As it so happened; they put the gold aboard, And over the sea the greedy tyrant’s treasure Went sailing, with a woman for a captain. They came here; you will see the walls arising And the great citadel of the town called Carthage. Here they bought ground; they used to call it Byrsa, That being a word for bull’s hide; they bought only What a bull’s hide could cover. And now tell me Who you might be yourselves? what land do you come from, Bound for what coast?” And he began his answer With a long sigh: “O goddess, if I told you All from the first beginning, if you had leisure To listen to the record of our trouble, It would take me all day long. From ancient Troy, In case that name means anything, we come Driven over many seas, and now a storm Has whipped us on this coast. I am Aeneas, A good, devoted man; I carry with me My household gods, saved from the Greeks; I am known In heaven; it is Italy I seek, A homeland for me there, and a race descended From lofty Jove. With a score of ships we started Over the Phrygian ocean, following fate And the way my mother pointed. Only seven Are left us now, battered survivors, after The rage of wind and wave. And here I wander The wastes of Libya, unknown and needy, Driven from Europe and Asia.” And his mother Broke in on his complaining:--“Whoever you are, Some god must care for you, I think, to bring you Here to the city of Carthage. Follow on, Go to the royal palace. For, I tell you, Your comrades have returned, your fleet is safe, Brought to good haven by the turn of the winds, Unless the augury my parents taught me Was foolish nonsense. In the heaven yonder You see twelve swans, rejoicing in long column, Scattered, a little while ago, and driven By the swooping eagle, over all the sky, But now, it seems, they light on land, or watch Those who came down before them; as they circle In company, and make a cheerful sound With whir of wing or song, so, let me tell you, Your ships and men already enter harbor Or near it under full sail. Keep on, go forward Where the path leads.”