Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
But Venus suffered him not to speak more, but said, "Whoever thou art,
stranger, that art come to this Tyrian city, thou art surely beloved
by the Gods. And now go, show thyself to the queen. And as for thy
ships and thy companions, I tell that they are safe in the haven, if I
have not learnt augury in vain. See those twenty swans, how joyously
they fly! And now there cometh an eagle swooping down from the sky,
putting them to confusion, but now again they move in due order, and
some are settling on the earth and some preparing to settle. Even so
doth it fare with thy ships, for either are they already in the haven
or enter thereinto with sails full set."
And as she spake she turned away, and there shone a rosy light from
her neck, also there came from her hair a sweet savour as of ambrosia,
and her garments grew unto her feet; and Æneas perceived that she was
his mother, and cried aloud,--
"O my mother, why dost thou mock me so often with false shows, nor
sufferest me to join my hand unto thy hand, and to speak with thee
face to face?"
And he went towards the walls of the city. But Venus covered him and
his companions with a mist, that no man might see them, or hinder
them, or inquire of their business, and then departed to Paphos, where
was her temple and also many altars of incense. Then the men hastened
on their way, and mounting a hill which hung over the city, marvelled
to behold it, for indeed it was very great and noble, with mighty
gates and streets, and a multitude that walked therein. For some built
the walls and the citadel, rolling great stones with their hands, and
others marked out places for houses. Also they chose those that should
give judgment and bear rule in the city. Some, too, digged out
harbours, and others laid the foundations of a theatre, and cut out
great pillars of stone. Like to bees they were, when, the summer being
newly come, the young swarms go forth, or when they labour filling the
cells with honey, and some receive the burdens of those that return
from the fields, and others keep off the drones from the hive. Even so
laboured the men of Tyre. And when Æneas beheld them he cried, "Happy
ye, who even now have a city to dwell in!" And being yet hidden with
the mist, he went in at the gate and mingled with the men, being seen
of none.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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