Thus briefly, Jove. But golden Venus made less brief reply. “O Father, who dost hold o'er Man and all things an immortal sway! Of what high throne may gods the aid implore save thine? Behold of yonder Rutuli th' insulting scorn! Among them Turnus moves in chariot proud, and boasts triumphant war in mighty words. Nor do their walls defend my Teucrians now. But in their very gates, and on their mounded ramparts, in close fight they breast their foes and fill the moats with blood. Aeneas knows not, and is far away. Will ne'er the siege have done? A second time above Troy 's rising walls the foe impends; another host is gathered, and once more from his Aetolian Arpi wrathful speeds a Diomed. I doubt not that for me wounds are preparing. Yea, thy daughter dear awaits a mortal sword! If by thy will unblest and unapproved the Trojans came to Italy , for such rebellious crime give them their due, nor lend them succor, thou, with thy strong hand! But if they have obeyed unnumbered oracles from gods above and sacred shades below, who now has power to thwart thy bidding, or to weave anew the web of Fate? Why speak of ships consumed along my hallowed Erycinian shore? Or of the Lord of Storms, whose furious blasts were summoned from Aeolia ? Why tell of Iris sped from heaven? Now she moves the region of the shades (one kingdom yet from her attempt secure) and thence lets loose Alecto on the world above, who strides in frenzied wrath along th' Italian hills. No more my heart now cherishes its hope of domination, though in happier days such was thy promise. Let the victory fall to victors of thy choice! If nowhere lies the land thy cruel Queen would deign accord unto the Teucrian people,—O my sire, I pray thee by yon smouldering wreck of Troy 
 to let Ascanius from the clash of arms escape unscathed. Let my own offspring live! Yea, let Aeneas, tossed on seas unknown, find some chance way; let my right hand avail to shelter him and from this fatal war in safety bring. For Amathus is mine, mine are Cythera and the Paphian hills and temples in Idalium . Let him drop the sword, and there live out inglorious days. By thy decree let Carthage overwhelm Ausonia's power; nor let defence be found to stay the Tyrian arms! What profits it that he escaped the wasting plague of war and fled Argolic fires? or that he knew so many perils of wide wilderness and waters rude? The Teucrians seek in vain new-born Troy in Latium . Better far crouched on their country's ashes to abide, and keep that spot of earth where once was Troy ! Give back, O Father, I implore thee, give Xanthus and Simois back! Let Teucer's sons unfold once more the tale of Ilium 's woe!” Then sovereign Juno, flushed with solemn scorn, made answer. “Dost thou bid me here profane the silence of my heart, and gossip forth of secret griefs? What will of god or man impelled Aeneas on his path of war, or made him foeman of the Latin King? Fate brought him to Italia ? Be it so! Cassandra's frenzy he obeyed. What voice — say, was it mine?—urged him to quit his camp, risk life in storms, or trust his war, his walls, to a boy-captain, or stir up to strife Etruria's faithful, unoffending sons? What god, what pitiless behest of mine, impelled him to such harm? Who traces here the hand of Juno, or of Iris sped from heaven? Is it an ignoble stroke that Italy around the new-born Troy 
 makes circling fire, and Turnus plants his heel on his hereditary earth, the son of old Pilumnus and the nymph divine, Venilia? For what offence would Troy 
 bring sword and fire on Latium , or enslave lands of an alien name, and bear away plunder and spoil? Why seek they marriages, and snatch from arms of love the plighted maids? An olive-branch is in their hands; their ships make menace of grim steel. Thy power one day ravished Aeneas from his Argive foes, and gave them shape of cloud and fleeting air to strike at for a man. Thou hast transformed his ships to daughters of the sea. What wrong if I, not less, have lent the Rutuli something of strength in war? Aeneas, then, is far away and knows not! Far away let him remain, not knowing! If thou sway'st Cythera , Paphos , and Idalium , why rouse a city pregnant with loud wars, and fiery hearts provoke? That fading power of Phrygia , do I, forsooth, essay to ruin utterly? O, was it I exposed ill-fated Troy to Argive foe? For what offence in vast array of arms did