1 Mere chance brought the crew the glory they desired.
2 Earth utters a moan; the sword-strokes fall thick and fast, chance and valour joining in one.
3 As he wavers Aeneas poises the deadly weapon, and, marking his chance, hurls it in from afar with all his strength of body.
4 The springs of war are aflow: they fight with arms in their grasp, the arms that chance first supplied, that fresh blood stains.
5 But I purpose to unite to thee mighty peoples and the camp of a wealthy realm; an unforeseen chance offers this for thy salvation.
6 All assemble in whom hatred of the tyrant was relentless or fear keen; they seize on ships that chanced to lie ready, and load them with the gold.
7 It chanced on that day the Arcadian king paid his accustomed sacrifice to the great son of Amphitryon and all the gods in a grove before the city.
8 If you allow us to use the chance towards seeking Aeneas in Pallanteum town, you will soon descry us here at hand with the spoils of the great slaughter we have dealt.
9 First in this grove did a strange chance meet his steps and allay his fears; first here did Aeneas dare to hope for safety and have fairer trust in his shattered fortunes.
10 Nor in my madness was I silent: and, should any chance offer, did I ever return a conqueror to my native Argos, I vowed myself his avenger, and with my words I stirred his bitter hatred.
11 For so at his departure Aeneas the great captain had enjoined; were aught to chance meanwhile, they should not venture to range their line or trust the plain, but keep their camp and the safety of the entrenched walls.