Then also princely Anchises' noble son-- Hard had he fought through Priam's burg that night With spear and valour, and many had he slain-- When now he saw the city set aflame By hands of foes, saw her folk perishing In multitudes, her treasures spoiled, her wives And children dragged to thraldom from their homes, No more he hoped to see the stately walls Of his birth-city, but bethought him now How from that mighty ruin to escape. And as the helmsman of a ship, who toils On the deep sea, and matches all his craft Against the winds and waves from every side Rushing against him in the stormy time, Forspent at last, both hand and heart, when now The ship is foundering in the surge, forsakes The helm, to launch forth in a little boat, And heeds no longer ship and lading; so Anchises' gallant son forsook the town And left her to her foes, a sea of fire. His son and father alone he snatched from death; The old man broken down with years he set On his broad shoulders with his own strong hands, And led the young child by his small soft hand, Whose little footsteps lightly touched the ground; And, as he quaked to see that work of deaths His father led him through the roar of fight, And clinging hung on him the tender child, Tears down his soft cheeks streaming. But the man O'er many a body sprang with hurrying feet, And in the darkness in his own despite Trampled on many. Cypris guided them, Earnest to save from that wild ruin her son, His father, and his child. As on he pressed, The flames gave back before him everywhere: The blast of the Fire-god's breath to right and left Was cloven asunder. Spears and javelins hurled Against him by the Achaeans harmless fell. Also, to stay them, Calchas cried aloud: "Forbear against Aeneas' noble head To hurl the bitter dart, the deadly spear! Fated he is by the high Gods' decree To pass from Xanthus, and by Tiber's flood To found a city holy and glorious Through all time, and to rule o'er tribes of men Far-sundered. Of his seed shall lords of earth Rule from the rising to the setting sun. Yea, with the Immortals ever shall he dwell, Who is son of Aphrodite lovely-tressed. From him too is it meet we hold our hands Because he hath preferred his father and son To gold, to all things that might profit a man Who fleeth exiled to an alien land. This one night hath revealed to us a man Faithful to death to his father and his child." Then hearkened they, and as a God did all Look on him. Forth the city hasted he Whither his feet should bear him, while the foe Made havoc still of goodly-builded Troy.