The Fourth Book of Virgil's Aeneid and the Ninth Book of Voltaire's HenriadVirgil
Philosophy
The Fourth Book of Virgil's Aeneid and the Ninth Book of Voltaire's Henriad
Virgil
Virgil. Aeneis; Voltaire, 1694-1778. Henriade
245 This, all around Fame glories to diffuse,
And to Iarba next her flight pursues,
To fan the flame that in his bosom glows.
To Jove himself, his birth the monarch owes;
A nymph his mother, by a forc'd embrace;
250 And to the God, the author of his race,
Their lofty domes an hundred temples raise,
An hundred shrines with flames perpetual blaze,
Hung round with wreaths: through all his vast domain,
The soil was rich with blood of victims skin.
255 He, by the dire report, to madness fir'd,
Vents his dark soul by jealous rage inspir'd,
Before the gods, while curling incense blaz'd,
His suppliant hands to Jove almighty rais'd.
"All potent Jove! those eyes that view the Moor
260 From painted coaches full libations pour,
See they not this? Or when thy thunder rolls
Do causeless fears, O Father, shake our souls?
Is there no vengeance in the bolt you poise?
Is all but fancied horror, empty noise?
265 A woman, wand'ring outcast on our shore,
Bargains a petty spot and owns no more,
Accepts a portion of our coast to till,
Ev'n from our pity; from our royal will;
And she--the offer of our hand disdains,
270 And she--AEneas in her court detains!
That Paris, with that woman crew, that wear
Those Phrygian bonnets on their scented hair,
Enjoys the spoil.--while I--thy power proclaim,
Adorn thy shrine, and feed on empty fame".
275 Thus, while he pray'd and bow'd before the shrine:
Th' Almighty hearing, throws his eyes divine
On Lybia's coast; there views the lovelest pair
Forgetting fame and ev'ry nobler care,
And quick commands the herald of the sky.
280 "Go, call the zephyrs, spread your pinnions, fly,
Fly to the Dardan chief who ling'ring waits
Mindless in Carthage of the promis'd fates;
Swift as the rushing wind, my order bear.
Not such a man--unworthy of her care,
285 His mother promis'd, when her powerful charms,
Twice, made me save him from the Grecian arms.
No--For Hesperia's realm a future king,
Thro' whom, from Teucer's blood untam'd to spring
A warlike race, the pregnant seeds to lay,
290 Of boundless empire, universal sway.
If he, unmov'd, such' proferr'd greatness sees,
Renouncing glory for ignoble ease.
} Julus too, must he forego his claim?
} Spoil'd by a father of his birthright fame,
295 } The pow'r, the glory, of the Roman name.
What mean these structures in a hostile place?
What hopes deceitful from his mind efface
Th' Ausonian offspring, the Lavinian land?
But let him sail--no more--bear my command".
300 Jove spoke--His son obey'd:--and to his feet
Bound the light wings of gold--wings ever fleet,
Which over earth and sea, through yielding air,
Swift as the wind the rapid herald bear;
305 And took the rod that calls the trembling ghost
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