text
stringclasses 9
values |
|---|
Like the Greeks, the Romans told their own story of a refugee from the Trojan War. Their hero was Aeneas, son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite, who sailed from the burning ruins of Troy to found a new city in Italy. It was foretold by the gods that this second Troy would give birth to a race that would rule the world. These people were the Romans, and while they borrowed much from the myths of the Greeks, they gave their own names to the gods. Zeus became Jupiter, Hera was known as Juno, Aphrodite became Venus, and Poseidon ruled over the seas as Neptune. But by whatever names they were called, the gods still ruled the universe and played their endless games with the lives of mortals. Juno was especially vengeful and slow to forgive. She had never forgotten that the Trojan prince Paris chose to give the apple for the most beautiful goddess to Venus instead of her. She became the implacable enemy of Troy and was still not satisfied when the city lay in ashes. It may have been prophesied that Aeneas would found a new and glorious city in the west, but she was determined to make life difficult for the Trojan fugitive—and perhaps even prevent the will of the Fates.
|
Seeing the Trojan fleet sailing the placid sea as it made its way toward the setting sun, Juno flew down to the island of Aeolus, king of the winds, to ask a favor of her old friend. As the Trojans were crossing the sea, she asked of Aeolus to blow them off course in return for a wife. The king of the winds quickly agreed and stirred up a storm to crash against the Trojan fleet. The ships were tossed and scattered as the sky grew black, driving them away from Italian shores toward Africa.
|
After a long struggle, a few of the Trojan ships were cast up together on a desert coast, though none could say where they were. The rest of the fleet was lost, with Aeneas fearing these men and their families were all dead.
|
Aeneas took his steadfast comrade Achates and headed inland to discover what they could learn of this unknown land. Soon they met a young girl with bow and arrows hunting in the brush. They called to her and told her not to be afraid. They were merely castaways who wanted to learn what sort of country they had come to. Could she tell them what king ruled this land and where they might find him?
|
The girl laughed and said there was no king in this realm but a queen—Dido, ruler of Carthage, lately come from the Phoenician city of Sidon to found a new country in the west.
|
The Trojan prince was impressed by what he saw as he entered the rising walls of the new town. Everywhere citizens were working like bees in a hive, some raising the citadel, others laying out building sites or digging wells. Some were dredging a harbor and carrying stones for the foundation of a theater, while the older men were meeting in their senate to draft laws and elect judges. Aeneas envied them their work and wished his own city could be underway, but it seemed now as if the dreams of the Trojans had been lost along with the missing ships. They could never establish a new home and defend themselves with only the men who had survived the storm.
|
As Aeneas entered the palace, he was astonished to see pictures of the Trojan War carved in stone on the temple of Juno there before his eyes. Here was the combat of Achilles and Hector, the cursed wooden horse dragged into his town, the weeping of women driven away in chains. He was losing himself in memories when the living queen suddenly appeared at the steps of the temple looking like a goddess. It was here that Dido issued decrees and justly carried out the laws of her people. Aeneas was even more amazed when he saw next to the queen none other than the captains of his missing Trojan ships. They were pleading Dido for help in finding their leader, the great Trojan warrior Aeneas, whom they feared was lost forever in the storm. The queen pledged she would do anything within her power to aid the refugees in their search for the brave Aeneas, a man whose courage and honor were known to her and all her people.
|
Suddenly, there stood Aeneas himself before the queen and his own men. He thanked Dido for her kindness and praised the fine city she was building. The queen on her part stood in awe of the Trojan hero, not just for his reputation but for the impression he made on her as a man. She invited him to send for the rest of his shipmates and join her for a feast in the royal halls. They were most welcome to stay in her city as long as they wished—even settle there if they so desired. Aeneas thanked her again and sent a messenger to all his ships to tell his men to come to the city. He was especially eager for his young son Ascanius, called Iulus, to see the splendid town of Carthage.
|
And then Venus, Aeneas’ mother, snatched away Iulus unseen and put him into a deep sleep in her own divine palace while Cupid took the form of the child and worked his magic on Dido. She was enchanted with the boy and fell ever more in love with him and his father, Aeneas. By the time dinner was served, she was determined to make Aeneas her husband and have Trojans and Carthaginians build the new city together as one people. Aeneas thanked her again and sent a messenger to all his ships to tell his men to come to the city. He was especially eager for his young son Ascanius, called Iulus, to see the splendid town of Carthage.
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.