Such words as he flung wildly forth, a blast roaring from the north strikes his sail full in front and lifts the billows to the stars.[43] Shattered are the oars; then the prow turns and presents the ship’s side to the waves; down crashes in a heap a craggy mountain of water. Look! 25 these are hanging on the surge’s crest[44]—to those the yawning deep is giving a glimpse of land down among the billows; surf and sand are raving together. Three ships the south catches, and flings upon hidden rocks—rocks 30 which, as they stand with the waves all about them, the Italians call Altars, an enormous ridge rising above the sea. Three the east drives from the main on to shallows and Syrtes,[45] a piteous sight, and dashes them on shoals, and embanks them in mounds of sand. One in which the Lycians were sailing, and true Orontes, a 35 mighty sea strikes from high on the stem before Æneas’ very eyes; down goes the helmsman, washed from his post, and topples on his head, while she is thrice whirled round by the billow in the spot where she lay, and swallowed at once by the greedy gulf. You might see them here and there swimming in that vast abyss—heroes’ arms, and planks, and Troy’s treasures glimmering through the water. Already Ilioneus’ stout ship, already brave 5 Achates’, and that in which Abas sailed, and that which carried old Aletes, are worsted by the storm; their side-jointings[46] loosened, one and all give entrance to the watery foe, and part failingly asunder. Meantime the roaring riot of the ocean and the storm let 10 loose reached the sense of Neptune,[47] and the still waters disgorged from their deep beds, troubling him grievously; and casting a broad glance over the main he raised at once his tranquil brow from the water’s surface. There he sees Æneas’ fleet tossed hither and thither over the 15 whole expanse—the Trojans whelmed under the billows, and the crashing ruin of the sky—nor failed the brother to read Juno’s craft and hatred there. East and West he calls before him, and bespeaks them thus:—“Are ye then so wholly o’ermastered by the pride of your birth? 20 Have ye come to this, ye Winds, that, without sanction from me, ye dare to confound[48] sea and land, and upheave these mighty mountains? ye! whom I—but it were best to calm the billows ye have troubled. Henceforth ye shall pay me for your crimes in far other coin. Make 25 good speed with your flight, and give your king this message. Not to him did the lot assign the empire of the sea and the terrible trident, but to me. His sway is over those enormous rocks, where you, Eurus,[49] dwell, and such as you; in that court let Æolus lord it, and rule in the prison-house 30 of the winds when its doors are barred.”