accompany his family in their flight from the city.

This pretty story, it is said, was meant by Vergil as a compliment to
Augustus, the idea intended to be conveyed being that the seal of
sovereign power was thus early set upon the founder of the great house
of Julius.

[Illustration: AEneas carrying his father out of Troy. (Drawn by
Varian.)]

The gods seeming thus to ordain the immediate departure of the hero
and his family, they all speedily set forth, AEneas carrying his
father on his shoulders, while Iulus walked by his side, and Creusa
followed at some distance. They had arranged to meet at a ruined
temple outside the city, where they were to be joined by their
servants, but when they reached the place, it was discovered that
Creusa had disappeared. Great was the grief of Aeneas. In agony he
hastened back to the city in search of his wife. Coming to his
father's palace, he found it already in flames. Then he hurried on
through the streets, in his distress calling aloud the name of Creusa.
Suddenly her figure started up before him, larger than when in life,
for it was her spirit he saw. Appalled at the sight, Aeneas stood in
silence gazing at the apparition while it thus spoke:

"Beloved husband, why do you give way to grief? What has happened is
by the decree of heaven. It was not the will of the gods that I should
accompany you. You have a long journey to make, and a wide extent of
sea to cross, before you reach the shores of Hes-pe'ri-a, where the
Ti'ber flows in gentle course through the rich fields of a warlike
race. There prosperity awaits you, and you shall take to yourself a