Chapter 24

Chapter XXIV
Adventures of AEneas The Harpies Dido Palinurus We have followed one of the Grecian heroes, Ulysses, in his
wanderings, on his return home from Troy, and now we propose to
share the fortunes of the remnant of the conquered people, under
their chief AEneas, in their search for a new home, after the
ruin of their native city. On that fatal night when the wooden
horse disgorged its contents of armed men, and the capture and
conflagration of the city were the result, Aeneas made his escape
from the scene of destruction with his father, and his wife, and
young son. The father, Anchises, was woo old to walk with the
speed required, and AEneas took him upon his shoulders. Thus
burdened, leading his son and followed by his wife, he made the
best of his way out of the burning city; but in the confusion,
his wife was swept away and lost. On arriving at the place of rendezvous, numerous fugitives, of
both sexes, were found, who put themselves under the guidance of
Aeneas. Some months were spent in preparation and at length they
embarked. They first landed on the neighboring shores of Thrace,
and were preparing to build a city, but AEneas was deterred by a
prodigy. Preparing to offer sacrifice, he tore some twigs from
one of the bushes. To his dismay the wounded part dropped blood.
When he repeated the act, a voice from the ground cried out to
him, "Spare me, AEneas; I am your kinsman, Polydore, here
murdered with many arrows, from which a bush has grown, nourished
with my blood." These words recalled to the recollection of
AEneas that Polydore was a young prince of Troy, whom his father
had sent with ample treasures to the neighboring land of Thrace,
to be there brought up, at a distance from the horrors of war.
The king to whom he was sent had murdered him, and seized his
treasures. AEneas and his companions hastened away, considering
the land to be accursed by the stain of such a crime. They next landed on the island of Delos, which was once a
floating island, till Jupiter fastened it by adamantine chains to
the bottom of the sea. Apollo and Diana were born there, and the
island was sacred to Apollo. Here AEneas consulted the oracle of
Apollo, and received an answer, as ambiguous as usual "Seek
your ancient mother; there the race of AEneas shall dwell, and
reduce all other nations to their sway." The Trojans heard with
joy, and immediately began to ask one another, "Where is the spot
intended by the oracle?" Anchises remembered that there was a
tradition that their forefathers came from Crete, and thither
they resolved to steer. They arrived at Crete, and began to
build their city, but sickness broke out among them, and the
fields that they had planted failed to yield a crop. In this
gloomy