140

Invades his ears; and thus the vision spoke:
"Seek not, my seed, in Latian bands to yoke
Our fair Lavinia, nor the gods provoke.
A foreign son upon the shore descends,
Whose martial fame from pole to pole extends.
His race, in arms and arts of peace renown'd,
Not Latium shall contain, nor Europe bound:
'Tis theirs whate'er the sun surveys around."
These answers, in the silent night receiv'd,
The king himself divulg'd, the land believ'd:
The fame through all the neighb'ring nations flew,
When now the Trojan navy was in view.

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150

Beneath a shady tree, the hero spread His table on the turf, with cakes of bread; And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed. They sate; and, (not without the god's command) Their homely fare dispatch'd, the hungry band 155 Invade their trenchers next, and soon devour, To mend the scanty meal, their cakes of flour. Ascanius this observ'd, and, smiling, said, "See! we devour the plates on which we fed." The speech had omen, that the Trojan race Should find repose, and this the time and place. Æneas took the word, and thus replies: (Confessing fate with wonder in his eyes)

160

"All hail, O earth! all hail, my household gods!

Behold the destin'd place of your abodes!
For thus Anchises prophesy'd of old,

And this our fatal place of rest foretold :

"When, on a foreign shore, instead of meat,

165

By famine forc'd, your trenchers you shall eat,

"Then ease your weary Trojans will attend,

"And the long labours of your voyage

end.

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175

"Remember on that happy coast to build;
"And with a trench inclose the fruitful field."
This was that famine, this the fatal place,
Which ends the wand'ring of our exil'd race.
Then, on to-morrow's dawn, your care employ,
To search the land, and where the cities lie,
And what the men; but give this day to joy.
Now pour to Jove; and, after Jove is blest,
Call
great Anchises to the genial feast :
Crown high the goblets with a cheerful draught :
Enjoy the present hour; adjourn the future thought."

Thus having said, the hero bound his brows
With leafy branches, then perform'd his vows;
Adoring first the genius of the place,

Then Earth, the mother of the heav'nly race,

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185

The nymphs, and native godheads yet unknown, And Night, and all the stars that gild her sable throne, And ancient Cybel, and Idæan Jove,

And last his sire below, and mother queen above. 190

> Then heav'n's high monarch thunder'd thrice aloud;

And thrice he shook aloft a golden cloud.

Soon through the joyful camp a rumour flew,
The time was come their city to renew.

Then ev'ry brow with cheerful green is crown'd; 195
The feasts are doubled, and the bowls go round.

When next the rosy morn disclos'd the day,

The scouts to sev'ral parts divide their way,

To learn the natives' names, their towns explore,
The coasts, and trendings of the crooked shore: 200
Here Tyber flows, and here Numicus stands;

Here warlike Latins hold the happy lands.
The pious chief, who sought by peaceful ways
To found his empire, and his town to raise,
A hundred youths from all his train selects,
And to the Latian court their course directs,
(The spacious palace where their prince resides)
And all their heads with wreaths of olive hides.
They go commission'd to require a peace,

And carry presents to procure access.

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210

Thus while they speed their pace, the prince designs

The new-elected seat, and draws the lines.

The Trojans round the place a rampire cast,

And palisades about the trenches plac'd.

Meantime the train, proceeding on their way, 215

From far the town and lofty tow'rs survey;