without due burial cross the river, and look upon the awful faces of the
Furies? Think not that the Fates can be changed by prayers. Yet hear
this, and be comforted. They that slew thee, being sore troubled by many
plagues, shall make due expiation to thee, and build a tomb, and make
offerings thereon year by year; and the place where they slew thee shall
be called after thy name.”
Then he took comfort and departed. But when they came near to the river,
the boatman beheld them, and cried: “Stay thou, whoever thou art, that
comest armed to this river, and tell me what thou seekest. This is the
land of Shadows, of Sleep, and of Night. The living may not be ferried in
this boat. An evil day it was when I carried Hercules, and Theseus, and
Pirithoüs, though they were children of the gods. For Hercules chained
the watch-dog of hell, and dragged him trembling from his master’s seat.
And Theseus and his friend sought to carry away the queen even from the
chamber of her husband.”
Then the Sibyl made answer: “Be not troubled. We come not hither with
evil thoughts. Let the watch-dog of hell make the pale ghosts afraid; let
your queen abide in her husband’s palace; we will not harm them. Æneas of
Troy cometh down to hell that he may speak with his father. And if thou
takest no account of such piety, yet thou wilt know this token.”
And she showed him the bough of gold. And when he saw it he laid aside
his anger, rejoicing to behold, now after many years, the marvellous
gift. Then he brought near his boat to the bank, and drave out the souls
that were therein, and took on board Æneas and the priestess. Much did
it groan with the weight, and the water poured apace through the seams
thereof. Yet did they come safe across.
Then they saw Cerberus, the watch-dog, in his cave. And to him the
Sibyl gave a cake of honey and poppy-seed, causing sleep. And this he
swallowed, opening wide his three ravenous mouths, and straightway
stretched himself out asleep across the cave.
After this they heard a great wailing of infants, even the voices of
such as are taken away before they have had lot or part in life. And
near to these were such as have died by false accusation; yet lack they
not justice, for Minos trieth their cause. And yet beyond, they that,
being guiltless, have laid hands upon themselves. Fain would they now
endure hardships, being yet alive, but may not, for the river keeps them
in with his unlovely stream as in a prison. Not far from these are the
Mourning Fields, where dwell the souls of those that have died of love,
as Procris, whom Cephalus slew in error, and Laodamia, who died of grief
for her husband. And among these was Dido, fresh from the wound wherewith
she slew herself. And when Æneas saw her darkly through the shadows, even
as one who sees, or thinketh that he sees, the new moon lately risen, he
wept, and said: “O Dido, it was truth, then, that they told me, saying
that thou hadst slain thyself with the sword. Tell me, was I the cause of
thy death? Loath was I, O queen—I swear it by all that is most holy in
heaven or hell—to leave thy land. But the gods, at whose bidding I come
hither this day, constrained me; nor did I think that thou wouldst take
such sorrow from my departure. But stay; depart not; for never again may
I speak to thee but this once only.”
So he spake, and would fain have appeased her wrath. But she cast her
eyes to the ground, and her heart was hard against him, even as a rock.
And she departed into a grove that was hard by, wherein was her first
husband, Sichæus, who loved her even as he was loved. After this they
came to the land where the heroes dwell. And there they saw Tydeus, who
died before Thebes; and Adrastus, and also many men of Troy, as the three
sons of Antenor, and Idæus, who was the armor-bearer of King Priam, and
bare the arms and drave the chariot yet. All these gathered about him and
would fain know wherefore he had come. But when the hosts of Agamemnon
saw his shining arms through the darkness, they fled, as in old days they
had fled to the ships; and some would have cried aloud, but could not, so
thin are the voices of the dead.
Among these he saw Deïphobus, son of Priam. Cruelly mangled was he, for
his hands had been cut off, and his ears and his nostrils likewise.
Scarce did Æneas know him, and he himself in shame would have hidden his
wounds; but the son of Anchises spake to him, saying: “Who hath dealt so
foully with thee, great Deïphobus? Men told me that on the last night
of Troy thou didst fall dead on a heap of Greeks whom thou hadst slain.
Wherefore I built thee a tomb by the sea, and thrice called aloud thy
name. But thee I found not, that I might lay thee therein.”
