As Æneas and the Sibyl pursued their way back to earth, he said to her: "Whether thou be a goddess or a mortal beloved by the gods, by me thou shalt always be held in reverence. When I reach the upper air, I will cause a temple to be built to thy honor, and will myself bring offerings." "I am no goddess," said the Sibyl; "I have no claims to sacrifice or offering. I am mortal, yet, could I but have accepted the love of Apollo, I might have been immortal. He promised me the fulfillment of my wish, if I would consent to be his. I took a handful of sand and, holding it forth, said, 'Grant me to see as many birthdays as there are sand-grains in my hand.' Unluckily I forgot to ask for enduring youth. This also he would have granted could I have accepted his love, but, offended at my refusal, he allowed me to grow old. My youth and youthful strength fled long ago. I have lived seven hundred years, and to equal the number of the sand-grains I have still to see three hundred springs and three hundred harvests. My body shrinks up as years increase, and in time I shall be lost to sight, but my voice will remain, and future ages will respect my sayings." These concluding words of the Sibyl alluded to her prophetic power. In her cave she was accustomed to inscribe on leaves gathered from the trees the names and fates of individuals. The leaves thus inscribed were arranged in order within the cave, and might be consulted by her votaries. But if, perchance, at the opening of the door the wind rushed in and dispersed the leaves, the Sibyl gave no aid to restoring them again, and the oracle was irreparably lost. FOOTNOTES: [354] From Tennyson's To Virgil. [355] For Virgil, see § 299; for translations of his Æneid, see corresponding section in Commentary. [356] _Monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum._--Æneid, 3, 658. [357] _Tantaene animis coelestibus irae?_--Æneid, 1, 11. [358] _Haud ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco._--Æneid, 1, 630. [359] _Tros Tyriusve mihi nullo discrimine agetur._--Æneid, 1, 574. [360] _Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito._--Æneid, 6, 95. [361] _Facilis descensus Averno;_ _Noctes atque dies patet atri janua Ditis;_ _Sed revocare gradum, superasque evadere ad auras,_ _Hoc opus, hic labor est._--Æneid, 6, 126-129. CHAPTER XXVI THE WAR BETWEEN TROJANS AND LATINS