their camp. He, turbulent with ire, hither and thither on his fierce steed surveys the walls, and by every pathless pass explores access. As when a wolf, in ambush for a full cot of sheep, lies growling at the folds, enduring winds and rains at the hour of midnight; under their dams the lambkins in safety bleat; he, fierce and felonious with ire, rages against the absent prey; his ravenous hunger by length of time contracted, and his blood-thirsty jaws, pinch him incessantly: just so the Rutulian's anger kindles, while he views the walls and camp; and within the hard bones his anguish burns, exploring by what means he may tempt access, and how force the enclosed Trojans from their entrenchment, and pour them forth into the plain. Their fleet, which, adjoining the side of their camp, lay concealed, fenced around with ramparts and the streams of the river, he assails; loudly calls for flames from his followers joyous to obey; and ardent fills his hand with a blazing pine. Then indeed they exert themselves strenuously: the presence of Turnus urges them on, and the whole youth are armed with black torches. They rapidly plunder the hearths: the smoky brand sends up a pitchy light, and the fiery element darts the intermingled sparkles to the stars. Ye Muses, say, what god averted from the Trojans so fierce a conflagration? who from the ships repelled such diastrous flames? Ancient is the testimony of the fact, but immortal is its fame. When Æneas first formed his fleet on Phrygian Ida, and prepared to launch into the deep, Berecynthia herself, the mother of the gods, is said to have addressed great Jove in these words: At my request, O son, bestow what thy dear parent from thee craves, now that Olympus is to thy power subdued. On a lofty mountain stood a piny wood by me many years beloved, embowered with gloomy firs, and the maple's shady boughs, whither they brought me sacred offerings these trees I with pleasure gave to the young Trojan hero, when he wanted a fleet: now anxious dread on their account presses my unquiet mind. Dissipate my fears, and let a parent by her 95 Solve metus, atque hoc precibus sine posse parentem, 90 Ergo aderat promissa dies, et tempora Parcæ 100 105 110 115 120 110. Hic primum. This implies that Cybele had formerly been unknown in Italy, and now makes her miraculous appearance for the first time in behalf of the Trojans. 111. Nimbus. A bright cloud, the vehicle of the goddess. 112. Idaeique chori. The Idaei Dactyli; Cybele's ministers. prayers obtain, that by no voyage they may be shattered, or by whirling blast of wind subdued: let it avail them that from our mountains they sprang. Thus to her in reply said her son, who rolls the stars of the celestial world: Whither, my parent-goddess, art thou urging destiny? or what is thy aim in this request? Shall vessels built by mortal hands an immortal privilege enjoy, and Eneas, ensured of safety, run the round of dubious peril? in what god is so great power lodged? However, when, having finished their destined course, they shall reach the goal and the Ausonian ports, whichever of them hereafter shall have escaped the waves, and carried the Dardanian chief to the territories of Laurentum, I will divest them of their mortal form, and command to be goddesses of the spacious ocean; such as are the daughters of Nereus, Doto and Galatea, who cut with their breasts the foaming deep. He said: and in sign of its being ratified by the rivers of his Stygian brother, by those banks that roll with torrents of pitch and black whirlpools, nods his head; and with that nod he made heaven's whole frame to tremble. The promised day was therefore come, and the Fates had filled up the destined periods of time, when this outrage of Turnus called on the mother of the gods to repel the firebrands from her sacred ships. Here first an unusual light flashed forth on the eyes of the Trojans, and from the east a vast refulgent cloud was seen to shoot athwart the sky, and with the goddess appeared her choirs of priests; then through the air a tremendous voice drops from above, and fills the hosts both of Trojans and Rutulians: Be in no hurry, ye Trojans, to protect my ships, nor arm your hands; sooner to Turnus it shall be given to burn up the seas than those sacred pines. Glide on now at your liberty, glide ye on, goddesses of the main; the parent of the gods commands. And forthwith from the banks the ships break each away her halsers, and dolphin-like diving with their beaks plunge to the bottom of the sea. Thence, wondrous prodigy, so many virgin-forms rise up, and ride along the main, as ships with Quot prius æratæ steterant ad litora proræ. Rauca sonans, revocatque pedem Tiberinus ab alto. 125 Ultrò animos tollit dictis, atque increpat ultro: 130 135 140 145 150 147. Trepidantia castra. Their camp in hurrying terror and consternation now that Aeneas is absent. 148. Non armis, etc. Turnus here sets himself above Achilles, who was clad in divine armour. brazen prows had before been ranked on the shore. The Rutulians stood astonished in their minds; Messapus himself, unable to check his startling steeds, is seized with consternation; the river too makes a pause, resounding hoarsely, and Tiberinus recalls his current from the deep. But the confidence of daring Turnus abated not; he briskly raises their spirits with his words, and briskly chides their fears: Against the Trojans these portents are aimed; from them even Jove himself hath withdrawn his wonted aid; their ships wait not the darts or fires of the Rutulians. Therefore the seas are inaccessible to the Trojans, nor have they any hopes of escaping by flight; from one half of the globe they are cut off, and the land, the other half, is in our hands; so many armed thousands the Italian nations bring to our aid. To me the fatal responses of the gods, whatever they are to which the Phrygians pretend, give no concern. To the Fates and Venus enough is given, that the Trojans have reached the lands of fruitful Ausonia. I too on the other hand have my destiny, to extirpate with the sword the accursed race, being robbed by them of my promised spouse; nor does the painful sense of that indignity move only the sons of Atreus, nor to Mycenae alone is license given to take up arms in such a cause. But perhaps it is enough that they fell once: doubtless, had they thought it enough to commit the same crime but once before, had they, instead of committing rapes, conceived almost a total aversion to the whole race of women. They whom this confidence in their intervening rampart, whom the temporary defences of their trenches, narrow partitions that screen them from death, inspire with so much courage; have they not seen the walls of Troy, built by the hand of Neptune, sink down in flames? But say, ye select warriors, who prepares to storm their rampart sword in hand, and with me invades their disordered camp? To me there is no need of divine armour, or of a thousand ships against the Trojans. Let all the Tuscans this instant connect themselves with them in alliance: they need not fear that we will take |