Aeneid Bibliomancy Reading

This oracle points to a randomly selected line from The Aeneid. The surrounding passages are provided for context.

 

Your passage is from BOOK X: FATHERS AND SONS.

 

For Context:

BOOK X: FATHERS AND SONS

“Now; where are now thy vaunts, the fierce disdain
Of proud Mezentius, and the lofty strain?”

Struggling, and wildly staring on the skies,
With scarce recover’d sight he thus replies:

“Why these insulting words, this waste of breath,
To souls undaunted, and secure of death?

’Tis no dishonour for the brave to die,
Nor came I here with hope of victory;

Nor ask I life, nor fought with that design:
As I had us’d my fortune, use thou thine.

My dying son contracted no such band;
The gift is hateful from his murd’rer’s hand.

For this, this only favour let me sue,
If pity can to conquer’d foes be due:

Refuse it not; but let my body have
The last retreat of humankind, a grave.

Too well I know th’ insulting people’s hate;
Protect me from their vengeance after fate:

This refuge for my poor remains provide,
And lay my much-lov’d Lausus by my side.”
He said, and to the sword his throat applied.

The crimson stream distain’d his arms around,
And the disdainful soul came rushing thro’ the wound.