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
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 them
with great joy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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