Page:Aeneid (Conington 1866).djvu/47

Rh Penthesilea leads afield

The sisters of the moony shield,

One naked breast conspicuous shown

By looping of her golden zone,

And burns with all the battle's heat,

A maid, the shock of men to meet.

While thus with passionate amaze

Æneas stood in one set gaze,

Queen Dido with a warrior train

In beauty's pride approached the fane.

As when upon Eurotas' banks

Or Cynthus' summits high

Diana leads the Oread ranks

In choric revelry,

Girt with her quiver, straight and tall,

Though all be gods, she towers o'er all;

Latona's mild maternal eyes

Beam with unspoken ecstasies:

So Dido looked; so 'mid the throng

With joyous step she moved along,

As pressing on to antedate

The birthday of her nascent state.

Then, 'neath the temple's roofing shell,

On stairs that mount the inner cell,

Throned on a chair of queenly state,

Hemmed round by glittering arms, she sate.

Thus circled by religious awe

She gives the gathered people law,

By chance-drawn lot or studious care

Assigning each his labour's share.

When lo! a concourse to the fane:

He looks: amid the shouting train

Lost Antheus and Sergestus pressed,

And brave Cloanthus, and the rest,

Driven by fierce gales the water o'er,

And landed on a different shore.