by Virgil
Ye holy fillets of the Gods bound round my fore-doomed head,
fas mihi Graiorum sacrata resoluere iura,
That I all hallowed Greekish rites may break and do aright,
fas odisse uiros atque omnia ferre sub auras,
That I may hate the men and bring all hidden things to light
si qua tegunt, teneor patriae nec legibus ullis.
If aught lie hid; nor am I held by laws my country gave!
tu modo promissis maneas seruataque serues 160
But thou, O Troy, abide by troth, and well thy saviour save,
Troia fidem, si uera feram, si magna rependam.
If truth I bear thee, if great things for great I pay thee o’er!
omnis spes Danaum et coepti fiducia belli
‘All hope the Danaans had, all trust for speeding on the war
Palladis auxiliis semper stetit. impius ex quo
On Pallas’ aid was ever set: yet came a day no less
Tydides sed enim scelerumque inuentor Vlixes,
When godless Diomed and he, well-spring of wickedness,
fatale adgressi sacrato auellere templo 165
Ulysses, brake the holy place that they by stealth might gain
Palladium caesis summae custodibus arcis,
The fate-fulfilled Palladium, when, all the burg-guards slain,
corripuere sacram effigiem manibusque cruentis
They caught the holy image up, and durst their bloody hands
uirgineas ausi diuae contingere uittas,
Lay on the awful Goddess there and touch her holy bands:
ex illo fluere ac retro sublapsa referri
The flood-tide of the Danaan hope ebbed from that very day;
spes Danaum, fractae uires, auersa deae mens. 170
Might failed them, and the Goddess-maid turned all her heart away:
nec dubiis ea signa dedit Tritonia monstris.
Token whereof Tritonia gave by portent none might doubt:
uix positum castris simulacrum: arsere coruscae
Scarce was the image set in camp when suddenly flashed out
luminibus flammae arrectis, salsusque per artus
Fierce fire from staring eyes of her, and salt sweat oozed and fell
sudor iit, terque ipsa solo (mirabile dictu)
O’er all her limbs, and she from earth, O wonderful to tell!
emicuit parmamque ferens hastamque trementem. 175
Leapt thrice, still holding in her hand the quivering spear and shield:
extemplo temptanda fuga canit aequora Calchas,
Then Calchas bade us turn to flight across the wavy field,
nec posse Argolicis exscindi Pergama telis
Singing how ruin of Pergamos the Argive steel shall lack,
omina ni repetant Argis numenque reducant
Till Argos give the signs again, and we the God bring back
quod pelago et curuis secum auexere carinis.
In hollow of the curved keel across the tumbling main.
et nunc quod patrias uento petiere Mycenas, 180
And this is why they sought their home, Mycenæ’s land, again,
arma deosque parant comites pelagoque remenso
And there they dight them arms and God, and presently unwares
improuisi aderunt; ita digerit omina Calchas.
Will be on you across the sea — Calchas such doom declares.
hanc pro Palladio moniti, pro numine laeso
So warned hereby for Godhead’s hurt, in stolen Palladium’s stead,
effigiem statuere, nefas quae triste piaret.
Atonement for their heavy guilt, this horse they fashionèd.
hanc tamen immensam Calchas attollere molem 185
But him indeed did Calchas bid to pile so mountain-high
roboribus textis caeloque educere iussit,
With such a might of mingled beams, and lead up to the sky,
ne recipi portis aut duci in moenia posset,
Lest it within the gates should come, or mid the walls, and lest
neu populum antiqua sub religione tueri.
Beneath their ancient Pallas-faith the people safe should rest.
nam si uestra manus uiolasset dona Mineruae,
For if upon Minerva’s gift ye lay a godless hand,
tum magnum exitium (quod di prius omen in ipsum 190
Then mighty ruin (and would to God before his face might stand
conuertant!) Priami imperio Phrygibusque futurum;
That ruin instead) on Priam’s might, and Phrygian folk shall fall.
sin manibus uestris uestram ascendisset in urbem,
But if your hands shall lead it up within the city wall,
ultro Asiam magno Pelopea ad moenia bello
Then Asia, free and willing it, to Pelops’ house shall come
uenturam, et nostros ea fata manere nepotes.’
