Her steepy rise, and her declining race. } Then wakeful Palinurus rose, to spy } The face of heaven, and the nocturnal sky; } And listened, every breath of air to try; } Observes the stars, and notes their sliding course, The Pleiads, Hyads, and their watery force; And both the Bears is careful to behold, And bright Orion, armed with burnished gold. Then, when he saw no threatening tempest nigh, But a sure promise of a settled sky, He gave the sign to weigh: we break our sleep, Forsake the pleasing shore, and plough the deep. And now the rising morn with rosy light Adorns the skies, and puts the stars to flight; When we from far, like bluish mists, descry The hills, and then the plains, of Italy. Achates first pronounced the joyful sound; Then "Italy!" the cheerful crew rebound. My sire Anchises crowned a cup with wine, And, offering, thus implored the powers divine:-- "Ye gods, presiding over lands and seas, And you who raging winds and waves appease, Breathe on our swelling sails a prosperous wind, And smooth our passage to the port assigned!" The gentle gales their flagging force renew, And now the happy harbour is in view. Minerva's temple then salutes our sight, Placed, as a landmark, on the mountain's height. We furl our sails, and turn the prows to shore; The curling waters round the galleys roar. The land lies open to the raging east, Then, bending like a bow, with rocks compressed, Shuts out the storms; the winds and waves complain, And vent their malice on the cliffs in vain. The port lies hid within; on either side, Two towering rocks the narrow mouth divide. The temple, which aloft we viewed before, To distance flies, and seems to shun the shore. Scarce landed, the first omens I beheld Were four white steeds that cropped the flowery field. "War, war is threatened from this foreign ground, (My father cried,) where warlike steeds are found. Yet since reclaimed, to chariots they submit, And bend to stubborn yokes, and champ the bit, Peace may succeed to war."--Our way we bend To Pallas, and the sacred hill ascend; There prostrate to the fierce virago pray, Whose temple was the landmark of our way. Each with a Phrygian mantle veiled his head, } And all commands of Helenus obeyed, } And pious rites to Grecian Juno paid. } These dues performed, we stretch our sails, and stand To sea, forsaking that suspected land. From hence Tarentum's bay appears in view, For Hercules renowned, if fame be true. Just opposite, Lacinian Juno stands; Caulonian towers, and Scylacæan strands For shipwrecks feared. Mount Ætna thence we spy, Known by the smoky flames which cloud the sky. Far off we hear the waves with surly sound Invade the rocks, the rocks their groans rebound.