SECTION IA

When Turnus raised the signal for war from the Laurentine citadel and the trumpets
blared with their harsh sound, and when he stirred up his spirited horses and clashed
his weapons, at once their spirits were roused, at the same time the whole of Latium
massed together in frightened tumult, and the fierce your men raged. The foremost
leaders, Messapus and Ufens, and Mezentius, despiser of the gods, gathered together
forces from all sides and emptied the wide fields of the cultivators. Venulus was also
sent to the city of great Diomede to ask for help, and to explain that the Trojans were
settling in Latium, that Aeneas had arrived there with his fleet and that he was
bringing the defeated household gods, and that he was demanding to be called king by
the Fates, and that many tribes were allying themselves with this Trojan man, and that
his name was spreading far and wide through Latium: what he was striving for with
these undertakings, what outcome of fighting he desired, if fortune were to follow
him, appeared more clearly to himself (Diomede) than to king Turnus or to King
Latinus.

SECTION IB
Things of such a kind were happening in Latium. The Trojan hero, descendant of
Laomedon, seeing all these events, was tossed about on a great tide of anxiety, and he
split his swift thoughts now this way now that, and he directed his thoughts into
different directions, and turned them through all possibilities just as when light
flicking from water in bronzed vessels, reflected from the Sun or the form of a shining
moon, it flits far and wide in all places and now it rises up beneath the breezes and
strikes the gilt panels in the high ceiling. It was night and deep sleep was
overwhelming weary creatures and all manner of birds and of beasts over all the
lands, when father Aeneas, his heart sickened by the sadness of war, lay down on the
riverbank beneath the vault of the cold sky and he gave overdue rest to his limbs. The
god of the river, old Tiber himself, the god of that place, appeared to him in his lovely
river, rising up amidst the poplar leaves (a fine linen garment was covering him in a
grey-green cloak, and dark reeds were shading his hair). Then he began to address
him in that way and to remove his cares with these words:
SECTION IIA
O you who are born of the race of the gods, you who are bringing back to us the city
of Troy saved from its enemies, you who are preserving Pergamum for all time, long
have we waited for you, in the land of the Laurentines and the fields of Latium. Here
is your certain home, your certain household gods (dont give up). Dont be terrified
by the threats of war; all the passion and anger of the gods has disappeared. And now,
so that you may not think these illusory things are a dream, you will find a huge white
sow beneath oak trees on a shore: she will be lying there, after giving birth to thirty
offspring, reclining all white on the ground, her white young around her udders. [This
will be the place of your city, that will be a definite rest from your toils] From this
after three times ten years resolve, Ascanius will found the city of Alba famous in
name. I prophesy these certain occurrences. Now (pay attention) I will teach you a
few words by what means you, as victor, may accomplish what lies ahead. The
Arcadians, a race descended from Pallas, came to these shores, who were companions
to King Evander, who followed his standards. They selected a site, and established a
city in the mountains called Pallanteum, after the name of their ancestor Pallas. These
people are continually waging war with the Latin race; bring these men into your
camp as allies and make a treaty with them. I myself will lead you along the
riverbanks and straight up the stream so that as you are carried upstream you may
overcome the current against you by rowing.

SECTION IIB
Come, arise, O goddess born, and as the first stars begin to set bring due prayers to
Juno and overcome her anger and her threats with your suppliant vows. As victor you
will give honour to me. I am the one whom you see in full stream grazing the
riverbanks and cutting through the rich fields, I am the blue green Tiber, the stream
most favoured by heaven. Here is my great abode, my headwaters rise among lofty
cities. So he spoke, then the river god plunged into the deep water, heading for the
depths; night and sleep left Aeneas. He got up and, looking at the light of the Sun
rising in the sky, he took up water from the river, according to ritual, I his cupped
hands, and poured out such words to the heavens. O nymphs, Laurentine nymphs,
from whom comes the birth of rivers, and you, O father of the Tiber, with your
hallowed stream, receive Aeneas and at last keep him free from dangers. Wherever a
spring is, where your water encompasses you as you pity our struggles, and wherever
you gush forth from the ground in all your glory, you will always be celebrated with
honours from me, always with gifts, O horned river, the ruler of the waters of
Hesperia. Just be with me, and confirm your divine will more favourably. Thus he
spoke, and chose two biremes from the fleet and filled them with rowers, at the same
time he provided his comrades with armour.
SECTION IIIA
But behold a sudden and amazing omen appeared before his eyes, a white sow was
seen through the trees with offspring of the same colour and she lay on the green
bank: dutiful Aeneas sacrificed it to you, to you indeed O greatest Juno, bearing
sacred offerings and she stopped at the altar, together with the piglets. The River Tiber
made its swollen water calm for all the length of that night and, stopping its current,
was so still in its silent stream that it smoothed the surface of its waters like a placid
swamp or a stagnant marsh, so that there was no need to toil at the oars. And so
having begun this journey, they sped on with cheerful noise. The tarred boat glided
through the shallows, even the waters were amazed, the wood was amazed,
unaccustomed at the sight of the shields of men gleaming from afar and the painted
boats floating on the river. They wore out the day and the night with their rowing, and
mastered the long bends, and were sheltered by different types of trees, and cut
through the green woods in still water.

