Next after these, conspicuous o'er the plain,with palm-crowned chariot and victorious steeds,rode forth well-moulded Aventinus, sprungfrom shapely Hercules; upon the shieldhis blazon was a hundred snakes, and showedhis father's hydra-cincture serpentine;him deep in Aventine's most secret grovethe priestess Rhea bore—a mortal maidclasped in a god's embrace the wondrous daywhen, flushed with conquest of huge Geryon,the lord of Tiryns to Laurentum drove,and washed in Tiber's wave th' Iberian kine.His followers brandished pointed pikes and staves,or smooth Sabellian bodkin tipped with steel;but he, afoot, swung round him as he strodea monstrous lion-skin, its bristling maneand white teeth crowning his ferocious brow:for garbed as Hercules he sought his King. Then came twin brethren, leaving Tibur's keep(named from Tiburtus, brother of them twain)Catillus and impetuous Coras, youthof Argive seed, who foremost in the vanpressed ever where the foemen densest throng:as when two centaurs, children of the cloud,from mountain-tops descend in swift career,the snows of Homole and Othrys leaving,while crashing thickets in their pathway fall. Nor was Praeneste's founder absent there,by Vulcan sired, among the herds and hinds,and on a hearth-stone found (so runs the taleeach pious age repeats) King Caeculuswith rustic legions gathered from afar:from steep Praeneste and the Gabian valeto Juno dear, from Anio's cold stream,from upland Hernic rocks and foaming rills,from rich Anagnia's pastures, and the plainwhence Amasenus pours his worshipped wave.Not all of armor boast, and seldom soundthe chariot and shield; but out of slingsthey hurl blue balls of lead, or in one handa brace of javelins bear; pulled o'er their browsare hoods of tawny wolf-skin; as they marchthe left foot leaves a barefoot track behind,a rawhide sandal on the right they wear. Messapus came, steed-tamer, Neptune's son,by sword and fire invincible: this day,though mild his people and unschooled in war,he calls them to embattled lines, and drawsno lingering sword. Fescennia musters there,Aequi Falisci, and what clans possessSoracte's heights, Flavinia's fruitful farms,Ciminian lake and mountain, and the grovesabout Capena. Rank on rank they move,loud singing of their chieftain's praise: as whena flock of snowy swans through clouded airreturn from feeding, and make tuneful cryfrom their long throats, while Asia's rivers hear,and lone Cayster's startled moorland rings:for hardly could the listening ear discernthe war-cry of a mail-clad host; the soundwas like shrill-calling birds, when home from seatheir soaring flock moves shoreward like a cloud. Then, one of far-descended Sabine name,Clausus advanced, the captain of a host,and in himself an equal host he seemed;from his proud loins the high-born Claudian stemthrough Latium multiplies, since Roman powerwith Sabine first was wed. A cohort camefrom Amiternum and the olden wallof Cures, called Quirites even then;Eretum answered and Mutusca's hillwith olives clad, Velinus' flowery field,nomentum's fortress, the grim precipiceof Tetrica, Severus' upland fair,Casperia, Foruli, Himella's waves,Tiber and Fabaris, and wintry streamsof Nursia; to the same proud muster spedTuscan with Latin tribes, and loyal townsbeside whose walls ill-omened Allia flows.As numerous they moved as rolling wavesthat stir smooth Libyan seas, when in cold floodssinks grim Orion's star; or like the throngof clustering wheat-tops in the summer sun,near Hermus or on Lycia's yellowing plain:shields clashed; their strong tramp smote the trembling ground. Now Agamemnon's kinsman, cruel foeto the mere name of Troy, Halaesus, yokesthe horses of his car and summons fortha thousand savage clans at Turnus' call :rude men whose mattocks to the Massic hillsbring Bacchus' bounty, or by graybeard siressent from Auruncan upland and the meadof Sidicinum; out of Cales cameits simple folk; and dwellers by the streamof many-shoaled Volturnus, close-alliedwith bold Saticulan or Oscan swains.Their arms are tapered javelins, which they wearbound by a coiling thong; a shield concealsthe left side, and they fight with crooked swords. Nor shalt thou, Oebalus, depart unsung,whom minstrels say the nymph Sebethis boreto Telon, who in Capri was a kingwhen old and gray; but that disdaining sonquitted so small a seat, and conquering swayamong Sarrastian folk and those wide plainswatered by Sarnus' wave, became a kingover Celenna, Rufrae, Batulum,and where among her apple-orchards riseAbella's walls. All these, as Teutons use, hurl a light javelin; for helm they wearstripped cork-tree bark; the crescent of their shieldsis gleaming bronze, and gleaming bronze the sword. Next Ufens, mountain-bred, from Nersae cameto join the war; of goodly fame was hefor prosperous arms: his Aequian people showno gentle mien, but scour the woods for prey,or, ever-armed, across the stubborn glebecompel the plough; though their chief pride and joyare rapine, violence, and plundered store.
