Aeneas ceased. The other long had scanned the hero's face, his eyes, and wondering viewed his form and mien divine; in answer now he briefly spoke: “With hospitable heart, O bravest warrior of all Trojan-born, I know and welcome thee. I well recall thy sire Anchises, how he looked and spake. For I remember Priam, when he came to greet his sister, Queen Hesione, in Salamis , and thence pursued his way to our cool uplands of Arcadia . The bloom of tender boyhood then was mine, and with a wide-eyed wonder I did view those Teucrian lords, Laomedon's great heir, and, towering highest in their goodly throng, Anchises, whom my warm young heart desired to speak with and to clasp his hand in mine. So I approached, and joyful led him home to Pheneus' olden wall. He gave me gifts the day he bade adieu; a quiver rare filled with good Lycian arrows, a rich cloak inwove with thread of gold, and bridle reins all golden, now to youthful Pallas given. Therefore thy plea is granted, and my hand here clasps in loyal amity with thine. To-morrow at the sunrise thou shalt have my tribute for the war, and go thy way my glad ally. But now this festival, whose solemn rite 't were impious to delay, I pray thee celebrate, and bring with thee well-omened looks and words. Allies we are! Use this our sacred feast as if your own.” So saying, he bade his followers renew th' abandoned feast and wine; and placed each guest on turf-built couch of green, most honoring Aeneas by a throne of maple fair decked with a lion's pelt and flowing mane. Then high-born pages, with the altar's priest, bring on the roasted beeves and load the board with baskets of fine bread; and wine they bring — of Ceres and of Bacchus gift and toil. While good Aeneas and his Trojans share the long whole ox and meats of sacrifice. When hunger and its eager edge were gone, Evander spoke: “This votive holiday, yon tables spread and altar so divine, are not some superstition dark and vain, that knows not the old gods, O Trojan King! But as men saved from danger and great fear this thankful sacrifice we pay. Behold, yon huge rock, beetling from the mountain wall, hung from the cliff above. How lone and bare the hollowed mountain looks! How crag on crag tumbled and tossed in huge confusion lie! A cavern once it was, which ran deep down into the darkness. There th' half-human shape of Cacus made its hideous den, concealed from sunlight and the day. The ground was wet at all times with fresh gore; the portal grim was hung about with heads of slaughtered men, bloody and pale—a fearsome sight to see. Vulcan begat this monster, which spewed forth dark-fuming flames from his infernal throat, and vast his stature seemed. But time and tide brought to our prayers the advent of a god to help us at our need. For Hercules, divine avenger, came from laying low three-bodied Geryon, whose spoils he wore exultant, and with hands victorious drove the herd of monster bulls, which pastured free along our river-valley. Cacus gazed in a brute frenzy, and left not untried aught of bold crime or stratagem, but stole four fine bulls as they fed, and heifers four, all matchless; but, lest hoof-tracks point his way, he dragged them cave-wards by the tails, confusing the natural trail, and hid the stolen herd in his dark den; and not a mark or sign could guide the herdsmen to that cavern-door. But after, when Amphitryon's famous son, preparing to depart, would from the meads goad forth the full-fed herd, his lingering bulls roared loud, and by their lamentable cry filled grove and hills with clamor of farewell: one heifer from the mountain-cave lowed back in answer, so from her close-guarded stall foiling the monster's will. Then hadst thou seen the wrath of Hercules in frenzy blaze from his exasperate heart. His arms he seized, his club of knotted oak, and climbed full-speed the wind-swept hill. Now first our people saw Cacus in fear, with panic in his eyes. Swift to the black cave like a gale he flew, his feet by terror winged. Scarce had he passed the cavern door, and broken the big chains, and dropped the huge rock which was pendent there by Vulcan's well-wrought steel; scarce blocked and barred the guarded gate: when there Tirynthius stood, with heart aflame, surveying each approach, rolling this way and that his wrathful eyes, gnashing his teeth. Three times his ire surveyed the slope of Aventine ; three times he stormed the rock-built gate in vain; and thrice withdrew to rest him in the vale. But high above a pointed peak arose, sheer face of rock on every side, which towered into view from the long ridge above the vaulted cave, fit haunt for birds of evil-boding wing. This peak, which leftward toward the river leaned, he smote upon its right—his utmost blow — breaking its bases