Mythology, Greek -- Juvenile literature; Mythology, Roman -- Juvenile literature
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 him with great joy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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