He consults Albunea, which, greatest of the groves, resounds with its sacred fountain and, dark, exhales a savage pestilential vapor.
§7.85Hinc Italae gentes omnisque Oenotria tellus §7.86in dubiis responsa petunt; huc dona sacerdos §7.87cum tulit et caesarum ovium sub nocte silenti §7.88pellibus incubuit stratis somnosque petivit, §7.89multa modis simulacra videt volitantia miris §7.90et varias audit voces fruiturque deorum §7.91conloquio atque imis Acheronta adfatur Avernis.
Hence the Italian nations and all the Oenotrian land seek responses in doubtful times; hither when the priest has brought gifts and, under the silent night, has lain down on the spread skins of slaughtered sheep and sought sleep, he sees many phantoms flitting in wondrous ways, and hears various voices, and enjoys the conversation of the gods, and addresses Acheron in the depths of Avernus.
§7.92Hic et tum pater ipse petens responsa Latinus §7.93centum lanigeras mactabat rite bidentis §7.94atque harum effultus tergo stratisque iacebat §7.95velleribus: subita ex alto vox reddita luco est: §7.96Ne pete conubiis natam sociare Latinis, §7.97O mea progenies, thalamis neu crede paratis: §7.98externi venient generi, qui sanguine nostrum §7.99nomen in astra ferant quorumque a stirpe nepotes §7.100omnia sub pedibus, qua Sol utrumque recurrens §7.101aspicit Oceanum, vertique regique videbunt. §7.102Haec responsa patris Fauni monitusque silenti §7.103nocte datos non ipse suo premit ore Latinus, §7.104sed circum late volitans iam Fama per urbes §7.105Ausonias tulerat, cum Laomedontia pubes §7.106gramineo ripae religavit ab aggere classem.
Here then also father Latinus himself, seeking responses, was ritually sacrificing a hundred wool-bearing sheep, and, supported on their backs and lying on the spread fleeces, a sudden voice was returned from the deep grove: "Do not seek to ally your daughter in Latin marriages, O my offspring, nor trust in the prepared bridal-chambers: foreign sons-in-law will come, who by their blood shall carry our name to the stars, and from whose stock descendants shall see all things turned and ruled beneath their feet, wherever the recurring Sun looks upon each Ocean." These responses of father Faunus and the warnings given in the silent night Latinus did not keep shut in his own mouth, but Fame, already flying far and wide through the Ausonian cities, had carried them, when the Laomedontian youth tied their fleet to the grassy mound of the river-bank.
§7.107Aeneas primique duces et pulcher Iulus §7.108corpora sub ramis deponunt arboris altae §7.109instituuntque dapes et adorea liba per herbam §7.110subiciunt epulis (sic Iuppiter ipse monebat) §7.111et Cereale solum pomis agrestibus augent.
Aeneas, the chief leaders, and beautiful Iulus lay their bodies down beneath the branches of a tall tree, and arrange a feast, and place wheaten cakes along the grass beneath the food (so Jupiter himself advised), and crown this wheaten base with wild fruits.
§7.112Consumptis hic forte aliis ut vertere morsus §7.113exiguam in Cererem penuria adegit edendi §7.114et violare manu malisque audacibus orbem §7.115fatalis crusti patulis nec parcere quadris: §7.116Heus! etiam mensas consumimus,
inquit Iulus, §7.117nec plura adludens.
Here, when the other things were by chance consumed, as the scarcity of food drove them to turn their teeth upon the scanty Ceres, and to violate with their hands and bold jaws the circle of the fateful crust, and not to spare the broad quarters: "Ho! are we eating our tables too?" said Iulus, and jesting no further.
Ea vox audita laborum §7.118prima tulit finem, primamque loquentis ab ore §7.119eripuit pater ac stupefactus numine pressit.
This word, when heard, first brought an end to their labors, and first did his father snatch it from the mouth of the speaker, and, astounded by the divine omen, stopped his speech.
§7.120Continuo:
Salve fatis mihi debita tellus §7.121vosque,
ait,
O fidi Troiae salvete penates: §7.122hic domus, haec patria est.
