The powerful and beautiful wife of the thunderer Jupiter, the goddess Juno, has long hated the Trojans for the indelible insult inflicted on her by Prince Paris: he awarded the golden apple not to her, the mistress of the gods, but to the goddess Venus. In addition to this insult, Juno knew about a prediction that promised her beloved city of Carthage, rich and famous for its valor, which she herself patronized, would die from the descendants of the Trojans who had escaped from Troy destroyed by the Greeks. And besides, the Trojan Aeneas, who became the head of the surviving inhabitants of Troy, was the son of Venus, who put Juno to shame in the dispute between the goddesses for the title of the most beautiful. Overwhelmed by the desire to avenge old grievances and prevent future ones, the goddess Juno rushed to the island of Aeolia, the homeland of clouds and fogs. There, in an immense cave, the king of the winds, Aeolus, kept “internecine winds and thunderous storms” chained in heavy chains. She began to ask Aeolus to unleash the winds and sink the Trojan ships in a terrible storm. Aeolus obediently fulfilled the request of the great goddess. He struck the wall of a huge cave of winds with a trident, and with a roar and howl they all rushed into the sea, raising the waves high, pushing them against each other, driving menacing clouds from everywhere, circling and scattering the Trojan ships like pitiful splinters. Aeneas, overwhelmed with horror, watched as his comrades in arms died, as the Trojan ships disappeared one after another in the seething abyss. Occasionally, drowning swimmers, torn sails, and planks of ships appeared on the surface of the waves. And all this was swallowed up by the abyss of the sea without a trace. Three ships were thrown onto the sandbank by a huge wave, and the fragments of oars, masts and corpses of the Trojans were covered with sand, three were thrown onto the coastal rocks.
The ruler of the seas, Neptune, disturbed by a furious storm that broke out without his knowledge, rising to the surface and seeing the ships of Aeneas scattered across the waves, realized that this was Juno’s machinations. With a powerful blow of the trident, he tamed the fury of the waves and the madness of the winds and with a menacing cry: “Here I am!” - ordered them to immediately return to the cave to Eol. Neptune himself, rushing through the waves in a chariot drawn by hippocamps, calmed the agitated surface of the sea, with his trident he removed the ships that had settled in them from the rocks, carefully moved the rest from the shoal and commanded the waves to drive the Trojan ships to the coast of Africa. Here stood the magnificent city of Carthage, founded by Queen Dido, who fled from Sidon, where she suffered great grief - her beloved husband Sychaeus was treacherously killed near the altar by her own brother. The Trojans, led by Aeneas, landed on the shore, warmly greeted by the inhabitants of Carthage. The beautiful Dido hospitably opened the doors of her magnificent palace for them.
At a feast organized in honor of the surviving Trojans, at the request of Dido, Aeneas began to talk about the capture of Troy by the Greeks thanks to the cunning of King Odysseus, the destruction of the ancient stronghold of the Trojans and his flight from the city engulfed in fire at the behest of the shadow of Hector, which appeared to Aeneas in a prophetic dream on the night of the treacherous attack of the Greeks on the sleeping Trojans. Hector's shadow ordered Aeneas to save the Trojan Penates from their enemies and bring his father, the elderly Anchises and the little son of Ascanius-Yul, out of the city. Aeneas passionately described to the excited Dido a terrible picture of a night battle in a city captured by enemies. Aeneas woke up from the groans and clanking of weapons that he heard through his sleep. Having climbed onto the roof of the house, he understood the meaning of the destructive gift of the Danaans (Greeks), and he also understood the terrible meaning of his dream. Seized with rage, Aeneas gathered young warriors around him and rushed at the head of them to a detachment of Greeks. Having destroyed their enemies, the Trojans put on the armor of the Greeks and destroyed many who were misled by this trick. However, the fire flared up more and more, the streets were filled with blood, corpses lay on the steps of temples, on the thresholds of houses. Crying, cries for help, the clang of weapons, screams of women and children - what could be more terrible! The flames of the conflagration, tearing out bloody scenes of murder and violence from the darkness of the night, aggravated the horror and confusion of the survivors. Aeneas, throwing on a lion's skin, placed his father Anchis, who did not have the strength to walk, on the shoulders, and took little Ascanius by the hand. Together with his wife Creusa and several servants, he made his way to the gate and left the dying city. When they all reached the temple of Ceres, which stood far away on a hill, Aeneas noticed that Creusa was not among them. In desperation, leaving his companions in a safe place, he again made his way to Troy. There Aeneas saw a terrible picture of complete defeat. Both his own home and Priam's palace were plundered and set on fire by the Greeks. Women and children stood humbly, awaiting their fate; in the temple of Juno, treasures looted by the Greeks from sanctuaries and palaces were piled up. Wandering among the charred ruins, Aeneas tirelessly called upon Creusa, hoping that she would respond. He decided that his wife had gotten lost in the dark or had simply fallen behind on the way. Suddenly, the shadow of his wife appeared before Aeneas and quietly asked him not to grieve for her, since the gods had destined him for a kingdom in a foreign land, and his wife should be of royal descent. Creusa, looking at Aeneas with tenderness, bequeathed to him the care of his little son. Aeneas tried in vain to hold her in his arms; it dissipated in the air like a light mist.