Next after these, his brows and helmet boundwith noble olive, from Marruvium camea priest, brave Umbro, ordered to the fieldby King Archippus: o'er the viper's brood,and venomed river-serpents he had powerto scatter slumber with wide-waving handsand wizard-songs. His potent arts could soothetheir coiling rage and heal the mortal sting:but 'gainst a Trojan sword no drug had he,nor could his drowsy spells his flesh repair,nor gathered simples from the Marsic hills.Thee soon in wailing woods Anguitia mourned,thee, Fucinus, the lake of crystal wave,thee, many a mountain-tarn! Next, Virbius in martial beauty rode,son of Hippolytus, whose mother, proudAricia, sent him in his flower of fameout of Egeria's hills and cloudy groveswhere lies Diana's gracious, gifted fane.For legend whispers that Hippolytus,by step-dame's plot undone, his life-blood gaveto sate his vengeful father, and was rentin sunder by wild horses; but the graveto air of heaven and prospect of the starsrestored him;—for Diana's love and carepoured out upon him Paeon's healing balm.But Jove, almighty Sire, brooked not to seea mortal out of death and dark reclimbto light of life, and with a thunderbolthurled to the Stygian river Phoebus' son,who dared such good elixir to compound.But pitying Trivia hid Hippolytusin her most secret cave, and gave in wardto the wise nymph Egeria in her grove;where he lived on inglorious and alone,ranging the woods of Italy, and borethe name of Virbius. 'T is for this causethe hallowed woods to Trivia's temple vowedforbid loud-footed horses, such as spilledstripling and chariot on the fatal shore,scared by the monsters peering from the sea.Yet did the son o'er that tumultuous plainhis battle-chariot guide and plunging team. Lo, Turnus strides conspicuous in the van,full armed, of mighty frame, his lordly headhigh o'er his peers emerging! His tall helmwith flowing triple crest for ensign bearsChimaera, whose terrific lips outpourvolcanic fires; where'er the menace movesof her infernal flames and wrathful frown,there wildest flows the purple flood of war.On his smooth shield deep graven in the goldis horned Io—wondrous the device!—a shaggy heifer-shape the maiden shows;Argus is watching her, while Inachuspours forth his river from the pictured urn.A storm of tramping troops, to Turnus sworn,throngs all the widespread plain with serried shields:warriors of Argos, and Auruncan bands,Sicani, Rutuli, Sacranian hosts,Labicum's painted shields; all who tillthy woodland vales, O Tiber! or the shoreNumicius hallows; all whose ploughs upturnRutulia's hills, or that Circaean rangewhere Jove of Anxur guards, and forests greenmake fair Feronia glad; where lie the fensof Satura, and Ufens' icy wavethrough lowland valleys seeks his seaward way. Last came Camilla, of the Volscians bred,leading her mail-clad, radiant chivalry;a warrior-virgin, of Minerva's craftof web and distaff, fit for woman's toil,no follower she; but bared her virgin breastto meet the brunt of battle, and her speedleft even the winds behind; for she would skiman untouched harvest ere the sickle fell,nor graze the quivering wheat-tops as she ran;or o'er the mid-sea billows' swollen surgeso swiftly race, she wet not in the waveher flying feet. For sight of her the youthfrom field and fortress sped, and matrons gravestood wondering as she passed, well-pleased to seeher royal scarf in many a purple foldfloat off her shining shoulder, her dark hairin golden clasp caught fast, and how she borefor arms a quiver of the Lycian mode,and shepherd's shaft of myrtle tipped with steel.
