by Virgil
ascensu supero atque arrectis auribus asto:
To topmost roof: with ears pricked up I stand to hearken all.
in segetem ueluti cum flamma furentibus Austris
As when before the furious South the driven flame doth fall
incidit, aut rapidus montano flumine torrens 305
Among the corn: or like as when the hill-flood rolls in haste
sternit agros, sternit sata laeta boumque labores
To waste the fields and acres glad, the oxen’s toil to waste,
praecipitisque trahit siluas; stupet inscius alto
Tearing the headlong woods along, while high upon a stone
accipiens sonitum saxi de uertice pastor.
The unready shepherd stands amazed, and hears the sound come on.
tum uero manifesta fides, Danaumque patescunt
Then was their faith made manifest, then Danaan guile lay bare;
insidiae. iam Deiphobi dedit ampla ruinam 310
Deïphobus’ wide house e’en now, o’ertopped by Vulcan’s flare,
Volcano superante domus, iam proximus ardet
Shows forth its fall; Ucalegon’s is burning by its side:
Vcalegon; Sigea igni freta lata relucent.
The narrow seas Sigæum guards gleam litten far and wide.
exoritur clamorque uirum clangorque tubarum.
The shout of men ariseth now, and blaring of the horn,
arma amens capio; nec sat rationis in armis,
And mad, I catch my weapons up though idly they be borne;
sed glomerare manum bello et concurrere in arcem 315
But burned my heart to gather folk for battle, and set forth
cum sociis ardent animi; furor iraque mentem
Upon the burg in fellowship; for fury and great wrath
praecipitat, pulchrumque mori succurrit in armis.
Thrust on my heart: to die in arms, it seemed a good reward.
Ecce autem telis Panthus elapsus Achiuum,
But lo, now Panthus newly slipped from ‘neath the Achean sword,
Panthus Othryades, arcis Phoebique sacerdos,
Panthus the son of Othrys, priest of Phoebus’ house on high;
sacra manu uictosque deos paruumque nepotem 320
His holy things and vanquished Gods, his little lad thereby
ipse trahit cursuque amens ad limina tendit.
He drags, and as a madman runs, to gain our doorway set.
‘quo res summa loco, Panthu? quam prendimus arcem?’
‘Panthus, how fares it at the worst? what stronghold keep we yet?’
uix ea fatus eram gemitu cum talia reddit:
Scarce had I said, when from his mouth a groan and answer fares:
‘uenit summa dies et ineluctabile tempus
‘Troy’s latest day has come on us, a tide no struggling wears:
Dardaniae. fuimus Troes, fuit Ilium et ingens 325
Time was, the Trojans were; time was, and Ilium stood; time was,
gloria Teucrorum; ferus omnia Iuppiter Argos
And glory of the Teucrian folk! Jove biddeth all to pass
transtulit; incensa Danai dominantur in urbe.
To Argos now: in Troy afire the Danaans now are lords;
arduus armatos mediis in moenibus astans
The horse high set amidst the town pours forth a flood of swords,
fundit equus uictorque Sinon incendia miscet
And Sinon, of the victors now, the flame is driving home
insultans. portis alii bipatentibus adsunt, 330
High mocking: by the open gates another sort is come,
milia quot magnis umquam uenere Mycenis;
As many thousands as ere flocked from great Mycenæ yet:
obsedere alii telis angusta uiarum
Others with weapons ready dight the narrow ways beset,
oppositis; stat ferri acies mucrone corusco
And ban all passage; point and edge are glittering drawn and bare
stricta, parata neci; uix primi proelia temptant
Ready for death: and scarcely now the first few gatewards dare
portarum uigiles et caeco Marte resistunt.’ 335
The battle, and blind game of Mars a little while debate.’
talibus Othryadae dictis et numine diuum
Spurred by such speech of Othrys’ son, and force of godhead great,
in flammas et in arma feror, quo tristis Erinys,
Mid fire and steel I follow on as grim Erinnys shows,
quo fremitus uocat et sublatus ad aethera clamor.
