Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  deducunt toto nauis. natat uncta carina,

  They bear the oars still leaf-bearing: they bring the might of wood,

  frondentisque ferunt remos et robora siluis

  Unwrought, so fain of flight they are,

  infabricata fugae studio. 400

  Lo now their flitting! how they run from all the town in haste!

  migrantis cernas totaque ex urbe ruentis:

  E’en as the ants, the winter-wise, are gathered whiles to waste

  ac uelut ingentem formicae farris aceruum

  A heap of corn, and toil that same beneath their roof to lay,

  cum populant hiemis memores tectoque reponunt,

  Forth goes the black troop mid the mead, and carries forth the prey

  it nigrum campis agmen praedamque per herbas

  Over the grass in narrow line: some strive with shoulder-might

  conuectant calle angusto; pars grandia trudunt 405

  And push along a grain o’ergreat, some drive the line aright,

  obnixae frumenta umeris, pars agmina cogunt

  Or scourge the loiterers: hot the work fares all along the road.

  castigantque moras, opere omnis semita feruet.

  Ah Dido, when thou sawest all what heart in thee abode!

  quis tibi tum, Dido, cernenti talia sensus,

  What groans thou gavest when thou saw’st from tower-top the long strand

  quosue dabas gemitus, cum litora feruere late

  A-boil with men all up and down; the sea on every hand

  prospiceres arce ex summa, totumque uideres 410

  Before thine eyes by stir of men torn into all unrest!

  misceri ante oculos tantis clamoribus aequor!

  O evil Love, where wilt thou not drive on a mortal breast?

  improbe Amor, quid non mortalia pectora cogis!

  Lo, she is driven to weep again and pray him to be kind,

  ire iterum in lacrimas, iterum temptare precando

  And suppliant, in the bonds of love her lofty heart to bind,

  cogitur et supplex animos summittere amori,

  Lest she should leave some way untried and die at last for nought.

  ne quid inexpertum frustra moritura relinquat. 415

  “Anna, thou seest the strand astir, the men together brought

  ‘Anna, uides toto properari litore circum:

  From every side, the canvas spread calling the breezes down.

  undique conuenere; uocat iam carbasus auras,

  While joyful on the quarter-deck the sea-folk lay the crown.

  puppibus et laeti nautae imposuere coronas.

  Sister, since I had might to think that such a thing could be,

  hunc ego si potui tantum sperare dolorem,

  I shall have might to bear it now: yet do one thing for me,

  et perferre, soror, potero. miserae hoc tamen unum 420

  Poor wretch, O Anna: for to thee alone would he be kind,

  exsequere, Anna, mihi; solam nam perfidus ille

  That traitor, and would trust to thee the inmost of his mind;

  te colere, arcanos etiam tibi credere sensus;

  And thou alone his softening ways and melting times dost know.

  sola uiri mollis aditus et tempora noras.

  O sister, speak a suppliant word to that high-hearted foe:

  i, soror, atque hostem supplex adfare superbum:

  I never swore at Aulis there to pluck up root and branch

  non ego cum Danais Troianam exscindere gentem 425

  The Trojan folk; for Pergamus no war-ship did I launch:

  Aulide iuraui classemue ad Pergama misi,

  Anchises’ buried ghost from tomb I never tore away:

  nec patris Anchisae cinerem manisue reuelli:

  Why will his ears be ever deaf to any word I say?

  cur mea dicta negat duras demittere in auris?

  Where hurrieth he? O let him give his wretched love one gift;

  quo ruit? extremum hoc miserae det munus amanti:

  Let him but wait soft sailing-tide, when fair the breezes shift.

  exspectet facilemque fugam uentosque ferentis. 430

  No longer for the wedding past, undone, I make my prayer,

  non iam coniugium antiquum, quod prodidit, oro,

  Nor that he cast his lordship by, and promised Latium fair.

  nec pulchro ut Latio careat regnumque relinquat:

  For empty time, for rest and stay of madness now I ask,

  tempus inane peto, requiem spatiumque furori,

  Till Fortune teach the overthrown to learn her weary task.

  dum mea me uictam doceat fortuna dolere.

