by Virgil
ferte uiam uento facilem et spirate secundi.’
Make our way easy with the wind, breathe on us kindly breath!’
crebrescunt optatae aurae portusque patescit 530
Then riseth up the longed-for breeze, the haven openeth
iam propior, templumque apparet in arce Mineruae;
As nigh we draw, and on the cliff a fane of Pallas shows:
uela legunt socii et proras ad litora torquent.
Therewith our fellow-folk furl sail and shoreward turn the prows.
portus ab euroo fluctu curuatus in arcum,
Bow-wise the bight is hollowed out by eastward-setting flood,
obiectae salsa spumant aspergine cautes,
But over-foamed by salt-sea spray thrust out its twin horns stood,
ipse latet: gemino demittunt bracchia muro 535
While it lay hidden; tower-like rocks let down on either hand
turriti scopuli refugitque ab litore templum.
Twin arms of rock-wall, and the fane lies backward from the stand.
quattuor hic, primum omen, equos in gramine uidi
But I beheld upon the grass four horses, snowy white,
tondentis campum late, candore niuali.
Grazing the meadows far and wide, first omen of my sight.
et pater Anchises ‘bellum, o terra hospita, portas:
Father Anchises seeth and saith: ‘New land, and bear’st thou war?
bello armantur equi, bellum haec armenta minantur. 540
For war are horses dight; so these war-threatening herd-beasts are.
sed tamen idem olim curru succedere sueti
Yet whiles indeed those four-foot things in car will well refrain,
quadripedes et frena iugo concordia ferre:
And tamed beneath the yoke will bear the bit and bridle’s strain,
spes et pacis’ ait. tum numina sancta precamur
So there is yet a hope of peace.’ Then on the might we call
Palladis armisonae, quae prima accepit ouantis,
Of Pallas of the weapon-din, first welcomer of all,
et capita ante aras Phrygio uelamur amictu, 545
And veil our brows before the Gods with cloth of Phrygian dye;
praeceptisque Heleni, dederat quae maxima, rite
And that chief charge of Helenus we do all rightfully,
Iunoni Argiuae iussos adolemus honores.
And Argive Juno worship there in such wise as is willed.
Haud mora, continuo perfectis ordine uotis
We tarry not, but when all vows are duly there fulfilled,
cornua uelatarum obuertimus antemnarum,
Unto the wind our sail-yard horns we fall to turn about,
Graiugenumque domos suspectaque linquimus arua. 550
And leave the houses of the Greeks, and nursing fields of doubt.
hinc sinus Herculei (si uera est fama) Tarenti
And next is seen Tarentum’s bay, the Herculean place
cernitur, attollit se diua Lacinia contra,
If fame tell true; Lacinia then, the house of Gods, we face;
Caulonisque arces et nauifragum Scylaceum.
And Caulon’s towers, and Scylaceum, of old the shipman’s bane.
tum procul e fluctu Trinacria cernitur Aetna,
Then see we Ætna rise far off above Trinacria’s main;
et gemitum ingentem pelagi pulsataque saxa 555
Afar the mighty moan of sea, and sea-cliffs beaten sore,
audimus longe fractasque ad litora uoces,
We hearken, and the broken voice that cometh from the shore:
exsultantque uada atque aestu miscentur harenae.
The sea leaps high upon the shoals, the eddy churns the sand.
et pater Anchises ‘nimirum hic illa Charybdis:
Then saith Anchises: ‘Lo forsooth, Charybdis is at hand,
hos Helenus scopulos, haec saxa horrenda canebat.
Those rocks and stones the dread whereof did Helenus foretell.
eripite, o socii, pariterque insurgite remis.’ 560
Save ye, O friends! swing out the oars together now and well!’
haud minus ac iussi faciunt, primusque rudentem
Nor worser than his word they do, and first the roaring beaks
contorsit laeuas proram Palinurus ad undas;
Doth Palinurus leftward wrest; then all the sea-host seeks
laeuam cuncta cohors remis uentisque petiuit.
