But the army of the
Aeneadae are held leaguered within their trenches, with no hope of
retreat.
Aeneadae are held leaguered within their trenches, with no hope of
retreat.
Virgil - Aeneid
or he who brought the Achaeans down on the hapless Trojans?
who made
Europe and Asia bristle up in arms, and whose theft shattered the
alliance? Was it in my guidance the [92-125]adulterous Dardanian broke
into Sparta? or did I send the shafts of passion that kindled war? Then
terror for thy children had graced thee; too late now dost thou rise
with unjust complaints, and reproaches leave thy lips in vain. '
Thus Juno pleaded; and all the heavenly people murmured in diverse
consent; even as rising gusts murmur when caught in the forests, and
eddy in blind moanings, betraying to sailors the gale's approach. Then
the Lord omnipotent and primal power of the world begins; as he speaks
the high house of the gods and trembling floor of earth sink to silence;
silent is the deep sky, and the breezes are stilled; ocean hushes his
waters into calm.
'Take then to heart and lay deep these words of mine. Since it may not
be that Ausonians and Teucrians join alliance, and your quarrel finds no
term, to-day, what fortune each wins, what hope each follows, be he
Trojan or Rutulian, I will hold in even poise; whether it be Italy's
fate or Trojan blundering and ill advice that holds the camp in leaguer.
Nor do I acquit the Rutulians. Each as he hath begun shall work out his
destiny. Jupiter is one and king over all; the fates will find their
way. ' By his brother's infernal streams, by the banks of the pitchy
black-boiling chasm he signed assent, and made all Olympus quiver at his
nod. Here speaking ended: thereon Jupiter rises from his golden throne,
and the heavenly people surround and escort him to the doorway.
Meanwhile the Rutulians press round all the gates, dealing grim
slaughter and girdling the walls with flame.
But the army of the
Aeneadae are held leaguered within their trenches, with no hope of
retreat. They stand helpless and disconsolate on their high towers, and
their thin ring girdles the walls,--Asius, son of Imbrasus, and
Thymoetes, son of Hicetaon, and the two Assaraci, and Castor, and old
Thymbris together in the front rank: by them Clarus and
[126-160]Themon, both full brothers to Sarpedon, out of high Lycia.
Acmon of Lyrnesus, great as his father Clytius, or his brother
Mnestheus, carries a stone, straining all his vast frame to the huge
mountain fragment. Emulously they keep their guard, these with javelins,
those with stones, and wield fire and fit arrows on the string. Amid
them he, Venus' fittest care, lo! the Dardanian boy, his graceful head
uncovered, shines even as a gem set in red gold on ornament of throat or
head, or even as gleaming ivory cunningly inlaid in boxwood or Orician
terebinth; his tresses lie spread over his milk-white neck, bound by a
flexible circlet of gold. Thee, too, Ismarus, proud nations saw aiming
wounds and arming thy shafts with poison,--thee, of house illustrious in
Maeonia, where the rich tilth is wrought by men's hands, and Pactolus
waters it with gold. There too was Mnestheus, exalted in fame as he who
erewhile had driven Turnus from the ramparts; and Capys, from whom is
drawn the name of the Campanian city.
They had closed in grim war's mutual conflict; Aeneas, while night was
yet deep, clove the seas. For when, leaving Evander for the Etruscan
camp, he hath audience of the king, and tells the king of his name and
race, and what he asks or offers, instructs him of the arms Mezentius is
winning to his side, and of Turnus' overbearing spirit, reminds him what
is all the certainty of human things, and mingles all with entreaties;
delaying not, Tarchon joins forces and strikes alliance. Then, freed
from the oracle, the Lydian people man their fleet, laid by divine
ordinance in the foreign captain's hand. Aeneas' galley keeps in front,
with the lions of Phrygia fastened on her prow, above them overhanging
Ida, sight most welcome to the Trojan exiles. Here great Aeneas sits
revolving the changing issues of war; and Pallas, clinging on his left
side, asks now [161-195]of the stars and their pathway through the dark
night, now of his fortunes by land and sea.
Open now the gates of Helicon, goddesses, and stir the song of the band
that come the while with Aeneas from the Tuscan borders, and sail in
armed ships overseas.
First in the brazen-plated Tiger Massicus cuts the flood; beneath him
are ranked a thousand men who have left Clusium town and the city of
Cosae; their weapons are arrows, and light quivers on the shoulder, and
their deadly bow. With him goes grim Abas, all his train in shining
armour, and a gilded Apollo glittering astern.