SECTION IIIB
The fiery sun had climbed to the middle of the vault of heaven, when at a distance
they saw the walls and citadel and the roofs of scattered houses, which nowadays
Roman power has made equal with the heavens; in those days Evander ruled a modest
empire. They turned their prows quickly and approached the city. By chance on that
day the Arcadian King was offering the customary honour to the mighty the son of
Amphitryon and to the gods in a grove outside the city. His son Pallas was with him,
all the leading men were with him, and the senators, poor (as they were), were
offering incense and warm blood steam was steaming the altars. When they saw the
lofty ships gliding through the shady grove and (the men) silently bent over the oars,
they were terrified at the sudden sight and leaving their tables, all together they rose
up. The bold Pallas forbade them from interrupting their sacred rituals and, seizing his
weapon, he rushed off to confront them himself, and at a distance from the top of the
mound, he said, Young men, what reason has drive you to try unknown paths? To
where are you heading? What is your race? Where is your home? Are you bringing on
war here?
SECTION IVA
Then father Aeneas spoke in this way from the lofty poop and he extended in his hand
a branch of the peace-bearing olive. You see those born in Troy and weapons hostile
to the Latins - they drove us out as exiles in an insolent war. We seek Evander. Take
these words and tell him that the chosen leaders of the race of Dardanus have come,
seeking allied weapons. Astounded by so great a name, Pallas was amazed. Whoever
you are come forward, and speak with my father face to face, and come as a guest into
our home. And he took him by the hand, and, clasping it, he clenched his right hand.
Having advanced, they approached the grove, and left the river behind them. Then
Aeneas addressed the king in friendly words: O most noble of the race of Greeks,
fortune has willed that I pray to you, and extend to you the branch draped with wool,
certainly I did not greatly fear a Greek, as you are a leader and an Arcadian, and
because you were joined by blood to the two sons of Atreus; but my own courage and
the holy oracles of the gods and our kindred fathers and your reputation spread
throughout the lands have joined me to you, and have driven me by the command of
the Fates, although I was quite willing.

SECTION IVB
Dardanus, the first founder and father of the city of Troy, born from Electra, the
daughter of Atlas, as the Greeks assert, sailed to the land of the Trojans, mighty Atlas
who holds the circle of the heavens on his shoulder, produced Electra. Your father is
Mercury whom the fair Maia brought forth, conceived on the chilly peak of Mount
Cyllene; but Atlas, the same Atlas who supports the stars of the sky, begat Maia, if we
can place any trust in what we hear. Thus both races divide off from the one blood.
Relying on these connections, I have arranged no ambassadors nor made my initial
trial of you through any diplomacy; I myself have come, I have presented myself and
my life before you and I have come to your door as a suppliant. It is the same race, the
Daunian race, which harries you in a cruel war. If they drive us out, they think that
nothing will prevent them from putting the whole of the western land beneath their
yoke, and from possessing the sea that washes to the North and the sea that washes to
the South. Accept my friendship and, in return, yours. Our hearts are strong in war,
our spirits are high, and our young men are tested in events.
SECTION VA
Aeneas had spoken. For all that time Evander was staring at the face and eyes of the
speaker and was taking in his whole body with his gaze. Then he replied a few words
in this way, How gladly I welcome you and recognise you, O bravest of Trojans!
How well do I call to mind the words of your father and the voice and features of
great Anchises! For I remember, that when Priam, the son of Laomedon, was visiting
the kingdom of his sister, Hesione, and he was making for Salamis, they visited
forthwith with the cold territory of Arcadia. Then early youth was clothing my cheeks
with its bloom, and I was in awe of the Trojan leaders, and especially I was in awe of
the son of Laomedon himself; but taller than them all walked Anchises. My heart was
eager with youthful adoration, to address the man and to put my right hand in his; I
went up to him and eagerly took him to the walls of Pheneus. When he was leaving,
he gave me a wonderful quiver and some Lycian arrows, and a cloak, woven with
gold thread, and a pair of golden bridles, which my own Pallas now has. Therefore the
right hand of friendship which you seek has been joined to mine in an alliance, an
when tomorrows light first returns itself to the earth, I will send willing men to your
aid, and will assist you with my resources.