With sail and oar the waters wild upon the left that lie:
tollimur in caelum curuato gurgite, et idem
Upheaved upon the tossing whirl we fare unto the sky,
subducta ad Manis imos desedimus unda. 565
Then down unto the nether Gods we sink upon the wave:
ter scopuli clamorem inter caua saxa dedere,
Thrice from the hollow-carven rocks great roar the sea-cliffs gave;
ter spumam elisam et rorantia uidimus astra.
Thrice did we see the spray cast forth and stars with sea-dew done;
interea fessos uentus cum sole reliquit,
But the wind left us weary folk at sinking of the sun,
ignarique uiae Cyclopum adlabimur oris.
And on the Cyclops’ strand we glide unwitting of the way.
Portus ab accessu uentorum immotus et ingens 570
Locked from the wind the haven is, itself an ample bay;
ipse: sed horrificis iuxta tonat Aetna ruinis,
But hard at hand mid ruin and fear doth Ætna thunder loud;
interdumque atram prorumpit ad aethera nubem
And whiles it blasteth forth on air a black and dreadful cloud,
turbine fumantem piceo et candente fauilla,
That rolleth on a pitchy wreath, where bright the ashes mix,
attollitque globos flammarum et sidera lambit;
And heaveth up great globes of flame and heaven’s high star-world licks,
interdum scopulos auulsaque uiscera montis 575
And other whiles the very cliffs, and riven mountain-maw
erigit eructans, liquefactaque saxa sub auras
It belches forth; the molten stones together will it draw
cum gemitu glomerat fundoque exaestuat imo.
Aloft with moan, and boileth o’er from lowest inner vale.
fama est Enceladi semustum fulmine corpus
This world of mountain presseth down, as told it is in tale,
urgeri mole hac, ingentemque insuper Aetnam
Enceladus the thunder-scorched; huge Ætna on him cast,
impositam ruptis flammam exspirare caminis, 580
From all her bursten furnaces breathes out his fiery blast;
et fessum quotiens mutet latus, intremere omnem
And whensoe’er his weary side he shifteth, all the shore
murmure Trinacriam et caelum subtexere fumo.
Trinacrian trembleth murmuring, and heaven is smoke-clad o’er.
noctem illam tecti siluis immania monstra
In thicket close we wear the night amidst these marvels dread,
perferimus, nec quae sonitum det causa uidemus.
Nor may we see what thing it is that all that noise hath shed:
nam neque erant astrorum ignes nec lucidus aethra 585
For neither showed the planet fires, nor was the heaven bright
siderea polus, obscuro sed nubila caelo,
With starry zenith; mirky cloud hung over all the night,
et lunam in nimbo nox intempesta tenebat.
In mist of dead untimely tide the moon was hidden close.
Postera iamque dies primo surgebat Eoo
But when from earliest Eastern dawn the following day arose,
umentemque Aurora polo dimouerat umbram,
And fair Aurora from the heaven the watery shades had cleared,
cum subito e siluis macie confecta suprema 590
Lo, suddenly from out the wood new shape of man appeared.
ignoti no
ua forma uiri miserandaque cultu
Unknown he was, most utter lean, in wretchedest of plight:
procedit supplexque manus ad litora tendit.
Shoreward he stretched his suppliant hands; we turn back at the sight,
respicimus. dira inluuies immissaque barba,
And gaze on him: all squalor there, a mat of beard we see,
consertum tegimen spinis: at cetera Graius,
And raiment clasped with wooden thorns; and yet a Greek is he,
et quondam patriis ad Troiam missus in armis. 595
Yea, sent erewhile to leaguered Troy in Greekish weed of war.
isque ubi Dardanios habitus et Troia uidit
But when he saw our Dardan guise and arms of Troy afar,
arma procul, paulum aspectu conterritus haesit
Feared at the sight he hung aback at first a little space,
continuitque gradum; mox sese ad litora praeceps
But presently ran headlong down into our sea-side place
cum fletu precibusque tulit: ‘per sidera testor,
With tears and prayers: ‘O Teucrian men, by all the stars,’ he cried,
per superos atque hoc caeli spirabile lumen, 600
‘By all the Gods, by light of heaven ye breathe, O bear me wide
tollite me, Teucri. quascumque abducite terras:
Away from here! to whatso land henceforth ye lead my feet
hoc sat erit. scio me Danais e classibus unum
It is enough. That I am one from out the Danaan fleet,
et bello Iliacos fateor petiisse penatis.