Ioose; then suddenly thrust at it: as he thrust, the thunder-sound filled all the arching sky, the river's banks asunder leaped, and Tiber in alarm reversed his flowing wave. So Cacus' lair lay shelterless, and naked to the day the gloomy caverns of his vast abode stood open, deeply yawning, just as if the riven earth should crack, and open wide th' infernal world and fearful kingdoms pale, which gods abhor; and to the realms on high the measureless abyss should be laid bare, and pale ghosts shrink before the entering sun. Now upon Cacus, startled by the glare, caged in the rocks and howling horribly, Alcides hurled his weapons, raining down all sorts of deadly missiles—trunks of trees, and monstrous boulders from the mountain torn. But when the giant from his mortal strait no refuge knew, he blew from his foul jaws a storm of smoke—incredible to tell — and with thick darkness blinding every eye, concealed his cave, uprolling from below one pitch-black night of mingled gloom and fire. This would Alcides not endure, but leaped headlong across the flames, where densest hung the rolling smoke, and through the cavern surged a drifting and impenetrable cloud. With Cacus, who breathed unavailing flame, he grappled in the dark, locked limb with limb, and strangled him, till o'er the bloodless throat the starting eyeballs stared. Then Hercules burst wide the doorway of the sooty den, and unto Heaven and all the people showed the stolen cattle and the robber's crimes, and dragged forth by the feet the shapeless corpse of the foul monster slain. The people gazed insatiate on the grewsome eyes, the breast of bristling shag, the face both beast and man, and that fire-blasted throat whence breathed no more the extinguished flame. 'T is since that famous day we celebrate this feast, and glad of heart each generation keeps the holy time. Potitius began the worship due, and our Pinarian house is vowed to guard the rites of Hercules. An altar fair within this wood they raised; 't is called ‘the Great,’ and Ara Maxima its name shall be. Come now, my warriors, and bind your brows with garlands worthy of the gift of Heaven. Lift high the cup in every thankful hand, and praise our people's god with plenteous wine.” He spoke; and of the poplar's changeful sheen, sacred to Hercules, wove him a wreath to shade his silvered brow. The sacred cup he raised in his right hand, while all the rest called on the gods and pure libation poured. Soon from the travelling heavens the western star glowed nearer, and Potitius led forth the priest-procession, girt in ancient guise with skins of beasts and carrying burning brands. new feasts are spread, and altars heaped anew with gifts and laden chargers. Then with song the Salian choir surrounds the blazing shrine, their foreheads wreathed with poplar. Here the youth, the elders yonder, in proud anthem sing the glory and the deeds of Hercules: how first he strangled with strong infant hand two serpents, Juno's plague; what cities proud, Troy and Oechalia, his famous war in pieces broke; what labors numberless as King Eurystheus' bondman he endured, by cruel Juno's will. “Thou, unsubdued, didst strike the twy-formed, cloud-bred centaurs down, Pholus and tall Hylaeus. Thou hast slain the Cretan horror, and the lion huge beneath the Nemean crag. At sight of thee the Stygian region quailed, and Cerberus, crouching o'er half-picked bones in gory cave. Nothing could bid thee fear. Typhoeus towered in his colossal Titan-panoply o'er thee in vain; nor did thy cunning fail when Lema's wonder-serpent round thee drew its multudinous head. Hail, Jove's true son! New glory to the gods above, come down, and these thine altars and thy people bless!” Such hymns they chanted, telling oft the tale of Cacus' cave and blasting breath of fire: while hills and sacred grove the note prolong. Such worship o'er, all take the homeward way back to the town. The hospitable King, though bowed with weight of years, kept at his side Aeneas and his son, and as they fared, with various discourse beguiled the way. Aeneas scanned with quick-admiring eyes the region wide, and lingered with delight now here, now there, inquiring eagerly of each proud monument of heroes gone. Then King Evander, he who builded first On Palatine , spoke thus: “These groves erewhile their native nymphs and fauns enjoyed, with men from trees engendered and stout heart of oak. Nor laws nor arts they knew; nor how to tame burls to the yoke, nor fill great barns with store and hoard the gathered grain; but rudely fared on wild fruits and such food as hunters find. Then Saturn from Olympian realms came down, in flight from Jove's dread arms, his sceptre lost, and he an exiled King. That savage race he gathered from the mountain slopes; and