Aeneid (19 BC)
The weary followers of Aeneas hasten to seek course for the shores which are nearest, and turned to the Libyan shore. There is a place in a long inlet: an island forms a harbor by the barrier of its sides, on which every wave from the deep is broken, and splits itself into folds having been brought back. From this side and this side vast cliffs and twin rocks tower in the sky, under the summit of which the seas, protected, are silent, far and wide; then there is a background of waving forests from above, and a dark grove overhangs with shuddering shade. Under the opposite face is a cave with hanging rocks, within, sweet water and seats of living rock, home of the nymphs. Here, no chains held any tired ships, no anchor binds with curved flukes. Here, Aeneas enters, seven ships having been gathered out of all the multitude; and with great love of land, the Trojans having disembarked gain the sand having been chosen and place their limbs dripping with saltwater on the shore. And first Achates struck out a spark from a flint and catches fire from the leaves and gives dry fuel around and snatched up flame in the tinder. Then, tired of events, they bring out grain having been spoiled by the waves and utensils of Ceres and prepare to roast the grain having been recovered with flames and crush with a rock.
Meanwhile, Aeneas climbs a crag, and seeks a view far and wide on the whole sea, if he should see any Antheus, tossed by the wind and his Phrygian biremes, or Capys, or Caicus’s arms lofty on the stern. There are no ships in sight, he looks out on three stags wandering on the shore; an entire herd follows from their back and feed long line widely through the valley. He stopped there and snatched in his hand a bow and a swift arrow, the spear which loyal Achates was carrying, and first he lays low the leaders themselves bearing high heads of branching horns, then the herd and driving with weapons he mingles all the crowd amidst the leafy grove; nor does he as conqueror stop until he lays low seven huge carcasses on the ground, equal in number with his ships. From here he seeks the harbour, and divides them among all his friends. Then the wine that the good Acestes had stowed in jars on the Sicilian shore, which the hero had given to the ones going away, he then divides and calmed their sad hearts with words:
“Oh friends (nor indeed are we inexperienced of misfortunes before), Oh you having endured more serious things, the god will give an end also to this. You have both approached the fury of Scylla, and the deep cliffs resounding within, and you have experienced the Cyclopean rocks: recall your courage and send away sad fears: perhaps one day you will even delight in remembering this. Through varied misfortunes, through so many crises of things, we strive into Latium, where the fates show peaceful seats, there is right for a kingdom of Troy to rise again in that place. Endure, and preserve yourselves for favourable things.”He relates such things with a voice, sick with weighty cares, he feigns hope with his face, he represses deep grief in his heart. Those ones gird themselves for prey and for the future feasts: they tear the hides from the ribs and lay bare the entrails; part cut into pieces, and pierce them quivering on spits, others place bronze kettles on the shore and tend the flames. Then they call back their strength with food, and having spread out through the grass they have themselves filled of old wine and of rich venison. After hunger was taken away by feast and the tables were removed, they seek again in long conversations their allies having been lost, and they were uncertain between hope and fear, whether to believe that those called live, or have suffered the final end and no longer hear having been called. Devoted Aeneas groans especially with himself now sharp Orontes, now Amycus, and the cruel fates of Lycus and brave Gyas and brave Cloanthus.
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