Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. Soon fell the night, and peaceful slumbers breathed
  2. on all earth's weary creatures; the loud seas
  3. and babbling forests entered on repose;
  4. now midway in their heavenly course the stars
  5. wheeled silent on; the outspread lands below
  6. lay voiceless; all the birds of tinted wing,
  7. and flocks that haunt the merge of waters wide
  8. or keep the thorny wold, oblivious lay
  9. beneath the night so still; the stings of care
  10. ceased troubling, and no heart its burden knew.
  11. Not so the Tyrian Queen's deep-grieving soul!
  12. To sleep she could not yield; her eyes and heart
  13. refused the gift of night; her suffering
  14. redoubled, and in full returning tide
  15. her love rebelled, while on wild waves of rage
  16. she drifted to and fro. So, ceasing not
  17. from sorrow, thus she brooded on her wrongs:
  18. “What refuge now? Shall I invite the scorn
  19. of my rejected wooers, or entreat
  20. of some disdainful, nomad blackamoor
  21. to take me to his bed—though many a time
  22. such husbands I made mock of? Shall I sail
  23. on Ilian ships away, and sink to be
  24. the Trojans' humble thrall? Do they rejoice
  25. that once I gave them bread? Lives gratitude
  26. in hearts like theirs for bygone kindnesses?
  27. O, who, if so I stooped, would deign to bear
  28. on yon proud ships the scorned and fallen Queen?
  29. Lost creature! Woe betide thee! Knowest thou not
  30. the perjured children of Laomedon?
  31. What way is left? Should I take flight alone
  32. and join the revelling sailors? Or depart
  33. with Tyrians, the whole attending train
  34. of my own people? Hard the task to force
  35. their hearts from Sidon's towers; how once more
  36. compel to sea, and bid them spread the sail?
  37. Nay, perish! Thou hast earned it. Let the sword
  38. from sorrow save thee! Sister of my blood—
  39. who else but thee,—my own tears borne down,
  40. didst heap disaster on my frantic soul,
  41. and fling me to this foe? Why could I not
  42. pass wedlock by, and live a blameless life
  43. as wild things do, nor taste of passion's pain?
  44. But I broke faith! I cast the vows away
  45. made at Sichaeus' grave.” Such loud lament
  46. burst from her breaking heart with doleful sound.
  47. Meanwhile Aeneas on his lofty ship,
  48. having made ready all, and fixed his mind
  49. to launch away upon brief slumher fell.
  50. But the god came; and in the self-same guise
  51. once more in monitory vision spoke,
  52. all guised as Mercury,—his voice, his hue,
  53. his golden locks, and young limbs strong and fair.
  54. “Hail, goddess-born! Wouldst linger on in sleep
  55. at such an hour? Nor seest thou the snares
  56. that hem thee round? Nor hearest thou the voice
  57. of friendly zephyrs calling? Senseless man!
  58. That woman's breast contrives some treachery
  59. and horrid stroke; for, resolute to die,
  60. she drifts on swollen floods of wrath and scorn.
  61. Wilt thou not fly before the hastening hour
  62. of flight is gone? To-morrow thou wilt see
  63. yon waters thronged with ships, the cruel glare
  64. of fire-brands, and yonder shore all flame,
  65. if but the light of morn again surprise
  66. thee loitering in this land. Away! Away!
  67. Stay not! A mutable and shifting thing
  68. is woman ever.” Such command he spoke,
  69. then melted in the midnight dark away.
  1. Aeneas, by that fleeting vision struck
  2. with an exceeding awe, straightway leaped forth
  3. from slumber's power, and to his followers cried :
  4. “Awake, my men! Away! Each to his place
  5. upon the thwarts! Unfurl at once the sails!
  6. A god from heaven a second time sent down
  7. urges our instant flight and bids us cut
  8. the twisted cords. Whatever be thy name,
  9. behold, we come, O venerated Power!
  10. Again with joy we follow! Let thy grace
  11. assist us as we go! And may thy power
  12. bring none but stars benign across our sky.”
  13. So saying, from its scabbard forth he flashed
  14. the lightning of his sword, with naked blade
  15. striking the hawsers free. Like ardor seized
  16. on all his willing men, who raced and ran;
  17. and, while their galleys shadowed all the sea,
  18. clean from the shore they scudded, with strong strokes
  19. sweeping the purple waves and crested foam.