The Fourth Book of Virgils Aeneid and the Ninth Book of Voltaires Henriad | Page 7

forgetful of all other cares,?With shameful passion blindly led astray,?In love and joy they waste the hours away.
245 This, all around Fame glories to diffuse,
And to Iarba next her flight pursues,?To fan the flame that in his bosom glows.?To Jove himself, his birth the monarch owes;?A nymph his mother, by a forc'd embrace;?250 And to the God, the author of his race,
Their lofty domes an hundred temples raise,?An hundred shrines with flames perpetual blaze,?Hung round with wreaths: through all his vast domain, The soil was rich with blood of victims skin.?255 He, by the dire report, to madness fir'd,
Vents his dark soul by jealous rage inspir'd,?Before the gods, while curling incense blaz'd,?His suppliant hands to Jove almighty rais'd.??All potent Jove! those eyes that view the Moor?260 From painted coaches full libations pour,
See they not this? Or when thy thunder rolls?Do causeless fears, O Father, shake our souls??Is there no vengeance in the bolt you poise??Is all but fancied horror, empty noise??265 A woman, wand'ring outcast on our shore,
Bargains a petty spot and owns no more,?Accepts a portion of our coast to till,?Ev'n from our pity; from our royal will;?And she--the offer of our hand disdains,?270 And she--?neas in her court detains!
That Paris, with that woman crew, that wear?Those Phrygian bonnets on their scented hair,?Enjoys the spoil.--while I--thy power proclaim,?Adorn thy shrine, and feed on empty fame?.?275 Thus, while he pray'd and bow'd before the shrine:
Th' Almighty hearing, throws his eyes divine?On Lybia's coast; there views the lovelest pair?Forgetting fame and ev'ry nobler care,?And quick commands the herald of the sky.?280 ?Go, call the zephyrs, spread your pinnions, fly,
Fly to the Dardan chief who ling'ring waits?Mindless in Carthage of the promis'd fates;?Swift as the rushing wind, my order bear.?Not such a man--unworthy of her care,?285 His mother promis'd, when her powerful charms,
Twice, made me save him from the Grecian arms.?No--For Hesperia's realm a future king,?Thro' whom, from Teucer's blood untam'd to spring?A warlike race, the pregnant seeds to lay,?290 Of boundless empire, universal sway.
If he, unmov'd, such' proferr'd greatness sees,?Renouncing glory for ignoble ease.?} Julus too, must he forego his claim??} Spoil'd by a father of his birthright fame,?295 } The pow'r, the glory, of the Roman name.
What mean these structures in a hostile place??What hopes deceitful from his mind efface?Th' Ausonian offspring, the Lavinian land??But let him sail--no more--bear my command?.?300 Jove spoke--His son obey'd:--and to his feet
Bound the light wings of gold--wings ever fleet,?Which over earth and sea, through yielding air,?Swift as the wind the rapid herald bear;?305 And took the rod that calls the trembling ghost
To light, or binds it to the Stygian coast,?Gives balmy slumber, breaks the sweet repose,?Weighs down the lid of dying eyes that close.?Thro' storms and dripping clouds with this he glides; Now o'er the summit and the hoary sides?310 Of Atlas hangs, pois'd on whose shoulders rest
The Heav'ns: his head eternal storms infest,?Crown'd with dark pines, inwrap'd with gloomy clouds; Primeval snow his shaggy bosom shrouds,?Furrow'd with streams that down his chin descend,?315 And chains of ice from his broad beard that pend.
Here light the God--Balanc'd his equal wings,?And darting forward to the ocean flings.?Through misty air as nearer earth he drew,?Cutting the winds and whirling sands, he flew?320 Like birds, that hov'ring o'er the fishy main,
Drop from the sky', and skim the watry plain.?So from the height his mighty grandsire props,?Down on the pinion light Cyllenius drops;?And scarce his winged feet had touch'd the ground,?325 ?neas with the busy crew he found,
Planning new structures for the rising town.?Bright with a radiant gem his sword hung down,?A mantle graceful o'er his shoulder thrown?With sparkling gold and Tyrian purple shone.?330 'Twas Dido's present: thro' the blushing thread
The docile gold her taper fingers led.?The god accosts him.--?With uxorious care?The walls of Carthage does ?neas rear,?Himself forgotten and his future state??335 But he that reigns--the pow'r who next to Fate,
Roles Earth and Heav'n, and moves them with a nod,?Thro' skies unclouded, he--the ruling God,?This to your ear commands me to convey;?Why on the Lybian shore this fond delay??340 These rising tow'rs--If satisfied with these,
You barter glory for ignoble ease,?Your injur'd heir--your young Ascanius view,?Rome and th' Italian reign to him are due.??While thus the God convey'd what Jove resolv'd,?345 From human eyes in air his form dissolved.
?neas stood with sacred terror chill'd;?His hair erect, his lips with horror seal'd;?Aw'd by the present God, the high command,?He burns to fly, and leave the much lov'd land.?350 But how alas!--What words, what soothing art?
How meet the Queen, the sad design impart??Now here, now there, his wav'ring soul inclin'd;?He bends on ev'ry side his anxious mind:?And thus at length his doubting councils end.?355 He bids Cleanthus and the chiefs attend,
The crews assemble and the ships prepare,?In silence hid the object of their care;?While Dido yet the faithless dream deludes,?And