her
chariot turret-crowned through the Phrygian cities, glad in the gods she
hath borne, clasping an hundred of her children's children, all
habitants of heaven, all dwellers on the upper heights. Hither now bend
thy twin-eyed gaze; behold this people, the Romans that are thine. Here
is Caesar and all Iuelus' posterity that shall arise under the mighty
cope of heaven. Here is he, he of whose promise once and again thou
hearest, Caesar Augustus, a god's son, who shall again establish the
ages of gold in Latium over the fields that once were Saturn's realm,
and carry his empire afar to Garamant and Indian, to the land that lies
beyond our stars, beyond the sun's yearlong ways, where Atlas the
sky-bearer wheels on his shoulder the glittering star-spangled pole.
Before his coming even now the kingdoms of the Caspian shudder at
oracular answers, and the Maeotic land and the mouths of sevenfold Nile
flutter in alarm. Nor indeed did Alcides traverse such spaces of earth,
though he pierced the brazen-footed deer, or though he stilled the
Erymanthian woodlands and made Lerna tremble at his bow: nor he who
sways his team with reins of vine, Liber the conqueror, when he drives
his tigers from Nysa's lofty crest. And do we yet hesitate to give
valour scope in deeds, or shrink in fear from setting foot on Ausonian
land? Ah, and who is he apart, marked out with sprays of olive, offering
sacrifice? I know the locks and hoary chin of the king of Rome who shall
establish the infant city in his [811-843]laws, sent from little Cures'
sterile land to the majesty of empire. To him Tullus shall next succeed,
who shall break the peace of his country and stir to arms men rusted
from war and armies now disused to triumphs; and hard on him
over-vaunting Ancus follows, even now too elate in popular breath. Wilt
thou see also the Tarquin kings, and the haughty soul of Brutus the
Avenger, and the fasces regained? He shall first receive a consul's
power and the merciless axes, and when his children would stir fresh
war, the father, for fair freedom's sake, shall summon them to doom.
Unhappy! yet howsoever posterity shall take the deed, love of country
and limitless passion for honour shall prevail. Nay, behold apart the
Decii and the Drusi, Torquatus with his cruel axe, and Camillus
returning with the standards. Yonder souls likewise, whom thou
discernest gleaming in equal arms, at one now, while shut in Night, ah
me! what mutual war, what battle-lin