of gold, for he 
 was of the race of the Sun; and Turnus came in a 
 chariot with two white horses, having a javelin in 
 either hand; and /Eneas had donned the arms 
 which Vulcan had made, and with him was the 
 young liilus. And after due offering ^Enea* 
 sware, calling on all the Gods, " If the victory 
 shall fall this day to Turuus, the men of Troy 
 shall depart to the city of Evander, nor trouble 
 this land any more. But if it fall to me, I will 
 not that the Latins should serve the men of Troy. 
 Let the nations be equal one with the other. The 
 gods that I bring we will worship together, but 
 King Latinus shall reign as before. A new city 
 shall the men of Troy build for me, and Lavinia 
 shall call it after her own name." 
 
 Then King Latinus sware s calling on the Gods 
 that are above and the Gods that are below, say- 
 ing, " This covenant shall stand forever, what- 
 soever may befall. As sure as this scepter which 
 I bear once it was a tree, but a cunning workman 
 closed it in bronze, to be the glory of Latium'.^ 
 kings shall never again bear twig or leaf, so 
 surely shall this covenant be kept." 
 
 But the thing pleased not the Latins; for be- 
 fore, indeed, they judged that the battle would 
 not be equal between two; and now were they the 
 more assured, seeing them when they came to- 
 gether, and that Turnus walked with- eyes cast 
 to the ground, and was pale and wan. Where-
 
 200 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 fore there arose a murmuring among the people, 
 which when Juturna perceived, she took upon her- 
 self the likeness of Gamers, who was a prince and 
 a great warrior among them, and passed through 
 the host saying, "Are ye not ashamed, men of 
 Italy, that one man should do battle for you all ? 
 For count these men: surely they are scarce one 
 against two. And if he be vanquished, what 
 shame for you ! As for him, indeed, though he 
 die, yet shall his glory reach to the heavens; but ye 
 shall suffer disgrace, serving these strangers for- 
 ever." 
 
 And when she saw that the people were moved, 
 she gave also a sign from heaven. For lo ! an 
 eagle that drave a crowd of sea-fowl before him, 
 swooped down to the water, and caught a great 
 swan; and even while the Italians looked, the 
 birds that before had fled turned and pursued the 
 eagle, and drave him before them, so that he 
 dropped the swan and fled away. Which thing 
 when the Italians perceived, they shouted, and 
 made them ready for battle. And the augur Tol- 
 umnius cried, " This is the token that I have 
 looked for. For this eagle is the stranger, and 
 ye are the birds, which before, indeed, have fled, 
 but shall now make him to flee." 
 
 And he ran forward and cast his spear, smit- 
 ing a man of Arcadia below the belt, upon the 
 groin. One of nine brothers was he, sons of a 
 Tuscan mother, but their father was a Greek ; and 
 they, when they saw him slain, caught swords and
 
 THE BROKEN TREATY. 201 
 
 spears, and ran forward. And straightway the 
 battle was begun. First they brake dawn the al- 
 tars, that they might take firebrands therefrom; 
 and King Latinus fled from the place. Then did 
 Messapus drive his horses against King Aulestes 
 of Mantua, who, being fain to fly, stumbled upon 
 the altar and fell headlong on the ground. And 
 Messapus smote him with a spear that was like a. 
 weaver's beam, saying, " This, of a truth, is a 
 worthier victim." After this Coryneiis the Ar- 
 cadian, when Ebysus would have smitten him, 
 snatched a brand from the altar and set fire to the 
 beard of the man, and, before he came to himself, 
 caught him by the hair, and thrusting him to the 
 ground, so slew him. And when Podalirius pur- 
 sued Alsus the shepherd, and now held his sword 
 over him ready to strike, the other turned, and 
 with a battle-ax cleft the man's head from fore- 
 head to chin. 
 
 But all the while the righteous ^Eneas, having 
 his head bare, and holding neither spear nor 
 sword, cried to the people, " What seek ye ? what 
 madness is this ? The covenant is established, and 
 I only have the right to do battle." But even while 
 he spake an arrow smote him, wounding him. 
 But who let it fly no man knoweth ; for who, of a 
 truth, would boast that he had wounded 
 And he departed from the battle.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE DEATH OF TCEXUS. 
 
 Now when Turnus saw that ^Eneas had de- 
 parted from the battle he called for his chariot. 
 And when he had mounted thereon he drave it 
 though the host of the enemy, slaying many val- 
 iant heroes, as Sthenelus and Pholus, and the two 
 sons of Imbrasus the Lycian, Glaucus and Lades. 
 Then he saw Eumedes, son of that Dolon who 
 would have spied out the camp of the Greeks, ask- 
 ing as his reward the horses of Achilles (but Dio- 
 med slew him.) Him Turnus smote with a jave- 
 lin from afar, and, when he fell, came near and 
 put his foot upon him, and taking his sword drave 
 it into his neck, saying, " Lo ! now thou hast the 
 land which thou soughtest. Lie there, and meas- 
 ure out Italy for thyself." Many others he slew, 
 for the army fled before him. Yet did one man, 
 Phegeus by name, stand against him, and would 
 have stayed the chariot, catching the bridles of 
 the horses in his hand. But as he clung to the 
 yoke and was dragged along, Turnus broke his 
 cuirass with his spear, and wounded him. And 
 when the man set his shield before him, and made 
 at Turnus with his sword, the wheels dashed him 
 202
 
 THE DEATH OF TURNUS. 203 
 
 to the ground, and Turnus struck him between 
 the helmet and the breast-plate, and smote off his 
 head. 
 
 But in the meanwhile Mnestheus and Achates 
 and lulus led ^-Eneas to the camp, leaning on his 
 spear. Very wroth was he, and strove to draw 
 . forth the arrow. And when he could not, he com- 
 manded that they should open the wound with the 
 knife, and so send him back to the battle. lapis 
 also, the physician, ministered to him. Novf this 
 lapis was dearer than all other men to Apollo, and 
 when the god would have given him all his arts, 
 even prophecy and music and archery, he chose 
 rather to know the virtues of herbs and the art of 
 healing, that so he might prolong the life of his 
 father, who was even ready to die. This lapis, 
 then, having his garments girt about him in 
 healer's fashion, would have drawn forth the ar- 
 row with the pincers but could not. And while 
 he strove, the battle came nearer, and the sky was 
 hidden by clouds of dust, and javelins fell thick 
 into the camp. But when Venus saw how griev- 
 ously her son was troubled, she brought from Ida, 
 which is a mountain of Crete, the herb dittany. 
 A hairy stalk it hath and a purple flower. The 
 wild goats know it well if so be that they have been 
 wounded by arrows. This, then, Venus, having 
 hidden her face, brought and dipped into the 
 water, and sprinkled there with ambrosia and 
 sweet-smelling panacea. 
 
 And lapis, unawares, applied the water that
 
 204 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 had been healed ; and lo ! the pain was stayed and 
 the blood was stanched, and the arrow came 
 forth, though no man drew it, and ^neas's 
 strength came back to him as before. Then said 
 lapis, " Art of mine hath not healed thee, my son. 
 The Gods call thee to thy work." Then did 
 ^Eneas arm himself again, and when he had kissed 
 lulus and bidden him farewell, he went forth to 
 the battle. And all the chiefs went with him, and 
 the men of Troy took courage and drave back the 
 Latins. Then befell a great slaughter;, for Gyas 
 slew Ufens who was the leader of the ^Equians; 
 also Tolumnius, the great augur, was slain, who 
 had first broken the covenant, slaying a man with 
 his spear. But ^Eneas deigned not to turn his 
 hand against any man, seeking only for Turnus, 
 that he might fight with him. But when the 
 nymph Juturna perceived this she was sore afraid. 
 Therefore she came near to the chariot of her 
 brother, and thrust out Metiscus, his charioteer, 
 where he held the reins, and herself stood in his 
 room, having made herself like to him in shape 
 and voice. Then as a swallow flies through the 
 halls and arcades of some rich man's house, seek- 
 ing food for its young, so Juturna drave the char- 
 iot of her brother hither and thither. And every 
 ^Eneas followed behind, and called to him that 
 he should stay; but whenever he espied the man, 
 and would have overtaken him by running, then 
 again did Juturna turn the horses about and flee. 
 And as he sped Messapus cast a spear at him.
 