Europe and Asia bristle up in arms, and whose theft shattered the
alliance? Was it in my guidance the [92-125]adulterous Dardanian broke
into Sparta? or did I send the shafts of passion that kindled war? Then
terror for thy children had graced thee; too late now dost thou rise
with unjust complaints, and reproaches leave thy lips in vain. '
Thus Juno pleaded; and all the heavenly people murmured in diverse
consent; even as rising gusts murmur when caught in the forests, and
eddy in blind moanings, betraying to sailors the gale's approach. Then
the Lord omnipotent and primal power of the world begins; as he speaks
the high house of the gods and trembling floor of earth sink to silence;
silent is the deep sky, and the breezes are stilled; ocean hushes his
waters into calm.
'Take then to heart and lay deep these words of mine. Since it may not
be that Ausonians and Teucrians join alliance, and your quarrel finds no
term, to-day, what fortune each wins, what hope each follows, be he
Trojan or Rutulian, I will hold in even poise; whether it be Italy's
fate or Trojan blundering and ill advice that holds the camp in leaguer.
Nor do I acquit the Rutulians. Each as he hath begun shall work out his
destiny. Jupiter is one and king over all; the fates will find their
way. ' By his brother's infernal streams, by the banks of the pitchy
black-boiling chasm he signed assent, and made all Olympus quiver at his
nod. Here speaking ended: thereon Jupiter rises from his golden throne,
and the heavenly people surround and escort him to the doorway.
Meanwhile the Rutulians press round all the gates, dealing grim
slaughter and girdling the walls with flame.
But the army of the
Aeneadae are held leaguered within their trenches, with no hope of
retreat. They stand helpless and disconsolate on their high towers, and
their thin ring girdles the walls,--Asius, son of Imbrasus, and
Thymoetes, son of Hicetaon, and the two Assaraci, and Castor, and old
Thymbris together in the front rank: by them Clarus and
[126-160]Themon, both full brothers to Sarpedon, out of high Lycia.
Acmon of Lyrnesus, great as his father Clytius, or his brother
Mnestheus, carries a stone, straining all his vast frame to the huge
mountain fragment. Emulously they keep their guard, these with javelins,
those with stones, and wield fire and fit arrows on the string. Amid
them he, Venus' fittest care, lo! the Dardanian boy, his graceful head
uncovered, shines even as a gem set in red gold on ornament of throat or
head, or even as gleaming ivory cunningly inlaid in boxwood or Orician
terebinth; his tresses lie spread over his milk-white neck, bound by a
flexible circlet of gold. Thee, too, Ismarus, proud nations saw aiming
wounds and arming thy shafts with poison,--thee, of house illustrious in
Maeonia, where the rich tilth is wrought by men's hands, and Pactolus
waters it with gold. There too was Mnestheus, exalted in fame as he who
erewhile had driven Turnus from the ramparts; and Capys, from whom is
drawn the name of the Campanian city.
They had closed in grim war's mutual conflict; Aeneas, while night was
yet deep, clove the seas. For when, leaving Evander for the Etruscan
camp, he hath audience of the king, and tells the king of his name and
race, and what he asks or offers, instructs him of the arms Mezentius is
winning to his side, and of Turnus' overbearing spirit, reminds him what
is all the certainty of human things, and mingles all with entreaties;
delaying not, Tarchon joins forces and strikes alliance. Then, freed
from the oracle, the Lydian people man their fleet, laid by divine
ordinance in the foreign captain's hand. Aeneas' galley keeps in front,
with the lions of Phrygia fastened on her prow, above them overhanging
Ida, sight most welcome to the Trojan exiles. Here great Aeneas sits
revolving the changing issues of war; and Pallas, clinging on his left
side, asks now [161-195]of the stars and their pathway through the dark
night, now of his fortunes by land and sea.
Open now the gates of Helicon, goddesses, and stir the song of the band
that come the while with Aeneas from the Tuscan borders, and sail in
armed ships overseas.
First in the brazen-plated Tiger Massicus cuts the flood; beneath him
are ranked a thousand men who have left Clusium town and the city of
Cosae; their weapons are arrows, and light quivers on the shoulder, and
their deadly bow. With him goes grim Abas, all his train in shining
armour, and a gilded Apollo glittering astern.