Where call the cries, where calls the shout that ever heavenward goes,
addunt se socios Rhipeus et maximus armis
Rhipeus therewith, and Epytus the mighty under shield,
Epytus, oblati per lunam, Hypanisque Dymasque 340
Dymas and Hypanis withal their fellowship now yield;
et lateri adglomerant nostro, iuuenisque Coroebus
Met by the moon they join my side with young Coroebus; he
Mygdonides — illis ad Troiam forte diebus
The son of Mygdon, at that tide in Troy-town chanced to be;
uenerat insano Cassandrae incensus amore
Drawn thither by Cassandra’s love that burned within his heart.
et gener auxilium Priamo Phrygibusque ferebat,
So he to Priam service gave, and helped the Phrygian part:
infelix qui non sponsae praecepta furentis 345
Unhappy! that the warning word of his God-maddened love
audierit!
He might not hearken on that day.
quos ubi confertos ardere in proelia uidi,
Now when I see them gathered so to dare the battle’s pain,
incipio super his: ‘iuuenes, fortissima frustra
Thus I begin: ‘O fellows fair, O hardy hearts in vain!
pectora, si uobis audentem extrema cupido
If now ye long to follow me who dares the utterance
certa sequi, quae sit rebus fortuna uidetis: 350
And certain end, ye see indeed what wise our matters chance.
excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis
The Gods, who in the other days our lordship mighty made,
di quibus imperium hoc steterat; succurritis urbi
Are gone from altar and from shrine: a town of flames ye aid.
incensae. moriamur et in media arma ruamus.
Fall on a very midst the fire and die in press of war!
una salus uictis nullam sperare salutem.’
One hope there is for vanquished men, to cherish hope no more.’
sic animis iuuenum furor additus. inde, lupi ceu 355
Therewith the fury of their minds I feed, and thence away,
raptores atra in nebula, quos improba uentris
As ravening wolves by night and cloud their bellies’ lust obey,
exegit caecos rabies catulique relicti
That bitter-sharp is driving on, the while their whelps at home
faucibus exspectant siccis, per tela, per hostis
Dry-jawed await them, so by steel, by crowd of foes we come
uadimus haud dubiam in mortem mediaeque tenemus
Into the very death; we hold the city’s midmost street,
urbis iter; nox atra caua circumuolat umbra. 360
Black night-tide’s wings with hollow shade about our goings meet.
quis cladem illius noctis, quis funera fando
O ruin and death of that ill night, what tongue may set it forth!
explicet aut possit lacrimis aequare labores?
Or who may pay the debt of tears that agony was worth!
urbs antiqua ruit multos dominata per annos;
The ancient city overthrown, lord for so many a year,
plurima perque uias sternuntur inertia passim
The many bodies of the slain, that, moveless, everywhere
corpora perque domos et religiosa deorum 365
Lie in the stre
et, in houses lie, lie round the holy doors
limina. nec soli poenas dant sanguine Teucri;
Of Gods. But not alone that night the blood of Teucrians pours,
quondam etiam uictis redit in praecordia uirtus
For whiles the valour comes again in vanquished hearts to bide,
uictoresque cadunt Danai. crudelis ubique
And conquering Danaans fall and die: grim grief on every side,
luctus, ubique pauor et plurima mortis imago.
And fear on every side there is, and many-faced is death.
Primus se Danaum magna comitante caterua 370
Androgeus, whom a mighty band of Danaans followeth,
Androgeos offert nobis, socia agmina credens
First falleth on the road of us, and, deeming us to be
inscius, atque ultro uerbis compellat amicis:
His fellow-folk, in friendly words he speaketh presently:
‘festinate, uiri! nam quae tam sera moratur
‘Haste on, O men! what sloth is this delayeth so your ways?
segnities? alii rapiunt incensa feruntque
While others hand and haul away in Pergamos ablaze;
Pergama: uos celsis nunc primum a nauibus itis?’ 375
What! fellows, from the lofty ships come ye but even now?’
dixit, et extemplo (neque enim responsa dabantur
But with the word, no answer had wherein at all to trow,
fida satis) sensit medios delapsus in hostis.
He felt him fallen amid the foe, and taken in the snare;
obstipuit retroque pedem cum uoce repressit.
Then foot and voice aback he drew, and stood amazèd there,
improuisum aspris ueluti qui sentibus anguem
As one who through the thicket thrusts, and unawares doth tread
pressit humi nitens trepidusque repente refugit 380
Upon a snake, and starts aback with sudden rush of dread
attollentem iras et caerula colla tumentem,
From gathering anger of the thing and swelling neck of blue:
haud secus Androgeos uisu tremefactus abibat.
So, quaking at the sight of us, Androgeus backward drew.
inruimus densis et circumfundimur armis,
But we fall on with serried arms and round their rout we crowd,
ignarosque loci passim et formidine captos
And fell them knowing nought the place, and with all terror cowed:
sternimus; aspirat primo Fortuna labori. 385
So sweet the breath of fortune was on our first handicraft.
atque hic successu exsultans animisque Coroebus
But with good-hap and hardihood Coroebus’ spirit laughed;
‘o socii, qua prima’ inquit ‘Fortuna salutis
‘Come, fellows, follow up,’ he cries, ‘the way that fortune shows
monstrat iter, quaque ostendit se dextra, sequamur:
This first of times, and where belike a little kind she grows.
mutemus clipeos Danaumque insignia nobis
Change we our shields, and do on us the tokens of the Greeks;
aptemus. dolus an uirtus, quis in hoste requirat? 390
Whether with fraud or force he play what man of foeman seeks,
arma dabunt ipsi.’ sic fatus deinde comantem
Yea, these themselves shall give us arms.’ He spake, and forth did bear
Androgei galeam clipeique insigne decorum
Androgeus’ high-crested helm and shield emblazoned fair,
induitur laterique Argiuum accommodat ensem.
And did it on, and Argive sword he girt unto his thigh:
hoc Rhipeus, hoc ipse Dymas omnisque iuuentus
So Rhipeus did, and Dymas did, and all did joyously,
laeta facit: spoliis se quisque recentibus armat. 395
And each man wholly armed himself with plunder newly won.
uadimus immixti Danais haud numine nostro
Then mingled with the Greeks we fare, and no God helps us on,
multaque per caecam congressi proelia noctem
And many a battle there we join amid the eyeless night,
conserimus, multos Danaum demittimus Orco.
And many a Danaan send adown to Orcus from the light:
diffugiunt alii ad nauis et litora cursu
Some fled away unto the ships, some to the safe sea-shore,
fida petunt; pars ingentem formidine turpi 400
Or smitten with the coward’s dread climbed the great horse once more
scandunt rursus equum et nota conduntur in aluo.
And there they lie all close within the well-known womb of wood.
Heu nihil inuitis fas quemquam fidere diuis!
Alas! what skills it man to trust in Gods compelled to good?
ecce trahebatur passis Priameia uirgo
For lo, Cassandra, Priam’s maid, with hair cast all about,
crinibus a templo Cassandra adytisque Mineruae
From Pallas’ house and innermost of holy place dragged out,
ad caelum tendens ardentia lumina frustra, 405
And straining with her burning eyes in vain to heaven aloft;
lumina, nam teneras arcebant uincula palmas.
Her eyes, for they in bonds had bound her tender palms and soft.
non tulit hanc speciem furiata mente Coroebus
Nought bore Coroebus’ maddened mind to see that show go by,
et sese medium iniecit periturus in agmen;
And in the middle of their host he flung himself to die,
consequimur cuncti et densis incurrimus armis.
And all we follow and fall on with points together set.
hic primum ex alto delubri culmine telis 410
And first from that high temple-top great overthrow we get
nostrorum obruimur oriturque miserrima caedes
From weapons of our friends, and thence doth hapless death arise
armorum facie et Graiarum errore iubarum.
