by Virgil
Young Atys, whom Iulus young most well-beloved did call:
extremus formaque ante omnis pulcher Iulus 570
Iulus last, in goodliness so far excelling all,
Sidonio est inuectus equo, quem candida Dido
Upon a horse of Sidon came, whom that bright Dido gave
esse sui dederat monimentum et pignus amoris.
To be a token of her love, her memory to save.
cetera Trinacriis pubes senioris Acestae
On horses of Acestes old, Trinacrian-nurtured beasts,
fertur equis.
The others of the youth are borne.
excipiunt plausu pauidos gaudentque tuentes 575
With praise they greet their fluttering hearts and look on them with joy,
Dardanidae, ueterumque agnoscunt ora parentum.
Those Dardan folk, who see in them the ancient eyes of Troy.
postquam omnem laeti consessum oculosque suorum
But after they had fared on steed the concourse all about
lustrauere in equis, signum clamore paratis
Before the faces of their folk, Epytides did shout
Epytides longe dedit insonuitque flagello.
The looked-for sign afar to them, and cracked withal his whip:
olli discurrere pares atque agmina terni 580
Then evenly they fall apart, in threesome order slip
diductis soluere choris, rursusque uocati
Their cloven ranks; but, called again, aback upon their way
conuertere uias infestaque tela tulere.
They turn, and threatening levelled spears against each other lay.
inde alios ineunt cursus aliosque recursus
Then they to other onset now and other wheeling take,
aduersi spatiis, alternosque orbibus orbis
In bands opposed, and tanglements of ring on ring they make;
impediunt pugnaeque cient simulacra sub armis; 585
So with their weapons every show of very fight they stir,
et nunc terga fuga nudant, nunc spicula uertunt
And now they bare their backs in flight, and now they turn the spear
infensi, facta pariter nunc pace feruntur.
In hostile wise; now side by side in plighted peace they meet.
ut quondam Creta fertur Labyrinthus in alta
— E’en as they tell of Labyrinth that lies in lofty Crete,
parietibus textum caecis iter ancipitemque
A road with blind walls crossed and crossed, an ever-shifting trap
mille uiis habuisse dolum, qua signa sequendi 590
Of thousand ways, where he who seeks upon no sign may hap,
frangeret indeprensus et inremeabilis error;
But midst of error, blind to seize or follow back, ’tis gone.
haud alio Teucrum nati uestigia cursu
Not otherwise Troy’s little ones the tangle follow on
impediunt texuntque fugas et proelia ludo,
At top of speed, and interweave the flight and battle’s play;
delphinum similes qui per maria umida nando
E’en as the dolphins, swimming swift amid the watery way,
Carpathium Libycumque secant. 595
Cleave Libyan or Carpathian sea and sport upon the wave.
hunc morem cursus atque haec certamina primus
This guise of riding, such-like play, his folk Ascanius gave
Ascanius, Longam muris cum cingeret Albam,
Once more, when round the Long White Stead the walls of war he drew:
rettulit et priscos docuit celebrare Latinos,
Withal the Ancient Latin Folk he taught the games to do,
quo puer ipse modo, secum quo Troia pubes;
Suchwise as he a lad had learned with lads from Troy that came:
Albani docuere suos; hinc maxima porro 600
That same the Albans taught their sons; most mighty Rome that same
accepit Roma et patrium seruauit honorem;
Took to her thence, and honoured so her sires of yore agone:
Troiaque nunc pueri, Troianum dicitur agmen.
Now name of Troy and Trojan host the play and boys have won.
hac celebrata tenus sancto certamina patri.
Thus far unto the Holy Sire the games were carried through,
Hinc primum Fortuna fidem mutata nouauit.
When Fortune turned her faith at last and changed her mind anew:
dum uariis tumulo referunt sollemnia ludis, 605
For while the diverse hallowed games about the tomb they spent,
Irim de caelo misit Saturnia Iuno
Saturnian Juno Iris fair from heights of heaven hath sent
Iliacam ad classem uentosque aspirat eunti,
Unto the Ilian ships, and breathed fair wind behind her ways,
multa mouens necdum antiquum saturata dolorem.
