Aeneid

more gracious to my prayer! O glorious Mars,

beneath whose godhead and paternity

all wars begin and end, on thee I call;

hail, all ye river-gods and haunted springs;

hail, whatsoever gods have seat of awe

in yonder distant sky, and ye whose power

is in the keeping of the deep, blue sea:

if victory to Ausonian Turnus fall,

then let my vanquished people take its way

unto Evander's city! From these plains

Iulus shall retire—so stands the bond;

nor shall the Trojans with rebellious sword

bring after-trouble on this land and King.

But if on arms of ours success shall shine,

as I doubt not it shall (may gods on high

their will confirm!), I purpose not to chain

Italian captive unto Teucrian lord,

nor seek I kingly power. Let equal laws

unite in federation without end

the two unconquered nations; both shall share

my worshipped gods. Latinus, as my sire,

shall keep his sword, and as my sire receive

inviolable power. The Teucrians

shall build my stronghold, but our citadel

shall bear forevermore Lavinia's name.”

Aeneas thus: then with uplifted eyes

Latinus swore, his right hand raised to heaven:

“I too, Aeneas, take the sacred vow.

By earth and sea and stars in heaven I swear,

by fair Latona's radiant children twain,

and two-browed Janus; by the shadowy powers

of Hades and th' inexorable shrines

of the Infernal King; and may Jove hear,

who by his lightnings hallows what is sworn!

I touch these altars, and my lips invoke

the sacred altar-fires that 'twixt us burn:

we men of Italy will make this peace

inviolate, and its bond forever keep,

let come what will; there is no power can change

my purpose, not if ocean's waves o'erwhelm

the world in billowy deluge and obscure

the bounds of heaven and hell. We shall remain

immutable as my smooth sceptre is“

(By chance a sceptre in his hand he bore),

“which wears no more light leaf or branching shade;

for long since in the grove 't was plucked away

from parent stem, and yielded to sharp steel

its leaves and limbs; erewhile 't was but a tree,

till the wise craftsman with fair sheath of bronze

encircled it and laid it in the hands

of Latium's royal sires.” With words like these

they swore the bond, in the beholding eyes

of gathered princes. Then they slit the throats

of hallowed victims o'er the altar's blaze,

drew forth the quivering vitals, and with flesh

on loaded chargers heaped the sacrifice.

But to Rutulian eyes th' approaching joust

seemed all ill-matched; and shifting hopes and fears

disturbed their hearts the closer they surveyed

th' unequal risks: still worse it was to see

how Turnus, silent and with downcast eyes,

dejectedly drew near the place of prayer,

worn, pale, and wasted in his youthful bloom.

The nymph Juturna, with a sister's fear,

noted the growing murmur, and perceived

how all the people's will did shift and change;

she went from rank to rank, feigning the shape

of Camers, scion of illustrious line,

with heritage of valor, and himself

dauntless in war; unceasingly she ran

from rank to rank, spreading with skilful tongue

opinions manifold, and thus she spoke:

“Will ye not blush, Rutulians, so to stake

one life for many heroes? Are we not

their match in might and numbers? O, behold

those Trojan sons of Heaven making league

with exiled Arcady; see Tuscan hordes

storming at Turnus. Yet we scarce could find

one foe apiece, forsooth, if we should dare

fight them with half our warriors. Of a truth

your champion brave shall to those gods ascend

before whose altars his great heart he vows;

and lips of men while yet on earth he stays

will spread his glory far. Ourselves, instead,

must crouch to haughty masters, and resign

this fatherland upon whose fruitful fields

we dwell at ease.” So speaking, she inflamed

the warriors' minds, and through the legions ran

increasing whisper; the Laurentine host

and even Latium wavered. Those who late

prayed but for rest and safety, clamored loud

for arms, desired annulment of the league,

and pitied Turnus' miserable doom.

Whereon Juturna tried a mightier stroke,

a sign from heaven, which more than all beside

confused the Latins and deceived their hearts

with prodigy. For through the flaming skies

Jove's golden eagle swooped, and scattered far

a clamorous tribe of river-haunting birds;

then, swiftly to the waters falling, seized