SECTION VB
Meanwhile since you have come here as friends, favour these sacred annual rites,
which is sinful to postpone, celebrate them with us and now at this very moment
accustom yourselves to the tables of your allies. When he said these words he
ordered the feast and the cups, which had been cleared away, to be replaced, and he
himself placed the men on grassy seats and he took Aeneas to the chief position on a
couch with the skin of a shaggy lion, and he invited him onto a throne of maple wood.
Then especially selected men and the priest of the altar eagerly brought the roasted
flesh of bulls, and they piled into baskets the gifts of Ceres (grain) well worked over
and they poured out the nectar of Bacchus. Aeneas and the Trojan youth fed on the
undivided back of the bull and on the sacrificial entrails. After their hunger had been
satisfied, and their desire to eat sated, King Evander said It is not some vague
superstition and ignorance of our ancient gods which has imposed upon us these
annual rites, this customary feast and this altar to so great a divine power. It is because
we have been saved from cruel dangers, my Trojan guest, that we are performing this
worship and we renew well deserved honours. First of all look at this cliff hung up by
rocks, see how, from a distance, there stands a home, a mass of dislodged mountain,
abandoned, and see how the boulders have created a massive ruin.
SECTION VC
Here there was a cave hidden away in a vast chamber, which the horrible face of the
half human Cacus was occupying, unreachable by the rays of the sun; the floor was
always warm with fresh slaughter and, nailed to his proud doorposts, the pale heads of
men hung in grim gore. This creatures father was Vulcan; he would move with his
massive bulk, spewing out deadly flames from his mouth. Time at long last brought
us, who were praying for it, the help and arrival of a god. For the great avenger
exulting in his slaughter of the three-bodied Geryon, and in his spoils, the victorious
Hercules was here, and he was driving some huge bulls and the herd were grazing in
the valley and drinking of the stream. But the mind of Cacus, savage in its madness,
so that there might not be any crime or treachery undared or unattempted, he stole
four bulls of exceptional appearance from this pasturage and the same number of
heifers of surpassing beauty. And so that their tracks would not show their feet
pointing ahead, he dragged them by their tails into a cave and with any signs of their
tracks reversed he was hiding them in the darkness of the rock. To anyone searching
there were no tracks leading to the cave.
SECTION VIA
Meanwhile, when the son of Amphitryon was now moving the satisfied herd from its
pasture and preparing his departure, the oxen began to low at leaving and filled the
whole grove with their complaints and the hills were left behind with the bellowing.
One of the oxen returned their call and loved from deep with the cover and (although)
guarded, she thwarted the hopes of Cacus. At this point indeed the pain of Hercules
had blazed forth with anger and with black bile. He seized his weapons with his hand
and his club, weighed down with knots, made for the steep places of the high
mountains at an. Then for the first time our eyes saw Cacus, afraid and alarmed.
Forthwith he fled faster than the south-east wind and headed for his cave, fear added
wings to his feet. Then when he locked himself in and, after breaking the chains, he
dropped down the immense rock, which was hanging there by means of iron and his
fathers skill, and he strengthened the support of the doorposts with this obstacle.
Behold the man from Tiryns was there, raging in his mind, surveying every approach,
he was turning his head this way and that, gnashing his teeth. Three times, seething
with anger, he went around the whole Aventine mountain, three times he assailed the
rocky threshold in vain, three times he sat down exhausted in the valley.

