Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/218

 threading rich cultured lands, sea-green Tiber, the river whom gods love best. Here rises my royal palace, the crown of lofty cities." The river-god said, and plunged into his deep pool, down to the bottom; night and sleep at once fled from Æneas. He rises, and with his eyes     5 fixed on the sun's rays just dawning on the sky, he lifts up in due form water from the river in the hollow of his hands, and pours forth to heaven words like these: "Nymphs, Laurentian nymphs, whence rivers derive their birth, and thou, father Tiber, with thy hallowed flood,     10 take Æneas to your bosom, and at last relieve him from perils. Whatever the spring of the pool where thou dwellest in thy pity for our troubles, whatever the soil whence thy goodly stream arises, ever shalt thou be honoured by me with sacrifice, ever with offerings, the     15 river with the crescent horn, the monarch of Hesperian waters. Be but thou present, and confirm by thy deed thy heavenly tokens." So saying, he chooses two biremes from the fleet and fits them with rowers, while he gives his comrades arms to wear.     20

When lo, a sudden portent marvellous to view—stretched in milk-white length along the sward, herself of one hue with her white litter, conspicuous on the verdant bank is seen a sow, whom pious Æneas to thee, even to thee, mightiest Juno, immolates in sacrifice, and sets her     25 with all her brood before the altar. That whole night long Tiber smoothed his brimming stream, and so stood with hushed waves, half recoiling, as to lay down a watery floor as of some gentle lake or peaceful pool, that the oar might have nought to struggle with. So they begin their     30 voyage and speed with auspicious cheers. Smooth along the surface floats the anointed pine: marvelling stand the waters, marvelling the unwonted wood, to see the warriors' shields gleaming far along the stream, and the painted vessels gliding between the banks. The rowers     35 give no rest to night or day, as they surmount the long meanders, sweep under the fringe of diverse trees, and cut through the woods that look green in the still expanse.