And fill his soul with thy celestial fire. Relate what Latium was; her ancient kings; Declare the past and present state of things, When first the Trojan fleet Ausonia sought, And how the rivals loved, and how they fought. These are my theme, and how the war began, And how concluded by the godlike man: For I shall sing of battles, blood, and rage, Which princes and their people did engage; And haughty souls, that, moved with mutual hate, In fighting fields pursued and found their fate; That roused the Tyrrhene realm with loud alarms, And peaceful Italy involved in arms. A larger scene of action is displayed; And, rising hence, a greater work is weighed. Latinus, old and mild, had long possessed The Latian sceptre, and his people blessed: His father Faunus: a Laurentian dame His mother; fair Marica was her name. But Faunus came from Picus: Picus drew His birth from Saturn, if records be true. Thus king Latinus, in the third degree, Had Saturn author of his family. But this old peaceful prince, as heaven decreed, Was blessed with no male issue to succeed; His sons in blooming youth were snatched by fate: One only daughter heired the royal state. Fired with her love, and with ambition led, The neighbouring princes court her nuptial bed. Among the crowd, but far above the rest, Young Turnus to the beauteous maid addressed. Turnus, for high descent and graceful mien, Was first, and favoured by the Latian queen; With him she strove to join Lavinia's hand; But dire portents the purposed match withstand. Deep in the palace, of long growth, there stood A laurel's trunk, a venerable wood; Where rites divine were paid; whose holy hair Was kept and cut with superstitious care. This plant Latinus, when his town he walled, Then found, and from the tree Laurentum called: And last, in honour of his new abode, He vowed the laurel to the laurel's god. It happened once, (a boding prodigy!) A swarm of bees, that cut the liquid sky, (Unknown from whence they took their airy flight,) Upon the topmost branch in clouds alight; There, with their clasping feet, together clung, And a long cluster from the laurel hung. An ancient augur prophesied from hence:-- "Behold on Latian shores a foreign prince! From the same parts of heaven his navy stands, } To the same parts on earth; his army lands; } The town he conquers, and the tower commands." } Yet more, when fair Lavinia fed the fire Before the gods, and stood beside her sire, (Strange to relate!) the flames, involved in smoke Of incense, from the sacred altar broke, Caught her dishevelled hair, and rich attire; Her crown and jewels crackled in the fire: From thence the fuming trail began to spread, And lambent glories danced about her head. This new portent the seer with wonder views, Then pausing, thus his prophecy renews:--