With mighty war; and that same fate our sons shall follow home.’
Talibus insidiis periurique arte Sinonis 195
Caught by such snares and crafty guile of Sinon the forsworn,
credita res, captique dolis lacrimisque coactis
By lies and lies, and tears forced forth there were we overborne;
quos neque Tydides nec Larisaeus Achilles,
We, whom Tydides might not tame, nor Larissæan king
non anni domuere decem, non mille carinae.
Achilles; nor the thousand ships, and ten years’ wearying.
Hic aliud maius miseris multoque tremendum
But now another, greater hap, a very birth of fear,
obicitur magis atque improuida pectora turbat. 200
Was thrust before us wretched ones, our sightless hearts to stir.
Laocoon, ductus Neptuno sorte sacerdos,
Laocoon, chosen out by lot for mighty Neptune’s priest,
sollemnis taurum ingentem mactabat ad aras.
Would sacrifice a mighty bull at altars of the feast;
ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta
When lo, away from Tenedos, o’er quiet of the main
(horresco referens) immensis orbibus angues
(I tremble in the tale) we see huge coils of serpents twain
incumbunt pelago pariterque ad litora tendunt; 205
Breasting the sea, and side by side swift making for the shore;
pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque
Whose fronts amid the flood were strained, and high their crests upbore
sanguineae superant undas, pars cetera pontum
Blood-red above the waves, the rest swept o’er the sea behind,
pone legit sinuatque immensa uolumine terga.
And all the unmeasured backs of them coil upon coil they wind,
fit sonitus spumante salo; iamque arua tenebant
While sends the sea great sound of foam. And now the meads they gained,
ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine et igni 210
The burning eyes with flecks of blood and streaks of fire are stained,
sibila lambebant linguis uibrantibus ora.
Their mouths with hisses all fulfilled are licked by flickering tongue.
diffugimus uisu exsangues. illi agmine certo
Bloodless we flee the sight, but they fare steadfastly along
Laocoonta petunt; et primum parua duorum
Unto Laocoon; and first each serpent round doth reach
corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque
One little body of his sons, and knitting each to each,
implicat et miseros morsu depascitur artus; 215
And winding round and round about, the unhappy body gnaws:
post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem
And then himself, as sword in hand anigh for help he draws,
corripiunt spirisque ligant ingentibus; et iam
They seize and bind about in coils most huge, and presently
bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum
Are folded twice
about his midst, twice round his neck they tie
terga dati superant capite et ceruicibus altis.
Their scaly backs, and hang above with head and toppling mane,
ille simul manibus tendit diuellere nodos 220
While he both striveth with his hands to rend their folds atwain,
perfusus sanie uittas atroque ueneno,
His fillets covered o’er with blood and venom black and fell,
clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit:
And starward sendeth forth withal a cry most horrible,
qualis mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram
The roaring of a wounded bull who flees the altar-horn
taurus et incertam excussit ceruice securim.
And shaketh from his crest away the axe unhandy borne.
at gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones 225
But fleeing to the shrines on high do those two serpents glide,
effugiunt saeuaeque petunt Tritonidis arcem,
And reach the hard Tritonia’s house, and therewithin they hide
sub pedibusque deae clipeique sub orbe teguntur.
Beneath the Goddess’ very feet and orbèd shield of dread;
tum uero tremefacta nouus per pectora cunctis
Then through our quaking hearts indeed afresh the terror spread,
insinuat pauor, et scelus expendisse merentem
And all men say Laocoon hath paid but worthily
Laocoonta ferunt, sacrum qui cuspide robur 230
For guilt of his, and hurt of steel upon the holy tree,
laeserit et tergo sceleratam intorserit hastam.
