Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  And whatsoever feeble is and whatsoever fears,

  delige, et his habeant terris sine moenia fessi;

  Choose out, and in this land of his walls let the weary frame;

  urbem appellabunt permisso nomine Acestam.’

  And they their town by leave of thee shall e’en Acesta name.”

  Talibus incensus dictis senioris amici

  So was he kindled by the speech of that wise ancient friend,

  tum uero in curas animo diducitur omnis; 720

  Yet still down every way of care his thought he needs must send.

  et Nox atra polum bigis subuecta tenebat.

  But now the wain of mirky night was holding middle sky,

  uisa dehinc caelo facies delapsa parentis

  When lo, his father’s image seemed to fall from heaven the high,

  Anchisae subito talis effundere uoces:

  And suddenly Anchises’ lips such words to him poured forth:

  ‘nate, mihi uita quondam, dum uita manebat,

  “O son, that while my life abode more than my life wert worth;

  care magis, nate Iliacis exercite fatis, 725

  O son, well learned in Ilium’s fates, hither my ways I take

  imperio Iouis huc uenio, qui classibus ignem

  By Jove’s commands, who even now the fiery bane did slake

  depulit, et caelo tandem miseratus ab alto est.

  Amid thy ships, and now at last in heaven hath pitied thee:

  consiliis pare quae nunc pulcherrima Nautes

  Yield thou to elder Nautes’ redes; exceeding good they be:

  dat senior; lectos iuuenes, fortissima corda,

  The very flower of all thy folk, the hearts that hardiest are,

  defer in Italiam. gens dura atque aspera cultu 730

  Take thou to Italy; for thee in Latium bideth war

  debellanda tibi Latio est. Ditis tamen ante

  With hardy folk of nurture rude: but first must thou be gone

  infernas accede domos et Auerna per alta

  To nether dwelling-place of Dis: seek thou to meet me, son,

  congressus pete, nate, meos. non me impia namque

  Across Avernus deep: for me the wicked house of hell

  Tartara habent, tristes umbrae, sed amoena piorum

  The dusk unhappy holdeth not; in pleasant place I dwell,

  concilia Elysiumque colo. huc casta Sibylla 735

  Elysium, fellowship of good: there shall the holy Maid,

  nigrarum multo pecudum te sanguine ducet.

  The Sibyl, bring thee; plenteous blood of black-wooled ewes being paid:

  tum genus omne tuum et quae dentur moenia disces.

  There shalt thou learn of all thy race, and gift of fated walls.

  iamque uale; torquet medios Nox umida cursus

  And now farewell: for dewy night from mid way-faring falls,

  et me saeuus equis Oriens adflauit anhelis.’

  The panting steeds of cruel dawn are on me with their breath.”

  dixerat et tenuis fugit ceu fumus in auras. 740

  He spake, and midst thin air he fled as smoke-wreath vanisheth.

  Aeneas ‘quo deinde ruis? quo proripis?’ inquit,

  “Where rushest thou?” Æneas cried: “where hurriest thou again?

  ‘quem fugis? aut quis te nostris complexibus arcet?’

  Whom fleest thou? who driveth thee from these embraces fain?”

  haec memorans cinerem et sopitos suscitat ignis,

  So saying, the flame asleep in ash he busied him to wake,

  Pergameumque Larem et canae penetralia Vestae

  And worshipped with the censer full and holy-kneaded cake

  farre pio et plena supplex ueneratur acerra. 745

  The sacred Vesta’s shrine and God of Pergamean wall.

  Extemplo socios primumque accersit Acesten

  Then for his fellows doth he send, Acestes first of all,

  et Iouis imperium et cari praecepta parentis

  And teacheth them of Jove’s command, and what his sire beloved

  edocet et quae nunc animo sententia constet.

  Had bidden him, and whitherwise his heart thereto was moved.

  haud mora consiliis, nec iussa recusat Acestes:

  No tarrying there was therein, Acestes gainsaid nought;

  transcribunt urbi matres populumque uolentem 750

  They write the mothers on the roll; thither a folk is brought,

  deponunt, animos nil magnae laudis egentis.

  Full willing hearts, who nothing crave the great reward of fame:

  ipsi transtra nouant flammisque ambesa reponunt

  But they themselves shape thwarts anew; and timbers gnawed by flame

  robora nauigiis, aptant remosque rudentisque,

  Make new within their ships again, and oars and rudders fit.

  exigui numero, sed bello uiuida uirtus.

