Then spake the father Æneas the lofty deck aboard, As with the peaceful olive-bough he reached his hand abroad; "Troy's folk ye see and weapons whet against the Latin side, Whom they have driven forth by war amid their plenteous pride. We seek Evander: go ye forth and tell him this, and say That chosen dukes of Troy are come for plighted troth to pray." 120 The sound of such a mighty name smote Pallas with amaze: "Come forth," he said, "whoso ye be: before my father's face Say what ye would; come to our Gods and in our house be guest." So saying he gave his hand to him, and hard his right hand pressed; Therewith they leave the river-bank, and wend amidst the wood: But spake Æneas to the king fair friendly words and good: "O best of Greeks, whom fortune wills that I should now beseech, And unto thee the suppliant staff of olive garlands reach, I feared thee not for Arcas' seed or Duke of Danai, Nor for thy being to Atreus' twins a kinsman born anigh: 130 Rather my heart, and holy words that Gods have given forth, Our fathers' kin, the world-wide tale that goeth of thy worth, Bind me to thee, and make me fain of what Fate bids befall. Now Dardanus, first setter-up and sire of Ilian wall, Born of Electra, Atlas' child, as Greekish stories say, Came to the Teucrians: Atlas huge Electra gave today, Atlas, who on his shoulders rears the round-wrought heavenly house: But Mercury thy father is, whom Maia glorious Conceived, and shed on earth one day on high Cyllene cold; But Atlas Maia too begot, if we may trow tale told, 140 That very Atlas who the stars of heavenly house doth raise, So from one root the race of us wends on its twofold ways. Stayed by these things none else I sent, nor guilefully have sought, Assaying of thee, but myself unto thyself I brought, And mine own head; and here I stand a suppliant at thy door. And that same Daunian folk of men drive us with bitter war As fall on thee: if us they chase, what stay but utterly, (So deem they) all the Westland earth beneath their yoke shall lie, With all the upper flood of sea, and nether waters' wash. Take troth and give it: hearts are we stout in the battle's clash, 150 High-counselled souls, men well beheld in deeds that try the man."