The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
Children's literature; Mythology, Classical -- Juvenile literature
After this they heard a great wailing of infants, even the voices of
such as are taken away before they have had lot or part in life. And
near to these were such as have died by false accusation; yet lack they
not justice, for Minos trieth their cause. And yet beyond, they that,
being guiltless, have laid hands upon themselves. Fain would they now
endure hardships, being yet alive, but may not, for the river keeps them
in with his unlovely stream as in a prison. Not far from these are the
Mourning Fields, where dwell the souls of those that have died of love,
as Procris, whom Cephalus slew in error, and Laodamia, who died of grief
for her husband. And among these was Dido, fresh from the wound wherewith
she slew herself. And when Æneas saw her darkly through the shadows, even
as one who sees, or thinketh that he sees, the new moon lately risen, he
wept, and said: “O Dido, it was truth, then, that they told me, saying
that thou hadst slain thyself with the sword. Tell me, was I the cause of
thy death? Loath was I, O queen—I swear it by all that is most holy in
heaven or hell—to leave thy land. But the gods, at whose bidding I come
hither this day, constrained me; nor did I think that thou wouldst take
such sorrow from my departure. But stay; depart not; for never again may
I speak to thee but this once only.”
So he spake, and would fain have appeased her wrath. But she cast her
eyes to the ground, and her heart was hard against him, even as a rock.
And she departed into a grove that was hard by, wherein was her first
husband, Sichæus, who loved her even as he was loved. After this they
came to the land where the heroes dwell. And there they saw Tydeus, who
died before Thebes; and Adrastus, and also many men of Troy, as the three
sons of Antenor, and Idæus, who was the armor-bearer of King Priam, and
bare the arms and drave the chariot yet. All these gathered about him and
would fain know wherefore he had come. But when the hosts of Agamemnon
saw his shining arms through the darkness, they fled, as in old days they
had fled to the ships; and some would have cried aloud, but could not, so
thin are the voices of the dead.
Among these he saw Deïphobus, son of Priam. Cruelly mangled was he, for
his hands had been cut off, and his ears and his nostrils likewise.
Scarce did Æneas know him, and he himself in shame would have hidden his
wounds; but the son of Anchises spake to him, saying: “Who hath dealt so
foully with thee, great Deïphobus? Men told me that on the last night
of Troy thou didst fall dead on a heap of Greeks whom thou hadst slain.
Wherefore I built thee a tomb by the sea, and thrice called aloud thy
name. But thee I found not, that I might lay thee therein.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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