The path before you, and the town in view." Thus having said, she turned, and made appear Her neck refulgent, and dishevelled hair, Which, flowing from her shoulders, reached the ground, And widely spread ambrosial scents around. In length of train descends her sweeping gown; And, by her graceful walk, the queen of love is known. The prince pursued the parting deity With words like these:--"Ah! whither do you fly? Unkind and cruel! to deceive your son In borrowed shapes, and his embrace to shun; Never to bless my sight, but thus unknown; And still to speak in accents not your own." Against the goddess these complaints he made, But took the path, and her commands obeyed. They march obscure; for Venus kindly shrouds, With mists, their persons, and involves in clouds, That, thus unseen, their passage none might stay, Or force to tell the causes of their way. This part performed, the goddess flies sublime, To visit Paphos, and her native clime; Where garlands, ever green and ever fair, With vows are offered, and with solemn prayer: A hundred altars in her temple smoke; A thousand bleeding hearts her power invoke. They climb the next ascent, and, looking down, Now at a nearer distance view the town. The prince with wonder sees the stately towers, (Which late were huts, and shepherds' homely bowers) The gates and streets; and hears, from every part, The noise and busy concourse of the mart. The toiling Tyrians on each other call, To ply their labour: some extend the wall; Some build the citadel; the brawny throng Or dig, or push unwieldy stones along. Some for their dwellings chuse a spot of ground, Which, first designed, with ditches they surround. Some laws ordain; and some attend the choice Of holy senates, and elect by voice. Here some design a mole, while others there Lay deep foundations for a theatre, From marble quarries mighty columns hew, For ornaments of scenes, and future view. Such is their toil, and such their busy pains, As exercise the bees in flowery plains, When winter past, and summer scarce begun, Invites them forth to labour in the sun; Some lead their youth abroad, while some condense Their liquid store, and some in cells dispense; Some at the gate stand ready to receive The golden burden, and their friends relieve; All, with united force, combine to drive The lazy drones from the laborious hive. With envy stung, they view each other's deeds; The fragrant work with diligence proceeds. "Thrice happy you, whose walls already rise!" Æneas said, and viewed, with lifted eyes, Their lofty towers: then entering at the gate, Concealed in clouds, (prodigious to relate,) He mixed, unmarked, among the busy throng, Borne by the tide, and passed unseen along. Full in the centre of the town there stood, Thick set with trees, a venerable wood: The Tyrians, landing near this holy ground,