Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
Now it so chanced that Æneas and Iülus his son, and others of the
princes, sat down to eat under a tree; and they had platters of dough
whereon to eat their meat. And when they had ended, and were not
satisfied, they ate their platters also, not thinking what they did.
Then said Iülus, making sport, "What! do we eat even our tables?" And
Æneas was right glad to hear this thing, and embraced the boy, and
said, "Now know I that we are come to the land which the Gods have
promised to me and to my people, that they would give us. For my
father, Anchises, spake to me, saying, 'My son, when thou shalt come
to a land that thou knowest not, and hunger shall constrain thee to
eat thy tables, then know that thou hast found thee a home.' Now,
therefore, seeing that these things have an accomplishment, let us
pour out libations to Jupiter, and make our prayers also to my father,
Anchises, and make merry. And in the morning we will search out the
country, and see who they be that dwell herein."
Then he bound a garland of leaves about his head, and made his prayers
to Mother Earth, and to the gods of the land, of whom indeed he knew
not who they were, and to Father Jupiter, and to the other gods also.
And when he had ended his prayer, Jupiter thundered thrice from the
sky. Then was it noised abroad among the men of Troy that now indeed
were they come to the land where they should build them a city; and
they ate and drank and made merry.
The next day those who should search out the country went forth. And
when it was told Æneas, saying that this river was the Tiber, and that
the people who dwelt in the land were the Latins, valiant men of war,
he chose out a hundred men who should go, with crowns of olive upon
their heads, to the city of the king, having also gifts in their
hands, and should pray that there might be peace between the men of
Troy and his people. And the men made haste to depart; and in the
meanwhile Æneas marked out for himself a camp, and bade that they
should make a rampart and a ditch.
Now when they that were sent came nigh to the city, they saw the young
men in the plain that was before it, riding upon horses and driving
chariots. Others shot with the bow or cast javelins, and some
contended in running or boxing. And one rode on horseback and told the
king, saying that certain men in strange raiment were come. Then the
king commanded that they should be brought into the palace, and sat
upon the throne of his fathers, and gave audience to them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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