The Fourth Book of Virgil's Aeneid and the Ninth Book of Voltaire's Henriad

That every chief of Afric's wide domain,
In triumphs proud, should learn to sue in vain;
'Twas well; but why a mutual flame withstand?
Can you forget who owns this hostile land?
Unconquer'd Getulans your walls surround,
The Syri untam'd, the wild Numidian bound.
Thro' the wide desert fierce Barceans roam:
Why need I mention from our former home,
The deadly war, a brother's threats prepare?
For me, I think, that Juno's fost'ring care,
Some god auspicious, rais'd the winds that bore
Those Phrygian vessels to our Lybian shore.
Their godlike chief should happy Dido wed,
How would her walls ascend, her empire spread?
Join'd by the arms of Troy, with such allies,
Think to what height will Punic glory rise.
Win but the gods, their sacred off'rings pay;
Detain your guest; invent some fond delay.
See low'ring tempests o'er the ocean ply,
The shatter'd vessels, the inclement sky».

Each word that dropt inflam'd her burning mind,
And all her wav'ring soul to love inclin'd;
New gleams of hope in Dido's bosom play,
And Honor's bright idea fades away.

Fain would the sisters now, by gift and pray'r,
With heav'n seduc'd, the conscious error share.
At ev'ry shrine, the fav'ring gods to gain,
In order due are proper victims slain;
To Ceres, Bacchus, and the God of Light,
And Juno most, who tends the nuptial rite.