“Seed of the gods! who bringest to my shore thy Trojan city wrested from her foe, a stronghold everlasting, Latium 's plain and fair Laurentum long have looked for thee. Here truly is thy home. Turn not away. Here the true guardians of thy hearth shall be. Fear not the gathering war. The wrath of Heaven has stilled its swollen wave. A sign I tell: Lest thou shouldst deem this message of thy sleep a vain, deluding dream, thou soon shalt find in the oak-copses on my margent green, a huge sow, with her newly-littered brood of thirty young; along the ground she lies, snow-white, and round her udders her white young. There shall thy city stand, and there thy toil shall find untroubled rest. After the lapse of thrice ten rolling years, Ascanius shall found a city there of noble name, White-City, Alba; 't is no dream I sing! But I instruct thee now by what wise way th' impending wars may bring thee victory: receive the counsel, though the words be few: within this land are men of Arcady, of Pallas' line, who, following in the train of King Evander and his men-at-arms, built them a city in the hills, and chose (honoring Pallas, their Pelasgian sire), the name of Pallanteum. They make war incessant with the Latins. Therefore call this people to thy side and bind them close in federated power. My channel fair and shaded shore shall guide thee where they dwell, and thy strong oarsmen on my waters borne shall mount my falling stream. Rise, goddess-born, and ere the starlight fade give honor due to Juno, and with supplicating vow avert her wrath and frown. But unto me make offering in thy victorious hour, in time to come. I am the copious flood which thou beholdest chafing at yon shores and parting fruitful fields: cerulean stream of Tiber , favored greatly of high Heaven. here shall arise my house magnificent, a city of all cities chief and crown.” So spake the river-god, and sank from view down to his deepest cave; then night and sleep together from Aeneas fled away. He rose, and to the orient beams of morn his forehead gave; in both his hollowed palms he held the sacred waters of the stream, and called aloud: “O ye Laurentian nymphs, whence flowing rills be born, and chiefly thou, O Father Tiber , worshipped stream divine, accept Aeneas, and from peril save! If in some hallowed lake or haunted spring thy power, pitying my woes, abides, or wheresoe'er the blessed place be found whence first thy beauty flows, there evermore my hands shall bring thee gift and sacrifice. O chief and sovereign of Hesperian streams, O river-god that hold'st the plenteous horn, protect us, and confirm thy words divine!” He spoke; then chose twin biremes from the fleet, gave them good gear and armed their loyal crews. But, lo! a sudden wonder met his eyes: white gleaming through the grove, with all her brood white like herself, on the green bank the Sow stretched prone. The good Aeneas slew her there, Great Juno, for a sacrifice to thee, himself the priest, and with the sucklings all beside shine altar stood. So that whole night the god of Tiber calmed his swollen wave, ebbing or lingering in silent flow, till like some gentle lake or sleeping pool his even waters lay, and strove no more against the oarsmen's toil. Upon their way they speed with joyful sound; the well-oiled wood slips through the watery floor; the wondering waves, and all the virgin forests wondering, behold the warriors in far-shining arms their painted galleys up the current drive. O'er the long reaches of the winding flood their sturdy oars outweary the slow course of night and day. Fair groves of changeful green arch o'er their passage, and they seem to cleave green forests in the tranquil wave below. Now had the flaming sun attained his way to the mid-sphere of heaven, when they discerned walls and a citadel in distant view, with houses few and far between; 't was there, where sovran Rome to-day has rivalled Heaven, Evander's realm its slender strength displayed: swiftly they turned their prows and neared the town. It chanced th' Arcadian King had come that day to honor Hercules, Amphitryon's son, and to the powers divine pay worship due in groves outside the wall. Beside him stood Pallas his son, his noblest men-at-arms, and frugal senators, who at the shrines burnt incense, while warm blood of victims flowed. But when they saw the tall ships in the shade of that dark forest plying noiseless oars, the sudden sight alarmed, and all the throng sprang to its feet and left the feast divine. But dauntless Pallas bade them give not o'er the sacred festival, and spear in hand flew forward to a bit of rising ground, and cried from far: “Hail, warriors! what cause drives you to lands unknown, and whither bound? Your kin, your country? Bring ye peace or war?” Father Aeneas then held forth a bough of peaceful olive from the lofty ship, thus answering : “Men Trojan-born are we, foes of the Latins, who have driven us forth with insolent assault. We fain would see Evander. Pray, deliver this, and say that chosen princes of Dardania sue for his help in arms.” So wonder fell on Pallas, awestruck at such mighty name. O, come, whoe'er thou art,” he said, “and speak in presence of my father. Enter here, guest of our hearth and altar.” He put forth his right hand in true welcome, and they stood with lingering clasp; then hand in hand advanced up the steep woodland, leaving Tiber 's wave. Aeneas to Evander speaking fair, these words essayed: “O best of Grecian-born! whom Fortune's power now bids me seek and sue, lifting this olive-branch with fillets bound, I have not feared thee, though I know thou art a Greek, and an Arcadian king, allied to the two sons of Atreus. For behold, my conscious worth, great oracles from Heaven, the kinship of our sires, thy own renown spread through the world—all knit my cause with thine, all make me glad my fates have so decreed. The sire and builder of the Trojan town was Dardanus; but he, Electra's child, came over sea to Teucria; the sire of fair Electra was great Atlas, he whose shoulder carries the vast orb of heaven. But thy progenitor was Mercury, and him conceiving, Maia, that white maid, on hoar Cyllene's frosty summit bore. But Maia's sire, if aught of truth be told, was Atlas also, Atlas who sustains the weight of starry skies. Thus both our tribes are one divided stem. Secure in this, no envoys have I sent, nor tried thy mind with artful first approaches, but myself, risking my person and my life, have come a suppliant here. For both on me and thee the house of Daunus hurls insulting war. If us they quell, they doubt not to obtain lordship of all Hesperia, and subdue alike the northern and the southern sea. Accept good faith, and give! Behold, our hearts quail not in battle; souls of fire are we, and warriors proved in many an action brave.”