“Seed of the gods! who bringest to my shorethy Trojan city wrested from her foe,a stronghold everlasting, Latium's plainand 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 Heavenhas stilled its swollen wave. A sign I tell:Lest thou shouldst deem this message of thy sleepa vain, deluding dream, thou soon shalt findin the oak-copses on my margent green,a huge sow, with her newly-littered broodof thirty young; along the ground she lies,snow-white, and round her udders her white young.There shall thy city stand, and there thy toilshall find untroubled rest. After the lapseof thrice ten rolling years, Ascaniusshall found a city there of noble name,White-City, Alba; 't is no dream I sing!But I instruct thee now by what wise wayth' 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 trainof 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 warincessant with the Latins. Therefore call this people to thy side and bind them closein federated power. My channel fairand shaded shore shall guide thee where they dwell,and thy strong oarsmen on my waters borneshall mount my falling stream. Rise, goddess-born,and ere the starlight fade give honor dueto Juno, and with supplicating vowavert her wrath and frown. But unto memake offering in thy victorious hour,in time to come. I am the copious floodwhich thou beholdest chafing at yon shoresand parting fruitful fields: cerulean streamof 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 viewdown to his deepest cave; then night and sleeptogether from Aeneas fled away.He rose, and to the orient beams of mornhis forehead gave; in both his hollowed palmshe 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 springthy power, pitying my woes, abides,or wheresoe'er the blessed place be foundwhence first thy beauty flows, there evermoremy 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 broodwhite like herself, on the green bank the Sowstretched prone. The good Aeneas slew her there,Great Juno, for a sacrifice to thee,himself the priest, and with the sucklings allbeside shine altar stood. So that whole nightthe god of Tiber calmed his swollen wave,ebbing or lingering in silent flow,till like some gentle lake or sleeping poolhis even waters lay, and strove no moreagainst the oarsmen's toil. Upon their waythey speed with joyful sound; the well-oiled woodslips through the watery floor; the wondering waves,and all the virgin forests wondering,behold the warriors in far-shining armstheir painted galleys up the current drive.O'er the long reaches of the winding floodtheir sturdy oars outweary the slow courseof night and day. Fair groves of changeful greenarch o'er their passage, and they seem to cleavegreen forests in the tranquil wave below.Now had the flaming sun attained his wayto the mid-sphere of heaven, when they discernedwalls 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 dayto honor Hercules, Amphitryon's son,and to the powers divine pay worship duein groves outside the wall. Beside him stoodPallas his son, his noblest men-at-arms,and frugal senators, who at the shrinesburnt incense, while warm blood of victims flowed.But when they saw the tall ships in the shadeof that dark forest plying noiseless oars,the sudden sight alarmed, and all the throngsprang to its feet and left the feast divine.But dauntless Pallas bade them give not o'erthe sacred festival, and spear in handflew forward to a bit of rising ground,and cried from far: “Hail, warriors! what causedrives you to lands unknown, and whither bound?Your kin, your country? Bring ye peace or war?”Father Aeneas then held forth a boughof peaceful olive from the lofty ship,thus answering : “Men Trojan-born are we,foes of the Latins, who have driven us forthwith insolent assault. We fain would seeEvander. Pray, deliver this, and saythat chosen princes of Dardaniasue for his help in arms.” So wonder fellon Pallas, awestruck at such mighty name.O, come, whoe'er thou art,” he said, “and speakin presence of my father. Enter here,guest of our hearth and altar.” He put forthhis right hand in true welcome, and they stoodwith lingering clasp; then hand in hand advancedup 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 arta Greek, and an Arcadian king, alliedto the two sons of Atreus. For behold,my conscious worth, great oracles from Heaven,the kinship of our sires, thy own renownspread 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 townwas Dardanus; but he, Electra's child,came over sea to Teucria; the sireof fair Electra was great Atlas, hewhose 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 sustainsthe weight of starry skies. Thus both our tribesare one divided stem. Secure in this,no envoys have I sent, nor tried thy mindwith artful first approaches, but myself,risking my person and my life, have comea suppliant here. For both on me and theethe house of Daunus hurls insulting war.If us they quell, they doubt not to obtainlordship of all Hesperia, and subduealike the northern and the southern sea.Accept good faith, and give! Behold, our heartsquail not in battle; souls of fire are we,and warriors proved in many an action brave.”