For sore she brooded, nor had spent her wrath of ancient days.
illa uiam celerans per mille coloribus arcum
So now the maid sped swift along her thousand-coloured bow,
nulli uisa cito decurrit tramite uirgo. 610
And swiftly ran adown the path where none beheld her go.
conspicit ingentem concursum et litora lustrat
And there she saw that gathering great, and swept the strand with eye,
desertosque uidet portus classemque relictam.
And saw the haven void of folk, the ships unheeded lie.
at procul in sola secretae Troades acta
But far away on lonely beach the Trojan women weep
amissum Anchisen flebant, cunctaeque profundum
The lost Anchises; and all they look ever on the deep
pontum aspectabant flentes. heu tot uada fessis 615
Amid their weeping: “Woe are we! what waters yet abide!
et tantum superesse maris, uox omnibus una;
What ocean-waste for weary folk!” So one and all they cried,
urbem orant, taedet pelagi perferre laborem.
And all they yearn for city’s rest: sea-toil is loathsome grown.
ergo inter medias sese haud ignara nocendi
So she, not lacking craft of guile, amidst them lighted down,
conicit et faciemque deae uestemque reponit;
When she hath put away from her God’s raiment and God’s mien,
fit Beroe, Tmarii coniunx longaeua Dorycli, 620
And but as wife of Doryclus, the Tmarian man, is seen,
cui genus et quondam nomen natique fuissent,
Old Beroë, who once had sons and lordly race and name;
ac sic Dardanidum mediam se matribus infert.
Amid the Dardan mother-folk such wise the Goddess came:
‘o miserae, quas non manus’ inquit ‘Achaica bello
“O wretched ones!” she said, “O ye whom armed Achæan hand
traxerit ad letum patriae sub moenibus! o gens
Dragged not to death before the walls that stayed your fatherland!
infelix, cui te exitio Fortuna reseruat? 625
Unhappy folk! and why hath Fate held back your doom till now?
septima post Troiae excidium iam uertitur aestas,
The seventh year is on the turn since Troy-town’s overthrow;
cum freta, cum terras omnis, tot inhospita saxa
And we all seas the while, all lands, all rocks and skies that hate
sideraque emensae ferimur, dum per mare magnum
The name of guest, have wandered o’er, and through the sea o’ergreat
Italiam sequimur fugientem et uoluimur undis.
Still chase that fleeing Italy mid wallowing waters tossed.
hic Erycis fines fraterni atque hospes Acestes: 630
Lo, here is Eryx’ brother-land; Acestes is our host;
quis prohibet muros iacere et dare ciuibus urbem?
What banneth us to found our walls and lawful cities gain?
o patria et rapti nequiquam ex hoste penates,
O F
atherland! O House-Gods snatched from midst the foe in vain!
nullane iam Troiae dicentur moenia? nusquam
Shall no walls more be called of Troy? Shall I see never more
Hectoreos amnis, Xanthum et Simoenta, uidebo?
Xanthus or Simoïs, like the streams where Hector dwelt of yore?
quin agite et mecum infaustas exurite puppis. 635
Come on, and those unhappy ships burn up with aid of me;
nam mihi Cassandrae per somnum uatis imago
For e’en now mid the dreams of sleep Cassandra did I see,
ardentis dare uisa faces: “hic quaerite Troiam;
Who gave me burning brand, and said, ‘Here seek your Troy anew:
hic domus est” inquit “uobis.” iam tempus agi res,
This is the house that ye shall have.’ — And now is time to do!
nec tantis mora prodigiis. en quattuor arae
No tarrying with such tokens toward! Lo, altars four are here
Neptuno; deus ipse faces animumque ministrat.’ 640
Of Neptune: very God for us heart and the fire doth bear!”
