At rex sollicitus monstris oracula Fauni, pellibus incubuit stratis somnosque petivit, 85 90 95 100 105 81 But the king, troubled by the portent, visits the oracle of Faunus, his prophetic sire, and consults the groves beneath high Albunea, which, mightiest of forests,1 echoes with hallowed fountain, and breathes forth from her darkness a deadly vapour. Hence the tribes of Italy and all the Oenotrian land seek responses in days of doubt; hither the priestess brings the offerings, and as she lies under the silent night on the outspread fleeces of slaughtered sheep and woos slumber, she sees many phantoms flitting in wondrous wise, hears voices manifold, holds converse with the gods, and speaks with Acheron in lowest Avernus. Here then, also, King Latinus himself, seeking an answer, duly slaughtered a hundred woolly sheep, and lay couched on their hides and outspread fleeces. Suddenly a voice came from the deep grove : "Seek not, O my son, to ally thy daughter in Latin wedlock, and put no faith in the bridal-chamber prepared. Strangers shall come, to be thy sons, whose blood shall exalt our name to the stars, and the children of whose race shall behold, where the circling sun looks on either ocean,2 the whole world roll obedient beneath their feet." This answer of his father Faunus, and the warning he gave in the silent night, Latinus keeps not shut within his own lips; but Rumour, flitting far and wide, had already borne the tidings through the Ausonian cities, when the sons of Laomedon moored their ships to the river's grassy bank. 107 Aeneas, and his chief captains and fair Iülus, 1 Albunea is here identified with the forest. Situated at or near Laurentum, this must be different from the Albunea of Horace, Carm. 1. 7, 12, which is a cascade at Tibur. 2 i.e. in East and West; the Ocean being conceived as flowing round the earth. 110 115 corpora sub ramis deponunt arboris altae instituuntque dapes et adorea liba per herbam subiciunt epulis (sic luppiter ipse monebat) et Cereale solum pomis agrestibus augent. consumptis hic forte aliis, ut vertere morsus exiguam in Cererem penuria adegit edendi et violare manu malisque audacibus orbem fatalis crusti patulis nec parcere quadris: "heus! etiam mensas consumimus," inquit Iulus, nec plura adludens. ea vox audita laborum prima tulit finem primamque loquentis ab ore eripuit pater ac stupefactus numine pressit. continuo "salve fatis mihi debita tellus vosque," ait, "o fidi Troiae, salvete, penates: hic domus, haec patria est. genitor mihi talia namque (nunc repeto) Anchises fatorum arcana reliquit : 120 cum te, nate, fames ignota ad litora vectum accisis coget dapibus consumere mensas, 125 tum sperare domos defessus ibique memento prima locare manu molirique aggere tecta.' haec erat illa fames, haec nos suprema manebat, exitiis positura modum. quare agite et primo laeti cum lumine solis, 130 quae loca, quive habeant homines, ubi moenia gentis, vestigemus et a portu diversa petamus. nunc pateras libate Iovi precibusque vocate Anchisen genitorem, et vina reponite mensis." 110 ipse] ille M2, known to Servius. 125 ambesis R. 128 manebant R. 1 The round cakes, like our hot cross-buns, were scored by cross-lines into four quarters (quadrae). lay their limbs to rest under the boughs of a high tree, and spread the feast; they place cakes of meal along the sward beneath the viands-Jove himself inspired them-and they crown the wheaten base with fruits of the field. Here, haply, when the rest was consumed, and the scantness of fare drove them to turn their teeth upon the slender cakes-to profane with hand and daring jaw the fateful circles of crust, and spare not the broad loaves1: "Ha! we eat our tables too!" quoth Iülus, jesting; this and no more. That cry,2 when heard, first brought an end of toil; and as it first fell from the speaker's lips, his father caught it up and held it fast,3 awestruck at Heaven's will. Straightway, "Hail, O land," he cries, "destined as my due! and hail to you, ye faithful gods of Troy! Here is our home, here our country! For my father Anchises-now I recall it bequeathed me this secret of fate: 'My son, when, wafted to an unknown shore, hunger shall compel thee, as food fails, to devour thy tables, then in thy weariness hope for a home, and there be mindful first to set up thy dwellings with thy hand and bank them with a mound.' This was that hunger foretold, this the last strait awaiting us, that should set an end to our deadly woes! Come then, and, gladly with the sun's first beams, let us explore what lands these are, what people here dwell, where is the city of the nation, and let us fare forth from the harbour in divers ways. Now pour your cups to Jove, and call in prayer on my sire Anchises, and set the wine again upon the board.” 2 cf. III. 255, where, however, the prophecy is uttered by Celaeno, not by Anchises. 3 Others render "stopped his utterance"; sc. vocem. 135 Sic deinde effatus frondenti tempora ramo implicat et geniumque loci primamque deorum Tellurem nymphasque et adhuc ignota precatur flumina, tum Noctem Noctisque orientia signa Idaeumque Iovem Phrygiamque ex ordine Matrem invocat et duplicis caeloque Ereboque parentis. 140 hic pater omnipotens ter caelo clarus ab alto intonuit radiisque ardentem lucis et auro ipse manu quatiens ostendit ab aethere nubem. diditur hic subito Troiana per agmina rumor, advenisse diem, quo debita moenia condant. certatim instaurant epulas atque omine magno crateras laeti statuunt et vina coronant. Postera cum prima lustrabat lampade terras orta dies, urbem et finis et litora gentis diversi explorant, haec fontis stagna Numici, hunc Thybrim fluvium, hic fortis habitare Latinos. 145 150 donaque ferre viro pacemque exposcere Teucris. 155 haud mora, festinant iussi rapidisque feruntur passibus. ipse humili designat moenia fossa moliturque locum primasque in litore sedes castrorum in morem pinnis atque aggere cingit. iamque iter emensi turris ac tecta Latinorum ardua cernebant iuvenes muroque subibant. ante urbem pueri et primaevo flore iuventus exercentur equis domitantque in pulvere currus aut acris tendunt arcus aut lenta lacertis 143 manum M1. 160 et M1y. Latini M2. 160 |
