Aeneid VIII.102-199

Aeneas meets King Evander and receives a meal and a story.

By chance that day the Arcadian king was making solemn offering

to Hercules, Amphitryon’s mighty son,¹ and other gods in a grove

in front of the city. His son Pallas was with him, and with him

were all the leading young men and his impoverished senate

offering incense, and the warm blood smoked on the altars.

When they saw the noble ships that they were gliding

through the shadowy woods, rowing with silent oars,

they were alarmed at the sudden sight and rose together,

leaving the tables. But proud Pallas ordered them not to break off

the rites and, seizing his spear, flew off to meet the strangers himself,

and at some distance shouted from a hillock: “Warriors, what motive

drives you to try unknown paths? Where are you heading?

What people are you? Where from? Do you bring peace or war?”

Then Aeneas the leader spoke from the high stern,

holding out a branch of olive in peace: “You are looking

at men of Trojan birth and spears hostile to the Latins,

men whom they force to flee through arrogant warfare.

We seek Evander. Take my message and say that the chosen

leaders of Troy have come, asking for armed alliance.”

Pallas was amazed, awestruck by that great name:

“O whoever you may be, disembark, and speak to my father

face to face, and come beneath our roof as a guest.”

And he took his hand and gripped it tight in welcome;

they left the river and went on into the grove.

Then Aeneas spoke to King Evander in words of friendship:

“Noblest of the sons of Greece, whom Fortune determines me

to make request of, offering branches decked with sacred ribbons:

indeed I did not fear your being a leader of Greeks,

an Arcadian, and joined to the race of the twin sons of Atreus,

since my own worth and the god’s holy oracles,

our fathers being related, your fame known throughout the world,

connect me to you and bring me here willingly, through destiny.

Dardanus, our early ancestor and leader of Troy’s city,

born of Atlantean Electra, as the Greeks assert, voyaged

to Troy’s Teucrian people: and mightiest Atlas begot Electra,

he who supports the heavenly spheres on his shoulders.

Your ancestor is Mercury, whom lovely Maia conceived

and gave birth to on Cyllene’s cold heights;

and Atlas, if we credit what we hear, begot Maia,

that same Atlas who lifts the starry sky.

So both our races branch from the one root.

Relying on this, I decided on no envoys, no prior attempts

through diplomacy; myself I set before you, myself

and my own life, and come humbly to your threshold.

The same Daunian race pursues us with war, as you yourself;

indeed they think if they drive us out, nothing will stop them

bringing all Hesperia completely under their yoke

and owning the seas that wash the eastern and western shores.

Accept and offer friendship. We have brave hearts

in battle, soldiers and spirits proven in action.’

Aeneas spoke. Evander scanned his face, eyes,

and form for a long time with his gaze as he was speaking.

Then he replied briefly, so: “How gladly I know and

welcome you, bravest of Trojans! How it brings back

your father’s speech, the voice and features of noble Anchises!

For I recall how Priam, son of Laomedon, visiting the realms

of his sister, Hesione, and seeking Salamis,²

came on further to see the chill territories of Arcadia.

In those days first youth clothed my cheeks with bloom,

and I marvelled at the Trojan leaders, and marvelled

at the son of Laomedon himself; but Anchises as he walked

was taller than all. My mind burned with youthful desire

to address the hero and clasp his hand in mine:

I approached and led him eagerly inside the walls of Pheneus.³

On leaving he gave me a noble quiver

of Lycian arrows, a cloak woven with gold,

and a pair of golden bits that my Pallas now owns.

So the hand of mine you look for is joined in alliance,

and when tomorrow’s dawn returns to the earth,

I’ll send you off cheered by my help and aid you with stores.

Meanwhile, since you come to us as friends, favour us

by celebrating this annual festival, which it is wrong

to delay, and become accustomed to your friends’ table.”

When he had spoken, he ordered the food and drink

that had been removed to be replaced, and seated

the warriors himself on the turf benches.

He welcomed Aeneas as the principal guest and invited him

to a maple-wood throne covered by a shaggy lion’s pelt.

Then the altar priest, with young men he had chosen.

competed to bring on the roast meat from the bulls,

pile the baked bread in baskets, and serve the wine.

Aeneas and the men of Troy feasted on an entire

chine of beef, and the sacrificial organs.

When hunger had been banished, and desire for food sated,

King Evander said: “No idle superstition, or ignorance

of the ancient gods, forced these solemn rites of ours,

this ritual banquet, this altar to so great a divinity, upon us.

We perform them and repeat the honours due,

Trojan guest, because we were saved from cruel perils.

Now look first at this rocky overhanging cliff, how its bulk

is widely shattered and the mountain lair stands deserted,

and the crags have been pulled down in mighty ruin.

There was a cave here receding to vast depths,

untouched by the sun’s rays, inhabited by the fell shape

of Cacus, the half-human, and the ground was always warm

with fresh blood, and the heads of men, insolently

nailed to the doors, hung there pallid with sad decay.

Vulcan was father to this monster: and as he moved

his massive bulk, he belched out his dark fires.”

