Story of Aeneas by Michael Clarke
page 46 of 149 (30%)
page 46 of 149 (30%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
At the banquet Queen Dido sat on a golden couch, surrounded by the Trojan chiefs and her Tyrian lords. By her side was seated the handsome youth whom Achates had brought from the ships as the son of AEneas. Dido admired the beautiful boy and fondled him in her arms little thinking that it was Cupid, the god of love, whom Venus had sent to the banquet under the appearance of Iulus. Unhappy Dido little thought what guest, How dire a god she drew so near her breast. DRYDEN, _AEneid_, BOOK I. The real Ascanius meantime lay in peaceful slumber in a sacred grove in the island of Cyprus, to which Venus had borne him away. Lulled in her lap, amidst a train of Loves, She gently bears him to her blissful groves; Then with a wreath of myrtle crowns his head, And softly lays him on a flowery bed. DRYDEN, AEneid BOOK 1. And so Queen Dido entertained the chiefs of Troy and of Carthage, with the god of love seated beside her on her golden couch. A hundred maids and as many pages attended upon the guests. After the viands were removed, I-o'pas, the Tyrian minstrel and poet, played upon his gilded lyre, and sang about the wondrous things in the heavens and on earth. The various labors of the wandering moon, And whence proceed the eclipses of the sun; The original of men and beasts; and whence |
|