Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
And when these things were done--for Anna knew not of her purpose--and
also an image of Æneas was laid upon the pile, the priestess, with her
hair unbound, called upon all the gods that dwell below, sprinkling
thereon water that was drawn, she said, from the lake of Avernus, and
scattering evil herbs that had been cut at the full moon with a sickle
of bronze. Dido also, with one foot bare and her garments loosened,
threw meal upon the fire and called upon the Gods, if haply there be
any, that look upon those that love and suffer wrong.
In the mean time Æneas lay asleep in the hind part of his ship, when
there appeared to him in a dream the god Mercury, even as he had seen
him when he brought the commandment of Jupiter. And Mercury spake,
saying, "Son of Venus, canst thou sleep? seest thou not what perils
surround thee, nor hearest how the favourable west wind calls? The
queen purposes evil against thee. If thou lingerest till the morning
come thou wilt see the shore covered with them that wish thee harm.
Fly, then, and tarry not; for a woman is ever of many minds."
Then did Æneas in great fear start from his sleep, and call his
companions, saying, "Wake, and sit on the benches, and loose the
sails. 'Tis a god thus bids us fly." And even as he spake he cut the
cable with his sword. And all hasted to follow him, and sped over the
sea.
And now it was morning, and Queen Dido, from her watch-tower, saw the
ships upon the sea. Then she smote upon her breast and tore her hair,
and cried, "Shall this stranger mock us thus? Hasten to follow him.
Bring down the ships from the docks, make ready sword and fire. And
this was the man who bare upon his shoulders his aged father! Why did
I not tear him to pieces, and slay his companions with the sword, and
serve up the young Ascanius at his meal? And if I had perished, what
then? for I die to-day. O Sun, that regardest all the earth, and Juno,
that carest for marriage bonds, and Hecate, Queen of the dead, and ye
Furies that take vengeance on evildoers, hear me. If it be ordered
that he reach this land, yet grant that he suffer many things from his
enemies, and be driven from his city, and beg for help from strangers,
and see his people cruelly slain with the sword; and, when he shall
have made peace on ill conditions, that he enjoy not long his kingdom,
but die before his day, and lie unburied on the plain. And ye, men of
Tyre, hate his children and his people for ever. Let there be no love
or peace between you. And may some avenger arise from my grave who
shall persecute the race of Dardanus with fire and sword. So shall
there be war for ever between him and me."
Then she spake to old Barcé, who had been nurse to her husband
Sichæus, "Bid my sister bathe herself in water, and bring with her
beasts for sacrifice. And do thou also put a garland about thy head,
for I am minded to finish this sacrifice which I have begun, and to
burn the image of the man of Troy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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