Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

Tydides red with many a death a waste of nothing made,

  ardentisque avertit equos in castra, prius quam

  And led those fiery steeds to camp ere ever they might have

  pabula gustassent Troiae Xanthumque bibissent.

  One mouthful of the Trojan grass, or drink of Xanthus’ wave.

  Parte alia fugiens amissis Troilus armis,

  And lo again, where Troilus is fleeing weaponless,

  infelix puer atque impar congressus Achilli, 475

  Unhappy youth, and all too weak to bear Achilles’ stress,

  fertur equis, curruque haeret resupinus inani,

  By his own horses, fallen aback, at empty chariot borne,

  lora tenens tamen; huic cervixque comaeque trahuntur

  Yet holding on the reins thereof; his neck, his tresses torn

  per terram, et versa pulvis inscribitur hasta.

  O’er face of earth, his wrested spear a-writing in the dust.

  Interea ad templum non aequae Palladis ibant

  Meanwhile were faring to the fane of Pallas little just

  crinibus Iliades passis peplumque ferebant, 480

  The wives of Troy with scattered hair, bearing the gown refused,

  suppliciter tristes et tunsae pectora palmis;

  Sad they and suppliant, whose own hands their very bosoms bruised,

  diva solo fixos oculos aversa tenebat.

  While fixed, averse, the Goddess kept her eyes upon the ground.

  Ter circum Iliacos raptaverat Hectora muros,

  Thrice had Achilles Hector dragged the walls of Troy around,

  exanimumque auro corpus vendebat Achilles.

  And o’er his body, reft of soul, was chaffering now for gold.

  Tum vero ingentem gemitum dat pectore ab imo, 485

  Deep groaned Æneas from his heart in such wise to behold

  ut spolia, ut currus, utque ipsum corpus amici,

  The car, the spoils, the very corpse of him, his fellow dead,

  tendentemque manus Priamum conspexit inermis.

  To see the hands of Priam there all weaponless outspread.

  Se quoque principibus permixtum adgnovit Achivis,

  Yea, thrust amidst Achæan lords, his very self he knew;

  Eoasque acies et nigri Memnonis arma.

  The Eastland hosts he saw, and arms of Memnon black of hue.

  Ducit Amazonidum lunatis agmina peltis 490

  There mad Penthesilea leads the maids of moony shield,

  Penthesilea furens, mediisque in milibus ardet,

  The Amazons, and burns amidst the thousands of the field,

  aurea subnectens exsertae cingula mammae,

  And with her naked breast thrust out above the golden girth,

  bellatrix, audetque viris concurrere virgo.

  The warrior maid hath heart to meet the warriors of the earth.

  Haec dum Dardanio Aeneae miranda videntur,

  But while Æneas, Dardan lord, beholds the marvels there,

  dum stupet, obtutuque haeret defixus in uno, 495

  And, all amazed, stands moving nought with eyes in one set stare,

  regina ad templum, forma pulcherrima Dido,

  Lo cometh Dido, very queen of fairest fashion wrought,

  incessit magna iuvenum stipante caterva.

  By youths close thronging all about unto the temple brought.

  Qualis in Eurotae ripis aut per iuga Cynthi

  Yea, e’en as on Eurotas’ rim or Cynthus’ ridges high

  exercet Diana choros, quam mille secutae

  Diana leadeth dance about, a thousandfold anigh

  hinc atque hinc glomerantur oreades; illa pharetram 500

  The following Oreads gather round, with shoulder quiver-hung

  fert umero, gradiensque deas supereminet omnis:

  She overbears the Goddesses her swift feet fare among,

  Latonae tacitum pertemptant gaudia pectus:

  And great Latona’s silent breast the joys of godhead touch.

  talis erat Dido, talem se laeta ferebat

  Lo, such was Dido; joyously she bore herself e’en such

  per medios, instans operi regnisque futuris.

  Amidst them, eager for the work and ordered rule to come;

  Tum foribus divae, media testudine templi, 505

  Then through the Goddess’ door she passed, and midmost ‘neath the dome,

  saepta armis, solioque alte subnixa resedit.