haec memorans prima infensum ui corripit ignem
So saying, first she caught upon the fiery bane, and raised
sublataque procul dextra conixa coruscat
Her hand aloft, and mightily she whirled it as it blazed
et iacit. arrectae mentes stupefactaque corda
And cast it: but the Ilian wives, their straining hearts are torn,
Iliadum. hic una e multis, quae maxima natu,
Their souls bewildered: one of them, yea, and their eldest-born,
Pyrgo, tot Priami natorum regia nutrix: 645
Pyrgo, the queenly fosterer of many a Priam’s son,
‘non Beroe uobis, non haec Rhoeteia, matres,
Cried: “Mothers, nay no Beroë, nay no Rhoeteian one,
est Dorycli coniunx; diuini signa decoris
The wife of Doryclus is this: lo, Godhead’s beauty there!
ardentisque notate oculos, qui spiritus illi,
Behold the gleaming of her eyes, note how she breathes the air;
qui uultus uocisque sonus uel gressus eunti.
Note ye her countenance and voice, the gait wherewith she goes.
ipsa egomet dudum Beroen digressa reliqui 650
Yea, I myself left Beroë e’en now amidst her woes;
aegram, indignantem tali quod sola careret
Sick, sad at heart that she alone must fail from such a deed,
munere nec meritos Anchisae inferret honores.’
Nor bear unto Anchises’ ghost his glory’s righteous meed.”
haec effata.
Such were the words she spake to them.
at matres primo ancipites oculisque malignis
But now those mothers, at the first doubtful, with evil eyes
ambiguae spectare rates miserum inter amorem 655
Gazed on the ships awhile between unhappy craving stayed
praesentis terrae fatisque uocantia regna,
For land they stood on, and the thought of land that Fortune bade:
cum dea se paribus per caelum sustulit alis
When lo! with even spread of wings the Goddess rose to heaven,
ingentemque fuga secuit sub nubibus arcum.
And in her flight the cloudy lift with mighty bow was riven.
tum uero attonitae monstris actaeque furore
Then, wildered by such tokens dread, pricked on by maddened hearts,
conclamant, rapiuntque focis penetralibus ignem, 660
Shrieking they snatch the hearthstone’s fire and brand from inner parts;
pars spoliant aras, frondem ac uirgulta facesque
While some, they strip the altars there, and flaming leaf and bough
coniciunt. furit immissis Volcanus habenis
Cast forth: and Vulcan, let aloose, is swiftly raging now
transtra per et remos et pictas abiete puppis.
Along the thwarts, along the oars, and stems of painted fir.
Nuntius Anchisae ad tumulum cuneosque theatri
But now with news of flaming ships there goes a messenger,
incensas perfert nauis Eumelus, et ipsi 665
Eumelus, to Anchises’ tomb, and theatre-seats, and they
respiciunt atram in nimbo uolitare fauillam.
Look round themselves and see the soot black in the smoke-cloud play.
primus et Ascanius, cursus ut laetus equestris
Then first Ascanius, e’en as blithe the riding-play he led,
ducebat, sic acer equo turbata petiuit
So eager now he rode his ways to camp bewilderèd,
castra, nec exanimes possunt retinere magistri.
And nowise might they hold him back, his masters spent of breath.
‘quis furor iste nouus? quo nunc, quo tenditis’ inquit 670
“O what new madness then is this? What, what will ye?” he saith.
‘heu miserae ciues? non hostem inimicaque castra
“O wretched townswomen, no foe, no camp of Argive men
Argiuum, uestras spes uritis. en, ego uester
Ye burn, but your own hopes ye burn. Lo, your Ascanius then!”
Ascanius!’ — galeam ante pedes proiecit inanem,
Therewith before their feet he cast his empty helm afar,
qua ludo indutus belli simulacra ciebat.
Dight wherewithal he stirred in sport that image of the war.
accelerat simul Aeneas, simul agmina Teucrum. 675
And thither now Æneas sped, and crowd of Teucrian folk;
ast illae diuersa metu per litora passim
Whereat the women diversely along the sea-shore broke,
diffugiunt, siluasque et sicubi concaua furtim
Fleeing afeard, and steal to woods and whatso hollow den,
saxa petunt; piget incepti lucisque, suosque
And loathe their deed, and loathe the light, as changed they know again
mutatae agnoscunt excussaque pectore Iuno est.
