And for a while the women stood in doubt regarding the ships, loving indeed the land whereon they stood, yet knowing that the Fates called them to another. But when the goddess rose on her wings, and passed up by the path of the rainbow into the heavens, then a great fury fell upon them, so that they caught brands from the altars and set fire to the ships. And straightway the flames ran over the benches and the oars and the stems of painted pine. Then ran Eumelus to the men of Troy where they sat at the games, and told them how that the ships were burning; also they themselves saw the black cloud of smoke rolling before the wind. And Ascanius, in the midst of his horsemanship, heard the matter and sped to the camp. And being come he cried aloud, "What madness is this? Ye burn not the camp of the Greeks, ye burn our own hopes. Lo! I am your Ascanius." And he threw his helmet on the ground, that they should know him. Also Æneas and the men of Troy made haste to come up. Then were the women ashamed of that which they had done, and would have hidden themselves, their fury being past. But not the more did the flame cease to devour the ships; and they who would have quenched the fire availed nothing. Then the pious Æneas rent his garments and prayed to the Gods, saying, "O Jupiter, if thou dost not altogether hate us, save our ships from the fire, and suffer us not to perish utterly; but if thou art angry, and so it seem good to thee, slay me with thy thunderbolt." And even as he spake there came up a great storm from the south, with thunder and lightning and a great rain, and the fire was quenched, but of the ships four were burnt altogether. Now Æneas was sore troubled at these things, and doubted much whether he should still abide in the land of Sicily nor heed the Fates, or should yet follow after Italy. Then the old man, Nautes, the priest of Pallas, in whom more than in all men besides dwelt the wisdom of the goddess, spake to him, saying, "Son of the goddess, it must needs be that we go whither the Gods call us. Yet mayest thou devise something for this present necessity, taking counsel with King Acestes, seeing that he also is a son of Troy. For now, four ships being burned, the people are over many for such as are left to us; some also faint at this thing that we purpose; also there are old men and women, wearied of the sea, and the weak and the fearful. Suffer, then, that he take these to himself to be his people, and build a city for them, and call it Acesta, after his own name."