Complete Works of Virgil

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