Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  protect us, and confirm thy words divine!”

  He spoke; then chose twin biremes from the fleet,

  gave them good gear and armed their loyal crews.

  But, lo! a sudden wonder met his eyes:

  white gleaming through the grove, with all her brood

  white like herself, on the green bank the Sow

  stretched prone. The good Aeneas slew her there,

  Great Juno, for a sacrifice to thee,

  himself the priest, and with the sucklings all

  beside shine altar stood. So that whole night

  the god of Tiber calmed his swollen wave,

  ebbing or lingering in silent flow,

  till like some gentle lake or sleeping pool

  his even waters lay, and strove no more

  against the oarsmen’s toil. Upon their way

  they speed with joyful sound; the well-oiled wood

  slips through the watery floor; the wondering waves,

  and all the virgin forests wondering,

  behold the warriors in far-shining arms

  their painted galleys up the current drive.

  O’er the long reaches of the winding flood

  their sturdy oars outweary the slow course

  of night and day. Fair groves of changeful green

  arch o’er their passage, and they seem to cleave

  green forests in the tranquil wave below.

  Now had the flaming sun attained his way

  to the mid-sphere of heaven, when they discerned

  walls and a citadel in distant view,

  with houses few and far between; ‘t was there,

  where sovran Rome to-day has rivalled Heaven,

  Evander’s realm its slender strength displayed:

  swiftly they turned their prows and neared the town.

  It chanced th’ Arcadian King had come that day

  to honor Hercules, Amphitryon’s son,

  and to the powers divine pay worship due

  in groves outside the wall. Beside him stood

  Pallas his son, his noblest men-at-arms,

  and frugal senators, who at the shrines

  burnt incense, while warm blood of victims flowed.

  But when they saw the tall ships in the shade

  of that dark forest plying noiseless oars,

  the sudden sight alarmed, and all the throng

  sprang to its feet and left the feast divine.

  But dauntless Pallas bade them give not o’er

  the sacred festival, and spear in hand

  flew forward to a bit of rising ground,

  and cried from far: “Hail, warriors! what cause

  drives you to lands unknown, and whither bound?

  Your kin, your country? Bring ye peace or war?”

  Father Aeneas then held forth a bough

  of peaceful olive from the lofty ship,

  thus answering : “Men Trojan-born are we,

  foes of the Latins, who have driven us forth

  with insolent assault. We fain would see

  Evander. Pray, deliver this, and say

  that chosen princes of Dardania

  sue for his help in arms.” So wonder fell

  on Pallas, awestruck at such mighty name.

  O, come, whoe’er thou art,” he said, “and speak

  in presence of my father. Enter here,

  guest of our hearth and altar.” He put forth

  his right hand in true welcome, and they stood

  with lingering clasp; then hand in hand advanced

  up the steep woodland, leaving Tiber’s wave.

  Aeneas to Evander speaking fair,

  these words essayed: “O best of Grecian-born!

  whom Fortune’s power now bids me seek and sue,

  lifting this olive-branch with fillets bound,

  I have not feared thee, though I know thou art

  a Greek, and an Arcadian king, allied

  to the two sons of Atreus. For behold,

  my conscious worth, great oracles from Heaven,

  the kinship of our sires, thy own renown

  spread through the world — all knit my cause with thine,

  all make me glad my fates have so decreed.

  The sire and builder of the Trojan town

  was Dardanus; but he, Electra’s child,

  came over sea to Teucria; the sire

  of fair Electra was great Atlas, he

  whose shoulder carries the vast orb of heaven.

  But thy progenitor was Mercury,

  and him conceiving, Maia, that white maid,

  on hoar Cyllene’s frosty summit bore.

  But Maia’s sire, if aught of truth be told,

  was Atlas also, Atlas who sustains

  the weight of starry skies. Thus both our tribes

  are one divided stem. Secure in this,

  no envoys have I sent, nor tried thy mind

  with artful first approaches, but myself,

  risking my person and my life, have come

  a suppliant here. For both on me and thee

  the house of Daunus hurls insulting war.

  If us they quell, they doubt not to obtain

  lordship of all Hesperia, and subdue

  alike the northern and the southern sea.

  Accept good faith, and give! Behold, our hearts

  quail not in battle; souls of fire are we,

  and warriors proved in many an action brave.”

  Aeneas ceased. The other long had scanned

  the hero’s face, his eyes, and wondering viewed

  his form and mien divine; in answer now

  he briefly spoke: “With hospitable heart,

  O bravest warrior of all Trojan-born,

  I know and welcome thee. I well recall

  thy sire Anchises, how he looked and spake.

  For I remember Priam, when he came

  to greet his sister, Queen Hesione,

  in Salamis, and thence pursued his way

  to our cool uplands of Arcadia.

  The bloom of tender boyhood then was mine,

  and with a wide-eyed wonder I did view

  those Teucrian lords, Laomedon’s great heir,

  and, towering highest in their goodly throng,

  Anchises, whom my warm young heart desired

  to speak with and to clasp his hand in mine.

