Aeneas tells Elissa that they have sailed from the island of the Harpies to the Adriatic Sea. They received a miraculous rumor that called them to Eporus. It turned out to be true, as they found the captive Trojans and Helenus, who had been appointed as rulers. They were delighted by this news. Andromache, who is married to Helenus and is a well-known prophet, welcomed their people kindly to the palace. She gave many great gifts to Ascanius and Ancises. Helenus strengthened their spirits with his true words.
He warned us about the dangers we would encounter on our journey. As you sail towards Hisperia, you must be cautious of the monsters that lurk near Sicily, between Italy and Sicily. One of these monsters seizes sailors from their ships, while another engulfs the water, causing ships to perish. Therefore, it is important to navigate around Sicily instead of taking the direct route. Additionally, you should steer clear of the Sicilian monster Polyphemus, who has already consumed numerous Greek men. We followed the advice given by Helenus and sailed close to Italy when a desperate sailor called out to us, pleading, “Help me, Trojans! I am a miserable Greek!”
As the leader of Ithaca, I voyaged to Sicily. However, during our escape, Polyphemus devoured many of my friends and was ultimately blinded by our men. Consequently, I became separated from my companions and did not leave the island with my king. As the unfortunate individual shouted, Polyphemus, a repulsive and gigantic blind monster, made his way to the shore. We hastily departed from the island, taking the Greek with us on our ships. After Anchises passed away in Sicily, sadly marking his final moments, a violent storm transported us to your realm in Africa, my Queen.