gave wise laws and statutes; so that latent land was Latium , ‘hid land’, where he hid so long. The golden centuries by legends told were under that good King, whose equal sway untroubled peace to all his peoples gave. But after slow decline arrived an age degenerate and of a darker hue, prone to insensate war and greed of gain. Then came Sicanian and Ausonian tribes, and oft the land of Saturn lost its name. New chieftains rose, and Thybris, giant King and violent, from whom th' Italians named the flooding Tiber , which was called no more the Albula, its true and ancient style. Myself, in exile from my fatherland sailing uncharted seas, was guided here by all-disposing Chance and iron laws of Destiny. With prophecy severe Carmentis, my nymph-mother, thrust me on, warned by Apollo's word.” He scarce had said, when near their path he showed an altar fair and the Carmental gate, where Romans see memorial of Carmentis, nymph divine, the prophetess of fate, who first foretold what honors on Aeneas' sons should fall and lordly Pallanteum, where they dwell. Next the vast grove was seen, where Romulus ordained inviolable sanctuary; then the Lupercal under its cold crag, Wolf-hill, where old Arcadians revered their wolf-god, the Lycaean Pan. Here too the grove of Argiletum, sacred name, where good Evander told the crime and death of Argus, his false guest. From this they climbed the steep Tarpeian hill, the Capitol, all gold to-day, but then a tangled wild of thorny woodland. Even then the place woke in the rustics a religious awe, and bade them fear and tremble at the view of that dread rock and grove. “This leafy wood, which crowns the hill-top, is the favored seat of some great god,” said he, “but of his name we know not surely. The Arcadians say jove's dread right hand here visibly appears to shake his aegis in the darkening storm, the clouds compelling. Yonder rise in view two strongholds with dismantled walls, which now are but a memory of great heroes gone: one father Janus built, and Saturn one; their names, Saturnia and Janiculum.” 'Mid such good parley to the house they came of King Evander, unadorned and plain, whence herds of browsing cattle could be seen ranging the Forum, and loud-bellowing in proud Carinae. As they entered there, “Behold,” said he, “the threshold that received Alcides in his triumph! This abode he made his own. Dare, O illustrious guest, to scorn the pomp of power. Shape thy soul to be a god's fit follower. Enter here, and free from pride our frugal welcome share.” So saying, 'neath his roof-tree scant and low he led the great Aeneas, offering him a couch of leaves with Libyan bear-skin spread. Now night drew near, enfolding the wide world in shadowy wings. But Venus, sore disturbed, vexed not unwisely her maternal breast, fearing Laurentum's menace and wild stir of obstinate revolt, and made her plea to Vulcan in their nuptial bower of gold, outbreathing in the music of her words celestial love: “When warring Argive kings brought ruin on Troy 's sacred citadel and ramparts soon to sink in hostile flames, I asked not thee to help that hopeless woe, nor craved thy craft and power. For, dearest lord, I would not tax in vain shine arduous toil, though much to Priam's children I was bound, and oft to see Aeneas burdened sore I could but weep. But now by will of Jove he has found foothold in Rutulian lands. Therefore I come at last with lowly suit before a godhead I adore, and pray for gift of arms,—a mother for her son. Thou wert not unrelenting to the tears of Nereus' daughter or Tithonus' bride. Behold what tribes conspire, what cities strong behind barred gates now make the falchion keen to ruin and blot out both me and mine!” So spake the goddess, as her arms of snow around her hesitating spouse she threw in tender, close embrace. He suddenly knew the familiar fire, and o'er his frame its wonted ardor unresisted ran, swift as the glittering shaft of thunder cleaves the darkened air and on from cloud to cloud the rift of lightning runs. She, joyful wife; felt what her beauty and her guile could do; as, thralled by love unquenchable, her spouse thus answered fair: “Why wilt thou labor so with far-fetched pleas? my goddess, hast thou lost thy faith in me? Had such a prayer been shine, I could have armed the Teucrians. Neither Jove nor Destiny had grudged ten added years of life to Troy and Priam. If to-day thou hast a war in hand, and if thy heart determine so, I willingly engage to lend thee all my cunning; whatsoever molten alloy or welded iron can, whate'er my roaring forge and flames achieve, I offer thee. No more in anxious prayer distrust thy beauty's power.” So saying, he gave embrace of mutual desire, and found deep, peaceful sleep, on her fond heart reclined.