Immediately: "Hail, O land owed to me by the fates, and hail to you," he says, "O faithful Penates of Troy: here is our home, this is our fatherland.
Genitor mihi talia namque §7.123(nunc repeto) Anchises fatorum arcana reliquit: §7.124cum te, nate, fames ignota ad litora vectum §7.125accisis coget dapibus consumere mensas, §7.126tum sperare domos defessus ibique memento §7.127prima locare manu molirique aggere tecta. §7.128Haec erat illa fames; haec nos suprema manebat, §7.129exiliis positura modum.
For my father Anchises left to me such secrets of the fates (now I recall): 'When, my son, hunger shall compel you, carried to unknown shores, to consume your tables when food is exhausted, then remember, though weary, to hope for homes, and there first to place dwellings with your hand and build them with a mound.' This was that hunger; this supreme trial remained for us, destined to set a limit to our exiles.
§7.130Quare agite et primo laeti cum lumine solis §7.131quae loca, quive habeant homines, ubi moenia gentis, §7.132vestigemus et a portu diversa petamus.
Wherefore come, and joyful with the first light of the sun, let us search out what places these are, or what men hold them, where the city of the nation is, and let us seek different directions from the harbor.
§7.133Nunc pateras libate Iovi precibusque vocate §7.134Anchisen genitorem, et vina reponite mensis. §7.135Sic deinde effatus frondenti tempora ramo §7.136implicat et geniumque loci primamque deorum §7.137Tellurem nymphasque et adhuc ignota precatur §7.138flumina, tum Noctem Noctisque orientia signa §7.139Idaeumque Iovem Phrygiamque ex ordine matrem §7.140invocat et duplicis caeloque ereboque parentis.
Now pour libations from bowls to Jupiter, and call in prayer upon father Anchises, and replace the wine on the tables." Having thus spoken, he then wreaths his temples with a leafy branch, and prays to the genius of the place, and to Earth, the first of the gods, and the nymphs, and the rivers still unknown; then he invokes Night and the rising stars of Night, and Idaean Jupiter, and the Phrygian Mother in order, and his two parents in heaven and Erebus.
§7.141Hic pater omnipotens ter caelo clarus ab alto §7.142intonuit radiisque ardentem lucis et auro §7.143ipse manu quatiens ostendit ab aethere nubem.
Here the almighty Father thundered aloud three times from the high heaven, and himself, shaking it with his hand, showed from the sky a cloud burning with rays of light and gold.
Here suddenly a rumor is spread through the Trojan ranks that the day has arrived on which they are to build their destined walls.
Eagerly they renew the feast, and joyful at the great omen, they set up the mixing-bowls and crown the wines.
§7.148Postera cum prima lustrabat lampade terras §7.149orta dies, urbem et finis et litora gentis §7.150diversi explorant: haec fontis stagna Numici, §7.151hunc Thybrim fluvium, hic fortis habitare Latinos.
When the next day, having arisen, was illuminating the lands with its first lamp, they explore the city, boundaries, and shores of the nation in different directions: [finding that] these are the pools of the fountain of Numicus, this is the river Tiber, here dwell the brave Latins.
§7.152Tum satus Anchisa delectos ordine ab omni §7.153centum oratores augusta ad moenia regis §7.154ire iubet, ramis velatos Palladis omnis, §7.155donaque ferre viro pacemque exposcere Teucris.
Then the son of Anchises orders a hundred envoys, chosen from every rank, to go to the august walls of the king, all veiled with the branches of Pallas, and to bear gifts to the hero and ask for peace for the Trojans.
No delay: being bidden they hasten, and are borne with rapid steps.
Ipse humili designat moenia fossa §7.158moliturque locum primasque in litore sedes §7.159castrorum in morem pinnis atque aggere cingit.
He himself marks out the walls with a shallow ditch, and works upon the place, and surrounds their first dwellings on the shore, after the manner of a camp, with battlements and a mound.
And now, having measured out their journey, the young men were beholding the lofty towers and dwellings of the Latins, and were drawing near the wall.