SNAKE LINES AENEID FITZGERALD PLUS

She decides to start a war between the Trojans and the Latins. Even though she knows that Aeneas has fate on his side, she determines to make things difficult for him. Too smoothlyвЂ¦but wait! Who should be making her way across the sky at that very moment? Why, it's a bird-of-prey! It's a bomber plane! It'sвЂ¦Juno! Everything seems to be going pretty smoothly.

SNAKE LINES AENEID FITZGERALD PLUS

Then Latinus sends them back with some new horses вЂ“ plus a nifty half-immortal horse to deliver to Aeneas.

Not only this, but he also reveals the prophecy that his daughter must marry a foreigner.

After thinking it over, Latinus says that he will accept the offer.

They ask permission to settle on the coast, and offer Latinus gifts of friendship.

In response, the Trojan envoys explain how they are descended from Dardanus and have come to Italy on a mission from the gods.

Then he shows that he knows the tale of Dardanus, an ancient ancestor of the Trojans, who came from Italy (we learned about him in Book 3). He also says that his own people are descended from the god Saturn and are naturally just.

When the emissaries reach Latinus, he tells them that he knows who they are.

In the meantime, he starts building a fortress for his men вЂ“ just in case things turn ugly.

The next day they go out exploring, and Aeneas sends emissaries to King Latinus.

Then they have an awesome festival for the gods, and Jupiter thunders jovially in response.

(Continuity mistake or deliberate confusion? You decide.) For some reason, he also tells them that this was based off a prophecy his father told him, not the Harpy Celaeno.

Aeneas immediately recognizes the sign, and tells his companions that this is their destined homeland.

As you might remember, this fulfills the prophecy of Celaeno the Harpy from Book 3: that the Trojans wouldn't be safe until their hunger had reduced them to gnawing on their tables.

This is amazing enough that Ascanius shouts out (once again, in Fitzgerald's translation): 'Look, how we've devoured our tables even!'

Instead of just picking the toppings off, they swallow them crust and all.

Well, at least it sounds like pizza to us вЂ“ as Fitzgerald translates: 'They made a feast, / Putting out on the grass hard wheaten cakes / As platters for their meal.' (Mmm, pizza.)

Once Aeneas and company have unloaded their stuff on the shore, they chow down on some pizza.

By the time Aeneas's men land, the whole region knows about the prophecy.

Latinus couldn't keep a secret like that under wraps.

The upshot of this was that marriage with Turnus was out of the question. It told him that his daughter was destined to marry a foreigner, and that their descendents would rule the world. Finally, he consulted the most prestigious oracle in the region, a holy waterfall.

The problem is that lots of weird omens have made Latinus uncertain about the match.

Of these, the most handsome is Turnus, whom Latinus's wife, Amata, thinks is perfect for their daughter.

As you can imagine, all of the most eligible bachelors of the region are competing for her hand.

That's right, he has not produced any male heir.

Latinus has grown old by now, and has a major problem.

The king of Latium at the time of Aeneas's arrival is вЂ“ you guessed it вЂ“ Latinus.

Then Virgil calls on the Muse to help him set the scene of what was going on in Latium (the area around Rome) at that time.

Also, a lot of pretty birds are flapping around. There, a river (the Tiber вЂ“ though they don't know that yet) is spilling into the sea.

When dawn comes up, Aeneas catches sight of a forest on the distant shoreline.

Neptune sends the Trojans a favorable breeze so that they can pass by her island safely. These used to be human beings, before they were transformed by Circe's power.

As they approach the island of the sorceress Circe (of Odyssey fame), they hear the sounds of wild animals.

The moon is bright, so they can sail easily by night.

Then, when the sea is calm, they set out.

The Trojans hold a funeral for Aeneas's nurse, Caieta, who died apparently.

Snake lines aeneid fitzgerald