  So I approached, and joyful led him home

  to Pheneus’ olden wall. He gave me gifts

  the day he bade adieu; a quiver rare

  filled with good Lycian arrows, a rich cloak

  inwove with thread of gold, and bridle reins

  all golden, now to youthful Pallas given.

  Therefore thy plea is granted, and my hand

  here clasps in loyal amity with thine.

  To-morrow at the sunrise thou shalt have

  my tribute for the war, and go thy way

  my glad ally. But now this festival,

  whose solemn rite ‘t were impious to delay,

  I pray thee celebrate, and bring with thee

  well-omened looks and words. Allies we are!

  Use this our sacred feast as if your own.”

  So saying, he bade his followers renew

  th’ abandoned feast and wine; and placed each guest

  on turf-built couch of green, most honoring

  Aeneas by a throne of maple fair

  decked with a lion’s pelt and flowing mane.

  Then high-born pages, with the altar’s priest,

  bring on the roasted beeves and load the board

  with baskets of fine bread; and wine they bring —

  of Ceres and of Bacchus gift and toil.

  While good Aeneas and his Trojans share

  the long whole ox and meats of sacrifice.

  When hunger and its eager edge were gone,

  Evander spoke: “This votive holiday,

  yon tables spread and altar so divine,

  are not some su
perstition dark and vain,

  that knows not the old gods, O Trojan King!

  But as men saved from danger and great fear

  this thankful sacrifice we pay. Behold,

  yon huge rock, beetling from the mountain wall,

  hung from the cliff above. How lone and bare

  the hollowed mountain looks! How crag on crag

  tumbled and tossed in huge confusion lie!

  A cavern once it was, which ran deep down

  into the darkness. There th’ half-human shape

  of Cacus made its hideous den, concealed

  from sunlight and the day. The ground was wet

  at all times with fresh gore; the portal grim

  was hung about with heads of slaughtered men,

  bloody and pale — a fearsome sight to see.

  Vulcan begat this monster, which spewed forth

  dark-fuming flames from his infernal throat,

  and vast his stature seemed. But time and tide

  brought to our prayers the advent of a god

  to help us at our need. For Hercules,

  divine avenger, came from laying low

  three-bodied Geryon, whose spoils he wore

  exultant, and with hands victorious drove

  the herd of monster bulls, which pastured free

  along our river-valley. Cacus gazed

  in a brute frenzy, and left not untried

  aught of bold crime or stratagem, but stole

  four fine bulls as they fed, and heifers four,

  all matchless; but, lest hoof-tracks point his way,

  he dragged them cave-wards by the tails, confusing

  the natural trail, and hid the stolen herd

  in his dark den; and not a mark or sign

  could guide the herdsmen to that cavern-door.

  But after, when Amphitryon’s famous son,

  preparing to depart, would from the meads

  goad forth the full-fed herd, his lingering bulls

  roared loud, and by their lamentable cry

  filled grove and hills with clamor of farewell:

  one heifer from the mountain-cave lowed back

  in answer, so from her close-guarded stall

  foiling the monster’s will. Then hadst thou seen

  the wrath of Hercules in frenzy blaze

  from his exasperate heart. His arms he seized,

  his club of knotted oak, and climbed full-speed

  the wind-swept hill. Now first our people saw

  Cacus in fear, with panic in his eyes.

  Swift to the black cave like a gale he flew,

  his feet by terror winged. Scarce had he passed

  the cavern door, and broken the big chains,

  and dropped the huge rock which was pendent there

  by Vulcan’s well-wrought steel; scarce blocked and barred

  the guarded gate: when there Tirynthius stood,

  with heart aflame, surveying each approach,

  rolling this way and that his wrathful eyes,

  gnashing his teeth. Three times his ire surveyed

  the slope of Aventine; three times he stormed

  the rock-built gate in vain; and thrice withdrew

  to rest him in the vale. But high above

  a pointed peak arose, sheer face of rock

  on every side, which towered into view

  from the long ridge above the vaulted cave,

  fit haunt for birds of evil-boding wing.

  This peak, which leftward toward the river leaned,

  he smote upon its right — his utmost blow —

  breaking its bases Ioose; then suddenly

  thrust at it: as he thrust, the thunder-sound

  filled all the arching sky, the river’s banks

  asunder leaped, and Tiber in alarm

  reversed his flowing wave. So Cacus’ lair

  lay shelterless, and naked to the day

  the gloomy caverns of his vast abode

  stood open, deeply yawning, just as if

  the riven earth should crack, and open wide

  th’ infernal world and fearful kingdoms pale,

  which gods abhor; and to the realms on high

  the measureless abyss should be laid bare,

  and pale ghosts shrink before the entering sun.

  Now upon Cacus, startled by the glare,

  caged in the rocks and howling horribly,

  Alcides hurled his weapons, raining down

  all sorts of deadly missiles — trunks of trees,

  and monstrous boulders from the mountain torn.

