Fortune and inevitable Destiny planted here; at my back
were the awful hests[255] of my mother, the nymph Carmentis,
and the divine sanction of Apollo.” Scarce had he
finished, when moving on he points out the altar and
the Carmental gate, as the Romans call it, their ancient 5
tribute to the nymph Carmentis, the soothsaying seer, who
first told of the future greatness of Æneas’ sons and of
the glories of Pallanteum. Next he points out a mighty
grove, which fiery Romulus made the Asylum of a later
day, and embowered by the chill dank rock, the Lupercal, 10