Their very friends, and Juno now from every heart is cast.
Sed non idcirco flamma atque incendia uiris 680
But none the less the flaming rage for ever holdeth fast
indomitas posuere; udo sub robore uiuit
With might untamed; the fire lives on within the timbers wet,
stuppa uomens tardum fumum, lentusque carinas
The caulking sends forth sluggish smoke, the slow heat teeth doth set
est uapor et toto descendit corpore pestis,
Upon the keel; to inmost heart down creeps the fiery bale;
nec uires heroum infusaque flumina prosunt.
Nor all the might of mighty men nor rivers poured avail.
tum pius Aeneas umeris abscindere uestem 685
Then good Æneas from his back the raiment off him tore,
auxilioque uocare deos et tendere palmas:
And called the Gods to aid, and high his palms to heaven upbore:
‘Iuppiter omnipotens, si nondum exosus ad unum
“Great Jove, if not all utterly a hater thou art grown
Troianos, si quid pietas antiqua labores
Of Trojan folk, and if thy love of old yet looketh down
respicit humanos, da flammam euadere classi
On deeds of men, give to our ships to win from out the flame,
nunc, pater, et tenuis Teucrum res eripe leto. 690
O Father, now, and snatch from death the feeble Teucrian name,
uel tu, quod superest, infesto fulmine morti,
Or else thrust down the remnant left, if so we merit aught,
si mereor, demitte tuaque hic obrue dextra.’
With bolt of death, and with thine hand sweep us away to nought!”
uix haec ediderat cum effusis imbribus atra
Scarce had he given forth the word, ere midst outpouring rain,
tempestas sine more furit tonitruque tremescunt
The black storm
rageth measureless, and earthly height and plain
ardua terrarum et campi; ruit aethere toto 695
Shake to the thundering; all the sky casts forth confusèd flood,
turbidus imber aqua densisque nigerrimus Austris,
Most black with gathering of the South: then all the ship-hulls stood
implenturque super puppes, semusta madescunt
Fulfilled with water of the heavens; the half-burned oak was drenched,
robora, restinctus donec uapor omnis et omnes
Until at last to utmost spark the smouldering fire is quenched,
quattuor amissis seruatae a peste carinae.
And all the ships escaped the bane of fiery end save four.
At pater Aeneas casu concussus acerbo 700
But, shaken by such bitter hap, Father Æneas bore
nunc huc ingentis, nunc illuc pectore curas
This way and that; and turned the cares on all sides in his breast:
mutabat uersans, Siculisne resideret aruis
Whether amid Sicilian fields to set him down in rest,
oblitus fatorum, Italasne capesseret oras.
Forgetting Fate, or yet to strive for shores of Italy.
tum senior Nautes, unum Tritonia Pallas
Then the old Nautes, whom erewhile had Pallas set on high
quem docuit multaque insignem reddidit arte — 705
By her exceeding plenteous craft and lore that she had taught: —
haec responsa dabat, uel quae portenderet ira
She gave him answers; telling him how wrath of God was wrought,
magna deum uel quae fatorum posceret ordo;
And how it showed, and what the law of fate would ask and have: —
isque his Aenean solatus uocibus infit:
This man unto Æneas now such words of solace gave:
‘nate dea, quo fata trahunt retrahuntque sequamur;
“O Goddess-born, Fate’s ebb and flow still let us follow on,
quidquid erit, superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est. 710
Whate’er shall be, by bearing all must Fortune’s fight be won.
est tibi Dardanius diuinae stirpis Acestes:
Dardan Acestes have ye here, sprung of the Godhead’s seed;
hunc cape consiliis socium et coniunge uolentem,
Take his goodwill and fellowship to help thee in thy rede.
huic trade amissis superant qui nauibus et quos
Give him the crews of those burnt ships; to him let such-like go
pertaesum magni incepti rerumque tuarum est.
As faint before thy mighty hope and shifting weal and woe.
longaeuosque senes ac fessas aequore matres 715
The mothers weary of the sea, the elders spent with years,
et quidquid tecum inualidum metuensque pericli est
