thou shalt ask in vain from the engulfing surge—one life, and one only, shall be given for thousands."
With these words, having soothed to joy the goddess' heart, the august Father yokes his steeds with a yoke of gold, and puts to their fierce mouth the foaming bit, and 5 gives full course to his flowing reins. The azure car glides lightly over the water's surface—the waves sink down, the swelling sea stills its waters under the wheels of thunder—the storm-clouds fly away over the wide waste of heaven. Then come the hundred shapes of attendant 10 powers: enormous whales and Glaucus'[o] aged train, and Ino's[o] young Palæmon,[o] and rapid Tritons, and the whole host that Phorcus leads; on the left are Thetis, and Melite, and maiden Panopea, Nesæa, and Spio, and Thalia, and Cymodoce. 15
And now father Æneas feels a soft thrill of succeeding joy shoot through his anxious bosom; at once he bids every mast be reared, every sail stretched on its yard-arm. One and all strain the rope and loosen the sheet, now right, now left—one and all turn to and fro the sailyard's lofty 20 horns; the fleet is wafted by the gales it loves. First, before all, Palinurus led the crowding ranks; after him the rest, as bidden, shaped their course. And now dewy Night had well-nigh reached the cope of heaven's arch—in calm repose the sailors were relaxing their limbs, 25 stretched each by his oar along the hard benches—when Sleep's power, dropping lightly down from the stars of heaven, parted the dusky air, and swam through the night, in quest of you, poor Palinurus, with a fatal freight of dreams for your guiltless head. The god has sat down 30 high on the stern, in the likeness of Phorbas, and these are the words he utters: "Son of Iasus, Palinurus, the sea itself is steering the fleet; the winds breathe evenly and fully; it is slumber's own hour; come, relax that strained head, and let those weary eyes play truant from their toil. 35 I myself will undertake your functions awhile in your stead." Hardly raising his eyes, Palinurus answered him thus:—"I blind myself to smiling seas and sleeping
