ARGUMENT

Passing Caieta and Circeii, AEneas sails up the Tiber (1-45). Virgil
pauses to enumerate the old rulers of Latium and to describe the state
of the country at the coming of AEneas. Latinus is King. Oracles have
foretold that by marriage with an alien his only daughter is to become
the mother of an imperial line. Fresh signs and wonders enforce the
prophecy (46-126). The Trojans eat their tables (127-171). An
embassage is sent to the Latin capital, and after conference Latinus
offers peace to the Trojans and to AEneas his daughter's hand
(172-342). Juno, the evil genius of Troy, again intervenes and
summons to her aid the demon Alecto (341-410), who excites first
Amata then Turnus against the proposed peace, and finally (411-576)
provokes a pitched battle between Trojans and Latins (577-648).
Alecto is scornfully dismissed by Juno, who causes war to be formally
declared (649-747). The war-fever in Italy. Catalogue of the leaders
and nations that gather to destroy AEneas, chief among them being
Turnus and Camilla (748-981).


I. Thou too, Caieta, dying, to our shore,
AEneas' nurse, hast given a deathless fame,
E'en now thine honour guards it, as of yore,
Still doth thy tomb in great Hesperia frame
Glory--if that be glory--for thy name.
Here good AEneas paid his dues aright,
And raised a mound, and now, as evening came,
Sails forth; the faint winds whisper to the night;