Europe rise and Asia , for a rape their peace dissolving? Was it at my word th' adulterous Dardan shepherd came to storm the Spartan city? Did my hand supply his armament, or instigate a war for Cupid's sake? Then was thy decent hour to tremble for thy children; now too late the folly of thy long lament to Heaven, and objurgation vain.” Such Juno's plea; the throng of gods with voices loud or low gave various reply: as gathering winds sing through the tree-tops in dark syllables, and fling faint murmur on the far-off sea, to tell some pilot of to-morrow's storm. Then Jupiter omnipotent, whose hands have governance supreme, began reply; deep silence at his word Olympus knew, Earth's utmost cavern shook; the realms of light were silent; the mild zephyrs breathed no more, and perfect calm o'erspread the levelled sea. “Give ear, ye gods, and in your hearts record my mandate and decree. Fate yet allows no peace 'twixt Troy and Italy , nor bids your quarrel end. Therefore, what Chance this day to either foe shall bring, whatever hope either may cherish,—the Rutulian cause and Trojan have like favor in my eyes. The destinies of Italy constrain the siege; which for the fault of Troy fulfills an oracle of woe. Yon Rutule host I scatter not. But of his own attempt let each the triumph and the burden bear; for Jove is over all an equal King. The Fates will find the way.” The god confirmed his sentence by his Stygian brother's wave, the shadowy flood and black, abysmal shore. He nodded; at the bending of his brow Olympus shook. It is the council's end. Now from the golden throne uprises Jove; the train of gods attend him to the doors. Meanwhile at every gate the Rutule foe urges the slaughter on, and closes round the battlements with ring of flame. The host of Trojans, prisoned in the palisades, lies in strict siege and has no hope to fly. In wretched plight they man the turrets tall, to no avail, and with scant garrison the ramparts crown. In foremost line of guard are Asius Imbrasides, the twin Assaraci, and Hicetaon's son Thymoetes, and with Castor at his side the veteran Thymbris; then the brothers both of slain Sarpedon, and from Lycian steep Clarus and Themon. With full-straining thews lifting a rock, which was of some huge hill no fragment small, Lyrnesian Acmon stood; nor less than Clytius his sire he seemed, nor Mnestheus his great brother. Some defend the wall with javelins; some hurl down stones or firebrands, or to the sounding string fit arrows keen. But lo! amid the throng, well worth to Venus her protecting care, the Dardan boy, whose princely head shone forth without a helm, like radiant jewel set in burnished gold for necklace or for crown; or like immaculate ivory inclosed in boxwood or Orician terebinth; his tresses o'er his white neck rippled down, confined in circlet of soft twisted gold. Thee, too, the warrior nations gaze upon, high-nurtured Ismarus, inflicting wounds with shafts of venomed reed: Maeonia 's vale thy cradle was, where o'er the fruitful fields well-tilled and rich, Pactolus pours his gold. Mnestheus was there, who, for his late repulse of Turnus from the rampart, towered forth in glory eminent; there Capys stood, whose name the Capuan citadel shall bear. While these in many a shock of grievous war hotly contend, Aeneas cleaves his way at midnight through the waters. He had fared from old Evander to th' Etruscan folk, addressed their King, and to him told the tale of his own race and name, his suit, his powers; of what allies Mezentius had embraced, and Turnus' lawless rage. He bids him know how mutable is man, and warning gives, with supplication joined. Without delay Tarchon made amity and sacred league, uniting with his cause. The Lydian tribe, now destined from its tyrant to be free, embarked, obedient to the gods, and gave allegiance to the foreign King. The ship Aeneas rode moved foremost in the line: its beak a pair of Phrygian lions bore; above them Ida rose, an emblem dear to exiled Trojans. On his Iofty seat was great Aeneas, pondering the events of changeful war; and clinging to his side the youthful Pallas fain would learn the lore of stars, the highway of dark night, and asks the story of his toils on land and sea. Now open Helicon and move my song, ye goddesses, to tell what host in arms followed Aeneas from the Tuscan shore, and manned his ships and traveiled o'er the sea!