Aeneid

Cassandra's frenzy he obeyed. What voice —

say, was it mine?—urged him to quit his camp,

risk life in storms, or trust his war, his walls,

to a boy-captain, or stir up to strife

Etruria's faithful, unoffending sons?

What god, what pitiless behest of mine,

impelled him to such harm? Who traces here

the hand of Juno, or of Iris sped

from heaven? Is it an ignoble stroke

that Italy around the new-born Troy

makes circling fire, and Turnus plants his heel

on his hereditary earth, the son

of old Pilumnus and the nymph divine,

Venilia? For what offence would Troy

bring sword and fire on Latium, or enslave

lands of an alien name, and bear away

plunder and spoil? Why seek they marriages,

and snatch from arms of love the plighted maids?

An olive-branch is in their hands; their ships

make menace of grim steel. Thy power one day

ravished Aeneas from his Argive foes,

and gave them shape of cloud and fleeting air

to strike at for a man. Thou hast transformed

his ships to daughters of the sea. What wrong

if I, not less, have lent the Rutuli

something of strength in war? Aeneas, then,

is far away and knows not! Far away

let him remain, not knowing! If thou sway'st

Cythera, Paphos, and Idalium,

why rouse a city pregnant with loud wars,

and fiery hearts provoke? That fading power

of Phrygia, do I, forsooth, essay

to ruin utterly? O, was it I

exposed ill-fated Troy to Argive foe?

For what offence in vast array of arms

did Europe rise and Asia, for a rape

their peace dissolving? Was it at my word

th' adulterous Dardan shepherd came to storm

the Spartan city? Did my hand supply

his armament, or instigate a war

for Cupid's sake? Then was thy decent hour

to tremble for thy children; now too late

the folly of thy long lament to Heaven,

and objurgation vain.” Such Juno's plea;

the throng of gods with voices loud or low

gave various reply: as gathering winds

sing through the tree-tops in dark syllables,

and fling faint murmur on the far-off sea,

to tell some pilot of to-morrow's storm.

Then Jupiter omnipotent, whose hands

have governance supreme, began reply;

deep silence at his word Olympus knew,

Earth's utmost cavern shook; the realms of light

were silent; the mild zephyrs breathed no more,

and perfect calm o'erspread the levelled sea.

“Give ear, ye gods, and in your hearts record

my mandate and decree. Fate yet allows

no peace 'twixt Troy and Italy, nor bids

your quarrel end. Therefore, what Chance this day

to either foe shall bring, whatever hope

either may cherish,—the Rutulian cause

and Trojan have like favor in my eyes.

The destinies of Italy constrain

the siege; which for the fault of Troy fulfills

an oracle of woe. Yon Rutule host

I scatter not. But of his own attempt

let each the triumph and the burden bear;

for Jove is over all an equal King.

The Fates will find the way.” The god confirmed

his sentence by his Stygian brother's wave,

the shadowy flood and black, abysmal shore.

He nodded; at the bending of his brow

Olympus shook. It is the council's end.

Now from the golden throne uprises Jove;

the train of gods attend him to the doors.

Meanwhile at every gate the Rutule foe

urges the slaughter on, and closes round

the battlements with ring of flame. The host

of Trojans, prisoned in the palisades,

lies in strict siege and has no hope to fly.

In wretched plight they man the turrets tall,

to no avail, and with scant garrison

the ramparts crown. In foremost line of guard

are Asius Imbrasides, the twin

Assaraci, and Hicetaon's son

Thymoetes, and with Castor at his side

the veteran Thymbris; then the brothers both

of slain Sarpedon, and from Lycian steep

Clarus and Themon. With full-straining thews

lifting a rock, which was of some huge hill

no fragment small, Lyrnesian Acmon stood;

nor less than Clytius his sire he seemed,

nor Mnestheus his great brother. Some defend

the wall with javelins; some hurl down stones

or firebrands, or to the sounding string

fit arrows keen. But lo! amid the throng,

well worth to Venus her protecting care,

the Dardan boy, whose princely head shone forth

without a helm, like radiant jewel set

in burnished gold for necklace or for crown;