X. Then, roused with rage, spake Juno: "Wherefore make
My lips break silence and lay bare my woe?
What God or man Æneas forced to take
The sword, and make the Latin King his foe?
Fate to Italia called him: be it so:
Driven by the frenzied prophetess of Troy.
Did we then bid him leave the camp, and throw
His life to fortune, ay, and leave a boy		82
To rule the war, and Tuscan loyalty destroy,
XI. "And harass peaceful nations? Who was there
The God, and whose the tyranny to blame
For fraud like that? Where then was Juno? where
Was cloud-sent Iris? Sooth, ye count it shame
That Latins hedge the new-born Troy with flame,
And Turnus dares his native land possess,
Albeit from Pilumnus' seed he came,
And nymph Venilia. Is the shame then less,		91
That Troy with foreign yoke should Latin fields oppress,
XII. "And rob their maidens of the love they vow,
And lift, and burn and ravage as they list,
Then plead for peace, with arms upon the prow?
Thy sheltering power Æneas can assist,
And cheat his foemen with an empty mist,
The warrior's counterfeit. At thy command
Ships change to sea-nymphs, and the flames desist.
And now, that we should stretch a friendly hand,		100
And lend Rutulians aid, an infamy ye brand.
XIII. "Thy chief is absent, absent let him be.
He knows not: let him know not. Do I care?
What is Æneas' ignorance to me?
Thou hast thy Paphos, and Idalium fair,
And bowers of high Cythera; get thee there.
Why seek for towns with battle in their womb,
And beard a savage foeman in his lair?
Wrought we the wreck, when Ilion sank in gloom,		109
We, or the hands that urged poor Trojans to their doom?

XIV. "Was I [the robber,] who the war begun,
Whose theft in arms two continents arrayed,
When Europe clashed with Asia? I the one,
Who led the Dardan leman on his raid,
To storm the chamber of the Spartan maid?
Did I with lust the fatal strife sustain,
And fan the feud, and lend the Dardans aid?
Then had thy fears been fitting; now in vain		118
Thy taunts are hurled; too late thou risest to complain."
XV. So pleaded Juno: the immortals all
On this and that side murmured their assent,
As new-born gales, that tell the coming squall,
Caught in the woods, their mingled moanings vent.
Then thus began the Sire omnipotent,
Who rules the universe, and as he rose,
Hush'd was the hall; Earth shook; the firmament
Was silent; whist was every wind that blows,		127
And o'er the calm deep spread the stillness of repose.
XVI. "Now hearken all, and to my words give heed.
Since naught avails this discord to allay,
And peace is hopeless, let the war proceed.
Trojans, Rutulians—each alike this day
Must carve his hopes and fortune as he may.
Fate, blindness, crooked counsels—whatso'er
Holds Troy in leaguer, equally I weigh
The chance of all, nor would Rutulians spare.		136
For each must toil and try, till Fate the doom declare."
XVII. He spake, and straightway, to confirm his word,
Invoked his brother, and the Stygian flood,
The pitchy whirlpool, and the banks abhorr'd,
Then bent his brow, and with his awful nod
Made all Olympus tremble at the god.
So ceased the council. From his throne of state,
All golden, he arose, and slowly trod
The courts of Heaven. The powers celestial wait		145
Around their sovereign Lord, and lead him to the gate.