SECTION VIB
A sharp rock (crag) of flint with jagged rocks on either side rising upon the ridge of
the cave, very high to see, a suitable home for the nests of carrion birds. This (pillar),
as it leaned forward from the ridge towards the river on the left, he shook and
loosened pressing full against it from the right, and he tore it from its lowest
foundations, then suddenly he thrust it over; at this thrust greatest heaven thundered,
the riverbanks burst asunder and the terrified river flowed backwards. But the cave an
the huge kingdom of Cacus appeared, opened up, and the shadowy caverns deep
within lay open, just as if the earth gaping open deep within by some cataclysm
unlocks the chambers of the Underworld, and exposes to view the pallid kingdom
loathed by the gods, and a monstrous pit can be seen from above, the shades of the
dead tremble with fear as the light pours in. And so Hercules with weapons from
above, assailed (Cacus), caught by the unexpected light, trapped in his cavern in the
rock and bellowing strangely. He summoned up all his weapons an attacked him with
branches and huge rocks. But Cacus for there was now no escape left from danger,
spewed out billows of smoke from his throat (amazing to relate) and shrouded his
home in dense gloom, blotting out the sight from his eyes and deep within his cave he
churned out fumes as black as night and darkness shot through with fire.
Section VIC
In his rage Hercules did not bear this, and he hurled himself with a headlong leap
through the flames, where the smoke swirled most densely and the huge cave seethed
with the black cloud. Here he seized Cacus, who vomited out flames in vain, and held
him in a knotlike grip, and he strangled him, not letting go until his eyes popped out
and his throat drained of blood. At once the doors were torn off and the dark dwelling
was revealed and both the denied plunder and the stolen cattle were shown to heaven
and the misshapen carcass was dragged forth by its feet. Our hearts could not be filled
up by gazing at his horrifying eyes, his appearance and his chest, shaggy with bristles,
of the half-beast and the fires quenched in his throat. From that time this honour has
been celebrated and the joyful descendants have preserved this day, firstly Potitius the
founder and the Pinarian clan are the custodians of the cult of Hercules. They
established this altar in a grove, which greatest ever shall be called and shall be
greatest ever. Come on, therefore, O youth, in honour of such great deeds, girdle your
hair with fronds and hold out your cups in your right hands and summon our common
god and give the wine willingly. Thus he spoke, when the double coloured poplar
wreathed his hair with the shade dear to Hercules and it hung down entangled in other
foliage, and the sacred goblet filled his right hand. Immediately all joyfully poured
their libations onto the table and prayed to the gods.

Section VIIA
But Venus, the dazzling goddess amongst the heavenly clouds, was there bearing
gifts; and when she saw far off her son alone in a secluded valley near an icy stream,
she addressed him with words such as these and she voluntarily presented herself.
Behold, the gifts completed by the promised skill of my husband: may you not
hesitate, son, to demand battle against the proud Laurentines or the fierce Turnus.
She spoke, and Venus sought the embraces of her son, and she placed the gleaming
arms beneath the oak tree in front. He, rejoicing, was unable to be satisfied by the
gifts of the goddess and such a great honour; he turned his eyes over each in turn, and
he admired them and turned them over in his hands and arms: a helmet, terrible in its
crests, spewing out flames; a death-bringing sword, a stiff brazen breastplate, blood
red and massive, just as when a dark blue cloud gleams from the rays from the sun
and shines from afar, then the smooth greaves made from electrum and refined gold
and a spear and the indescribable texture of the shield. There the fire lord, not ignorant
of the prophets nor unknowing of the age to come, had fashioned the Italian story and
the triumph of the Romans, there the whole race of the future offspring of Ascanius
and the wars fought, one by one.
Section VIIB
He had also portrayed the mother wolf stretched out in the green cave of Mars, twin
boys were playing around her udders hanging there and the mother was unafraid, with
her smooth neck turned back, she licked each one of them in turn and moulded their
bodies into shape with her tongue. Not far from this (he depicted) Rome and the
Sabine women, seized contrary to custom from the hollow assembly where the great
contest was being conducted, and suddenly a new war arose between the followers of
Romulus and the stern men from Cures under the leadership of the aged man Tatius.
After these same kings had put an end to the conflict between them, and they were
standing, armed, in front of the altar of Jupiter, and holding sacred vessels, and they
were concluding their treaty with the slaughter of a pig. Not far from there, the swift
chariots had torn Mettus apart in different directions (but you, O man of Alba, should
have kept true to your word!) and Tullus was dragging the entrails of the deceitful
man through the wood and the brambles were dripping with his bespattered blood.
There too Porsenna was ordering (the Romans) to take back the expelled Tarquinius
and was overwhelming the city with a great siege; the descendants of Aeneas were
running upon swords in the name of freedom. You could see him as though raging and
threatening, because Cocles was daring to tear down the bridge and Cloelia, after
breaking her chains, was swimming across the river.

