Song VII of Énéide

It is usually considered that with the VII delivers opens the second part of the Énéide : the account of the tours of Enée that of the wars in Latium replaces.

Summary

Troyens manage to avoid the island of Circé, known for its dangerous magic, and gain finally the mouth of the Tiber.

The king Latinus control surface the area, and his/her daughter, Lavinia, are courted by called the Turnus.

Learning the news that foreigners approach, Latinus decides to go to consult an oracle. This last declares to him that only a foreigner would bring glory to his race.

Troyens, unloaded, must be satisfied with a frugal meal before lying down. At this point in time Ascagne pleasant by saying that they “ate their tables”. Énée then realizes that it reached the ground of its ancestors.

Thereafter, Troyens go at Latinus, which accommodates them with benevolence. This last evokes the bonds which link Latin and Trojan, Dardanus, the first king of Troy, being originating in the Latium. Troyens say to him whereas it is not a chance if they are here, and tell him that the oracle of Délos their declared that they were to go on the ground of their ancestors.

Latinus then decides to give his/her daughter Lavinia in marriage to Énée, according to the instructions of the oracle which he visited. It also offers to Troyens beautiful present. But Junon, which swore the loss of Troyens, enters a black anger by seeing them to settle in Latium. The goddess knows that it cannot change the destiny, but is conscious that it can however delay it.

The latter sent in Latium Fury Alecto (what wants to say “the relentless”), so that it pokes the hatred of Latin with regard to Troyens. The latter seized first of all the spirit of the queen Amata, the wife of Latinus. She reproached this last for having married her daughter with a foreigner, shouting, crying, begging it to return on her decision. But, as her husband remained deaf with his complaints, like catch of madness, it removed her daughter and devoted it to the god Bacchus (Amata was then followed by the many Latin ones).

Thereafter, Alecto went to Ardée, near the king of Rutules, Turnus. She encouraged this last then to take the weapons against Énée and her companions. Lastly, Alecto made so that Ascagne wounds a tamed stag, pertaining to shepherds of Latium. The latter gathered, and decided to attack Troyens. Fury went then near Junon, proposing to him to continue to sow the disorder. But the goddess, concerned not to wake up the Jupiter suspicions, decided to return Alecto to the Hells (it passed then by a pit considered to be the mouth of the underground world). Latinus, impotent, did not manage to prevent that this war bursts.

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