---

Forte die sollemnem illo rex Arcas honorem

Amphitryoniadae magno divisque ferebat

ante urbem in luco. Pallas huic filius una,

una omnes iuvenum primi pauperque senatus               105

tura dabant, tepidusque cruor fumabat ad aras.

ut celsas videre rates atque inter opacum

adlabi nemus et tacitos incumbere remis,

terrentur visu subito cunctique relictis

consurgunt mensis. audax quos rumpere Pallas               110

sacra vetat raptoque volat telo obvius ipse,

et procul e tumulo: 'iuvenes, quae causa subegit

ignotas temptare vias? quo tenditis?' inquit.

'qui genus? unde domo? pacemne huc fertis an arma?'

tum pater Aeneas puppi sic fatur ab alta               115

paciferaeque manu ramum praetendit olivae:

'Troiugenas ac tela vides inimica Latinis,

quos illi bello profugos egere superbo.

Evandrum petimus. ferte haec et dicite lectos

Dardaniae venisse duces socia arma rogantis.'                120

obstipuit tanto percussus nomine Pallas:

'egredere o quicumque es' ait 'coramque parentem

adloquere ac nostris succede penatibus hospes.'

excepitque manu dextramque amplexus inhaesit;

progressi subeunt luco fluviumque relinquunt.               125

Tum regem Aeneas dictis adfatur amicis:

'optime Graiugenum, cui me Fortuna precari

et vitta comptos voluit praetendere ramos,

non equidem extimui Danaum quod ductor et Arcas

quodque a stirpe fores geminis coniunctus Atridis;               130

sed mea me virtus et sancta oracula divum

cognatique patres, tua terris didita fama,

coniunxere tibi et fatis egere volentem.

Dardanus, Iliacae primus pater urbis et auctor,

Electra, ut Grai perhibent, Atlantide cretus,               135

advehitur Teucros; Electram maximus Atlas

edidit, aetherios umero qui sustinet orbis.

vobis Mercurius pater est, quem candida Maia

Cyllenae gelido conceptum vertice fudit;

at Maiam, auditis si quicquam credimus, Atlas,               140

idem Atlas generat caeli qui sidera tollit.

sic genus amborum scindit se sanguine ab uno.

his fretus non legatos neque prima per artem

temptamenta tui pepigi; me, me ipse meumque

obieci caput et supplex ad limina veni.               145

gens eadem, quae te, crudeli Daunia bello

insequitur; nos si pellant nihil afore credunt

quin omnem Hesperiam penitus sua sub iuga mittant,

et mare quod supra teneant quodque adluit infra.

accipe daque fidem. sunt nobis fortia bello               150

pectora, sunt animi et rebus spectata iuventus.'

Dixerat Aeneas. ille os oculosque loquentis

iamdudum et totum lustrabat lumine corpus.

tum sic pauca refert: 'ut te, fortissime Teucrum,

accipio agnoscoque libens! ut verba parentis               155

et vocem Anchisae magni vultumque recordor!

nam memini Hesionae visentem regna sororis

Laomedontiaden Priamum Salamina petentem

protinus Arcadiae gelidos invisere finis.

tum mihi prima genas vestibat flore iuventas,               160

mirabarque duces Teucros, mirabar et ipsum

Laomedontiaden; sed cunctis altior ibat

Anchises. mihi mens iuvenali ardebat amore

compellare virum et dextrae coniungere dextram;

accessi et cupidus Phenei sub moenia duxi.               165

ille mihi insignem pharetram Lyciasque sagittas

discedens chlamydemque auro dedit intertextam,

frenaque bina meus quae nunc habet aurea Pallas.

ergo et quam petitis iuncta est mihi foedere dextra,

et lux cum primum terris se crastina reddet,               170

auxilio laetos dimittam opibusque iuvabo.

interea sacra haec, quando huc venistis amici,

annua, quae differre nefas, celebrate faventes

nobiscum, et iam nunc sociorum adsuescite mensis.'

Haec ubi dicta, dapes iubet et sublata reponi               175

pocula gramineoque viros locat ipse sedili,

praecipuumque toro et villosi pelle leonis

accipit Aenean solioque invitat acerno.

tum lecti iuvenes certatim araeque sacerdos

viscera tosta ferunt taurorum, onerantque canistris               180

dona laboratae Cereris, Bacchumque ministrant.

uescitur Aeneas simul et Troiana iuventus

perpetui tergo bovis et lustralibus extis.

Postquam exempta fames et amor compressus edendi,

rex Evandrus ait: 'non haec sollemnia nobis,                185

has ex more dapes, hanc tanti numinis aram

vana superstitio veterumque ignara deorum

imposuit: saevis, hospes Troiane, periclis

servati facimus meritosque novamus honores.

iam primum saxis suspensam hanc aspice rupem,               190

disiectae procul ut moles desertaque montis

stat domus et scopuli ingentem traxere ruinam.

hic spelunca fuit vasto summota recessu,

semihominis Caci facies quam dira tenebat

solis inaccessam radiis; semperque recenti               195

caede tepebat humus, foribusque adfixa superbis

ora virum tristi pendebant pallida tabo.

huic monstro Volcanus erat pater: illius atros

ore vomens ignis magna se mole ferebat.

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Find the glossary for Aeneid Daily here; subscribe to receive daily posts.

1. Actually, he was very much not Amphitryon’s mighty son; he was the son of Zeus in the guise of Amphitryon, seducing Amphitryon’s wife. It happens.

2. A Greek island ruled by King Telamon, to whom Priam’s sister Hesione was married.

3. A Greek city where Mercury was worshiped.