608But Venus, the bright goddess, was at hand among the clouds of heaven, bearing her gifts; 609and when she saw her son far off, secluded in a remote valley by the cool river, she addressed him with these words and showed herself unasked: 'See, the promised gifts, made perfect by my husband's skill, so that you need not hesitate, my son, soon to challenge the proud Laurentines or fierce Turnus to battle.' 615The Cytherean spoke and sought her son's embrace, and set the shining arms beneath an oak facing him. 617He, delighted by the goddess's gifts and so great an honour, cannot have his fill, and rolls his eyes over each piece, and marvels, and turns over in his hands and arms the helmet, terrible with its crests and spouting flames, and the fate-dealing sword, the breastplate stiff with bronze, blood-red and huge, like a dark-blue cloud when it is kindled by the sun's rays and gleams far and wide; 624then the smooth greaves of electrum and refined gold, and the spear, and the indescribable fabric of the shield.
626There the Lord of Fire, not ignorant of the prophets nor unaware of the age to come, had made the story of Italy and the triumphs of the Romans, there the whole line of the race to come from Ascanius, 629and the wars they fought, in order.