 THE DEATH OF TURNUS. 205 
 
 But JSneas saw it coming, and put his shield over 
 him, resting on his knee. Yet did the spear smite 
 him on the helmet-top and shear off the crest. 
 Then indeed was his wrath kindled, and he rushed 
 into the army of the enemy, slaying many as he 
 went. 
 
 Then was there a great slaughter made on this 
 side and on that. But after a while Venus put it 
 into the heart of ^Eneas that he should lead his 
 army against the city. Therefore he called to- 
 gether the chiefs, and, standing in the midst of 
 them on a mound, spake, saying, " Hearken now 
 to my words, and delay not to fulfil .hem, for of 
 a truth Jupiter is on our side. I am purposed this 
 day to lay this city of Latinus even with the 
 ground, if they still refuse to obey. For why 
 should I wait for Turnus till it please him to meet 
 me in battle ? " 
 
 Then did the whole array make for the walls 
 of the city. And some carried firebrands, and 
 some scaling-ladders, and some slew the warders at 
 the gates, and cast javelins at them who stood on 
 the walls. And then there arose a great strife 
 in the city, for some would have opened the gates 
 that the men of Troy might enter, and others made 
 haste to defend the walls. Hither and thither 
 did they run with much tumult, even as bees in a 
 hive in a rock which a shepherd hath filled with 
 smoke, having first shut all the doors thereof. 
 
 Then also did other ill fortune befall the 
 Latins, for when Queen Amata saw from the roof
 
 206 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 of the palace that the enemy were come near to 
 the walls, and saw not anywhere the army of the 
 Latins, she supposed Turnus to have fallen in the 
 battle. Whereupon, crying out that she was the 
 cause of all these woes, she made a noose of the 
 purple garment wherewith she was clad, and 
 hanged herself from a beam of the roof. Then 
 did lamentation go through the city, for the wo- 
 men wailed and tore their hair, and King Latinus 
 rent his clothes and threw dust upon his head. 
 
 But the cry that went up from the city came 
 to the ears of Turnus where he fought in the 
 furthest part of the plain. And he caught the 
 reins and said, " What meaneth this sound of 
 trouble and wailing that I hear ? " And the false 
 Metiscus, who was in truth his sister, made an- 
 swer, " Let us fight, Turnus, here where the 
 Gods give us victory. There are enough to defend 
 the city." But Turnus spake, saying, " Xay, my 
 sister, for who thou art I have known even from 
 the beginning, it must not be so. Why earnest thou 
 down from heaven? Was it to see thy brother 
 die ? And now what shall I do ? Have I not seen 
 Murranus die and Ufens the ^Equian ? And shall 
 I suffer this city to be destroyed? Shall this 
 land see Turnus flee before his enemies? Be ye 
 kind to me, Gods of the dead, seeeing that the 
 Gods of heaven hate me. I come down to you a 
 righteous spirit, and not unworthy of my fathers." 
 
 And even as he spake came Saces, riding on a 
 horse that was covered with foam, and on his face
 
 THE DEATH OF TURNUS. 207 
 
 was the wound of an arrow. And he cried, " 
 Turnus, our last hopes are in thee. For /Eneas 
 is about to destroy the city, and the firebrands are 
 cast upon the roofs. And King Latinus is sore 
 tried with doubt, and the Queen hath laid hands 
 upon herself and is dead. And now only Mes- 
 sapus and Atinas maintain the battle, and the 
 fight grows fierce around them, while thou drivest 
 thy chariot about these empty fields." 
 