  High raised upon a throne she sat, with weapons hedged about,

  Iura dabat legesque viris, operumque laborem

  And doomed, and fashioned laws for men, and fairly sifted out

  partibus aequabat iustis, aut sorte trahebat:

  And dealt their share of toil to them, or drew the lot as happed.

  cum subito Aeneas concursu accedere magno

  There suddenly Æneas sees amidst a concourse wrapped

  Anthea Sergestumque videt fortemque Cloanthum, 510

  Antheus, Sergestus, and the strong Cloanthus draw anigh,

  Teucrorumque alios, ater quos aequore turbo

  And other Teucrians whom the whirl, wild, black, all utterly

  dispulerat penitusque alias avexerat oras.

  Had scattered into other lands afar across the sea.

  Obstipuit simul ipse simul perculsus Achates

  Amazed he stood, nor stricken was Achates less than he

  laetitiaque metuque; avidi coniungere dextras

  By joy, by fear: they hungered sore hand unto hand to set;

  ardebant; sed res animos incognita turbat. 515

  But doubt of dealings that might be stirred in their hearts as yet;

  Dissimulant, et nube cava speculantur amicti,

  So lurking, cloaked in hollow cloud they note what things betide

  quae fortuna viris, classem quo litore linquant,

  Their fellows there, and on what shore the ships they manned may bide,

  quid veniant; cunctis nam lecti navibus ibant,

  And whence they come; for chosen out of all the ships they bear

  orantes veniam, et templum clamore petebant.

  Bidding of peace, and, crying out, thus temple-ward they fare.

  Postquam introgressi et coram data copia fandi, 520

  But now when they were entered in, and gained the grace of speech,

  maximus Ilioneus placido sic pectore coepit:

  From placid heart Ilioneus the elder ‘gan beseech:

  ‘O Regina, novam cui condere Iuppiter urbem

  “O Queen, to whom hath Jove here given a city new to raise,

  iustitiaque dedit gentis frenare superbas,

  And with thy justice to draw rein on men of wilful ways,

  Troes te miseri, ventis maria omnia vecti,

  We wretched Trojans, tossed about by winds o’er every main,

  oramus, prohibe infandos a navibus ignis, 525

  Pray thee forbid it from our ships, the dreadful fiery bane.

  parce pio generi, et propius res aspice nostras.

  Spare pious folk, and look on us with favouring kindly eyes!

  Non nos aut ferro Libycos populare Penatis

  We are not come with sword to waste the Libyan families,

  venimus, aut raptas ad litora vertere praedas;

  Nor drive adown unto the strand the plunder of the strong:

  non ea vis animo, nec tanta superbia victis.

  No such high hearts, such might of mind to vanquished folk belong.

  Est locus, Hesperiam Grai cognomine dicunt, 530

  There is a place, Hesperia called of Greeks in days that are,

  terra antiqua, potens armis atque ubere glaebae;

  An ancient land, a fruitful soil, a mighty land in war.

  Oenotri coluere viri; nunc fama minores

  Oenotrian folk first tilled the land, whose sons, as rumours run,

  Italiam dixisse ducis de nomine gentem.

  Now call it nought but Italy from him who led them on.

  H
ic cursus fuit:

  And thitherward our course was turned,

  cum subito adsurgens fluctu nimbosus Orion 535

  When sudden, stormy, tumbling seas, Orion rose on us,

  in vada caeca tulit, penitusque procacibus austris

  And wholly scattering us abroad with fierce blasts from the south,

  perque undas, superante salo, perque invia saxa

  Drave us, sea-swept, by shallows blind, to straits with wayless mouth:

  dispulit; huc pauci vestris adnavimus oris.

  But to thy shores we few have swum, and so betake us here.

  Quod genus hoc hominum? Quaeve hunc tam barbara morem

  What men among men are ye then? what country’s soil may bear

  permittit patria? Hospitio prohibemur harenae; 540

  Such savage ways? ye grudge us then the welcome of your sand,

  bella cient, primaque vetant consistere terra.

  And fall to arms, and gainsay us a tide-washed strip of strand.

  Si genus humanum et mortalia temnitis arma

  But if men-folk and wars of men ye wholly set at nought,

  at sperate deos memores fandi atque nefandi.

