Māter Dissimulāta

Dum Aenēās in lītore Libyae dormit, in caelō rēs aguntur. VENUS — dea amōris, et (hoc memoriā tenē, lēctor: cardō tōtīus fābulae est!) MĀTER AENĒAE ipsīus — ad Iovem venit, lacrimāns. Quid est flēre? Flēre est lacrimās fundere, cum dolōre plōrāre. “Ō pater” inquit “prōmīsistī Rōmānōs futūrōs, dominōs orbis — nunc ūnīus ob īram deae tōtō orbe prohibēmur!” Et pater deōrum — audī quam pulchrē poēta eum pingat — fīliae subrīdet, vultū quō caelum tempestātēsque serēnat, et ōscula lībat nātae. Quid est subrīdēre? Subrīdēre est leniter rīdēre, paululum — nōn magnā vōce rīdēre sed vix ōs movēre. “Parce metū” inquit: “manent immōta tuōrum fāta tibi.” Et tum — prophētīa māxima tōtīus litterātūrae Rōmānae. Iuppiter futūra aperit: Aenēās in Ītaliā bellum geret et moenia pōnet; Ascanius fīlius (quem et Iūlum vocant — nōmen tenē!) Albam Longam condet; inde post trecentōs annōs geminī nāscentur, quōrum alter — RŌMULUS — urbem novam condet et Rōmānōs suō dē nōmine dīcet. Et Rōmānīs quid pollicētur pater deōrum? Quid est pollicērī? Pollicērī est prōmittere, fidem dare dē rē futūrā. Audī: