Complete Works of Virgil

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,