No sooner were his eyes in slumber bound, When, from above, a more than mortal sound Invades his ears; and thus the vision spoke:
"Seek not, my seed, in Latian bands to yoke Our fair Lavinia, nor the gods provoke.
A foreign son upon thy shore descends, Whose martial fame from pole to pole extends.
His race, in arms and arts of peace renown'd, Not Latium shall contain, nor Europe bound:
'T is theirs whate'er the sun surveys around."These answers, in the silent night receiv'd, The king himself divulg'd, the land believ'd:
The fame thro' all the neighb'ring nations flew, When now the Trojan navy was in view.
Beneath a shady tree, the hero spread His table on the turf, with cakes of bread;And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed.
They sate; and, (not without the god's command,)Their homely fare dispatch'd, the hungry band Invade their trenchers next, and soon devour, To mend the scanty meal, their cakes of flour.
Ascanius this observ'd, and smiling said:
"See, we devour the plates on which we fed."The speech had omen, that the Trojan race Should find repose, and this the time and place.
Aeneas took the word, and thus replies, Confessing fate with wonder in his eyes:
"All hail, O earth! all hail, my household gods!
Behold the destin'd place of your abodes!
For thus Anchises prophesied of old, And this our fatal place of rest foretold:
'When, on a foreign shore, instead of meat, By famine forc'd, your trenchers you shall eat, Then ease your weary Trojans will attend, And the long labors of your voyage end.
Remember on that happy coast to build, And with a trench inclose the fruitful field.'
This was that famine, this the fatal place Which ends the wand'ring of our exil'd race.
Then, on to-morrow's dawn, your care employ, To search the land, and where the cities lie, And what the men; but give this day to joy.
Now pour to Jove; and, after Jove is blest, Call great Anchises to the genial feast:
Crown high the goblets with a cheerful draught;Enjoy the present hour; adjourn the future thought."Thus having said, the hero bound his brows With leafy branches, then perform'd his vows;Adoring first the genius of the place, Then Earth, the mother of the heav'nly race, The nymphs, and native godheads yet unknown, And Night, and all the stars that gild her sable throne, And ancient Cybel, and Idaean Jove, And last his sire below, and mother queen above.