plunged him headlong into the waves.

AEneas was deeply grieved at the loss of his faithful pilot. He
himself took charge of the ship, and the whole fleet, secure under the
protection of Neptune, reached the Italian coast without further
mishap.



V. THE SIBYL OF CUMAE--THE GOLDEN BOUGH--IN THE REGIONS OF THE DEAD.

AEneas was now in Italy, but not in the part of it where the destined
city was to be founded. The prophet, Helenus, as we have seen, had
directed him that when he reached the Hesperian land he should visit
the Cu-mae'an Sibyl, and learn from her what difficulties he was yet
to encounter, and how to overcome them. Cumae, where the Sibyl dwelt,
was on the coast of Cam-pa'ni-a, and to this place, therefore, AEneas
directed his course after leaving Sicily. Having safely landed, the
hero lost no time in making his way to the temple of Apollo, for in a
cave adjoining this temple and communicating with it by a hundred
doors and as many avenues or corridors, the Sibyl gave her answers.

There were many sibyls in ancient times. The most celebrated was the
Sibyl of Cumae. She had several names, but the one adopted by Vergil
is De-iph'o-be. Apollo once fell in love with this Sibyl and he
promised to give her whatever she should ask if she would marry him.
Deiphobe asked to live as many years as she had grains of sand in her
hand at the time. She forgot, however, to ask for the continuance of
health and youth, of which she was then in possession. Apollo granted
her request but she refused to perform her part of the bargain, and