land whence his ancestors had come. Although Anchises interpreted this
to mean they were to go to Crete, the household gods informed Aeneas,
during the journey thither, that Hesperia was their destined goal.
After braving a three-days tempest, Aeneas landed on the island of the
Harpies, horrible monsters who defiled the travellers' food each time
a meal was spread. They not only annoyed Aeneas in this way, but
predicted, when attacked, that he should find a home only when driven
by hunger to eat boards.

"But ere your town with walls ye fence,
Fierce famine, retribution dread
For this your murderous violence,
Shall make you eat your boards for bread."

Sailing off again, the Trojans next reached Epirus, which they found
governed by Helenus, a Trojan, for Achilles' son had already been
slain. Although Hector's widow was now queen of the realm where she
had been brought a captive, she still mourned for her noble husband,
and gladly welcomed the fugitives for his sake. It was during the
parting sacrifice that Helenus predicted that, after long wanderings,
his guests would settle in Italy, in a spot where they would find a
white sow suckling thirty young. He also cautioned Aeneas about the
hidden dangers of Charybdis and Scylla, and bade him visit the Cumaean
Sibyl, so as to induce her, if possible, to lend him her aid.

Restored and refreshed by this brief sojourn among kinsmen, Aeneas and
his followers resumed their journey, steering by the stars and
avoiding all landing in eastern or southern Italy which was settled by
Greeks. After passing Charybdis and Scylla unharmed, and after gazing
in awe at the plume of smoke crowning Mt. Aetna, the Trojans rescued