When that unhappy wicked spear against its flank he threw.
ducendum ad sedes simulacrum orandaque diuae
They cry to lead the image on to holy house and due,
numina conclamant.
And Pallas’ godhead to adore.
diuidimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis.
We break adown our rampart walls and bare the very town:
accingunt omnes operi pedibusque rotarum 235
All gird themselves unto the work, set wheels that it may glide
subiciunt lapsus, et stuppea uincula collo
Beneath his feet, about his neck the hempen bond is tied
intendunt; scandit fatalis machina muros
To warp it on: up o’er the walls so climbs the fateful thing
feta armis. pueri circum innuptaeque puellae
Fruitful of arms; and boys about and unwed maidens sing
sacra canunt funemque manu contingere gaudent;
The holy songs, and deem it joy hand on the ropes to lay.
illa subit mediaeque minans inlabitur urbi. 240
It enters; through the city’s midst it wends its evil way.
o patria, o diuum domus Ilium et incluta bello
O land! O Ilium, house of Gods! O glorious walls of war!
moenia Dardanidum! quater ipso in limine portae
Dardan walls! — four times amidst the threshold of our door
substitit atque utero sonitum quater arma dedere;
It stood: four times with sound of arms the belly of it rung;
instamus tamen immemores caecique furore
But heedless, maddened hearts and blind, hard on the ropes we hung,
et monstrum infelix sacrata sistimus arce. 245
Nor but amidst the holy burg the monster’s feet we stay.
tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris
And then Cassandra oped her mouth to tell the fateful day, —
ora dei iussu non umquam credita Teucris.
Her mouth that by the Gods’ own doom the Teucrians ne’er might trow.
nos delubra deum miseri, quibus ultimus esset
Then on this day that was our last we bear the joyous bough,
ille dies, festa uelamus fronde per urbem.
Poor wretches! through the town to deck each godhead’s holy place.
Vertitur interea caelum et ruit Oceano nox 250
Meanwhile the heavens are faring round, night falls on ocean’s face,
inuoluens umbra magna terramque polumque
Enwrapping in her mighty shade all earthly things and sky,
Myrmidonumque dolos; fusi per moenia Teucri
And all the guile of Myrmidons: silent the Teucrians lie
conticuere; sopor fessos complectitur artus.
Through all the town, and Sleep her arms o’er wearied bodies slips.
et iam Argiua phalanx instructis nauibus ibat
And now the Argive host comes forth upon its ordered ships
a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae 255
From Tenedos, all hushed amid the kind moon’s silent ways,
litora nota petens, flammas cum regia puppis
Seeking the well-known strand, when forth there breaks the bale-fire’s blaze
extulerat, fatisque deum defensus iniquis
On the king’s deck: and Sinon, kept by Gods’ unequal fate,
inclusos utero Danaos et pinea furtim
For Danaans hid in horse’s womb undoes the piny gate
laxat claustra Sinon. illos patefactus ad auras
In stealthy wise: them now the horse, laid open to the air,
reddit equus laetique cauo se robore promunt 260
Gives forth again, and glad from out the hollow wood they fare;
Thessandrus Sthenelusque duces et dirus Vlixes,
Thessandrus, Sthenelus, the dukes, and dire Ulysses pass;
demissum lapsi per funem, Acamasque Thoasque
Slipped down along a hanging rope, Thoas and Acamas,
Pelidesque Neoptolemus primusque Machaon
Peleian Neoptolemus, and Machaon the first,
et Menelaus et ipse doli fabricator Epeos.
And Menelaüs, and the man who forged the guile accursed,
inuadunt urbem somno uinoque sepultam; 265
Epeos. Through the city sunk in sleep and wine they break,
caeduntur uigiles, portisque patentibus omnis
Slain are the guards, at gates all oped their fellows in they take,
accipiunt socios atque agmina conscia iungunt.