 Then for a while Turnus stood speechless, and 
 shame and grief and madness were in his soul; 
 and he looked to the city, and lo ! the fire went 
 up even to the top of the tower which he himself 
 had builded upon the walls to be a defence against 
 the enemy. And when he saw it,, he cried, " It 
 is enough, my sister; I go whither the Gods call 
 me. I will meet with ^Eneas face to face, and 
 endure my doom." 
 
 And as he spake he leapt from his chariot, 
 and ran across the plain till he came near to the 
 city, even where the blood was deepest upon the 
 earth and the arrows were thickest in the air. And 
 he beckoned with the hand and called to the Ital- 
 ians, saying, " Stay now your arrows. I am come 
 to fight this battle for you all." And when they 
 heard it they left a space in the midst. yEneas 
 also, when he heard the name of Turnus, left at- 
 tacking the city, and came to meet him, mighty 
 as Athos, or Eryx, or Father Apenninus, that 
 raiseth his snowy head to the heavens. And the 
 men of Troy and the Latins and King Latinus
 
 208 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 marvelled to see them meet, so mighty they were. 
 First they cast their spears at each other, and 
 then ran together, and their shields struck one 
 against the other with a crash that went up to the 
 sky. And Jupiter held the balance in heaven, 
 weighing their doom. Then Turnus, rising to the 
 stroke, smote fiercely with his sword. And the 
 men of Troy and the Latins cried out when they 
 saw him strike. But the treacherous sword brake 
 in the blow. And when he saw the empty hilt in 
 his hand he turned to flee. They say that when 
 he mounted his chariot that day to enter the battle, 
 not heeding the matter in his haste, he left his 
 father's sword behind him, and took the sword of 
 Metiscus, which, indeed, served him well while the 
 men of Troy fled before him, but brake, even as 
 ice breaks, when it came to the shield which Vul- 
 can had made. Thereupon Turnus fled, and 
 ./Eneas, though the wound which the arrow had 
 made hindered him, pursued. Even as a hound 
 follows a stag that is penned within some nar- 
 row space, for the beast flees hither and thither, 
 and the staunch Umbrian hound follows close 
 upon him, and almost holds him, and snaps his 
 teeth, yet bites him not, so did yEneas follow 
 hard on Turnus. And still Turnus cried out that 
 some one should give him his sword, and ^Eneas 
 threatened that he would destroy the city if any 
 should help him. Five times about the space 
 they ran; not for some prize they strove^ but for 
 the life of Turnus. Xow there stood in the plain
 
 THE DEATH OF TURNUS. 209 
 
 the stump of a wild olive-tree. The tree was 
 sacred to Faunus, but the men of Troy had cut 
 it, and the stump only was left. Herein the spear 
 of ^Eneas was fixed, and now he would have drawn 
 it forth that he might slay Turnus therewith, 
 seeing that he could not overtake him by running. 
 Which when Turnus perceived, he cried to Faunus, 
 saying, " Faunus., if I have kept holy for thee 
 that which the men of Troy have profaned, hold 
 fast this spear." And the god heard him; nor 
 could ^Eneas draw it forth. But while he strove, 
 Juturna, taking again the form of Metiscus, ran 
 and gave to Turnus his sword. And Venus, per- 
 ceiving it, wrenched forth the spear from the 
 stump. So the two stood again face to face. 
 
 Then spake Jupiter to Juno, where she sat in 
 a cloud watching the battle, " How long wilt thou 
 fight against fate? What purpose hast thou now 
 in thy heart? Was it well that Juturna for 
 what could she avail without thy help? should 
 give back to Turnus his sword ? Thou hast driven 
 the men of Troy over land and sea, and kindled 
 a dreadful war, and mingled the song of marriage 
 with mourning. Further thou mayest not go." 
 