Section VIIIA
At the top of the citadel of Tarpeia Manlius was standing as guard in front of the
temple and was keeping watch on the lofty Capitol, and the new thatch on Romulus
regal hut was rough. And here a silver goose fluttering through the golden colonnades
was honking (to announce that) the Gauls were on the threshold; the Gauls were there
amongst the thorn bushes and were taking the citadel, protected by darkness and the
gift of the dark night: they had golden hair and golden clothing and they shone with
striped cloaks, then their milk white necks were encircled with gold, in each right
hand gleamed two Alpine javelins, their bodies protected by long shields. Here he had
forged the leaping Sallii and the naked Luperei and the priests hats, tufted with wool
and the shields which had fallen from the sky, chaste matrons in cushioned carriages
were leading sacred processions through the city. Far away from here he added even
the abodes of Tartarus, the lofts portals of Dis and the punishments of the wicked, and
you, Cataline, hanging from your threatening rock and trembling at the faces of the
Furies, and the righteous set apart, Cato administering justice to them.

Section VIIIB
Between these scenes there ran a golden image of the sea, swelling far and wide, but
the blue surface of the sea was foaming with white crests, and around it dolphins in
bright silver were sweeping the sea with their tails and cleaving the tides. In the
middle you could make out the bronzed fleets, the battle of Actium, and you could see
the whole promontory of Lucarte see thing with the battlelines of Mars drawn up and
the waves gleaming in gold. On this side (was) Augustus Caesar leading the Italians
into battle, together with the senators and the people of Rome, and with the household
gods and the great gods, standing on the lofty poop his radiant temples poured forth
twin flames and his fathers star appeared above his head. On the other side Agrippa
with favourable winds and gods towering above them leading the battlelines (of ships)
as the proud insignia of war the beaks of captured vessels flashed from his forehead.
On this side Anthony in triumph from the peoples of the East and the shores of the
Red Sea, with the wealth of the barbarian and with warriors from different nations,
Egypt sails with him and the power of the East as well as far off Bactra and following
him (the shame!) an Egyptian wife. They all came together at speed and , with the pull
of their oars and with the pull of their three-pronged beaks, the whole surface of the
sea, churned up, foamed. They made for the high seas; you would think that the
Cyclades islands, torn apart, were floating on the sea or that lofty mountains were
colliding with mountains. With such great and mass did those men attach in their
turreted ships.

IXA
Flax and torches and flying darts of iron were showered from their hands, the fields of
Neptune grew red with fresh blood. The queen, in their midst, summons the fleets
with the rattle of her native land and nit yet does she even look back at the twin
snakes at her rear and the apparitions of all kinds of gods and Anubis the barker level
their weapons against Neptune and Venus and against Minerva. In the midst of the
battle rages Mars engraved in iron and the grim Furies (swooped) from the sky and
jubilant Discord strides along with her torn cloak, Bellona follows her with her bloody
whip. Actium Apollo, seeing these events from on high was drawing his bow: in terror
of this the whole of Egypt and the inhabitants of India and all the Arabians, all the
Sabaeans were turning their backs. The queen herself, having called for the winds,
appeared to be setting sail and even now to be releasing the slackened ropes. He the
lord of fire had fashioned her amidst the slaughter, pale with approaching death,
carried alone over the waves by the Iapygian winds. Opposite her however he had
depicted the River Nile, mourning in his great body and opening up his robes and with
every fold of his garment beckoning the defeated ones into his blue bosom and into
his hidden waters.

IXB
But Caesar, carried into the city (walls) of Rome in triple triumph was praying
immortal vows to the gods of Holy and consecrating 300 huge shrines throughout the
whole city. The streets were roaring with the (sounds of) joy, of festivities and
applause. In all the temples there was a chorus of matrons, in all (the temples) there
were altars; before the altars slaughtered oxen were spread out on the ground.
(Augustus) himself, sitting on the snow white threshold of gleaming white Apollo,
respected the gifts of the peoples (of the earth) and hung them on proud doorposts.
Defeated nations walked in procession a long line, as varied in tongues as in their
bearing, their garments and their weapons. Here Mulciber had fashioned the
Numidian race and the Africans, with their unbelted robes, here he led fashioned the
Lelages and the Cares and arrow bearing Geloni; now the Euphrates was moving
along more gentler in its waters, (here) there were the Morini, people from the ends of
the Earth, the two-horned Rhine River and the untamed Dahae and the river Araxes
angry at its bridge.

Aeneas wondered at such scenes around the shield of Vulcan, the gift of his mother
and unknowing of the events portrayed, he rejoiced in their portrayal and lifting on his
shoulder the fate and the fortune of his descendants.