Till all their bands confederate are met at last in one.
Tempus erat quo prima quies mortalibus aegris
It was the time when that first peace of sick men hath begun,
incipit et dono diuum gratissima serpit.
By very gift of God o’er all in sweetest wise to creep,
in somnis, ecce, ante oculos maestissimus Hector 270
When Hector comes before mine eyes amid the dreams of sleep,
uisus adesse mihi largosque effundere fletus,
Most sorrowful to see he was, and weeping plenteous flood,
raptatus bigis ut quondam, aterque cruento
And e’en as torn behind the car, black with the dust and blood,
puluere perque pedes traiectus lora tumentis.
His feet all swollen with the thong that pierced them through and through.
ei mihi, qualis erat, quantum mutatus ab illo
Woe worth the while for what he was! How changed from him we knew!
Hectore qui redit exuuias indutus Achilli 275
The Hector come from out the fight in arms Achilles lost,
uel Danaum Phrygios iaculatus puppibus ignis!
The Hector that on Danaan decks the Phrygian firebrands tost.
squalentem barbam et concretos sanguine crinis
Foul was his beard, and all his hair was matted up with gore,
uulneraque illa gerens, quae circum plurima muros
And on his body were the wounds, the many wounds he bore
accepit patrios. ultro flens ipse uidebar
Around his Troy. I seemed in sleep, I weeping e’en as he,
compellare uirum et maestas expromere uoces: 280
To speak unto the hero first in voice of misery:
‘o lux Dardaniae, spes o fidissima Teucrum,
‘O Light of Troy, most faithful hope of all the Teucrian men,
quae tantae tenuere morae? quibus Hector ab oris
What stay hath held thee back so long? from what shore com’st thou then,
exspectate uenis? ut te post multa tuorum
Long-looked-for Hector? that at last, so many died away,
funera, post uarios hominumque urbisque labores
Such toil of city, toil of men, we see thy face today,
defessi aspicimus! quae causa indigna serenos 285
We so forewearied? What hath fouled in such an evil wise
foedauit uultus? aut cur haec uulnera cerno?’
Thy cheerful face? what mean these hurts thou showest to mine eyes?’
ille nihil, nec me quaerentem uana moratur,
Nought: nor my questions void and vain one moment turned his speech;
sed grauiter gemitus imo de pectore ducens,
Who from the inmost of his heart a heavy groan did reach:
‘heu fuge, nate dea, teque his’ ait ‘eripe flammis.
‘O Goddess-born, flee forth,’ he said, ‘and snatch thee from the fire!
hostis habet muros; ruit alto a culmine Troia. 290
The foeman hath the walls, and Troy is down from topmost spire.
sat patriae Priamoque datum: si Pergama dextra
For Priam and for country now enough. If any hand
defendi possent, etiam hac defensa fuissent.
Might have kept Pergamos, held up by mine it yet should stand.
sacra suosque tibi commendat Troia penatis;
Her holy things and household gods Troy gives in charge to thee;
hos cape fatorum comites, his moenia quaere
Take these as fellows of thy fate: go forth the walls to see,
magna pererrato statues quae denique ponto.’ 295
The great walls thou shalt build, when thou the sea hast wandered o’er.’
sic ait et manibus uittas Vestamque potentem
He spake, and from the inner shrine forth in his hands he bore
aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem.
Great Vesta, and the holy bands, and fire that never dies.
Diuerso interea miscentur moenia luctu,
Meanwhile the city’s turmoiled woe was wrought in diverse wise,
et magis atque magis, quamquam secreta parentis
And though my father’s house aback apart from all was set,
Anchisae domus arboribusque obtecta recessit, 300
And hedged about with many trees, clearer and clearer yet
clarescunt sonitus armorumque ingruit horror.
The sounds grew on us, ever swelled the weapons’ dread and din.
excutior somno et summi fastigia tecti
I shake off sleep and forthwithal climb up aloft and win
