Her answer’d then the artist of the skies.
Courage! Perplex not with these cares thy soul.
I would that when his fatal hour shall come,
I could as sure secrete him from the stroke
Of destiny, as he shall soon have arms580
Illustrious, such as each particular man
Of thousands, seeing them, shall wish his own.
He said, and to his bellows quick repair’d,
Which turning to the fire he bade them heave.
Full twenty bellows working all at once595
Breathed on the furnace, blowing easy and free
The managed winds, now forcible, as best
Suited dispatch, now gentle, if the will
Of Vulcan and his labor so required.
Impenetrable brass, tin, silver, gold,590
He cast into the forge, then, settling firm
His ponderous anvil on the block, one hand
With his huge hammer fill’d, one with the tongs.
[10]He fashion’d first a shield massy and broad
Of labor exquisite, for which he form’d595
A triple border beauteous, dazzling bright,
And loop’d it with a silver brace behind.
The shield itself with five strong folds he forged,
And with devices multiform the disk
Capacious charged, toiling with skill divine.600
There he described the earth, the heaven, the sea,
The sun that rests not, and the moon full-orb’d.
There also, all the stars which round about
As with a radiant frontlet bind the skies,
The Pleiads and the Hyads, and the might605
Of huge Orion, with him Ursa call’d,
Known also by his popular name, the Wain,
That spins around the pole looking toward
Orion, only star of these denied
To slake his beams in ocean’s briny baths.610
Two splendid cities also there he form’d
Such as men build. In one were to be seen
Rites matrimonial solemnized with pomp
Of sumptuous banquets; from their chambers forth
Leading the brides they usher’d them along615
With torches through the streets, and sweet was heard
The voice around of Hymenæal song.
Here striplings danced in circles to the sound
Of pipe and harp, while in the portals stood
Women, admiring, all, the gallant show.620
Elsewhere was to be seen in council met
The close-throng’d multitude. There strife arose.
Two citizens contended for a mulct
The price of blood. This man affirm’d the fine
All paid,[11] haranguing vehement the crowd,625
That man denied that he had aught received,
And to the judges each made his appeal
Eager for their award. Meantime the people,
As favor sway’d them, clamor’d loud for each.
The heralds quell’d the tumult; reverend sat630
On polish’d stones the elders in a ring,
Each with a herald’s sceptre in his hand,
Which holding they arose, and all in turn
Gave sentence. In the midst two talents lay
Of gold, his destined recompense whose voice635
Decisive should pronounce the best award.
The other city by two glittering hosts
Invested stood, and a dispute arose
Between the hosts, whether to burn the town
And lay all waste, or to divide the spoil.640
Meantime, the citizens, still undismay’d,
Surrender’d not the town, but taking arms
Secretly, set the ambush in array,
And on the walls their wives and children kept
Vigilant guard, with all the ancient men.645
They sallied; at their head Pallas and Mars
Both golden and in golden vests attired
Advanced, proportion each showing divine,
Large, prominent, and such as Gods beseem’d.
Not such the people, but of humbler size.650
Arriving at the spot for ambush chosen,
A river’s side, where cattle of each kind
Drank, down they sat, all arm’d in dazzling brass.
Apart from all the rest sat also down
Two spies, both looking for the flocks and herds.655
Soon they appear’d, and at their side were seen
Two shepherd swains, each playing on his pipe
Careless, and of the danger nought apprized,
Swift ran the spies, perceiving their approach,
And intercepting suddenly the herds660
And flocks of silver fleece, slew also those
Who fed them. The besiegers, at that time
In council, by the sound alarm’d, their steeds
Mounted, and hasted, instant, to the place;
Then, standing on the river’s brink they fought665
And push’d each other with the brazen lance.
There Discord raged, there Tumult, and the force
Of ruthless Destiny; she now a Chief
Seized newly wounded, and now captive held
Another yet unhurt, and now a third670
Dragg’d breathless through the battle by his feet
And all her garb was dappled thick with blood
Like living men they traversed and they strove,
And dragg’d by turns the bodies of the slain.
He also graved on it a fallow field675
Rich, spacious, and well-till’d. Plowers not few,
There driving to and fro their sturdy teams,
Labor’d the land; and oft as in their course
They came to the field’s bourn, so oft a man
Met them, who in their hands a goblet placed680
Charged with delicious wine. They, turning, wrought
Each his own furrow, and impatient seem’d
To reach the border of the tilth, which black
Appear’d behind them as a glebe new-turn’d,
Though golden. Sight to be admired by all!685
There too he form’d the likeness of a field
Crowded with corn, in which the reapers toil’d
Each with a sharp-tooth’d sickle in his hand.
Along the furrow here, the harvest fell
In frequent handfuls, there, they bound the sheaves.690
Three binders of the sheaves their sultry task
All plied industrious, and behind them boys
Attended, filling with the corn their arms
And offering still their bundles to be bound.
Amid them, staff in hand, the master stood695
Silent exulting, while beneath an oak
Apart, his heralds busily prepared
The banquet, dressing a well-thriven ox
New slain, and the attendant maidens mix’d
Large supper for the hinds of whitest flour.700
There also, laden with its fruit he form’d
A vineyard all of gold; purple he made
The clusters, and the vines supported stood
By poles of silver set in even rows.
The trench he color’d sable, and around705
Fenced it with tin. One only path it show’d
By which the gatherers when they stripp’d the vines
Pass’d and repass’d. There, youths and maidens blithe
In frails of wicker bore the luscious fruit,
While, in the midst, a boy on his shrill harp710
Harmonious play’d, still as he struck the chord
Carolling to it with a slender voice.
They smote the ground together, and with song
And sprightly reed came dancing on behind.[12]
There too a herd he fashion’d of tall beeves715
Part gold, part tin. They, lowing, from the stalls
Rush’d forth to pasture by a river-side
Rapid, sonorous, fringed with whispering reeds.
Four golden herdsmen drove the kine a-field
By nine swift dogs attended. Dreadful sprang720
Two lions forth, and of the foremost herd
Seized fast a bull. Him bellowing they dragg’d,
While dogs and peasants all flew to his aid.
The lions tore the hide of the huge prey
And lapp’d his entrails and his blood. Meantime725
The herdsmen, troubling them in vain, their hounds
Encouraged; but no tooth for lions’ flesh
Found they, and therefore stood aside and bark’d.
There also, the illustrious smith divine
Amidst a pleasant grove a pasture form’d730
Spacious, and sprinkled o’er with silver sheep
Numerous, and stalls and huts and shepherds’ tents.