  Yet deem the Gods bear memory still of good and evil wrought

  ‘Rex erat Aeneas nobis, quo iustior alter,

  Æneas was the king of us; no juster was there one,

  nec pietate fuit, nec bello maior et armis. 545

  No better lover of the Gods, none more in battle shone:

  Quem si fata virum servant, si vescitur aura

  And if the Fates have saved that man, if earthly air he drink,

  aetheria, neque adhuc crudelibus occubat umbris,

  Nor ‘neath the cruel deadly shades his fallen body shrink,

  non metus; officio nec te certasse priorem

  Nought need we fear, nor ye repent to strive in kindly deed

  poeniteat. Sunt et Siculis regionibus urbes

  With us: we have in Sicily fair cities to our need.

  armaque, Troianoque a sanguine clarus Acestes. 550

  And fields we have; Acestes high of Trojan blood is come.

  Quassatam ventis liceat subducere classem,

  Now suffer us our shattered ships in haven to bring home,

  et silvis aptare trabes et stringere remos:

  To cut us timber in thy woods, and shave us oars anew.

  si datur Italiam, sociis et rege recepto,

  Then if the Italian cruise to us, if friends and king are due,

  tendere, ut Italiam laeti Latiumque petamus;

  To Italy and Latium then full merry wend we on.

  sin absumpta salus, et te, pater optime Teucrum, 555

  But if, dear father of our folk, hope of thy health be gone,

  pontus habet Libyae, nec spes iam restat Iuli,

  And thee the Libyan water have, nor hope Iulus give,

  at freta Sicaniae saltem sedesque paratas,

  Then the Sicanian shores at least, and seats wherein to live,

  unde huc advecti, regemque petamus Acesten.’

  Whence hither came we, and the King Acestes let us seek.”

  Talibus Ilioneus; cuncti simul ore fremebant

  So spake he, and the others made as they the same would speak,

  Dardanidae. 560

  The Dardan-folk with murmuring mouth.

  Tum breviter Dido, voltum demissa, profatur:

  But Dido, with her head hung down, in few words answer gave:

  ‘Solvite corde metum, Teucri, secludite curas.

  “Let fear fall from you, Teucrian men, and set your cares aside;

  Res dura et regni novitas me talia cogunt

  Hard fortune yet constraineth me and this my realm untried

  moliri, et late finis custode tueri.

  To hold such heed, with guard to watch my marches up and down.

  Quis genus Aeneadum, quis Troiae nesciat urbem, 565

  Who knoweth not Æneas’ folk? who knoweth not Troy-town,

  virtutesque virosque, aut tanti incendia belli?

  The valour, and the men, and all the flame of such a war?

  Non obtusa adeo gestamus pectora Poeni,

  Nay, surely nought so dull as this the souls within us are,

  nec tam aversus equos Tyria Sol iungit ab urbe.

  Nor turns the sun from Tyrian town, so far off yoking steed.

  Seu vos Hesperiam magnam Saturniaque arva,

  So whether ye Hesperia great, and Saturn’s acres need,

  sive Erycis finis regemque optatis Acesten, 570

  Or rather unto Eryx turn, and King Acestes’ shore,

  auxilio tutos dimittam, opibusque iuvabo.

  Safe, holpen will I send you forth, and speed you with my store:

  Voltis et his mecum pariter considere regnis;

  Yea and moreover, have ye will in this my land to bide.

  urbem quam statuo vestra est, subducite navis;

  This city that I build is yours: here leave your ships to ride:

  Tros Tyriusque mihi nullo discrimine agetur.

  Trojan and Tyrian no two wise at hands of me shall fare.

  Atque utinam rex ipse Noto compulsus eodem 575

  And would indeed the King himself, Æneas, with us were,

  adforet Aeneas! Equidem per litora certos

  Driven by that self-same southern gale: but sure men will I send,

  dimittam et Libyae lustrare extrema iubebo,

  And bid them search through Libya from end to utmost end,

  si quibus eiectus silvis aut urbibus errat.’

  Lest, cast forth anywhere, he stray by town or forest part.”

  His animum arrecti dictis et fortis Achates

  Father Æneas thereupon high lifted up his heart,

  et pater Aeneas iamdudum erumpere nubem 580

  Nor stout Achates less, and both were fain the cloud to break;

  ardebant. Prior Aenean compellat Achates:

  And to Æneas first of all the leal Achates spake:

  ‘Nate dea, quae nunc animo sententia surgit?

  “O Goddess-born, what thought hereof ariseth in thy mind?

  omnia tuta vides, classem sociosque receptos.

