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The Seventh Book of the

Æ NE

The ARGUMENT.

I S

King Latinus entertains Encas, and promises him his only Daughter, Lavinia, the Heirefs of his Crown. Turnus being in Love with her, favour'd by her Mother, and ftir'd up by Juno, and Aleto, breaks the Treaty which was made, and engages in his Quarrel Mezentius, Camilla, Meffapus, and many other of the Neighbouring Princes; whofe Forces and the Names of their Commanders are particularly related.

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ND thou, O Matron of Immortal Fame!
Here Dying, to the Shore haft left thy Name:

Cajeta ftill the Place is call'd from thee,

The Nurfe of great Æneas Infancy.

Here rett thy Bones in rich Hefperia's Plains,
Thy Name ('tis all a Ghost can have) remains.
Now, when the Prince her Fun'ral Rites had paid,
He plough'd the Tyrrhene Seas with Sails difplay'd.
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From Land a gentle Breeze arofe by Night,

Serenely fhone the Stars, the Moon was bright,
And the Sea trembled with her Silver Light.
Now near the Shelves of Circe's Shores they run,
(Circe the rich, the Daughter of the Sun)
A dang'rous Coaft: The Goddess waftes her Days
In joyous Songs, the Rocks refound her Lays:
In fpinning, or the Loom, she spends the Night,
And Cedar Brands fupply her Father's Light.
From hence were heard, (rebellowing to the Main,)
The Roars of Lyons that refuse the Chain,

The Grunts of Briftled Boars, and Groans of Bears,

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And Herds of Howling Wolves that fun the Sailors Ears. These from their Caverns, at the clofe of Night,

Fill the fad Ifle with Horror and Affright.

Darkling they mourn their Fate, whom Circe's Pow'r

(That watch'd the Moon, and Planetary Hour)

With Words and wicked Herbs, from Human Kind
Had alter'd, and in Brutal Shapes confin'd.

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Which Monsters, left the Trojans pious Host
Shou'd bear, or touch upon th' inchanted Coaft;

Propitious Neptune fteer'd their Course by Night,

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With rifing Gales, that fped their happy Flight.
Supply'd with thefe, they skim the founding Shore,
And hear the swelling Surges vainly roar.

Now

Now when the rofie Morn began to rise,

And wav'd her Saffron Streamer thro' the Skies;
When Thetis blufh'd in Purple, not her own,
And from her Face the breathing Winds were blown:
A fudden Silence fate upon the Sea,

And fweeping Oars, with Strugling, urge their Way.

The Trojan, from the Main beheld a Wood,

Which thick with Shades, and a brown Horror, ftood:
Betwixt the Trees the Tyber took his Courfe,
With Whirlpools dimpl'd; and with downward Force
That drove the Sand along, he took his Way,
And rowl'd his yellow Billows to the Sea.

About him, and above, and round the Wood,
The Birds that haunt the Borders of his Flood;
That bath'd within, or bask'd upon his fide,
To tuneful Songs their narrow Throats apply'd
The Captain gives Command, the joyful Train

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Glide thro' the gloomy Shade, and leave the Main.
Now, Erato, thy Poet's Mind inspire,

And fill his Soul with thy Coeleftial Fire.

Relate what Latium was, her ancient Kings :

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Declare the paft, and prefent State of things,
When first the Trojan Fleet Aufonia fought';
And how the Rivals lov'd, and how they fought.
These are my Theme, and how the War began,
And how concluded by the Godlike Man.

For I fhall fing of Battels, Blood and Rage,

Which Princes and their People did engage:

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And haughty Souls, that mov'd with mutual Hate,
In fighting Fields purfu'd and found their Fate:

That rouz'd the Tyrrhene Realm with loud Alarms,
And peaceful Italy involv'd in Arms.

A larger Scene of Action is display'd,
And, rifing hence, a greater Work is weigh'd.
Latinus old and mild, had long poffefs'd
The Latian Sceptre, and his People bless'd :
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,

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Had Saturn Author of his Family...

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But this old peaceful Prince, as Heav'n decreed,

Was blefs'd with no Male Iffue to fucceed:

His Sons in blooming Youth were fnatch'd by Fate:

One only Daughter, heir'd the Royal State,

Fir'd with her Love, and with Ambition led,

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The neighb'ring Princes court her nuptial Bed.
Among the Crowd, but far above the reft,
Young Turnus to the Beauteous Maid address'd.
Turnus, for high Defcent, and graceful Meen,
Was firft, and favour'd by the Latian Queen:

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