  Sister, I pray this latest grace; O pity me today,

  extremam hanc oro ueniam (miserere sororis), 435

  And manifold when I am dead the gift will I repay.”

  quam mihi cum dederit cumulatam morte remittam.’

  So prayed she: such unhappy words of weeping Anna bears,

  Talibus orabat, talisque miserrima fletus

  And bears again and o’er again: but him no weeping stirs,

  fertque refertque soror. sed nullis ille mouetur

  Nor any voice he hearkeneth now may turn him from his road:

  fletibus aut uoces ullas tractabilis audit;

  God shut the hero’s steadfast ears; fate in the way abode.

  fata obstant placidasque uiri deus obstruit auris. 440

  As when against a mighty oak, strong growth of many a year,

  ac uelut annoso ualidam cum robore quercum

  On this side and on that the blasts of Alpine Boreas bear,

  Alpini Boreae nunc hinc nunc flatibus illinc

  Contending which shall root it up: forth goes the roar, deep lie

  eruere inter se certant; it stridor, et altae

  The driven leaves upon the earth from shaken bole on high.

  consternunt terram concusso stipite frondes;

  But fast it clingeth to the crag, and high as goes its head

  ipsa haeret scopulis et quantum uertice ad auras 445

  To heaven aloft, so deep adown to hell its roots are spread.

  aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit:

  E’en so by ceaseless drift of words the hero every wise

  haud secus adsiduis hinc atque hinc uocibus heros

  Is battered, and the heavy care deep in his bosom lies;

  tunditur, et magno persentit pectore curas;

  Steadfast the will abides in him; the tears fall down for nought.

  mens immota manet, lacrimae uoluuntur inanes.

  Ah, and unhappy Dido then the very death besought,

  Tum uero infelix fatis exterrita Dido 450

  Outworn by fate: the hollow heaven has grown a sight to grieve.

  mortem orat; taedet caeli conuexa tueri.

  And for the helping of her will, that she the light may leave,

  quo magis inceptum peragat lucemque relinquat,

  She seeth, when mid the frankincense her offering she would lay,

  uidit, turicremis cum dona imponeret aris,

  The holy water blackening there, O horrible to say!

  (horrendum dictu) latices nigrescere sacros

  The wine poured forth turned into blood all loathly as it fell.

  fusaque in obscenum se uertere uina cruorem; 455

  Which sight to none, not e’en unto her sister, would she tell.

  hoc uisum nulli, non ipsi effata sorori.

  Moreover, to her first-wed lord there stood amidst the house

  praeterea fuit in tectis de marmore templum

  A marble shrine, the which she loved with worship marvellous,

  coniugis antiqui, miro quod honore colebat,

  And bound it was with snowy wool and leafage of delight;

  uelleribus niueis et festa fronde reuinctum:

  Thence heard she, when the earth was held in mirky hand of night,

  hinc exaudiri uoces et uerba uocantis 460

  St
range sounds come forth, and words as if her husband called his own.

  uisa uiri, nox cum terras obscura teneret,

  And o’er and o’er his funeral song the screech-owl wailed alone,

  solaque culminibus ferali carmine bubo

  And long his lamentable tale from high aloft was rolled.

  saepe queri et longas in fletum ducere uoces;

  And many a saying furthermore of god-loved seers of old

  multaque praeterea uatum praedicta priorum

  Fears her with dreadful memory: all wild amid her dreams

  terribili monitu horrificant. agit ipse furentem 465

  Cruel Æneas drives her on, and evermore she seems

  in somnis ferus Aeneas, semperque relinqui

  Left all alone; and evermore a road that never ends,

  sola sibi, semper longam incomitata uidetur

  Mateless, and seeking through the waste her Tyrian folk, she wends.

  ire uiam et Tyrios deserta quaerere terra,

  As raving Pentheus saw the rout of that Well-willing Folk,

  Eumenidum ueluti demens uidet agmina Pentheus

  When twofold sun and twofold Thebes upon his eyes outbroke:

  et solem geminum et duplices se ostendere Thebas, 470

  Or like as Agamemnon’s son is driven across the stage,

  aut Agamemnonius scaenis agitatus Orestes,

  Fleeing his mother’s fiery hand that bears the serpent’s rage,

  armatam facibus matrem et serpentibus atris

  While there the avenging Dreadful Ones upon the threshold sit.

  cum fugit ultricesque sedent in limine Dirae.

  But when she gave the horror birth, and, grief-worn, cherished it,

  Ergo ubi concepit furias euicta dolore

  And doomed her death, then with herself she planned its time and guise,

  decreuitque mori, tempus secum ipsa modumque 475

  And to her sister sorrowing sore spake word in such a wise,

  exigit, et maestam dictis adgressa sororem

  Covering her end with cheerful face and calm and hopeful brow:

  consilium uultu tegit ac spem fronte serenat:

  “Kinswoman, I have found a way, (joy with thy sister now!)

  ‘inueni, germana, uiam (gratare sorori)

  Whereby to bring him back to me or let me loose from him.

  quae mihi reddat eum uel eo me soluat amantem.

  Adown beside the setting sun, hard on the ocean’s rim,

  Oceani finem iuxta solemque cadentem 480

  Lies the last world of Æthiops, where Atlas mightiest grown

  ultimus Aethiopum locus est, ubi maximus Atlas

  Upon his shoulder turns the pole with burning stars bestrown.

  axem umero torquet stellis ardentibus aptum:

  A priestess thence I met erewhile, come of Massylian seed,

  hinc mihi Massylae gentis monstrata sacerdos,

  The warden of the West-maid’s fane, and wont the worm to feed,

  Hesperidum templi custos, epulasque draconi

  Mingling for him the honey-juice with poppies bearing sleep,

  quae dabat et sacros seruabat in arbore ramos, 485

  Whereby she maketh shift on tree the hallowed bough to keep.

  spargens umida mella soporiferumque papauer.

  She by enchantment takes in hand to loose what hearts she will,

  haec se carminibus promittit soluere mentes

  But other ones at need will she with heavy sorrows fill;

  quas uelit, ast aliis duras immittere curas,

  And she hath craft to turn the stars and back the waters beat,

  sistere aquam fluuiis et uertere sidera retro,

  Call up the ghosts that fare by night, make earth beneath thy feet

  nocturnosque mouet Manis: mugire uidebis 490

  Cry out, and ancient ash-trees draw the mountain-side adown.

  sub pedibus terram et descendere montibus ornos.

  Dear heart, I swear upon the Gods, I swear on thee, mine own

  testor, cara, deos et te, germana, tuumque

  And thy dear head, that I am loath with magic craft to play.

  dulce caput, magicas inuitam accingier artis.

  But privily amid the house a bale for burning lay

  tu secreta pyram tecto interiore sub auras

  ‘Neath the bare heaven, and pile on it the arms that evil one

  erige, et arma uiri thalamo quae fixa reliquit 495

  Left in the chamber: all he wore, the bridal bed whereon

  impius exuuiasque omnis lectumque iugalem,

  My days were lost: for so ’tis good: the priestess showeth me

  quo perii, super imponas: abolere nefandi

  All tokens of the wicked man must perish utterly.”

  cuncta uiri monimenta iuuat monstratque sacerdos.’

  No more she spake, but with the word her face grew deadly white.

  haec effata silet, pallor simul occupat ora.

  But Anna sees not how she veiled her death with new-found rite,

  non tamen Anna nouis praetexere funera sacris 500

  Nor any thought of such a deed her heart encompasseth;

  germanam credit, nec tantos mente furores

  Nor fears she heavier things to come than at Sychæus’ death.

  concipit aut grauiora timet quam morte Sychaei.

  Wherefore she takes the charge in hand.

  ergo iussa parat.

  But now the Queen, that bale being built amid the inner house

  At regina, pyra penetrali in sede sub auras

  ‘Neath the bare heavens, piled high with fir and cloven oak enow,

  erecta ingenti taedis atque ilice secta, 505

  Hangeth the garlands round the place, and crowns the bale with bough

  intenditque locum sertis et fronde coronat

  That dead men use: the weed he wore, his very effigy,

  funerea; super exuuias ensemque relictum

  His sword, she lays upon the bed, well knowing what shall be.

  effigiemque toro locat haud ignara futuri.

  There stand the altars, there the maid, wild with her scattered hair,

  stant arae circum et crinis effusa sacerdos

  Calls Chaos, Erebus, and those three hundred godheads there,

  ter centum tonat ore deos, Erebumque Chaosque 510

  And Hecate triply fashionèd to maiden Dian’s look;

  tergeminamque Hecaten, tria uirginis ora Dianae.

  Water she scattered, would-be wave of dark Avernus’ brook;

  sparserat et latices simulatos fontis Auerni,

  And herbs she brought, by brazen shears ‘neath moonlight harvested,

  falcibus et messae ad lunam quaeruntur aenis

  All downy-young, though inky milk of venomed ill they shed.

  pubentes herbae nigri cum lacte ueneni;

  She brings the love-charm snatched away from brow of new-born foal

  quaeritur et nascentis equi de fronte reuulsus 515

  Ere yet the mother snatcheth it.

  et matri praereptus amor.

  Dido herself the altars nigh, meal in her hallowed hands,

  ipsa mola manibusque piis altaria iuxta

  With one foot of its bindings bare, and ungirt raiment stands,

  unum exuta pedem uinclis, in ueste recincta,

  And dying calls upon the Gods, and stars that fateful fare;

  testatur moritura deos et conscia fati

  And then if any godhead is, mindful and just to care

  sidera; tum, si quod non aequo foedere amantis 520

  For unloved lovers, unto that she sendeth up the prayer.

  curae numen habet iustumque memorque, precatur.

  Now night it was, and everything on earth had won the grace

  Nox erat et placidum carpebant fessa soporem

  Of quiet sleep: the woods had rest, the wildered waters’ face:

  corpora per terras, siluaeque et saeua quierant
<
br />   It was the tide when stars roll on amid their courses due,

  aequora, cum medio uoluuntur sidera lapsu,

  And all the tilth is hushed, and beasts, and birds of many a hue;

  cum tacet omnis ager, pecudes pictaeque uolucres, 525

  And all that is in waters wide, and what the waste doth keep

  quaeque lacus late liquidos quaeque aspera dumis

  In thicket rough, amid the hush of night-tide lay asleep,

  rura tenent, somno positae sub nocte silenti.

  And slipping off the load of care forgat their toilsome part.

  at non infelix animi Phoenissa, neque umquam 529

  But ne’er might that Phoenician Queen, that most unhappy heart,

  soluitur in somnos oculisue aut pectore noctem

  Sink into sleep, or take the night unto her eyes and breast:

  accipit: ingeminant curae rursusque resurgens

  Her sorrows grow, and love again swells up with all unrest,

  saeuit amor magnoque irarum fluctuat aestu.

  And ever midst her troubled wrath rolls on a mighty tide;

  sic adeo insistit secumque ita corde uolutat:

  And thus she broods and turns it o’er and o’er on every side.

  ‘en, quid ago? rursusne procos inrisa priores

  “Ah, whither now? Shall I bemocked my early lovers try,

  experiar, Nomadumque petam conubia supplex, 535

  And go Numidian wedlock now on bended knee to buy:

  quos ego sim totiens iam dedignata maritos?

  I, who so often scorned to take their bridal-bearing hands?

  Iliacas igitur classis atque ultima Teucrum

  Or shall I, following Ilian ships, bear uttermost commands

  iussa sequar? quiane auxilio iuuat ante leuatos

  Of Teucrian men, because my help their lightened hearts makes kind;

  et bene apud memores ueteris stat gratia facti?

  Because the thank for deed I did lies ever on their mind?

  quis me autem, fac uelle, sinet ratibusue superbis 540

  But if I would, who giveth leave, or takes on scornful keel

  inuisam accipiet? nescis heu, perdita, necdum

  The hated thing? Thou knowest not, lost wretch, thou may’st not feel,

  Laomedonteae sentis periuria gentis?

  What treason of Laomedon that folk for ever bears.

  quid tum? sola fuga nautas comitabor ouantis?

  What then? and shall I follow lone the joyous mariners?

  an Tyriis omnique manu stipata meorum

  Or, hedged with all my Tyrian host, upon them shall I bear,

  inferar et, quos Sidonia uix urbe reuelli, 545

  Driving again across the sea those whom I scarce might tear

  rursus agam pelago et uentis dare uela iubebo?