  All safe thou seest thy ships; thy folk fair welcomed dost thou find:

  Unus abest, medio in fluctu quem vidimus ipsi

  One is away, whom we ourselves saw sunken in the deep;

  submersum; dictis respondent cetera matris.’ 585

  But all things else the promised word thy mother gave us keep.”

  Vix ea fatus erat, cum circumfusa repente

  Lo, even as he spake the word the cloud that wrapped them cleaves,

  scindit se nubes et in aethera purgat apertum.

  And in the open space of heaven no dusk behind it leaves;

  Restitit Aeneas claraque in luce refulsit,

  And there Æneas stood and shone amid the daylight clear,

  os umerosque deo similis; namque ipsa decoram

  With face and shoulders of a God: for loveliness of hair

  caesariem nato genetrix lumenque iuventae 590

  His mother breathed upon her son, and purple light of youth,

  purpureum et laetos oculis adflarat honores:

  And joyful glory of the eyes: e’en as in very sooth

  quale manus addunt ebori decus, aut ubi flavo

  The hand gives ivory goodliness, or when the Parian stone,

  argentum Pariusve lapis circumdatur auro.

  Or silver with the handicraft of yellow gold is done:

  Tum sic reginam adloquitur, cunctisque repente

  And therewithal unto the Queen doth he begin to speak,

  improvisus ait: ‘Coram, quem quaeritis, adsum, 595

  Unlooked-for of all men: “Lo here the very man ye seek,

  Troius Aeneas, Libycis ereptus ab undis.

  Trojan Æneas, caught away from Libyan seas of late!

  O sola infandos Troiae miserata labores,

  Thou, who alone of toils of
Troy hast been compassionate,

  quae nos, reliquias Danaum, terraeque marisque

  Who takest us, the leavings poor of Danaan sword, outworn

  omnibus exhaustos iam casibus, omnium egenos,

  With every hap of earth and sea, of every good forlorn,

  urbe, domo, socias, grates persolvere dignas 600

  To city and to house of thine: to thank thee to thy worth,

  non opis est nostrae, Dido, nec quicquid ubique est

  Dido, my might may compass not; nay, scattered o’er the earth

  gentis Dardaniae, magnum quae sparsa per orbem.

  The Dardan folk, for what thou dost may never give thee meed:

  Di tibi, si qua pios respectant numina, si quid

  But if somewhere a godhead is the righteous man to heed,

  usquam iustitia est et mens sibi conscia recti,

  If justice is, or any soul to note the right it wrought,

  praemia digna ferant. Quae te tam laeta tulerunt 605

  May the Gods give thee due reward. What joyful ages brought

  saecula? Qui tanti talem genuere parentes?

  Thy days to birth? what mighty ones gave such an one today?

  In freta dum fluvii current, dum montibus umbrae

  Now while the rivers seaward run, and while the shadows stray

  lustrabunt convexa, polus dum sidera pascet,

  O’er hollow hills, and while the pole the stars is pasturing wide,

  semper honos nomenque tuum laudesque manebunt,

  Still shall thine honour and thy name, still shall thy praise abide

  quae me cumque vocant terrae.’ Sic fatus, amicum 610

  What land soever calleth me.” Therewith his right hand sought

  Ilionea petit dextra, laevaque Serestum,

  His very friend Ilioneus, his left Serestus caught,

  post alios, fortemque Gyan fortemque Cloanthum.

  And then the others, Gyas strong, Cloanthus strong in fight.

  Obstipuit primo aspectu Sidonia Dido,

  Sidonian Dido marvelled much, first at the hero’s sight,

  casu deinde viri tanto, et sic ore locuta est:

  Then marvelled at the haps he had, and so such word doth say:

  ‘Quis te, nate dea, per tanta pericula casus 615

  “O Goddess-born, what fate is this that ever dogs thy way

  insequitur? Quae vis immanibus applicat oris?

  With such great perils? What hath yoked thy life to this wild shore?

  Tune ille Aeneas, quem Dardanio Anchisae

  And art thou that Æneas then, whom holy Venus bore

  alma Venus Phrygii genuit Simoentis ad undam?

  Unto Anchises, Dardan lord, by Phrygian Simoïs’ wave?

  Atque equidem Teucrum memini Sidona venire

  Of Teucer unto Sidon come a memory yet I have,