No More Learning

And now day had faded from the sky, and gracious Phoebe trod mid-heaven
in the chariot of her nightly wandering: Aeneas, for his charge allows
not rest to his limbs, himself sits guiding the tiller and managing the
sails. And lo, in middle course a band of his own fellow-voyagers meets
him, the nymphs whom bountiful Cybele had bidden be gods of the sea, and
turn to nymphs from ships; they swam on in even order, and cleft the
flood, as many as erewhile, brazen-plated prows, had anchored on the
beach. From far they know their king, and wheel their bands about him,
and Cymodocea, their readiest in speech, comes up behind, catching the
stern with her right hand: her back rises out, and her left hand oars
her passage through the silent water. Then she thus [228-261]accosts
her amazed lord: 'Wakest thou, seed of gods, Aeneas? wake, and loosen
the sheets of thy sails. We are thy fleet, Idaean pines from the holy
hill, now nymphs of the sea. When the treacherous Rutulian urged us
headlong with sword and fire, unwillingly we broke thy bonds, and we
search for thee over ocean. This new guise our Lady made for us in pity,
and granted us to be goddesses and spend our life under the waves. But
thy boy Ascanius is held within wall and trench among the Latin weapons
and the rough edge of war. Already the Arcadian cavalry and the brave
Etruscan together hold the appointed ground. Turnus' plan is fixed to
bar their way with his squadrons, that they may not reach the camp. Up
and arise, and ere the coming of the Dawn bid thy crews be called to
arms; and take thou the shield which the Lord of Fire forged for victory
and rimmed about with gold. To-morrow's daylight, if thou deem not my
words vain, shall see Rutulians heaped high in slaughter. ' She ended,
and, as she went, pushed the tall ship on with her hand wisely and well;
the ship shoots through the water fleeter than javelin or windswift
arrow. Thereat the rest quicken their speed.
The son of Anchises of Troy
is himself deep in bewilderment; yet the omen cheers his courage. Then
looking on the heavenly vault, he briefly prays: 'O gracious upon Ida,
mother of gods, whose delight is in Dindymus and turreted cities and
lions coupled to thy rein, do thou lead me in battle, do thou meetly
prosper thine augury, and draw nigh thy Phrygians, goddess, with
favourable feet. ' Thus much he spoke; and meanwhile the broad light of
returning day now began to pour in, and chased away the night. First he
commands his comrades to follow his signals, brace their courage to arms
and prepare for battle. And now his Trojans and his camp are in his
sight as he stands high astern, when next he lifts the [262-296]blazing
shield on his left arm. The Dardanians on the walls raise a shout to the
sky. Hope comes to kindle wrath; they hurl their missiles strongly; even
as under black clouds cranes from the Strymon utter their signal notes
and sail clamouring across the sky, and noisily stream down the gale.
But this seemed marvellous to the Rutulian king and the captains of
Ausonia, till looking back they see the ships steering for the beach,
and all the sea as a single fleet sailing in. His helmet-spike blazes,
flame pours from the cresting plumes, and the golden shield-boss spouts
floods of fire; even as when in transparent night comets glow blood-red
and drear, or the splendour of Sirius, that brings drought and
sicknesses on wretched men, rises and saddens the sky with malignant
beams.

Yet gallant Turnus in unfailing confidence will prevent them on the
shore and repel their approach to land. 'What your prayers have sought
is given, the sweep of the sword-arm. The god of battles is in the hands
of men. Now remember each his wife and home: now recall the high deeds
of our fathers' honour. Let us challenge meeting at the water's edge,
while they waver and their feet yet slip as they disembark. Fortune aids
daring. .