Part 17 (1/2)

Dryden

Seeking Anchises a these happy shades, the two are directed to a remote valley, where, beside the waters of Oblivion, old Anchises is passing in review the long train of his posterity, marshaled in the order of their birth into the world When Anchises sees his son approaching, he cries out joyfully to him:

And are you come at last? Has love fulfilled a father's hopes and surmounted the perils of the way? Is it mine to look on your face, my son, and listen and reply as we talked of old? Yes; I was even thinking so inover the days Nor has hty seas froers, my son, that have tossed and smitten you!

Oh, how I have feared lest you should coton

Then follows a revelation of the ration of souls, the nature of soul essence, its purgation after years of contact with its old body, and its ages of preparation for another mortal habitation

Anchises now calls his son's attention to his own posterity, standing in majestic review before hio to the upper world at once, and so centuries in the land of preexistent souls The hty host of Roman worthies are marshaled here, who, as yet unknown, are to make the name of Rome known and feared or honored to the farthest bounds of earth Here stalk the shadowy forenerals, and statesmen, who on earth shall be Romulus, Numa, and Tarquin; Brutus, Decius, Camillus, Cato, and the Gracchi; the Scipios, the Fabii; Caesar and Pompey, and he whose brow shall be first to wear the iustus Caesar

And now aeneas, fortified for any hardshi+ps upon earth by these glorious visions of his posterity, turns his face back to the upper world

There are two gates of Sleep: the one, as story tells, of horn, supplying a ready exit for true spirits; the other gleah it the powers below send false drea thus, conducts his son and the Sibyl, and disate of ivory aeneas traces his way to the fleet, and returns to his co the shore for Caieta's haven The anchor is cast froton

The Trojans sail up the coast, touch once more upon the land, skirt wide past Circe's realic, and then they come to where a wide-mouthed river pours out into the sea

The sea was just reddening in the dawn, and Aurora was shi+ning down froht in saffron robe and rosy car, when all at once the winds were laid, and every breath sank in sudden sleep, and the oars pull slowly against the s out fro the trees Tiber, that beauteous river, with his gulfy rapids and the burden of his yellow sand, breaks into the main Around and above, birds of all plu the air with their notes and flying a the woods He bids his comrades turn aside and set their prows landward, and enters with joy the river's shadowed bed

Conington

Up this great stream they sail, and reach at last the spot which Fate has held in store for therasp of the hero is actually reached, and he stands upon the fated ground to which prophecy and the visions of his eager fancy have long been pointing him, the poem is complete; and all that follows is another poem, actuated by another spirit To this point Fate has led hih stor opposition of adverse powers, and here she has finally rewarded his piety and unswerving faith in his destiny The first six books of the _aeneid_ present the hero as the all-enduring one, the last as the warrior king The first six books are the story of hope and anticipation; the last, of attainment and realization

The incidents of the last six books which constitute the second part of the _aeneid_Latinus, who ruled over Latium, received the Trojan prince with kindness and prohter and heiress of his crown But Juno's spite still pursued the Trojans, and through her ainst these foreigners Especially was Italian Turnus roused, abeen suitor for Lavinia, and had won the favor of the Queen Amata to his cause

And now all Italy is ablaze with sudden war Against his allied foes aeneas secures the aid of the Greek Evander with his Arcadians, and of the Etruscan tribes The plains of Troy are transferred to Italy Again are heard the clashi+ng of ar of horses, the heavy tread of roans of the wounded and dying; the air is lit with the glearound is red with streahout, as of old in the Homeric story, each in the interest of her own favorite

But Juno's implacable hate is no match for destiny aeneas must triumph, for the fates have spoken it The interest of the whole conflict centers in the rival heroes; and when these two, after endless slaughter, on both sides, of lesser le conflict, there is no doubt, even in the Italian's own heart, that he is foredoomed And when he falls, wounded by aeneas' spear and slain by his sword, the poem ends abruptly, for the story can contain no ed the steel into the breast that lay before hirows chill and ly to the shades

Conington

SUMMARY AND QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

_Roman Epic Poetry_, as illustrated by Naevius (269-199 B C), ”the first Roman who deserves to be called a poet,” _Bellum Punicum_; Ennius (239-169 B C), ”the father of Roreatest of Roman poets, the _aeneid_