Aeneas, immersed in grief, did not notice how he left the city and reached the appointed place where his loved ones were waiting. Once again lifting old Anchises onto his mighty shoulders and taking his son by the hand, Aeneas went into the mountains, where he had to hide for a long time. He was joined by those of the Trojans who managed to escape from the destroyed city. Having built ships under the leadership of Aeneas, they sailed unnoticed from their native shores, leaving their homeland forever. Aeneas and his companions wandered for a long time through the stormy expanses of the ever-noisy sea. Their ships passed numerous islands of the Aegean Sea and, with a fair wind, landed on the shores of the island of Delos, where the famous sanctuary of Apollo was located. There Aeneas turned with prayers to the bright god, begging him to grant the unfortunate Trojans a new homeland, city and sanctuary where they could finish their difficult journeys. In response, shaking the temple and the surrounding mountains, the curtains opened in front of the statue of Apollo and the voice of God proclaimed that the Trojans would find the land from which they descended, and erect a city in it, where Aeneas and his descendants would be rulers. And all nations and lands will subsequently submit to this city.
Delighted by the prediction, the Trojans began to wonder what land Apollo had assigned them. The wise Anchises, knowing that the Cretan Teucer was considered the founder of sacred Troy, decided to send the Trojan ships to the shores of Crete. But when they arrived on the island, a plague broke out in Crete. Aeneas and his companions had to flee from there. In confusion, Anchises decided to return to Delos and again turn to Apollo. But the gods revealed to Aeneas in a dream that the true ancestral home of the Trojans was in Italy, which the Greeks call Hesperia, and that it was there that he should send his ships. And so the Trojans again trusted the waves of the sea. They saw many miracles, they managed to avoid many dangers. With difficulty they passed the predatory jaws of Scylla and the whirlpools of Charybdis, made their way past the dangerous coast inhabited by evil Cyclopes, escaped the cruelty of monstrous harpies and, finally, saw the terrible eruption of the volcano Etna, this “mother of horrors”. Having dropped anchor off the coast of Sicily to give rest to his companions, Aeneas suffered a terrible loss here - the elder Anchises, his father, could not bear all the hardships of endless wanderings. His suffering is over. Aeneas buried him on Sicilian soil, and he himself, trying to get to Italy, was, thanks to the machinations of the goddess Juno, thrown to the shores of Africa.
Queen Dido listened with excitement to Aeneas' story. And when the feast ended and everyone left, she could not distract her thoughts from the beautiful, courageous stranger, who with such simplicity and dignity told her about his sufferings and misadventures. His voice sounded in her ears, and she saw the tall brow and clear, firm gaze of a guest of noble birth and adorned with valor. None of the numerous Libyan and Numidian leaders who proposed marriage to her after the death of her husband aroused such feelings in her soul. Of course, Dido could not know that this sudden passion that gripped her was inspired in her by Aeneas’ mother, the goddess Venus. Unable to fight the feelings that washed over her, Dido decided to confess everything to her sister, who began to convince the queen not to resist this love, not to wither away alone, gradually losing her youth and beauty, but to marry her chosen one. It was no coincidence that the gods drove the Trojan ships to Carthage - apparently this was their will.
Tormented by passion and doubts, Dido either took Aeneas with her around Carthage, showing him all the wealth of the city, its abundance and power, then organized magnificent games and hunts, then again invited him to feasts and listened to his speeches, not taking her flaming gaze off the narrator. Dido became especially attached to Aeneas's son, Askanius-Yul, because he vividly reminded her of her father in both his posture and his face. The boy was brave, took part in the hunt with pleasure and gallantly rode on a hot horse in the wake of the raised beast.
The goddess Juno, who did not want Aeneas to establish a new kingdom in Italy, decided to detain him in Carthage, betrothing him to Dido. Juno turned to Venus with a proposal to end the enmity of Carthage with Italy by uniting Aeneas and Dido in marriage. Venus, realizing Juno's cunning, agreed with a grin, because she knew that the oracle's prediction would inevitably come true and Aeneas would end up in Italy.