And that I warred on Ilian house erewhile, most true it is;
pro quo, si sceleris tanta est iniuria nostri,
For which, if I must pay so much wherein I wrought amiss,
spargite me in fluctus uastoque immergite ponto; 605
Then strew me on the flood and sink my body in the sea!
si pereo, hominum manibus periisse iuuabit.’
To die by hands of very men shall be a joy to me.’
dixerat et genua amplexus genibusque uolutans
He spake with arms about our knees, and wallowing still he clung
haerebat. qui sit fari, quo sanguine cretus,
Unto our knees: but what he was and from what blood he sprung
hortamur, quae deinde agitet fortuna fateri.
We bade him say, and tell withal what fate upon him drave.
ipse pater dextram Anchises haud multa moratus 610
His right hand with no tarrying then Father Anchises gave
dat iuueni atque animum praesenti pignore firmat.
Unto the youth, and heartened him with utter pledge of peace.
ille haec deposita tandem formidine fatur:
So now he spake when fear of us amid his heart did cease:
‘sum patria ex Ithaca, comes infelicis Vlixi,
‘Luckless Ulysses’ man am I, and Ithaca me bore,
nomine Achaemenides, Troiam genitore Adamasto
Hight Achemenides, who left that Adamastus poor
paupere (mansissetque utinam fortuna!) profectus. 615
My father (would I still were there!) by leaguered Troy to be.
hic me, dum trepidi crudelia limina linquunt,
Here while my mates aquake with dread the cruel threshold flee,
immemores socii uasto Cyclopis in antro
They leave me in the Cyclops’ den unmindful of their friend;
deseruere. domus sanie dapibusque cruentis,
A house of blood and bloody meat, most huge from end to end,
intus opaca, ingens. ipse arduus, altaque pulsat
Mirky within: high up aloft star-smiting to behold
sidera (di talem terris auertite pestem!) 620
Is he himself; — such bane, O God, keep thou from field and fold!
nec uisu facilis nec dictu adfabilis ulli;
Scarce may a man look on his face; no word to him is good;
uisceribus miserorum et sanguine uescitur atro.
On wretches’ entrails doth he feed and black abundant blood.
uidi egomet duo de numero cum corpora nostro
Myself I saw him of our folk two hapless bodies take
prensa manu magna medio resupinus in antro
In his huge hand, whom straight he fell athwart a stone to break
frangeret ad saxum, sanieque aspersa natarent 625
As there he lay upon his back; I saw the threshold swim
limina; uidi atro cum membra fluentia tabo
With spouted blood, I saw him grind each bloody dripping limb,
manderet et tepidi tremerent sub dentibus artus —
I saw the joints amidst his teeth all warm and quivering still.
haud impune quidem, nec talia passus Vlixes
— He payed therefore, for never might Ulysses bear such ill,
oblitusue sui est Ithacus discrimine tanto.
Nor was he worser than himself in such a pinch bestead:
nam simul expletus dapibus uinoque sepultus 630
For when with victual satiate, deep sunk in wine, his head
ceruicem inflexam posuit, iacuitque per antrum
Fell on his breast, and there he lay enormous through the den,
immensus saniem eructans et frusta cruento
Snorting out gore amidst his sleep, with gobbets of the men
per somnum commixta mero, nos magna precati
And mingled blood and wine; then we sought the great Gods with prayer
numina sortitique uices una undique circum
And drew the lots, and one and all crowded about him there,
fundimur, et telo lumen terebramus acuto 635
And bored out with a sharpened pike the eye that used to lurk
ingens quod torua solum sub fronte latebat,
Enormous lonely ‘neath his brow overhanging grim and mirk,
Argolici clipei aut Phoebeae lampadis instar,
As great a shield of Argolis, or Phoebus’ lamp on high;
et tandem laeti sociorum ulciscimur umbras.
