The Fourth Book of Virgils Aeneid and the Ninth Book of Voltaires Henriad | Page 5

morn, in purple beams array'd,?10 Chas'd from the humid pole the ling'ring shade,
Her sister, fond companion of her thought,?Thus in the anguish of her soul she sought.?Dear Anna, tell me, why this broken rest??What mean these boding thoughts? who is this guest,?15 This lovely stranger that adorns our court?
How great his mein! and what a godlike port!?It must be true, no idle voice of Fame,?From heav'n, I'm sure, such forms, such virtue came.?} Degenerate spirits are by fear betray'd,?20 } His soul, alas, what fortunes have essay'd;
} What feats of war!--and in what words convey'd!?Were it not fix'd, determin'd in my mind,?That me no more the nuptial tye shall bind,?Since Death deceiv'd the first fond flame I knew:?25 Were Hymen's rites less odious to my view,
To this one fault perhaps I might give way;?For must I own it? Anna since the day?Sicheus fell, (that day a brother's guilt,?A brother's blood upon our altars spilt);?30 He, none but he, my feelings could awake,
Or with one doubt my wav'ring bosom shake.?Yes! these are symptoms of my former flame;?But sooner thro' her very inmost frame,?May gaping Earth my sinking feet betray;?35 Jove's light'ning blast me from this vital ray
To Hell's pale shade, and Night's eternal reign,?Ere, sacred Honor, I thy rite profane.?Oh, no! to whom my virgin faith I gave,?"Twas his, and his remains within the grave".
40 She ceas'd--but down her bosom gush'd her tears.
"O dearer than the genial ray that cheers",?Her sister cry'd, shall lonely grief consume,?Lost to the joys of love your beauties bloom,?Lost to the joys, maternal feelings share??45 Do shades for this, do buried ashes care?
That new in grief no lover should succeed,?Tyrians in vain, in vain Iarba plead;?That every chief of Afric's wide domain,?In triumphs proud, should learn to sue in vain;?50 'Twas well; but why a mutual flame withstand?
Can you forget who owns this hostile land??Unconquer'd Getulans your walls surround,?The Syri untam'd, the wild Numidian bound.?Thro' the wide desert fierce Barceans roam:?55 Why need I mention from our former home,
The deadly war, a brother's threats prepare??For me, I think, that Juno's fost'ring care,?Some god auspicious, rais'd the winds that bore?Those Phrygian vessels to our Lybian shore.?60 Their godlike chief should happy Dido wed,
How would her walls ascend, her empire spread??Join'd by the arms of Troy, with such allies,?Think to what height will Punic glory rise.?Win but the gods, their sacred off'rings pay;?65 Detain your guest; invent some fond delay.
See low'ring tempests o'er the ocean ply,?The shatter'd vessels, the inclement sky?.
Each word that dropt inflam'd her burning mind,?And all her wav'ring soul to love inclin'd;?70 New gleams of hope in Dido's bosom play,
And Honor's bright idea fades away.
Fain would the sisters now, by gift and pray'r,?With heav'n seduc'd, the conscious error share.?At ev'ry shrine, the fav'ring gods to gain,?75 In order due are proper victims slain;
To Ceres, Bacchus, and the God of Light,?And Juno most, who tends the nuptial rite.?Herself the goblet lovely Dido bears,?Her graceful arm the sacred vessel rears;?80 And where the horns above the forehead join,
Upon the snow-white heifer pours the wine:?Before the god with awful grace she bows,?Moves round the altar rich with daily vows,?Hangs o'er the victim, in its bosom pries,?85 And through the breathing entrail darts her eyes.
Vain cares, alas! and rites too fondly paid!?The tortur'd soul, can vows, can altars aid??Weak boast of priests, and ineffectual pray'rs!?In her own heart, unknown, her fate she bears.?90 The pleasing flame upon her vitals feeds,
The silent wound within her bosom bleeds.
She raves, she burns, and with uncertain mind,?Roams o'er the town; roams like the wounded hind,?Whom in the woods, unconscious of his deed,?95 The hunter pierc'd, and left the trembling reed;
O'er woods, o'er quaries, from the pain she springs,?While in her flank the deadly arrow clings.?} So with ?neas love-sick Dido strays,?100 } Points to her town, her Tyrian wealth displays,
} While ev'ry look her longing soul betrays;?And fain her lips would tell the fond desire,?But scarce begun--the trembling words expire:?--When later hours convivial pleasure bring,?Then back to Troy, her thoughts impatient spring,?105 The well known story still enchants her ears,
She hangs enamour'd on each word she hears:?But when the moon with paler splendor glows,?When stars descending counsel sweet repose,?In the deserted hall, alone she mourns;?110 Each word, each look, upon her soul returns,
She sees him absent, hears him o'er again,?Presses the happy couch where he had lain;?Or with the father's rising form beguil'd,?Deludes her flame, and clasps the lovely child.?115 Each other care her burning thoughts refuse,
In arms no more her Tyrian youth she views;?No spreading moles the boistrous tide command;?The tow'rs, the forts, begun, unfinish'd stand:?The mighty structure threat'ning from on high?120 Hangs interrupted--all inactive lie
Unbrac'd,--the vast machines that thro' the air,?Lab'ring, the pond'rous mass, aloft, suspended bear.
When Juno view'd the tumult in her breast,?That Fame with Passion could no more contest,?She