When Turnus from Laurentum's bastion proudpublished the war, and roused the dreadful noteof the harsh trumpet's song; when on swift steedsthe lash he laid and clashed his sounding arms;then woke each warrior soul; all Latium stirredwith tumult and alarm; and martial rageenkindled youth's hot blood. The chieftains proud,Messapus, Ufens, and that foe of Heaven,Mezentius, compel from far and widetheir loyal hosts, and strip the field and farmof husbandmen. To seek auxiliar armsthey send to glorious Diomed's domainthe herald Venulus, and bid him cry:“Troy is to Latium come; Aeneas' fleethas come to land. He brings his vanquished gods,and gives himself to be our destined King.Cities not few accept him, and his namethrough Latium waxes large. But what the foeby such attempt intends, what victoryis his presumptuous hope, if Fortune smile,Aetolia's lord will not less wisely fearthan royal Turnus or our Latin King.” Thus Latium's cause moved on. Meanwhile the heirof great Laomedon, who knew full wellthe whole wide land astir, was vexed and tossedin troubled seas of care. This way and thathis swift thoughts flew, and scanned with like dismayeach partial peril or the general storm.Thus the vexed waters at a fountain's brim,smitten by sunshine or the silver sphereof a reflected moon, send forth a beamof flickering light that leaps from wall to wall,or, skyward lifted in ethereal flight,glances along some rich-wrought, vaulted dome.Now night had fallen, and all weary things,all shapes of beast or bird, the wide world o'er,lay deep in slumber. So beneath the archof a cold sky Aeneas laid him downupon the river-bank, his heart sore triedby so much war and sorrow, and gave o'erhis body to its Iong-delayed repose.There, 'twixt the poplars by the gentle stream,the River-Father, genius of that place,old Tiberinus visibly uprose;a cloak of gray-green lawn he wore, his hairo'erhung with wreath of reeds. In soothing wordsthus, to console Aeneas' cares, he spoke: “Seed of the gods! who bringest to my shorethy Trojan city wrested from her foe,a stronghold everlasting, Latium's plainand fair Laurentum long have looked for thee.Here truly is thy home. Turn not away.Here the true guardians of thy hearth shall be.Fear not the gathering war. The wrath of Heavenhas stilled its swollen wave. A sign I tell:Lest thou shouldst deem this message of thy sleepa vain, deluding dream, thou soon shalt findin the oak-copses on my margent green,a huge sow, with her newly-littered broodof thirty young; along the ground she lies,snow-white, and round her udders her white young.There shall thy city stand, and there thy toilshall find untroubled rest. After the lapseof thrice ten rolling years, Ascaniusshall found a city there of noble name,White-City, Alba; 't is no dream I sing!But I instruct thee now by what wise wayth' impending wars may bring thee victory:receive the counsel, though the words be few:within this land are men of Arcady,of Pallas' line, who, following in the trainof King Evander and his men-at-arms,built them a city in the hills, and chose(honoring Pallas, their Pelasgian sire),the name of Pallanteum. They make warincessant with the Latins. Therefore call this people to thy side and bind them closein federated power. My channel fairand shaded shore shall guide thee where they dwell,and thy strong oarsmen on my waters borneshall mount my falling stream. Rise, goddess-born,and ere the starlight fade give honor dueto Juno, and with supplicating vowavert her wrath and frown. But unto memake offering in thy victorious hour,in time to come. I am the copious floodwhich thou beholdest chafing at yon shoresand parting fruitful fields: cerulean streamof Tiber, favored greatly of high Heaven.here shall arise my house magnificent,a city of all cities chief and crown.” So spake the river-god, and sank from viewdown to his deepest cave; then night and sleeptogether from Aeneas fled away.He rose, and to the orient beams of mornhis forehead gave; in both his hollowed palmshe held the sacred waters of the stream,and called aloud: “O ye Laurentian nymphs,whence flowing rills be born, and chiefly thou,O Father Tiber, worshipped stream divine,accept Aeneas, and from peril save!If in some hallowed lake or haunted springthy power, pitying my woes, abides,or wheresoe'er the blessed place be foundwhence first thy beauty flows, there evermoremy hands shall bring thee gift and sacrifice.O chief and sovereign of Hesperian streams,O river-god that hold'st the plenteous horn,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 