Once again, Dido invited Aeneas to hunt. Both of them, shining with the beauty and splendor of their clothes, reminded those around them of the immortal gods themselves. In the midst of the hunt, a terrible thunderstorm began. Dido and Aeneas took refuge in a cave and here, under the patronage of Juno, they married. Rumor spread everywhere that the beautiful and unapproachable queen of Carthage called herself the wife of the Trojan Aeneas, that both, having forgotten about the affairs of their kingdoms, were thinking only about love joys. But the happiness of Dido and Aeneas was short-lived.
By the will of Jupiter, Mercury rushed to Africa and, finding Aeneas completing the construction of the Carthaginian fortress, began to reproach him for forgetting the instructions of the oracle, for the luxury and effeminacy of life. Aeneas was tormented for a long time, choosing between his love for Dido and a sense of duty to the Trojans who entrusted their fate to him, who were patiently awaiting their arrival at their promised homeland. And the sense of duty won. He ordered the ships to be secretly prepared for departure, still not daring to tell loving Dido the terrible news of eternal separation. But Dido herself guessed this after learning about the Trojans’ preparations. She rushed around the city like crazy and, burning with anger, reproached Aeneas for black ingratitude and dishonor. She predicted a terrible death for him at sea and on land, regrets about the beloved he had abandoned, an inglorious end. Dido poured out many bitter words on Aeneas. Calmly, although with mental pain - for he loved the magnanimous and beautiful queen - Aeneas answered her. He cannot resist the will of the gods, his native land is there, overseas, and he is obliged to take his people and their penates there, otherwise he will truly be dishonest. If here, in Carthage, is his love, then there, in Italy, is his homeland. And he has no choice. Grief completely clouded Dido’s mind. She ordered a huge fire to be built from giant oak and pine trunks and Aeneas' weapon, which remained in her bedroom, to be placed on top. With her own hands, she decorated the fire with flowers, like a funeral structure. Aeneas, fearing that his resolve might be shaken by the tears and suffering of his beloved queen, decided to spend the night on his ship. And, as soon as he closed his eyelids, Mercury appeared to him and warned that the queen was planning to prevent the sailing of the Trojan ships. Therefore, you should immediately set sail at dawn and go out to the open sea.
Aeneas cut the ropes, gave the command to the rowers and led the ships out of the harbor of Carthage. And Dido, who did not sleep a wink, tossing about all night on a luxurious bed, went to the window and in the rays of the morning dawn saw the sails of Aeneas far out to sea. In a helpless rage, she began to tear her clothes, tore strands of her golden hair, and shouted curses at Aeneas, his family and the land to which he strove. She called upon Juno, Hecate, and the furies to witness her dishonor and begged them to mercilessly take revenge on the culprit of her suffering. Having made a terrible decision, she climbed onto the fire and plunged Aeneas’s sword into her chest. A terrible scream swept through the palace, the maids began to weep, the slaves screamed, and the entire city was gripped by confusion. At that moment, Aeneas cast his last glance at the Carthaginian coast. He saw the walls of Dido's palace lit up with flames. He didn’t know what happened there, but he realized that the queen had done something terrible, equal to her rejected love and desecrated pride.
And again the Trojan ships were caught in a terrible storm, as if the gods had heeded the curses of the angry Dido. Aeneas landed on the shores of Sicily and, since it was the anniversary of the death of his father Anchises, he honored his tomb with sacrifices and military games. And then, obeying the will of the gods, he headed to the city of Kuma, where the temple of Apollo was located with the Sibyl who prophesied his will. Aeneas went to the mysterious cave where the Sibyl lived.