And so our murdered fellows’ ghosts avenged we joyously.
sed fugite, o miseri, fugite atque ab litore funem
— But ye, O miserable men, flee forth! make haste to pluck
rumpite. 640
The warping hawser from the shore!
nam qualis quantusque cauo Polyphemus in antro
For even such, and e’en so great as Polypheme in cave
lanigeras claudit pecudes atque ubera pressat,
Shuts in the wealth of woolly things and draws the udders’ wave,
centum alii curua haec habitant ad litora uulgo
An hundred others commonly dwell o’er these curving bights,
infandi Cyclopes et altis montibus errant.
Unutterable Cyclop folk, or stray about the heights.
tertia iam lunae se cornua lumine complent 645
Thrice have the twin horns of the moon fulfilled the circle clear
cum uitam in siluis inter deserta ferarum
While I have dragged out life in woods and houses of the deer,
lustra domosque traho uastosque ab rupe Cyclopas
And gardens of the beasts; and oft from rocky place on high
prospicio sonitumque pedum uocemque tremesco.
Trembling I note the Cyclops huge, hear foot and voice go by.
uictum infelicem, bacas lapidosaque corna,
And evil meat of wood-berries, and cornel’s flinty fruit
dant rami, et uulsis pascunt radicibus herbae. 650
The bush-boughs give; on grass at whiles I browse, and plucked-up root
omnia conlustrans hanc primum ad litora classem
So wandering all about, at last I see unto the shore
conspexi uenientem. huic me, quaecumque fuisset,
Your ships a-coming: thitherward my steps in haste I bore:
addixi: satis est gentem effugisse nefandam.
Whate’er might hap enough i
t was to flee this folk of ill;
uos animam hanc potius quocumque absumite leto.’
Rather do ye in any wise the life within me spill.’
Vix ea fatus erat summo cum monte uidemus 655
And scarcely had he said the word ere on the hill above
ipsum inter pecudes uasta se mole mouentem
The very shepherd Polypheme his mountain mass did move,
pastorem Polyphemum et litora nota petentem,
A marvel dread, a shapeless trunk, an eyeless monstrous thing,
monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum.
Who down unto the shore well known his sheep was shepherding;
trunca manum pinus regit et uestigia firmat;
A pine-tree in the hand of him leads on and stays his feet;
lanigerae comitantur oues; ea sola uoluptas 660
The woolly sheep his fellows are, his only pleasure sweet,
solamenque mali.
The only solace of his ill.
postquam altos tetigit fluctus et ad aequora uenit,
But when he touched the waters deep, and mid the waves was come,
luminis effossi fluidum lauit inde cruorem
He falls to wash the flowing blood from off his eye dug out;
dentibus infrendens gemitu, graditurque per aequor
Gnashing his teeth and groaning sore he walks the sea about,
iam medium, necdum fluctus latera ardua tinxit. 665
But none the less no wave there was up to his flank might win.
nos procul inde fugam trepidi celerare recepto
Afeard from far we haste to flee, and, having taken in
supplice sic merito tacitique incidere funem,
Our suppliant, who had earned it well, cut cable silently,
uertimus et proni certantibus aequora remis.
And bending to the eager oars sweep out along the sea.
sensit, et ad sonitum uocis uestigia torsit.
He heard it, and his feet he set to follow on the sound;
uerum ubi nulla datur dextra adfectare potestas 670
But when his right hand failed to reach, and therewithal he found
nec potis Ionios fluctus aequare sequendo,
He might not speed as fast as fares the Ionian billow lithe,
clamorem immensum tollit, quo pontus et omnes
Then clamour measureless he raised, and ocean quaked therewith
intremuere undae, penitusque exterrita tellus
Through every wave, and inwardly the land was terrified
Italiae curuisque immugiit Aetna cauernis.
Of Italy, and Ætna boomed from many-hollowed side.
at genus e siluis Cyclopum et montibus altis 675
But all the race of Cyclops stirred from woods and lofty hills,