broodwhite like herself, on the green bank the Sowstretched prone. The good Aeneas slew her there,Great Juno, for a sacrifice to thee,himself the priest, and with the sucklings allbeside shine altar stood. So that whole nightthe god of Tiber calmed his swollen wave,ebbing or lingering in silent flow,till like some gentle lake or sleeping poolhis even waters lay, and strove no moreagainst the oarsmen's toil. Upon their waythey speed with joyful sound; the well-oiled woodslips through the watery floor; the wondering waves,and all the virgin forests wondering,behold the warriors in far-shining armstheir painted galleys up the current drive.O'er the long reaches of the winding floodtheir sturdy oars outweary the slow courseof night and day. Fair groves of changeful greenarch o'er their passage, and they seem to cleavegreen forests in the tranquil wave below.Now had the flaming sun attained his wayto the mid-sphere of heaven, when they discernedwalls 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 dayto honor Hercules, Amphitryon's son,and to the powers divine pay worship duein groves outside the wall. Beside him stoodPallas his son, his noblest men-at-arms,and frugal senators, who at the shrinesburnt incense, while warm blood of victims flowed.But when they saw the tall ships in the shadeof that dark forest plying noiseless oars,the sudden sight alarmed, and all the throngsprang to its feet and left the feast divine.But dauntless Pallas bade them give not o'erthe sacred festival, and spear in handflew forward to a bit of rising ground,and cried from far: “Hail, warriors! what causedrives you to lands unknown, and whither bound?Your kin, your country? Bring ye peace or war?”Father Aeneas then held forth a boughof peaceful olive from the lofty ship,thus answering : “Men Trojan-born are we,foes of the Latins, who have driven us forthwith insolent assault. We fain would seeEvander. Pray, deliver this, and saythat chosen princes of Dardaniasue for his help in arms.” So wonder fellon Pallas, awestruck at such mighty name.O, come, whoe'er thou art,” he said, “and speakin presence of my father. Enter here,guest of our hearth and altar.” He put forthhis right hand in true welcome, and they stoodwith lingering clasp; then hand in hand advancedup 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 arta Greek, and an Arcadian king, alliedto the two sons of Atreus. For behold,my conscious worth, great oracles from Heaven,the kinship of our sires, thy own renownspread 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 townwas Dardanus; but he, Electra's child,came over sea to Teucria; the sireof fair Electra was great Atlas, hewhose 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 sustainsthe weight of starry skies. Thus both our tribesare one divided stem. Secure in this,no envoys have I sent, nor tried thy mindwith artful first approaches, but myself,risking my person and my life, have comea suppliant here. For both on me and theethe house of Daunus hurls insulting war.If us they quell, they doubt not to obtainlordship of all Hesperia, and subduealike the northern and the southern sea.Accept good faith, and give! Behold, our heartsquail not in battle; souls of fire are we,and warriors proved in many an action brave.”
Aeneas ceased. The other long had scannedthe hero's face, his eyes, and wondering viewedhis form and mien divine; in answer nowhe briefly spoke: “With hospitable heart,O bravest warrior of all Trojan-born,I know and welcome thee. I well recallthy sire Anchises, how he looked and spake.For I remember Priam, when he cameto greet his sister, Queen Hesione,in Salamis, and thence pursued his wayto our cool uplands of Arcadia.The bloom of tender boyhood then was mine,and with a wide-eyed wonder I did viewthose Teucrian lords, Laomedon's great heir,and, towering highest in their goodly throng,Anchises, whom my warm young heart desiredto speak with and to clasp his hand in mine.So I approached, and joyful led him hometo Pheneus' olden wall. He gave me giftsthe day he bade adieu; a quiver rarefilled with good Lycian arrows, a rich cloakinwove with thread of gold, and bridle reinsall golden, now to youthful Pallas given.Therefore thy plea is granted, and my handhere clasps in loyal amity with thine.To-morrow at the sunrise thou shalt havemy tribute for the war, and go thy waymy glad ally. But now this festival,whose solemn rite 't were impious to delay,I pray thee celebrate, and bring with theewell-omened looks and words. Allies we are!Use this our sacred feast as if your own.”