Aeneid

had wrought a Tartarus, the dreadful doors

of Pluto, and the chastisements of sin;

swung o'er a threatening precipice, was seen

thy trembling form, O Catiline, in fear

of fury-faces nigh: and distant far

th' assemblies of the righteous, in whose midst

was Cato, giving judgment and decree.

Encircled by these pictures ran the waves

of vast, unrestful seas in flowing gold,

where seemed along the azure crests to fly

the hoary foam, and in a silver ring

the tails of swift, emerging dolphins lashed

the waters bright, and clove the tumbling brine.

For the shield's central glory could be seen

great fleets of brazen galleys, and the fight

at Actium; where, ablaze with war's array,

Leucate's peak glowed o'er the golden tide.

Caesar Augustus led Italia's sons

to battle: at his side concordant moved

Senate and Roman People, with their gods

of hearth and home, and all Olympian Powers.

Uplifted on his ship he stands; his brows

beneath a double glory smile, and bright

over his forehead beams the Julian star.

in neighboring region great Agrippa leads,

by favor of fair winds and friendly Heaven,

his squadron forth: upon his brows he wears

the peerless emblem of his rostral crown.

Opposing, in barbaric splendor shine

the arms of Antony: in victor's garb

from nations in the land of morn he rides,

and from the Red Sea, bringing in his train

Egypt and Syria, utmost Bactria's horde,

and last—O shameless!—his Egyptian spouse.

All to the fight make haste; the slanted oars

and triple beaks of brass uptear the waves

to angry foam, as to the deep they speed

like hills on hill-tops hurled, or Cyclades

drifting and clashing in the sea: so vast

that shock of castled ships and mighty men!

Swift, arrowy steel and balls of blazing tow

rain o'er the waters, till the sea-god's world

flows red with slaughter. In the midst, the Queen,

sounding her native timbrel, wildly calls

her minions to the fight, nor yet can see

two fatal asps behind. Her monster-gods,

barking Anubis, and his mongrel crew,

on Neptune, Venus, and Minerva fling

their impious arms; the face of angry Mars,

carved out of iron, in the centre frowns,

grim Furies fill the air; Discordia strides

in rent robe, mad with joy; and at her side,

bellona waves her sanguinary scourge.

There Actian Apollo watched the war,

and o'er it stretched his bow; which when they knew,

Egyptian, Arab, and swart Indian slave,

and all the sons of Saba fled away

in terror of his arm. The vanquished Queen

made prayer to all the winds, and more and more

flung out the swelling sail: on wind-swept wave

she fled through dead and dying; her white brow

the Lord of Fire had cunningly portrayed

blanched with approaching doom. Beyond her lay

the large-limbed picture of the mournful Nile,

who from his bosom spread his garments wide,

and offered refuge in his sheltering streams

and broad, blue breast, to all her fallen power.

But Caesar in his triple triumph passed

the gates of Rome, and gave Italia's gods,

for grateful offering and immortal praise,

three hundred temples; all the city streets

with game and revel and applauding song

rang loud; in all the temples altars burned

and Roman matrons prayed; the slaughtered herds

strewed well the sacred ground. The hero, throned

at snow-white marble threshold of the fane

to radiant Phoebus, views the gift and spoil

the nations bring, and on the portals proud

hangs a perpetual garland: in long file

the vanquished peoples pass, of alien tongues,

of arms and vesture strange. Here Vulcan showed

ungirdled Afric chiefs and Nomads bold,

Gelonian bowmen, men of Caria,

and Leleges. Euphrates seemed to flow

with humbler wave; the world's remotest men,

Morini came, with double-horned Rhine,

and Dahae, little wont to bend the knee,

and swift Araxes, for a bridge too proud.

Such was the blazoned shield his mother gave

from Vulcan's forge; which with astonished eyes

Aeneas viewed, and scanned with joyful mind

such shadows of an unknown age to be;

then on his shoulder for a burden bore

the destined mighty deeds of all his sons.

While thus in distant region moves the war,

down to bold Turnus Saturn's daughter sends

celestial Iris. In a sacred vale,

the seat of worship at his grandsire's tomb,

Pilumnus, Faunus' son, the hero mused.

And thus the wonder-child of Thaumas called