From error of the Greekish crests and armour’s Greekish guise;
tum Danai gemitu atque ereptae uirginis ira
Then crying out for taken maid, fulfilled thereat with wrath,
undique collecti inuadunt, acerrimus Aiax
The gathered Greeks fall in on us: comes keenest Ajax forth;
et gemini Atridae Dolopumque exercitus omnis: 415
The sons of Atreus, all the host of Dolopes are there: —
aduersi rupto ceu quondam turbine uenti
As whiles, the knit whirl broken up, the winds together bear
confligunt, Zephyrusque Notusque et laetus Eois
And strive, the West wind and the South, the East wind glad and free
Eurus equis; stridunt siluae saeuitque tridenti
With Eastland steeds; sore groan the woods; and Nereus stirs the sea
spumeus atque imo Nereus ciet aequora fundo.
From lowest deeps, and trident shakes, and foams upon the wave: —
illi etiam, si quos obscura nocte per umbram 420
They even to whom by night and cloud great overthrow we gave,
fudimus insidiis totaque agitauimus urbe,
Through craft of ours, and drave about through all the town that while,
apparent; primi clipeos mentitaque tela
Now show themselves, and know our shields and weapons worn for guile
agnoscunt atque ora sono discordia signant.
The first of all; our mouths unmeet for Greekish speech they tell
ilicet obruimur numero, primusque Coroebus
Then o’er us sweeps the multitude; and first Coroebus fell
Penelei dextra diuae armipotentis ad aram 425
By Peneleus before the Maid who ever in the fight
procumbit; cadit et Rhipeus, iustissimus unus
Prevaileth most; fell Rhipeus there, the heedfullest of right
qui fuit in Teucris et seruantissimus aequi
Of all among the Teucrian folk
, the justest man of men;
(dis aliter uisum); pereunt Hypanisque Dymasque
The Gods deemed otherwise. Dymas and Hypanis died then,
confixi a sociis; nec te tua plurima, Panthu,
Shot through by friends, and not a whit availed to cover thee,
labentem pietas nec Apollinis infula texit. 430
O Panthus, thine Apollo’s bands or plenteous piety.
Iliaci cineres et flamma extrema meorum,
Ashes of Ilium, ye last flames where my beloved ones burned,
testor, in occasu uestro nec tela nec ullas
Bear witness mid your overthrow my face was never turned
uitauisse uices, Danaum et, si fata fuissent
From Danaan steel and Danaan deed! if fate had willed it so
ut caderem, meruisse manu. diuellimur inde,
That I should fall, I earned my wage. Borne thence away, we go
Iphitus et Pelias mecum (quorum Iphitus aeuo 435
Pelias and Iphitus and I; but Iphitus was spent
iam grauior, Pelias et uulnere tardus Vlixi),
By eld, and by Ulysses’ hurt half halting Pelias went.
protinus ad sedes Priami clamore uocati.
So unto Priam’s house we come, called by the clamour there,
hic uero ingentem pugnam, ceu cetera nusquam
Where such a mighty battle was as though none otherwhere
bella forent, nulli tota morerentur in urbe,
Yet burned: as though none others fell in all the town beside.
sic Martem indomitum Danaosque ad tecta ruentis 440
There all unbridled Mars we saw, the Danaans driving wide
cernimus obsessumque acta testudine limen.
Against the house; with shield-roofs’ rush the doors thereof beset.
haerent parietibus scalae postisque sub ipsos
The ladders cling unto the walls, men by the door-posts get
nituntur gradibus clipeosque ad tela sinistris
Some foothold up; with shielded left they meet the weapons’ rain,
protecti obiciunt, prensant fastigia dextris.
While on the battlements above grip with the right they gain.
Dardanidae contra turris ac tota domorum 445
The Dardans on the other side pluck roof and pinnacle
culmina conuellunt; his se, quando ultima cernunt,
From off the house; with such-like shot they now, beholding well
extrema iam in morte parant defendere telis,
The end anigh, all death at hand, make ready for the play:
auratasque trabes, ueterum decora alta parentum,
And gilded beams, the pomp and joy of fathers passed away.
deuoluunt; alii strictis mucronibus imas
They roll adown, and other some with naked point and edge