Там она предсказала вождю троянцев тяжкий, но славный удел. Эней обратился к Сивилле с просьбой помочь ему спуститься в подземное царство и встретиться с умершим отцом Анхисом. Сивилла ответила Энею, что вход в подземное царство открыт для всех, но возвратиться оттуда живым для смертного невозможно. Прежде всего следовало умилостивить грозных богов царства. Под руководством Сивиллы Эней добыл священную золотую ветвь, которую следовало принести в дар владычице подземного царства Прозерпине. Затем по указанию древней прорицательницы он сотворил все необходимые обряды и совершил жертвоприношения. Послышались леденящие ужасом звуки — загудела земля, завыли зловещие псы богини Гекаты, и сама она стала отворять вход в подземное царство. Сивилла велела Энею обнажить меч, ибо для того пути, по которому он намеревался направиться, нужна твердая рука и крепкое сердце. Прокладывая себе дорогу среди всевозможных чудовищ — гидр, химер, горгон, Эней направлял свой верный меч против них, но Сивилла разъяснила ему, что это лишь призраки чудищ, бродящие в пустой оболочке. Так добрались они до того места, где подземная река Ахеронт — мутный от грязи поток — впадает в реку Коцит. Здесь увидел Эней бородатого, в грязных лохмотьях, перевозчика душ умерших — Харона, который принимал в свою ладью одних, а других оставлял на берегу, несмотря на их рыдания и мольбы. И вновь разъяснила Энею вещая Сивилла, что вся эта толпа — души непогребенных мертвецов, чьи кости на земле не получили вечного успокоения. Увидев золотую ветвь в руках Энея, Харон беспрекословно принял его и Сивиллу в свою лодку. Лежа в пещере на другом берегу, трехглавый пес Цербер, вздыбив висящих на его шеях змей, свирепым лаем стал оглашать берега мрачной реки. Но Сивилла бросила ему куски волшебных растений, смешанных с медом. С жадностью проглотили все три пасти адского пса это лакомство, и чудовище, сраженное сном, распростерлось на земле. Эней и Сивилла выскочили на берег. Тут уши Энея наполнились стенаниями невинно казненных и пронзительным плачем умерших младенцев. В миртовой роще увидел Эней тени тех, кто погиб от несчастной любви. И неожиданно лицом к лицу встретил он Дидону со свежей раной в груди. Проливая слезы, тщетно молил Эней простить ему невольную измену, к которой вынудили его боги. Молча отошла прекрасная тень, отвернувшись от Энея, ничто не дрогнуло в ее бледном лице. В отчаянье благородный Эней забыл о цели своего прихода. Но Сивилла твердо повела его мимо кованых дверей Тартара, из-за которых неслись стоны, душераздирающие вопли и звуки страшных ударов. Там в чудовищных муках терзались злодеи, виновные в тяжких преступлениях перед богами и людьми. Следуя за Сивиллой, Эней подошел к порогу дворца владыки подземного царства и совершил обряд приношения золотой ветви Прозерпине. И вот наконец перед ним открылась прекрасная страна с лавровыми рощами, зелеными лужайками. И звуки, наполнявшие ее, говорили о блаженстве, разлитом в самом воздухе, окутывавшем холмы и луга этой светлой земли. Щебетали птицы, журча, лились прозрачные ручьи, слышались волшебные песни и звучные струны лиры Орфея. На берегах полноводного Эридана, среди благоухающих трав и цветов проводили свои дни души тех, кто оставил после себя на земле добрую славу, — те, кто пал в честном бою за отечество, кто творил добро и красоту, кто нес людям радость, — художники, поэты, музыканты. И вот в одной из зеленых лощин увидел Эней своего отца Анхиса. Старец встретил сына счастливой улыбкой и приветливыми речами, но как ни пытался Эней обнять нежно любимого отца, тот ускользал из его рук, подобно легкому сновидению. Только ласковый взгляд и мудрые речи были доступны для чувств Энея. Вдалеке увидел Эней медленно струящуюся реку Лету. На ее берегах теснились души героев, которые второй раз должны были появиться в мире живых. Но чтобы забыть все, что видели они в прежней жизни, пили они воду Леты. Среди них Анхис назвал Энею многих из его потомков, которые после того, как он обоснуется в Италии, воздвигнут вечный город на семи холмах и прославят себя в веках искусством «народами править, утверждать обычаи мира, покоренных щадить и сражать непокорных». На прощание Анхис дал Энею наставления — где ему высадиться в Италии, как бороться с враждебными племенами, чтобы достичь прочной победы. Так, беседуя, проводил он сына до дверей Элизиума, выточенных из слоновой кости. Эней, сопровождаемый Сивиллой, вышел в мир живых и смело двинулся навстречу ожидавшим его испытаниям.
His ships quickly reached the mouth of the Tiber River and went upstream, reaching an area called Latium. Here Aeneas and his companions landed on the shore, and the Trojans, like people who had wandered the seas for too long and had not seen real food for a long time, captured the cattle grazing on the shores. The king of this region, Latinus, came with armed warriors to defend his possessions. But when the troops lined up, ready for battle, Latin called the alien leader for negotiations. And, having listened to the story of the misadventures of the noble guest and his companions, King Latin offered Aeneas his hospitality, and then, having concluded a friendly alliance between the Latins and the Trojans, he wished to seal this alliance with the marriage of Aeneas with the royal daughter Lavinia (this is how the prediction of the unfortunate Creusa, Aeneas’s first wife, was fulfilled). But before the appearance of Aeneas, the daughter of King Latina was betrothed to the leader of the Rutuli tribe, the mighty and brave Turnus. Lavinia’s mother, Queen Amata, also wanted this marriage. Incited by the goddess Juno, angry that Aeneas had reached Italy against her will, Turnus raised the Rutuli to fight the foreigners. He managed to win over many Latins to his side. King Latinus, enraged by the hostility towards Aeneas, locked himself in his palace.