Then Deïphobus made answer: “Thou hast left nothing undone, but hast paid
me all due honor. But my ill fate and the accursed wickedness of the
Spartan woman have destroyed me. How we spent that last night in idle
rejoicings thou knowest. And she, while the women of Troy danced before
the gods, stood holding a torch on the citadel, as though she were their
leader, yet in truth she called therewith the Greeks from Tenedos. But I
lay overcome with weariness in my chamber. Then did she, a noble wife,
forsooth! take all the arms out of the house, and my trusty sword also
from under my head; and after brought thereunto Menelaus, so hoping to
do away her sin against him; and Ulysses also, always ready with evil
counsels. What need of more? May the gods do so and more also to them.
But tell me why hast thou came hither?”
And it was now past noonday, and the two had spent in talk all the
allotted time. Therefore the Sibyl spake: “Night cometh, Æneas, and we
waste the day in tears. Lo! here are two roads. This on the right hand
leadeth to the palace of Pluto and to the Elysian plains; and that on the
left to Tartarus, the abode of the wicked.” And Deïphobus answered: “Be
not wroth, great priestess; I depart to my own place. Do thou, my friend,
go on and prosper.”
But as Æneas looked round he saw a great building, and a threefold wall
about it, and round the wall a river of fire. Great gates there were, and
a tower of brass, and the Fury Tisiphone sat as warder. Also he heard the
sounds of those that smote upon an anvil, and the clanking of chains.
And he stood, and said: “What mean these things that I see and hear?”
Then the Sibyl made answer: “The foot of the righteous may not pass that
threshold. But when the Queen of Hell gave me this office she herself
led me through the place and told me all. There sitteth Rhadamanthus,
the Cretan, and judgeth the dead. And them that he condemned Tisiphone
taketh, and the gate which thou seest openeth to receive them. And within
is a great pit, and the depth thereof is as the height of heaven. Herein
lie the Titans, the sons of Earth, whom Jupiter smote with the thunder;
and herein the sons of Alœus, who strove to thrust the gods from heaven;
and Salmoneus, who would have mocked the thunder of Jupiter, riding in
his chariot through the cities of Elis, and shaking a torch, and giving
himself out to be a god. But the lightning smote him in his pride. Also I
saw Tityos, spread over nine acres of ground, and the vulture feeding on
his heart. And over some hangs a great stone ready to fall; and some sit
at the banquet, but when they would eat the Fury at their side forbids,
and rises and shakes her torch and thunders in their ears. These are they
who while they were yet alive hated their brothers, or struck father or
mother, or deceived one that trusted to them, or kept their riches for
themselves nor cared for those of their own household (a great multitude
are they), or stirred up civil strife. And of these some roll a great
stone and cease not, and some are bound to wheels, and some sit forever
crying: ‘Learn to do righteousness and to fear the gods.’”
And when the priestess had finished these words they hastened on their
way. And, after a while, she said: “Lo! here is the palace which the
Cyclopes built for Pluto and the Queen of Hell. Here must we offer the
gift of the bough of gold.” And this being accomplished, they came to
the dwellings of the righteous. Here are green spaces, with woods about
them; and the light of their heaven is fuller and brighter than that
which men behold. Another sun they have and other stars. Some of them
contend together in wrestling and running; and some dance in measure,
singing the while a pleasant song; and Orpheus, clad in a long robe,
makes music, touching his harp, now with his fingers and now with an
ivory bow. Here did Æneas marvel to see the mighty men of old, such as
were Ilus, and Dardanus, builder of Troy. Their spears stood fixed in
the earth, and their horses fed about the plain; for they love spear
and chariot and horses; even as they loved them upon earth. And others
sat and feasted, sitting on the grass in a sweet-smelling grove of bay,
whence flows the river which men upon the earth call the Po. Here were
they who had died for their country, and holy priests, and poets who had
uttered nothing base, and such as had found out witty inventions, or had
done great good to men. All these had snow-white garlands on their heads.
Then spake the Sibyl to Musæus, who stood in the midst, surpassing them
all in stature: “Tell me, happy souls, where shall we find Anchises.” And
Musæus answered: “We have no certain dwelling place; but climb this hill,
and ye can see the whole plain below, and doubtless him whom ye seek.”
Then they beheld Anchises, where he sat in a green valley, regarding the
spirits of those who should be born in after-time of his race. And when
he beheld Æneas coming, he stretched out his hands and cried: “Comest
thou, my son? Hast thou won thy way hither to me? Even so I thought that
it would be, and lo! my hope hath not failed me.”
And Æneas made answer: “Yea, I have come a long way to see thee, even as
thy spirit bade me. And now let me embrace thee with my arms.”
