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Notes Do not display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VII Chapter 9: Aeneas visits Latinus | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
Soon as the morrow with the lamp of dawn looked o'er the world, they took their separate ways, exploring shore and towns; here spread the pools and fountain of Numicius; here they see the river Tiber, where bold Latins dwell. Anchises' son chose out from his brave band a hundred envoys, bidding them depart to the king's sacred city, each enwreathed with Pallas' silver leaf; and gifts they bear to plead for peace and friendship at his throne. While on this errand their swift steps are sped, Aeneas, by a shallow moat and small, his future city shows, breaks ground, and girds with mound and breastwork like a camp of war the Trojans' first abode. Soon, making way to where the Latin citadel uprose, the envoys scanned the battlements, and paused beneath its wall. Outside the city gates fair youths and striplings in life's early bloom course with swift steeds, or steer through dusty cloud the whirling chariot, or stretch stout bows, or hurl the seasoned javelin, or strive in boxing-bout and foot-race: one of these made haste on horseback to the aged king, with tidings of a stranger company in foreign garb approaching. The good king [Note 1] bade call them to his house, and took his seat in mid-court on his high, ancestral throne. Note 1: king = Latinus Event: Aeneas comes to Latium |
148-169 Postera cum prima lustrabat lampade terras orta dies, urbem et finis et litora gentis diuersi explorant: haec fontis stagna Numici, hunc Thybrim fluuium, hic fortis habitare Latinos. tum satus Anchisa delectos ordine ab omni centum oratores augusta ad moenia regis ire iubet, ramis uelatos Palladis omnis, donaque ferre uiro pacemque exposcere Teucris. haud mora, festinant iussi rapidisque feruntur passibus. ipse humili designat moenia fossa moliturque locum, primasque in litore sedes castrorum in morem pinnis atque aggere cingit. iamque iter emensi turris ac tecta Latinorum ardua cernebant iuuenes muroque subibant. ante urbem pueri et primaeuo flore iuuentus exercentur equis domitantque in puluere currus, aut acris tendunt arcus aut lenta lacertis spicula contorquent, cursuque ictuque lacessunt: cum praeuectus equo longaeui regis ad auris nuntius ingentis ignota in ueste reportat aduenisse uiros. ille intra tecta uocari imperat et solio medius consedit auito. |