Æneas wondered at the press, and moved thereby he spoke: "Say, Maid, what means this river-side, and gathering of the folk? What seek the souls, and why must some depart the river's rim, While others with the sweep of oars the leaden waters skim?" 320 Thereon the ancient Maid of Days in few words answered thus: "Anchises' seed, thou very child of Godhead glorious, Thou seest the deep Cocytus' pools, thou seest the Stygian mere, By whose might Gods will take the oath, and all forswearing fear: But all the wretched crowd thou seest are they that lack a grave, And Charon is the ferryman: those borne across the wave Are buried: none may ever cross the awful roaring road Until their bones are laid at rest within their last abode. An hundred years they stray about and wander round the shore, Then they at last have grace to gain the pools desired so sore." 330 There tarried then Anchises' child and stayed awhile his feet, Mid many thoughts, and sore at heart, for such a doom unmeet: And there he saw all sorrowful, without the death-dues dead, Leucaspis, and Orontes, he that Lycian ship-host led; Whom, borne from Troy o'er windy plain, the South wind utterly O'erwhelming, sank him, ships and men, in swallow of the sea. And lo ye now, where Palinure the helmsman draweth nigh, Who lately on the Libyan sea, noting the starry sky, Fell from the high poop headlong down mid wavy waters cast. His sad face through the plenteous dusk Æneas knew at last, 340 And spake: "What God, O Palinure, did snatch thee so away From us thy friends and drown thee dead amidst the watery way? Speak out! for Seer Apollo, found no guileful prophet erst, By this one answer in my soul a lying hope hath nursed; Who sang of thee safe from the deep and gaining field and fold Of fair Ausonia: suchwise he his plighted word doth hold!"