Story of Aeneas

against the enemy who was thus marshalling such mighty forces agains

hat, he turns h

ects the counse

elf in vain i

rest to his d

AEneid,

im, and told him where to seek help. He repeated the prophecy of Helenus, about the sow with her litter of thirty young, and he directed AEneas to repair to Pal-lan-te'um, a city further up the river, whose king, E-van'der, bein

passage I sub

nus, from thy p

etting stars a

wer thy just

the wrathful

ngth shall fall

rn'st victorio

ws to me with

, whose yell

ields, and fat

e-among the

rth, esteemed

AEneid,

is journey, selecting two ships from his fleet and furnishing them with men and arms. As he was about to depart, the prophecy only just repeated

a sudde

hite sow

her young one

e margen

s them, dam

altars pour

eat Juno, e

en's maje

, AEneid,

his chiefs, was offering a sacrifice to Hercules in a grove outside the city walls. Alarmed at the sudden appearance of the vessels, they made a movement as if to depart in haste from their altars. But Pallas forbade them to interrupt the sacred rites, and advancing to meet the strangers, he addressed them from a rising ground, asking who they were, and for wh

ome from the Grecian province of Ar-ca'di-a, and the city he founded in Italy he called after the name of his native Arcadian city of Pallanteum. AEneas, however, had no fear that Evander, though a Greek, would be an enemy of his, for they were both of the same blood, being both descended from Atlas, the mighty hero who of old supported the heavens on his sh

the country, nothing can hinder them from reducing all Italy under their yoke. Let us therefore form an alli

recollect the words, the voice, and the features of your father, Anchises. For I remember that Priam on his way to visit his sister Hesione in Greece, also visited my country, Arcadia. Many of the Trojan princes accompanied him; but the most majestic of them all was Anchises. Much did I adm

u ask, I offer

rrow's sun rev

plies you shal

AEneid,

the king explained to AEneas and his companions the meaning of the religious festivities in which they had been engaged. It was through no vain supersti

besides being a robber, he killed and devoured men. But by good fortune the hero Hercules happened to pass that way, driving before him a herd of cattle which he had taken from another cruel monster-the three-bodied giant Ge'ry-on, whom he had destroyed. As these cattle were grazing by the river, Hercules having lain down on the bank to rest, Cacus stole four bulls and four heife

at depa

tterance gro

he a fare

a heifer

er to the

ks her

, AEneid,

nd the mount for another entrance, he saw a rock overhanging the river, which formed a back for the cavern. Exerting his full strength, the hero wrenched this rock from its fastenings, and hurled it into the water. In the interior of the den, thus laid open, Hercules soon caught sight of the robber, and commenced to assail him with arrows and stones. Then the monster bel

Hercules; how when a child in his cradle he had strangled the two serpents sent by Juno to destroy him, how he had slain the furious

een ruled by Saturn, who, driven from the throne of the heavens by his son Jupiter, had come to Italy, and finding on the banks of the river a race of uncivilized men, had formed them into a settled society. He taught them how to till the ground,

Pallanteum became the celebrated Palatine Mount, one of the seven hills of Rome. When they reached the royal palace, which was not as large or magnificent as palaces often

d through th

at AEne

a couch upo

and bear-s

, AEneid,

threatened her son in his new settlement. She resolved that he should have all the aid in her power to supply, and so she requested Vu

he ruin of the city had been decreed by the gods. But now AEneas has settled in Italy by Jupiter's command; therefore, I beg your assistance. What I wish is that

inst which the power of mortal men would be of no avail. His forges, and furnaces, and anvils were in v

an's name, an

lia's coasts

smoking rocks;

es the fires

re their heavy

nd hissing of t

nd; the boilin

s through fumin

AEneid,

gs for the gods. Some were forging a thunderbolt for Jupiter, the rays or shafts of which were of hail and watery cloud, and glaring fire and the winged wind. Others we

Vulcan), set y

d master skill m

ro forge-arms

speed, and all yo

AEneid,

aming furnaces. A splendid shield was made, which was a sufficient defense in itself against all the weapons of King Turnus. Othe

Agylla, founded by a nation illustrious in war-Mezentius was recently its king, a cruel and wicked man. The people, indignant at his crimes, took up arms against him and set fire to his palace. He himself fled for protection to King Turnus, with whom he now is. The Etrurians therefore have resolved to make war upon Turnus, and their ships and men are already assembled. You, AEneas, must be the leader of these people, for a soothsayer has told them that no native of Italy is destined to subdue the Rutulians, and tha

r were heard and sounds as of trumpets blaring, and then across the sky were seen arms blazing bril

epeated peal

n serene, reful

kies, and glitt

ls clash, and yie

AEneid,

the usual sacrifices to the gods, after which he went to his ships, and chose from his followers some to accompany him to Agylla, directing the others to return to the camp at Laurentum, and inform Iulus of the progress of their affairs at Pallanteum. Preparat

en set forth from the city, amid the acclamations of the people. They soon came within sight of the camp of the Etrurians, who,

the arms that Vulcan had made, and seeing her son alone on the bank of a small stream, in a secluded vale, to which he had retired for a brief rest,

said) performe

e, and Vulcan'

ecure, the

Turnus to th

AEneid,

and a breastplate of flaming bronze, and greaves of gold and electrum. But most wonderful of all was the shield, upon which were depicted the glor

, the heavenly

lls of future

order; and t

ssuing from t

AEneid,

WITH HIS WONDERFUL ARM

ularly dwelt on, for he was the friend and patron of the poet, and Vergil, therefore, gave special prominence to the part taken by him in the extension of the great empire. At the famous sea-battle of Ac'ti-um (B.C. 31) near the promontory of Leu-ca'te in Greece, Augustus, aided by A-grip'pa,

uarters, flow

urges there i

lphins with th

aves, and cut th

, two mighty

eaks opposed w

s the well-di

plain with foam

on the stern i

Romans and thei

s him, with pr

itious gods, h

that binds hi

tune of the f

AEneid,

me after his great conquest-the procession of vanquished nations, the games and the sacrif

the gods his t

hant with his p

temples in the

d altars every

ights and three

with shouts, the

its sublime up

o's porch of

resents vowed

monumental c

vanquished nati

ms, in habit,

AEneid,

gnorant of what they meant, and putting on the beautiful arm

on the shield d

ored, and by

onder fill the

mes, he yet ad

the fame and for

AEneid,

imitation of Homer's beautiful description in the I