But when he would have embraced him it was as if he clasped the air.
Then Æneas looked and beheld a river, and a great company of souls
thereby, thick as the bees on a calm summer day in a garden of lilies.
And when he would know the meaning of the concourse, Anchises said:
“These are souls which have yet to live again in a mortal body, and they
are constrained to drink of the water of forgetfulness.” And Æneas said:
“Nay, my father, can any desire to take again upon them the body of
death?” Then Anchises made reply: “Listen, my son, and I will tell thee
all. There is one soul in heaven and earth and the stars and the shining
orb of the moon and the great sun himself; from which soul also cometh
the life of man and of beast, and of the birds of the air, and of the
fishes of the sea. And this soul is of a divine nature, but the mortal
body maketh it slow and dull. Hence come fear and desire, and grief and
joy, so that, being as it were shut in a prison, the spirit beholdeth not
any more the light that is without. And when the mortal life is ended yet
are not men quit of all the evils of the body, seeing that these must
needs be put away in many marvellous ways. For some are hung up to the
winds, and with some their wickedness is washed out by water, or burnt
out with fire. But a ghostly pain we all endure. Then we that are found
worthy are sent unto Elysium and the plains of the blest. And when,
after many days, the soul is wholly pure, it is called to the river of
forgetfulness, that it may drink thereof, and so return to the world that
is above.”
Then he led Æneas and the Sibyl to a hill whence they could see the whole
company, and regard their faces as they came; and he said: “Come, and
I will show thee them that shall come after thee. That youth who leans
upon a pointless spear is Silvius, thy youngest child, whom Lavinia shall
bear to thee in thy old age. He shall reign in Alba, and shall be the
father of kings. And many other kings are there who shall build cities
great and famous. Lo! there is Romulus, whom Ilia shall bear to Mars.
He shall build Rome, whose empire shall reach to the ends of the earth
and its glory to the heaven. Seest thou him with the olive crown about
his head and the white beard? That is he who shall first give laws to
Rome. And next to him is Tullus, the warrior. And there are the Tarquins;
and Brutus, who shall set the people free, aye, and shall slay his own
sons when they would be false to their country. See also the Decii; and
Torquatus with the cruel axe; and Camillus winning back the standards
of Rome. There standeth one who shall subdue Corinth; and there another
who shall avenge the blood of Troy upon the race of Achilles. There,
too, thou mayest see the Scipios, thunderbolts of war, whom the land of
Africa shall fear; and there Regulus, busy in the furrows; and there the
Fabii, chiefly him, greatest of the name, who shall save thy country by
wise delay. Such, my son, shall be thy children’s children. Others with
softer touch shall carve the face of man in marble or mould the bronze;
some more skilfully shall plead, or map the skies, or tell the rising of
the stars. ’Tis time, man of Rome, to subdue the world. This is thy work,
to set the rule of peace over the vanquished, to spare the humble, and to
subdue the proud.”
Then he spake again: “Regard him who is the first of all the company
of conquerors. He is Marcellus; he shall save the state in the day of
trouble, and put to flight Carthaginian and Gaul.”
Then said Æneas, for he chanced to see by his side a youth clad in
shining armor, and very fair to look upon, but sad, and with downcast
eyes: “Tell me, father, who is this? How noble is he! What a company is
about him! But there is a shadow of darkness round his head.”
And Anchises made answer: “O my son, seek not to know the greatest sorrow
that shall befall thy children after thee. This youth the Fates shall
only show for a brief space to man. Rome would seem too mighty to the
gods should he but live! What mourning shall there be for him! What a
funeral shalt thou see, O river of Tiber, as thou flowest by the new-made
tomb! No youth of the race of Troy shall promise so much as he. Alas!
for his righteousness, and truth and valor unsurpassed! O luckless boy,
if thou canst haply break thy evil doom thou shalt be a Marcellus. Give
handfuls of lilies. I will scatter the bright flowers and pay the idle
honors to my grandson’s shade.”
Thus did Anchises show his son things to be, and kindled his soul with
desire of glory. Also he showed him what wars he must wage, and how he
should endure, or, if it might be, avoid the evils to come.
There are two gates of Sleep, of horn the one, by which true dreams go
forth; of ivory the other, by which the false. Then did Anchises send
forth his son and the Sibyl by the ivory gate. And Æneas returned to
the ships, and making sail came to the cape which was afterwards called
Caieta.
