leaving the cave behind, and revolves in his mind the secrets of the future. Achates, ever faithful, walks at his side, and plants his foot with no less consciousness of care. Many were the things exchanged in their ranging talk—who could be the dead comrade that the priestess 5 spoke of, what the corpse that needed burial. And lo! Misenus, soon as they came, there on the dry beach they see him, snatched by death that should have spared him—Misenus, son of Æolus, than whom none was mightier to stir men's hearts with his clarion, and kindle with music 10 the war-god's flame. Hector the great had been his chief: in Hector's service he performed a warrior's part, famous alike with the trumpet and the spear. But after the conquering arm of Achilles robbed his master of life, valiant hero, he made himself the comrade of the Dardan Æneas, 15 nor found the standard he followed meaner than of old. But in those days, as he was making his hollow shell ring over the waters, infatuate mortal, challenging the gods to compete, Triton, roused to jealousy, seized him, if the story be true, and plunged him in a moment in the billow 20 that laps among the rocks. So they all stood round, uttering loud shrieks; louder than the rest Æneas the good. And then without delay they set about the Sibyl's bidding, weeping sore, and in mournful rivalry heap up the funeral pyre with trees, and carry it into the sky. 25
Away they go to an ancient wood, the wild beast's tall covert—down go the pitch-trees; the holm-oak rings with the axe's blows, and so do the ashen beams; the wedge cleaves through the fissile[o] oak; they roll down from the heights huge mountain ashes. There is Æneas, in this, 30 as in other labours, the first to cheer on his comrades, and wielding a weapon like theirs; and thus he ponders in the sad silence of his own breast, looking at the immeasurable wood, and thus gives utterance to his prayer: "Oh that at this moment that golden branch on the tree would reveal 35 itself to our sight in all this depth of forest! for I see that in all things the prophetess has told us of you, Misenus, alas! too truly!" Scarce had he spoken, when, as by
