From thence the fuming trail began to spread,

And lambent glories danc'd about her head.

This new portent the seer with wonder views, 115
Then pausing, thus his prophecy renews:
"The nymph, who scatters flaming fires around,
Shall shine with honour, shall herself be crown'd;
But, caus'd by her irrevocable fate,

War shall the country waste, and change the state.
Latinus, frighted with this dire ostent,

For counsel to his father Faunus went,

And sought the shades renown'd for prophecy,
Which near Albunea's sulph'rous fountain lie.
To those the Latian and the Sabine land

Fly, when distress'd; and thence relief demand.

The priest on skins of off'rings takes his ease,

And nightly visions in his slumber sees:

A swarm of thin aërial shapes appears,

121

125

And, flutt'ring round his temples, deafs his ears. 130
These he consults, the future fates to know,

From pow'rs above, and from the fiends below.
Here, for the god's advice, Latinus flies,

Off'ring a hundred sheep for sacrifice :
Their woolly fleeces, as the rites requir'd,
He laid beneath him, and to rest retir❜d.
No sooner were his eyes in slumber bound,
When, from above, a more than mortal sound

135

Invades his ears; and thus the vision spoke: "Seek not, my seed, in Latian bands to yoke 140 Our fair Lavinia, nor the gods provoke.

A foreign son upon the shore descends,

Whose martial fame from pole to pole extends.
His race, in arms and arts of peace renown'd,
Not Latium shall contain, nor Europe bound: 145
'Tis theirs whate'er the sun surveys around."

These answers, in the silent night receiv'd,
The king himself divulg'd, the land believ'd :
The fame through all the neighb'ring nations flew,
When now the Trojan navy was in view.

150

Beneath a shady tree, the hero spread His table on the turf, with cakes of bread; And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed. They sate; and, (not without the god's command) Their homely fare dispatch'd, the hungry band 155 Invade their trenchers next, and soon devour, To mend the scanty meal, their cakes of flour. Ascanius this observ'd, and, smiling, said, "See! we devour the plates on which we fed." The speech had omen, that the Trojan race Should find repose, and this the time and place. Eneas took the word, and thus replies:

(Confessing fate with wonder in his eyes)

160

All hail, O earth! all hail, my household gods!

Behold the destin'd place of your abodes!
For thus Anchises prophesy'd of old,

And this our fatal place of rest foretold:

When, on a foreign shore, instead of meat, By famine forc'd, your trenchers you shall eat, "Then ease your weary Trojans will attend, "And the long labours of your voyage end. "Remember on that happy coast to build; "And with a trench inclose the fruitful field.” This was that famine, this the fatal place,

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170

Which ends the wand'ring of our exil'd race. 175
Then, on to-morrow's dawn, your care employ,
To search the land, and where the cities lie,
And what the men; but give this day to joy.
Now pour to Jove; and, after Jove is blest,
Call great Anchises to the genial feast:

Crown high the goblets with a cheerful draught:

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Enjoy the present hour; adjourn the future thought."

Thus having said, the hero bound his brows With leafy branches, then perform'd his vows; Adoring first the genius of the place,

185

Then Earth, the mother of the heav'nly race,
The nymphs, and native godheads yet unknown,
And Night, and all the stars that gild her sable throne,
And ancient Cybel, and Idæan Jove,

And last his sire below, and mother queen above. 190