THE ORACLE FORETELLS THE COMING OF ÆNEAS
By H. L. Havell
While Æneas is on his way from Cumæ to the mouth of Tiber we will take
a brief glance at the state of things in Latium, and see what sort of
reception is awaiting him there. The King of Latium at this time was
Latinus, who drew his descent from Saturn, an ancient pastoral deity of
Italy. His daughter, and only child, Lavinia, was betrothed to Turnus,
and the match was strongly favored by Amata, queen and wife of Latinus,
whose heart had been won by the princely form and high ancestry of the
youthful suitor. But just before the arrival of the Trojans strange
portents had occurred, which seemed to forbid the union of Lavinia
and Turnus. In the central courtyard of the royal palace there was an
ancient laurel-tree, found growing on the spot by Latinus when he began
to build the city, which was named from this circumstance Laurentum.
One morning the whole courtyard was besieged by a buzzing swarm of bees,
which settled on the laurel, and hung in a dense cluster from its topmost
bough. “A stranger is coming,” declared the seers, “from the same quarter
whence flew the bees, and he shall hold sway in this royal citadel.”
Another time, when Lavinia was taking part in the sacrifice which was
offered at her betrothal, the flame caught her long hair, and in a moment
she was wrapped from head to foot in a mysterious fire, which smoked and
blazed and roared, but did her no harm. “O king,” proclaimed the seer
again, “thy daughter is destined to high renown, but she shall bring on
this people a wide-wasting war.”
Alarmed by these portents Latinus went to consult the oracle of Faunus,
his father, in the sacred grotto near the burning spring of Albunea,
which is the Delphi of Latium. Wrapped in the skins of sheep which had
been offered in sacrifice (for so the custom was) he lay all night at the
mouth of the cavern. “In the dead vast and middle of the night” he heard
a voice which said: “Seek not in Latium a bridegroom for thy daughter;
from a distant land there cometh one who shall mingle his blood with
thine, and out of that union a race shall arise before which all peoples
of the earth shall bow the knee.”
This answer of the oracle was soon noised abroad, and caused throughout
Latium a fever of expectation at the moment when the ships of Æneas were
first sighted off the coast.
ÆNEAS AND HIS COMPANIONS EAT THEIR TABLES
By H. L. Havell
The distant crests of the Apennines are tipped with crimson light; every
wind is hushed to rest, and land and sea lie sleeping in the hallowed
stillness of the dawn. But hark! the silence is broken by the measured
beat of a thousand oars, and into the mouth of Tiber sweeps the Trojan
fleet. As if they had been waiting for that signal, a multitude of birds
at the same moment burst into song, and all the woods by the river-side
ring with melody. Æneas is the first to leap ashore; and soon all his
fleet lies moored on the yellow sand.
Under the spreading boughs of an ancient oak sat Æneas with the young
Iulus and those next to him in rank. Before them was spread a rustic
feast of fruits plucked from the neighboring trees; and flat cakes,
hastily prepared with meal and eggs and cheese, served them for dishes.
When all their fruit was consumed they finished their meal by devouring
the flat squares of cake. “Behold, we are eating our tables!” cried
Iulus, laughing; and before he could add another word Æneas laid a
warning finger on his lips. “No more, my child,” he said. “Thy words have
a deeper meaning than thou deemest. Long ago I heard an oracle from my
father, foretelling that in the place where hunger compelled us to devour
our tables we should find a settled home and an abiding city. Here, then,
our wanderings are at an end.” And thus the prophecy of Celæno, uttered
in malice, was brought to a happy fulfilment, and turned into a matter of
light jesting by an innocent child.
On the day following Æneas chose out a hundred men from all his company,
and sent them as envoys to the court of Latinus. Crowned with olive
wreaths, to show that they came in peace, they set forth on their
mission, and soon reached the open plain which lies before the gates of
Laurentum, where the youth of Latium were assembled for the practice of
archery, horsemanship, and other warlike exercises. Here they halted, and
sent forward a messenger to announce their coming to the king. Permission
being granted, they entered the gates under an escort, and were conducted
to the royal palace, which stood on a hill, commanding the city, and
surrounded by a hallowed grove. Here they were first ushered into an
ante-chamber filled with warlike trophies—chariots and the beaked prows
of ships, battle-axes, helmets, shields, and spears; while round the
walls were ranged statues of the ancient kings and warriors of Latium.
