Mythology, Greek -- Juvenile literature; Mythology, Roman -- Juvenile literature
And of these some roll
a great stone and cease not, and some are bound to wheels, and some sit
forever crying, ‘Learn to do righteousness and to fear the gods.’”
And when the priestess had finished these words they hastened on their
way. And, after a while, she said, “Lo! here is the palace which the
Cyclopés built for Pluto and the Queen of hell. Here must we offer the
gift of the bough of gold.” And this being accomplished, they came to
the dwellings of the righteous. Here are green spaces, with woods about
them; and the light of their heaven is fuller and brighter than that
which men behold. Another sun they have and other stars. Some of them
contend together in wrestling and running; and some dance in measure,
singing the while a pleasant song; and Orpheus, clad in a long robe,
makes music, touching his harp, now with his fingers and now with an
ivory bow. Here did Æneas marvel to see the mighty men of old, such
as were Ilus, and Dardanus, builder of Troy. Their spears stood fixed
in the earth, and their horses fed about the plain; for they love
spear and chariot and horses, even as they loved them upon earth. And
others sat and feasted, sitting on the grass in a sweet-smelling grove
of bay, whence flows the river which men upon the earth call the Po.
Here were they who had died for their country, and holy priests, and
poets who had uttered nothing base, and such as had found out witty
inventions, or had done great good to men. All these had snow-white
garlands on their heads. Then spake the Sibyl to Musæus, who stood
in the midst, surpassing them all in stature: “Tell me, happy souls,
where shall we find Anchises.” And Musæus answered, “We have no certain
dwelling-place: but climb this hill, and ye can see the whole plain
below, and doubtless him whom ye seek.”
Then they beheld Anchises where he sat in a green valley, regarding the
spirits of those who should be born in after-time of his race. And when
he beheld Æneas coming, he stretched out his hands and cried, “Comest
thou, my son? Hast thou won thy way hither to me? Even so I thought
that it would be, and lo! my hope hath not failed me.”
And Æneas made answer, “Yea, I have come a long way to see thee, even
as thy spirit bade me. And now let me embrace thee with my arms.”
But when he would have embraced him it was as if he clasped the air.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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