Away they go to an ancient wood, the wild beast’s tall covert—down go the pitch-trees; the holm-oak rings with the axe’s blows, and so do the ashen beams; the wedge cleaves through the fissile[212] oak; they roll down from the heights huge mountain ashes. There is Æneas, in this, 30 as in other labours, the first to cheer on his comrades, and wielding a weapon like theirs; and thus he ponders in the sad silence of his own breast, looking at the immeasurable wood, and thus gives utterance to his prayer: “Oh that at this moment that golden branch on the tree would reveal 35 itself to our sight in all this depth of forest! for I see that in all things the prophetess has told us of you, Misenus, alas! too truly!” Scarce had he spoken, when, as by chance, a pair of doves come flying along the sky, under the hero’s very eyes, and settle on the turf at his feet. At once the mighty chief recognizes his mother’s birds, and gladly breathes a second prayer: “Oh guide us on our way, wherever it be, and as ye fly direct our steps into the grove 5 where the precious branch casts its shade on the rich ground! Thou too forsake not our perplexity, O goddess mother!” Thus much he said, and checked his advancing foot, watching to see what prognostics they bring, whither they aim their onward course. They, as they graze, go 10 ever forward on the wing, as far as the eyes of the travellers can keep them in view. Then when they come to Avernus’ noisome jaws, swiftly they soar aloft, and gliding through the clear sky, settle twain on the same tree, their chosen seat, whence there flashed through the branches the contrasted 15 gleam of gold. Even as in the woods, in the cold of midwinter, the mistletoe is wont to put forth new leaves, a vegetable growth, but of no parent tree, and with its yellow produce to surround the tapering boles, so looked the leafy gold among the holm-oak’s dark shade—so in the 20 light breeze tinkled the foil. Æneas snatches it at once, plucks it off with eagerness overpowering its delay, and carries it to the home of the prophetic Sibyl.