Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
Then Dido, her eyes bent on the ground, thus spake, "Fear not, men of
Troy. If we have seemed to deal harshly with you, pardon us, seeing
that, being newly settled in this land, we must keep watch and ward
over our coasts. But as for the men of Troy, and their deeds in arms,
who knows them not? Think not that we in Carthage are so dull of
heart, or dwell so remote from man, that we are ignorant of these
things. Whether, therefore, ye will journey to Italy, or rather return
to Sicily and King Acestes, know that I will give you all help, and
protect you; or, if ye will, settle in this land of ours. Yours is
this city which I am building. I will make no difference between man
of Troy and man of Tyre. Would that your king also were here! Surely I
will send those that shall seek him in all parts of Libya, lest haply
he should be gone astray in any forest or strange city of the land."
And when Æneas and Achates heard these things they were glad, and
would have come forth from the cloud, and Achates said, "What thinkest
thou? Lo, thy comrades are safe, saving him whom we saw with our own
eyes drowned in the waves; and all other things are according as thy
mother said."
And even as he spake the cloud parted from about them, and Æneas stood
forth, very bright to behold, with face and breast as of a god, for
his mother had given to him hair beautiful to see, and cast about him
the purple light of youth, even as a workman sets ivory in some fair
ornament, or compasseth about silver or marble of Paros with gold.
Then spake he to the queen, "Lo! I am he whom ye seek, even Æneas of
Troy, scarcely saved from the waters of the sea. And as for thee, O
Queen, seeing that thou only hast been found to pity the unspeakable
sorrows of Troy, and biddest us, though we be but poor exiles and
lacking all things, to share thy city and thy home, may the Gods do so
to thee as thou deservest. And, of a truth, so long as the rivers run
to the seas, and the shadows fall on the hollows of the hills, so long
will thy name and thy glory survive, whatever be the land to which the
Gods shall bring me." Then gave he his right hand to Ilioneus, and his
left hand to Sergestus, and greeted them with great joy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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