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Notes Do not display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VIII Chapter 25: Venus gives Aeneas his new armoury | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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But now athwart the darkening air of heaven came Venus gleaming bright, to bring her son [Note 1] the gifts divine. In deep, sequestered vale she found him by a cooling rill retired, and hailed him thus: Behold the promised gift, by craft and power of my Olympian spouse made perfect, that my son need never fear Laurentum's haughty host, nor to provoke fierce Turnus to the fray. Cythera's Queen so saying, embraced her son, and hung the arms, all glittering, on an oak that stood thereby. The hero, with exultant heart and proud, gazing unwearied at his mother's gift, surveys them close, and poises in his hands the helmet's dreadful crest and glancing flame, the sword death-dealing, and the corselet strong, impenetrable brass, blood-red and large, like some dark-lowering, purple cloud that gleams beneath the smiting sun and flashes far its answering ray; and burnished greaves were there, fine gold and amber; then the spear and shield -- the shield -- of which the blazonry divine exceeds all power to tell. Thereon were seen Italia's story and triumphant Rome, wrought by the Lord of Fire [Note 2], who was not blind to lore inspired and prophesying song, fore-reading things to come. He pictured there Iulus' destined line of glorious sons marshalled for many a war. Note 1: son = Aeneas Events: The Gods interfere in the Aeneid, The shield of Aeneas |
608-629 At Venus aetherios inter dea candida nimbos dona ferens aderat; natumque in ualle reducta ut procul egelido secretum flumine uidit, talibus adfata est dictis seque obtulit ultro: 'en perfecta mei promissa coniugis arte munera. ne mox aut Laurentis, nate, superbos aut acrem dubites in proelia poscere Turnum.' dixit, et amplexus nati Cytherea petiuit, arma sub aduersa posuit radiantia quercu. ille deae donis et tanto laetus honore expleri nequit atque oculos per singula uoluit, miraturque interque manus et bracchia uersat terribilem cristis galeam flammasque uomentem, fatiferumque ensem, loricam ex aere rigentem, sanguineam, ingentem, qualis cum caerula nubes solis inardescit radiis longeque refulget; tum leuis ocreas electro auroque recocto, hastamque et clipei non enarrabile textum. Illic res Italas Romanorumque triumphos haud uatum ignarus uenturique inscius aeui fecerat ignipotens, illic genus omne futurae stirpis ab Ascanio pugnataque in ordine bella. |