Mythology, Greek -- Juvenile literature; Mythology, Roman -- Juvenile literature
So they offered sacrifice, a bull to Neptune and a bull to the
beautiful Apollo, and a black sheep to the Storm and a white sheep
to the West Wind. There came also a rumor that Idomeneus the Cretan
had fled from his father’s kingdom, and that the land was ready for
him who should take it. Whereupon the men of Troy set sail with a
good heart, and passing among the islands that are called Cyclades,
the wind blowing favorably behind them, so came to Crete. There they
builded a city, and called its name Pergamea, after Pergama, which was
the citadel of Troy. And for a while they tilled the soil; also they
married and were given in marriage, as purposing to abide in the land.
But there came a wasting sickness on the men, and a blight also on the
trees and harvests, filling the year with death. The fields likewise
were parched with drought, and the staff of bread was broken. Then the
old Anchises bade them go yet again to the oracle at Delos, and inquire
of the god what end there should be of these troubles, whence they
should seek for help, and whither they should go.
But as Æneas slept there appeared to him the household gods, which he
had carried out of the burning of Troy, very clear to see in the light
of the moon, which shone through the window of his chamber. And they
spake unto him, saying, “Apollo bids us tell thee here that which he
will tell thee if thou goest to Delos. We who have followed thee over
many seas, even we will bring thy children’s children to great honor,
and make their city ruler over many nations. Faint not, therefore, at
thy long wandering. Thou must seek yet another home. For it was not in
Crete that Apollo bade thee dwell. There is a land which the Greeks
call Hesperia; an ancient land, whose inhabitants are mighty men of
valor; a land of vineyards and wheat. There is our proper home, and
thence came Dardanus our father. Do thou, therefore, tell these things
to the old man Anchises. Seek ye for the land of Hesperia, which men
also call Italy; but as for Crete, Jupiter willeth not that ye should
dwell there.”
And for a while Æneas lay in great fear, with a cold sweat upon him,
so clear was the vision of those whom he saw, nor in anywise like unto
a dream. Then he rose up from his bed, and after prayer and sacrifice
told the thing to Anchises. And the old man saw that he had been
deceived in this matter, and he said, “O my son, now do I remember how
Cassandra was wont to prophesy these things to me, and would speak of
Hesperia and of the land of Italy. But, indeed, no man thought in those
days that the men of Troy should voyage to Hesperia, nor did any take
account of the words of Cassandra. But now let us heed the oracle of
Apollo, and depart.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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