Te nemus Angitiæ, vitreâ te Fucinus undâ, 760 Ibat et Hippolyti proles pulcherrima bello 766 Tum pater omnipotens, aliquem indignatus ab umbris 770 Fulmine Phoebigenam Stygias detrusit ad undas. Tam magis illa fremens, et tristibus effera flammis, 775 780 785 790 769. Paeoniis. Such as were used by Apollo, who was styled Paean. wounds. For thee Angitia's grove, for thee Fucinus with his crystal flood, for thee the clear translucent lakes did mourn. Virbius too, the beauteous offspring of Hippolytus, marched to the war; whom his mother Aricia sent forth illustriously accomplished, having been educated in the groves of Egeria, near those humid shores, where, rich with offerings, and not implacable, Diana's altar stands. For they tell us that Hippolytus, when by his mother's fraudful art he had fallen, and with his blood had satiated his father's vengeance, having been torn in pieces by his frighted steeds, again visited the ethereal stars, and the superior regions of this world, recalled to life by herbs of sovereign virtue, and Diana's love. Then the almighty father, incensed that any mortal should rise to the light of life from the infernal shades, himself with thunder hurled down to the Stygian floods Apollo's offspring, the inventor of such medicine and art. But propitious Diana conceals Hippolytus in a secret recess, and consigns him to the nymph of the Egerian grove; where in solitude and obscurity he passed his life in the Italian woods, and changing his name was called Virbius: whence too from Trivia's temple and sacred groves horn-hoofed steeds are debarred, because, frighted by sea monsters, they overturned the chariot and the youth on the shore. Yet not the less eagerly his son managed his fiery steeds on the level plain, and in his chariot rushed on the war. Turnus himself, a comely personage, moves in the van, wielding his arms, and by the head entire surmounts the rest; whose towering helmet, plumed with triple crest of hair, sustains a Chimæra breathing from her jaws Etnean fires; the more outrageous was she, and tremendous with baleful flames, in proportion as with the effusion of blood the combat deepens and grows more fierce. An Io wrought in gold with horns erect adorned his polished steel ;-Io now overgrown with fur, now a heifer (an illustrious device), and Argus the virgin's keeper, and Inachus her sire pouring the river from his embossed urn. A cloud of infantry succeeds, and shielded battalions in condensed array overspread the whole plain: the Argive youth, the Auruncæque manus, Rutuli, veteresque Sicani, 795 800 805 810 815 800. Feronia. By Feronia, Servius understands Juno; but La Cerda, with greater probability, alleges that she is the same with Flora. 801. Saturae atra palus. The Poutine lake, whence arose very unwholesome vapours; it is therefore styled, atra palus. Ausonian bands, the Rutuli, and ancient Sicanians, the Sacranian hosts, and the Labici with their painted bucklers; those Tiberinus, who cultivate thy lawns, and the sacred banks of Numicus, and with the plough-share labour the Rutulian hills and Circe's mount; over which fields presides Jupiter of Anxur, and also Feronia in her verdant grove rejoicing: where lie Saturn's black dreary fens, and where chill Ufens through deep valleys shapes his winding way, and sinks into the sea. Beside all these came Camilla of the Volscian nation, leading a squadron of horse, and troops gorgeously arrayed in arms of brass; a virgin-warrior. Not to the distaff or Minerva's soft employments had she accustomed her female hands; but, though a virgin, was inured to bear the hardships of war, and in swiftness of foot to outstrip the winds. Even over the topmast stalks of standing corn she could have lightly skimmed, nor once had hurt the tender ears in her career; or along the surface of the main, suspended on the heaving surge, could glide, nor in the liquid plain once dip her nimble feet. Her all the youth pouring from city and country, as well as crowds of matrons, view with wonder, and gaze after her as she goes, gaping with minds aghast to see how the regal ornament of purple mantles her smooth alabaster neck; how the buckle interlaces her hair in a caul of gold collected; with what grace she bears her Lycian quiver, and her pastoral myrtle-spear tipped with steel. P. VIRGILII MARONIS ENEIDOS. LIBER VIII. Ur belli signum Laurenti Turnus ab arce Extulit, et rauco strepuerunt cornua cantu; Utque acres concussit equos, utque impulit arma; Extemplo turbati animi; simul omne tumultu Conjurat trepido Latium, sævitque juventus Effera. Ductores primi, Messapus et Ufens, Contemtorque Deûm Mezentius, undique cogunt Auxilia, et latos vastant cultoribus agros. Mittitur et magni Venulus Diomedis ad urbem, Qui petat auxilium; et Latio consistere Teucros, Advectum Ænean classi, victosque Penates Inferre, et fatis regem se dicere posci, Edoceat; multasque viro se adjungere gentes Dardanio, et latè Latio increbrescere nomen. 5 10 Quid struat his coeptis; quem, si fortuna sequatur, Eventum pugnæ cupiat; manifestiùs ipsi 15 Atque animum nunc huc celerem, nunc dividit illuc, 20 3. Concussit equos. Shook or roused them with the trumpet's alarm. 9. Diomedis ad urbem. Argos, or Argyrippa, a city built by Diomede in Apulia. |