  But when the giant from his mortal strait

  no refuge knew, he blew from his foul jaws

  a storm of smoke — incredible to tell —

  and with thick darkness blinding every eye,

  concealed his cave, uprolling from below

  one pitch-black night of mingled gloom and fire.

  This would Alcides not endure, but leaped

  headlong across the flames, where densest hung

  the rolling smoke, and through the cavern surged

  a drifting and impenetrable cloud.

  With Cacus, who breathed unavailing flame,

  he grappled in the dark, locked limb with limb,

  and strangled him, till o’er the bloodless throat

  the starting eyeballs stared.Then Hercules

  burst wide the doorway of the sooty den,

  and unto Heaven and all the people showed

  the stolen cattle and the robber’s crimes,

  and dragged forth by the feet the shapeless corpse

  of the foul monster slain. The people gazed

  insatiate on the grewsome eyes, the breast

  of bristling shag, the face both beast and man,

  and that fire-blasted throat whence breathed no more

  the extinguished flame. ‘T is since that famous day

  we celebrate this feast, and glad of heart

  each generation keeps the holy time.

  Potitius began the worship due,

  and our Pinarian house is vowed to guard

  the rites of Hercules. An altar fair

  within this wood they raised; ‘t is called ‘the Great,’

  and Ara Maxima its name shall be.

  Come now, my warriors, and bind your brows

  with garlands worthy of the gift of Heaven.

  Lift high the cup in every thankful hand,

  and praise our people’s god with plenteous wine.”

  He spoke; and of the poplar’s changeful sheen,

  sacred to Hercules, wove him a wreath

  to shade his silvered brow. The sacred cup

  he raised in his right hand, while all the rest

  called on the gods and pure libation poured.

  Soon from the travelling heavens the western star

  glowed nearer, and Potitius led forth

  the priest-procession, girt in ancient guise

  with skins of beasts and carrying burning brands.

  new feasts are spread, and altars heaped anew

  with gifts and laden chargers. Then with song

  the Salian choir surrounds the blazing shrine,

  their foreheads wreathed with poplar. Here the youth,

  the elders yonder, in proud anthem sing

  the glory and the deeds of Hercules:

  how first he strangled with strong infant hand

  two serpents, Juno’s plague; what cities proud,

  Troy and Oechalia, his famous war

  in pieces broke; what labors numberless

  as King Eurystheus’ bondman he endured,

  by cruel Juno’s will. “Thou, unsubdued,

  didst strike the twy-formed, cloud-bred centaurs down,

  Pholus and tall Hylaeus. Thou hast slain

  the Cretan horror, and the lion huge

  beneath the Nemean crag. At sight of thee

  the Stygian region quailed, and Cerberus,

  crouching o’er half
-picked bones in gory cave.

  Nothing could bid thee fear. Typhoeus towered

  in his colossal Titan-panoply

  o’er thee in vain; nor did thy cunning fail

  when Lema’s wonder-serpent round thee drew

  its multudinous head. Hail, Jove’s true son!

  New glory to the gods above, come down,

  and these thine altars and thy people bless!”

  Such hymns they chanted, telling oft the tale

  of Cacus’ cave and blasting breath of fire:

  while hills and sacred grove the note prolong.

  Such worship o’er, all take the homeward way

  back to the town. The hospitable King,

  though bowed with weight of years, kept at his side

  Aeneas and his son, and as they fared,

  with various discourse beguiled the way.

  Aeneas scanned with quick-admiring eyes

  the region wide, and lingered with delight

  now here, now there, inquiring eagerly

  of each proud monument of heroes gone.

  Then King Evander, he who builded first

  On Palatine, spoke thus: “These groves erewhile

  their native nymphs and fauns enjoyed, with men

  from trees engendered and stout heart of oak.

  Nor laws nor arts they knew; nor how to tame

  burls to the yoke, nor fill great barns with store

  and hoard the gathered grain; but rudely fared

  on wild fruits and such food as hunters find.

  Then Saturn from Olympian realms came down,

  in flight from Jove’s dread arms, his sceptre lost,

  and he an exiled King. That savage race

  he gathered from the mountain slopes; and gave

  wise laws and statutes; so that latent land

  was Latium, ‘hid land’, where he hid so long.

  The golden centuries by legends told

  were under that good King, whose equal sway

  untroubled peace to all his peoples gave.

  But after slow decline arrived an age

  degenerate and of a darker hue,

  prone to insensate war and greed of gain.

  Then came Sicanian and Ausonian tribes,

  and oft the land of Saturn lost its name.

  New chieftains rose, and Thybris, giant King

  and violent, from whom th’ Italians named

  the flooding Tiber, which was called no more

  the Albula, its true and ancient style.

  Myself, in exile from my fatherland

  sailing uncharted seas, was guided here

  by all-disposing Chance and iron laws

  of Destiny. With prophecy severe

  Carmentis, my nymph-mother, thrust me on,

  warned by Apollo’s word.” He scarce had said,

  when near their path he showed an altar fair

  and the Carmental gate, where Romans see

  memorial of Carmentis, nymph divine,