Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
But as Æneas slept there appeared to him the household Gods, which he
had carried out of the burning of Troy, very clear to see in the light
of the moon, which shone through the window of his chamber. And they
spake unto him, saying, "Apollo bids us tell thee here that which he
will tell thee if thou goest to Delos. We who have followed thee over
many seas, even we will bring thy children's children to great
honour, and make their city ruler over many nations. Faint not,
therefore, at thy long wandering. Thou must seek yet another home. For
it was not in Crete that Apollo bade thee dwell. There is a land which
the Greeks call Hesperia; an ancient land, whose inhabitants are
mighty men of valour; a land of vineyards and wheat. There is our
proper home, and thence came Dardanus our father. Do thou, therefore,
tell these things to the old man Anchises. Seek ye for the land of
Hesperia, which men also call Italy; but as for Crete, Jupiter willeth
not that ye should dwell there."
And for a while Æneas lay in great fear, with a cold sweat upon him,
so clear was the vision of those whom he saw, nor in anywise like unto
a dream. Then he rose up from his bed, and after prayer and sacrifice
told the thing to Anchises. And the old man saw that he had been
deceived in this matter, and he said, "O my son, now do I remember how
Cassandra was wont to prophesy these things to me, and would speak of
Hesperia and of the land of Italy. But, indeed, no man thought in
those days that the men of Troy should voyage to Hesperia, nor did any
take account of the words of Cassandra. But now let us heed the oracle
of Apollo, and depart."
[Illustration: THE HARPIES.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account