From here, with all due ceremony, they were brought into the presence of
the king.
Benign was the face of the venerable Latinus, and gracious were his
words, as he gave welcome to his guests. “Children of Dardanus,” he
said, “I know both your name and your fame, and ye come not hither as
strangers. Whether ye come to this land of set purpose, or driven by
adverse winds, I regard you as friends, and in some wise as kinsmen.
Was not Dardanus, your ancestor, whose seat is now in heaven, a son of
Italy?”
Ilioneus, the leader of the embassy, replied: “Illustrious son of Saturn,
it was no accident of wind or weather which brought us to thy shores.
Thou knowest—as who doth not, dwell he never so remote from the paths of
men?—thou knowest the tempest which gathered at Mycenæ and swept over the
plains of Asia. Saved from that deluge and the havoc of our homes we have
passed the wide waste of waters, following the voice of Apollo, which
called us to the Tuscan Tiber and the cradle of our race. We ask but a
little gift—a small plot of earth for our country’s gods to dwell in, and
the common boon of water and air. And despise us not, nor think that we
come as beggars and outcasts; many are the nations who would have given
us an honorable portion in their land and received us as friends and
allies, but fate suffered it not. Receive us, then, and take these gifts
from the hands of Æneas, a hand never stained by treachery or cowardice.
This is the golden goblet from which his sire Anchises was wont to pour
the drink-offering; here is the royal robe and the scepter and tiara of
Priam; and these vestments were wrought by the hands of noble Trojan
dames.”
For a while Latinus sat silent, pondering on the strange event, which
seemed to fulfil the oracle of ancient Faunus. This, thought he, is the
foreign bridegroom of which the oracle spoke. Presently he raised his
head, and answered, with a look of glad assurance: “Trojan, thou hast thy
wish; and may the gods speed our designs! I have a daughter who, by many
sure tokens, is destined to wed a stranger from a distant country, and,
unless my mind deceives me, your King Æneas is called by fate to be her
husband. Bid him seek my presence with all speed, and doubt not of his
welcome.”
Such was the reply of Latinus; and his actions were as kind as his
words.…
Finding that Latinus was not to be shaken in his resolve, Amata gave the
reins to her frenzy, and going forth into the city, sped from house to
house and poured her tale of wrong into the ears of all whom she met.…
Thus what had begun as a petty brawl soon grew into a regular battle, in
which the whole Trojan force found itself confronted by a strong muster
from the field of Latium.…
Æneas received an embassy sent by Latinus to ask a truce for the burial
of the slain. The envoys were courteously received, and after granting
their request Æneas addressed them in terms of grave and dignified
remonstrance. “Why,” he asked, “has your king broken faith with me
thus, and brought on Trojans and Latins this lamentable war? If Turnus
complains that I am robbing him of his promised bride, let him make good
his right in single combat, and not sacrifice the lives of thousands in a
private quarrel. Tell him that I am ready to meet him when and where he
will.”
THE FIGHT BETWEEN ÆNEAS AND TURNUS
By H. L. Havell
Turnus had declared himself ready to decide the struggle in single combat
with Æneas. The time had now come for him to redeem his pledge. The
Latins were beaten and discouraged, and all eyes were fixed upon him as
the author and cause of the war. The fiery spirit of the young Rutulian
rose under this trial; he sought an interview with Latinus, and bade him
send a herald to demand a truce and arrange the preliminaries of his duel
with Æneas.
Latinus strove in vain to deter him from his purpose; in vain Amata
besought him with tears and prayers not to drive matters to so desperate
an issue. Turnus fixed his eyes on the lovely form and blushing features
of Lavinia, who was standing a silent witness of the scene, and, carried
away by passion, he answered in excited tones: “Urge me no further,
dear lady! The die is cast; I have given my word, and cannot draw back
now.” Then he called an officer, and sent him with a flag of truce to
the Trojan camp, appointing the next day for the encounter which was to
settle his claim to the hand of Lavinia and the scepter of Latium.
* * * * *
The fatal day is come, and with the first gleam of light Turnus leaps
from his couch and prepares himself for battle. Every tone and gesture
of the turbulent Rutulian betray wild exaltation of spirits. “Come,”
he cries, seizing a ponderous lance, which quivered like a reed in his
powerful grasp, “come, good spear, that hast never failed me yet! To-day
thou shalt drink deep of a coward’s blood, and the curled darling of
Venus shall stain his scented locks in the dust of Latium.”