And again the gods took a direct part in the war that broke out in Latium. Juno was on the side of Turnus, while Aeneas was supported by Venus. The war went on for a long time, many Trojan and Italian heroes died, including the young Pallant, who spoke out in defense of Aeneas, defeated by the mighty Turnus. In the decisive battle, the advantage was on the side of the warriors of Aeneas. And when ambassadors from the Latins came to him with a request to hand over the bodies of those killed in battle for burial, Aeneas, filled with the most friendly intentions, proposed to stop the general bloodshed, resolving the dispute by single combat with Turnus. Having listened to Aeneas' proposal, conveyed by the ambassadors, Turnus, seeing the weakness of his troops, agreed to a duel with Aeneas.
The next day, as soon as dawn rose, the troops of the Rutuli and Latins, on the one hand, and the Trojans with the allies of Aeneas, on the other, gathered in the valley. The Latins and Trojans began to mark the place for the duel. Their weapons shining in the sun, the warriors surrounded the battlefield with a wall. King Latinus arrived on a chariot drawn by four horses, breaking his seclusion for such an important event. And then Turnus appeared in brilliant armor with two heavy spears in his hands.
His white horses quickly brought the mighty warrior to the battlefield. Aeneas was even more brilliant in new armor, given to him by his mother Venus, which the god Vulcan himself forged at her request. Before the numerous spectators had time to come to their senses, both leaders quickly approached each other, swords rang from powerful blows, and shields sparkled, with which skilled warriors repelled enemy attacks. Both have already received minor wounds. And so Turn, without doubting his power, raised his huge sword high for a decisive blow. But the sword broke on the indestructible shield forged by Vulcan, and Turnus, left unarmed, began to flee from Aeneas, who was inexorably overtaking him. They ran around the entire battlefield five times, Turnus, in despair, grabbed a huge stone and threw it at Aeneas. But the stone did not reach the leader of the Trojans. Aeneas, accurately aiming the heavy spear, threw it at Turnus from afar. And although Turnus covered himself with his shield, the powerful throw pierced the scaly shield, and the spear pierced the thigh of the leader of the Rutuli. The knees of the mighty Turnus buckled and he bent to the ground. There was a desperate cry from the Rutuli, shocked by the defeat of Turnus. Approaching the enemy who had been thrown to the ground, Aeneas was ready to spare him, but suddenly he saw on Turnus’s shoulder a belt flashing with a familiar pattern, which he had taken from the murdered Pallant, Aeneas’s friend. Unbridled anger gripped Aeneas, and, not heeding pleas for mercy, he plunged his sword into the chest of the defeated Turnus.
Having eliminated his terrible rival, Aeneas married Lavinia and founded the new city of Latium - Lavinium. After the death of King Latinus, Aeneas, who became the head of the kingdom, had to repel the attacks of the powerful Etruscans, who did not want to tolerate the newcomers, who had won the glory of valiant and brave warriors. Having concluded an alliance with the Rutul tribe, the Etruscans decided to put an end to the daring foreigners and their leader. But the Trojans and Latins, inspired by their courageous king, prevailed in a decisive battle with their enemies. This battle was the last for Aeneas and the last feat he accomplished. Aeneas' warriors considered him dead, but many said that he appeared to his companions, beautiful, full of strength, in shining armor, and said that the gods had taken him to themselves as their equal. In any case, the people began to revere him under the name of Jupiter. Aeneas's son Ascanius had not yet reached the age at which the youth could be entrusted with full power, and Queen Lavinia, an intelligent and far-sighted woman, ruled in his name. She managed to keep the state intact and prosperous. Having matured, Ascanius left the queen to rule the city of Lavinium, and he and his friends and associates moved to the foot of the Alban Mountain, founding a city called Alba Longa, since it stretched along the mountain ridge. Despite his youth, Ascanius managed to achieve recognition from powerful neighboring tribes, and the border between the Latins and Etruscans was marked along the Tiber River. Ascanius was succeeded by his son Silvius, so named because he was born in the forest. The kingdom of Silvius passed from one descendant of Aeneas to another. Among them were kings Tiberin (who drowned in the Tiber and became the god of this river) and Aventine (one of the hills on which the great city of Rome was later located was named after him). And finally, King Numitor received power, during whose reign all the events related to the history of the founding of the city of Rome took place.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru