The Children's Hour, Volume 3 (of 10): Stories from the Classics
General
The Children's Hour, Volume 3 (of 10): Stories from the Classics
Children's stories; Classical literature -- Adaptations
But Venus suffered him not to speak more, but said, "Whoever thou art,
stranger, that art come to this Tyrian city, thou art surely beloved by
the Gods. And now go, show thyself to the queen. And as for thy ships and
thy companions, I tell thee that they are safe in the haven, if I have not
learnt augury in vain. See those twenty swans, how joyously they fly! And
now there cometh an eagle swooping down from the sky, putting them to
confusion, but now again they move in due order, and some are settling on
the earth and some are preparing to settle. Even so doth it fare with thy
ships, for either are they already in the haven or enter thereinto with
sails full set."
And as she spoke she turned away, and there shone a rosy light from her
neck, also there came from her hair a sweet savor as of ambrosia, and her
garments grew under her feet; and Æneas perceived that she was his mother,
and cried aloud,--
"O my mother, why dost thou mock me so often with false shows, nor
sufferest me to join my hand unto thy hand, and to speak with thee face to
face?"
And he went towards the walls of the city. But Venus covered him and his
companions with a mist, that no man might see them, or hinder them, or
inquire of their business, and then departed to Paphos, where was her
temple and also many altars of incense. Then the men hastened on their
way, and mounting a hill which hung over the city, marveled to behold it,
for indeed it was very great and noble, with mighty gates and streets, and
a multitude that walked therein. For some built the walls and the citadel,
rolling great stones with their hands, and others marked out places for
houses. Also they chose those that should give judgment and bear rule in
the city. Some, too, digged out harbors, and others laid the foundations
of a theatre, and cut out great pillars of stone. Like to bees they were,
when, the summer being newly come, the young swarms go forth, or when they
labor filling the cells with honey, and some receive the burdens of those
that return from the fields, and others keep off the drones from the hive.
Even so labored the men of Tyre. And when Æneas beheld them he cried,
"Happy ye, who even now have a city to dwell in!" And being yet hidden by
the mist, he went in at the gate and mingled with the men, being seen of
none.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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