519With the palm lost, only Acestes remained; 520yet he shot his arrow up into the airy breezes, showing off, old father as he was, both his skill and his resounding bow. 522Here suddenly a portent appears before their eyes, destined to be of great augury; 523the great outcome taught it later, and awe-inspiring seers sang of the omens too late. 525For flying among the clear clouds the reed caught fire, marked its path with flames, and vanished, consumed, into the thin winds, as often stars loosed from the sky shoot across and, flying, trail their hair. 529The Sicilian and Trojan men froze with stunned minds and prayed to the gods above; 530nor did great Aeneas reject the omen; 531but embracing glad Acestes he heaps him with great gifts, and speaks thus: 'Take them, father; 533for the great king of Olympus has willed by such auspices that you should take honours beyond the lot.
535You shall have this gift from aged Anchises himself, a mixing bowl embossed with figures, which Thracian Cisseus once gave my father Anchises as a great gift to keep, a memorial of himself and a pledge of his love.' 539So speaking he wreathes his temples with green laurel, and hails Acestes as victor first before all. 541Nor did good Eurytion begrudge the honour preferred to his, although he alone brought the bird down from the high sky. 543Next for gifts comes he who broke the cords; 544last, he who pierced the mast with his winged arrow.