 And Juno humbly made answer, " This is thy 
 will, great Father; else had I not sat here, but 
 stood in the battle smiting the men of Troy. And 
 indeed I spake to Juturna that she should help 
 her brother; but aught else I know not. And 
 now I yield. Yet grant me this. Suffer not that 
 the Latins should be called after the name of Troy, 
 H
 
 210 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 nor change their speech nor their garb. Let Rome 
 rule the world, but let Troy perish for ever." 
 
 Then spake with a smile the Maker of all things,, 
 " Truly thou art a daughter of Saturn, so fierce 
 is the wrath of thy soul ! And now what thou 
 prayest I give. The Italians shall not change 
 name, nor speech, nor garb. The men of Troy 
 shall mingle with them, and I will give them .1 
 new worship, and call them all Latins. Xor shall 
 any race pay thee more honor than they." 
 
 Then Jupiter sent a Fury from the pit. And 
 she took the form of a bird, even of an owl that 
 sitteth by night on the roof of a desolate house, 
 and flew before the face of Turnus and flapped 
 her wings against his shield. Then was Turnus 
 stricken with great fear, so that his hair stood up 
 and his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. 
 And when Juturna knew the sound of the false 
 bird what it was, she cried aloud for fear, and left 
 her brother and fled, hiding herself in the river 
 of Tiber. 
 
 But ^Eneas came on, shaking his spear that was 
 like unto a tree, and said, " Why delayest thou, 
 Turnus ? Why drawest thou back ? Fly now if 
 thou canst through the air,, or hide thyself in the 
 earth." And Turnus made answer, " I fear not 
 thy threats, but the Gods and Jupiter, that are 
 against me this day." And as he spake he saw a 
 great stone which lay hard by, the landmark of 
 a field. Scarce could twelve chosen men, such as 
 men are now. lift it on their shoulders. This he
 
 THE DEATH OF TURNUS. 211 
 
 caught from the earth and cast it at his enemy, 
 running forward as he cast. But he knew not, so 
 troubled was he in his soul, that he ran or that he 
 cast, for his knees tottered beneath him and his 
 blood grew cold with fear. And the stone fell 
 short, nor reached the mark. Even as in a dream, 
 when dull sleep is on the eyes of a man, he would 
 fain run but cannot, for his strength faileth him, 
 neither cometh there any voice when he would 
 speak; so it fared with Turnus. For he looked 
 to the Latins and to the city., and saw the dreadful 
 spear approach, nor knew how he might fly, 
 neither how he might fight, and could not spy any- 
 where his chariot or his sister. And all the while 
 ^Eneas shook his spear and waited that his aim 
 should be sure. And at the last he threw it with 
 all his might. Even as a whirlwind it flew, and 
 brake through the seven folds of the shield and 
 pierced the thigh. And Turnus dropped with his 
 knee bent to the ground. And all the Latins 
 groaned aloud to see him fall. Then he en- 
 treated JEneas, saying, " I have deserved my fate. 
 Take thou that which thou hast won. Yet per- 
 chance thou mayest have pity on the old man, my 
 father, even Daunus, for such an one was thy 
 father Anchises, and give me back to my own peo- 
 ple, if it be but my body that thou givest. Yet 
 hast thou conquered, and the Latins have seen me 
 beg my life of thee, and Lavinia is thine. There- 
 fore, I pray thee, stay now thy wrath." 
 
 Then for awhile JEneas stood doubting; aye,
 
 212 STORIES FROM VIRGIL. 
 
 and might have spared the man, when lo ! he spied 
 upon his shoulders the belt of Pallas, whom he 
 had slain. And his wrath was greatly kindled, 
 and he cried with a dreadful voice, " Shalt thou 
 who art clothed with the spoils of my friends es- 
 cape me ? 'Tis Pallas slays thee with this wound, 
 and takes vengeance on thy accursed blood." And 
 as he spake he drave the steel into his breast. 
 And with a groan the wrathful spirit passed into 
 darkness. 
 
 THE END.
 
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