  A little band it is by tale, but valour lives in it.

  interea Aeneas urbem designat aratro 755

  Meanwhile Æneas marketh out the city with the plough,

  sortiturque domos; hoc Ilium et haec loca Troiam

  And, portioning the houses out, bids Troy and Ilium grow:

  esse iubet. gaudet regno Troianus Acestes

  Therewith Acestes, Trojan king, joys in his lordship fair;

  indicitque forum et patribus dat iura uocatis.

  Sets forth the court, and giveth laws to fathers gathered there:

  tum uicina astris Erycino in uertice sedes

  Then on the head of Eryx huge a house that neareth heaven

  fundatur Veneri Idaliae, tumuloque sacerdos 760

  To Venus of Idalia is reared: a priest is given

  ac lucus late sacer additus Anchiseo.

  And holy grove wide spread around, where old Anchises lay.

  Iamque dies epulata nouem gens omnis, et aris

  Now all the folk for nine days’ space have made them holyday

  factus honos: placidi strauerunt aequora uenti

  And worshipped God; and quiet winds have lowly laid the main,

  creber et aspirans rursus uocat Auster in altum.

  And ever gentle Southern breath woos to the deep again:

  exoritur procurua ingens per litora fletus; 765

  Then all along the hollow shore ariseth weeping great,

  complexi inter se noctemque diemque morantur.

  And ‘twixt farewells and many a kiss a night and day they wait:

  ipsae iam matres, ipsi, quibus aspera quondam

  Yea e’en the mothers, yea e’en they to whom so hard and drear

  uisa maris facies et non tolerabile numen,

  The sea had seemed, a dreadful name they had no heart to bear,

  ire uolunt omnemque fugae perferre laborem.

  Are fain to go, are fain to take all toil the way may find.

  quos bonus Aeneas dictis solatur amicis 770

  Whom good Æneas solaceth with friendly words and kind,

  et consanguineo lacrimans commendat Acestae.

  As to Acestes’ kindred heart weeping he giveth them.

  tris Eryci uitulos et Tempestatibus agnam

  Three calves to Eryx then he bids slay on the ocean’s hem;

  caedere deinde iubet soluique ex ordine funem.

  To wind and weather an ewe lamb; then biddeth cast aloose:

  ipse caput tonsae foliis euinctus oliuae

  And he himself, begarlanded with olive clippèd close,

  stans procul in prora pateram tenet, extaque salsos 775

  Stands, cup in hand, on furthest prow, and casts upon the brine

  proicit in fluctus ac uina liquentia fundit.

  The inner meat, and poureth forth the flowing of the wine.

  certatim socii feriunt mare et aequora uerrunt; 778

  They gather way; springs up astern the fair and following breeze;

  prosequitur surgens a puppi uentus euntis. 777

  The fellows strive in smiting bri
ne and sweep the level seas.

  At Venus interea Neptunum exercita curis 779

  But meanwhile Venus, sorely stirred by cares and all unrest,

  adloquitur talisque effundit pectore questus:

  Hath speech of Neptune, pouring forth complaining from her breast:

  ‘Iunonis grauis ira neque exsaturabile pectus

  “The cruel wrath that Juno bears, and heart insatiate,

  cogunt me, Neptune, preces descendere in omnis;

  Drive me, O Neptune, prayer-fulfilled upon thy power to wait:

  quam nec longa dies pietas nec mitigat ulla,

  She softeneth not by lapse of days nor piety’s increase,

  nec Iouis imperio fatisque infracta quiescit.

  Nor yielding unto Jove and Fate from troubling will she cease.

  non media de gente Phrygum exedisse nefandis 785

  ’Tis not enough to tear away from heart of Phrygian folk

  urbem odiis satis est nec poenam traxe per omnem

  Their city by her cruel hate; nor with all ills to yoke

  reliquias Troiae: cineres atque ossa peremptae

  Troy’s remnant; but its ash and bones through death she followeth on.

  insequitur. causas tanti sciat illa furoris.

  What! doth her own heart know the deed that all this wrath hath won?

  ipse mihi nuper Libycis tu testis in undis

  Be thou my witness how of late she stirred up suddenly

  quam molem subito excierit: maria omnia caelo 790

  Wild tumult of the Libyan sea! all waters with the sky

  miscuit Aeoliis nequiquam freta procellis,

  She mingled, trusting all in vain to storm of Æolus:

  in regnis hoc ausa tuis.

  This in thy very realm she dared.

  per scelus ecce etiam Troianis matribus actis

  E’en now mad hearts to Trojan wives by wickedness she gave,

  exussit foede puppis et classe subegit

  And foully burned his ships; and him with crippled ship-host drave

  amissa socios ignotae linquere terrae. 795

  To leave his fellow-folk behind upon an outland shore.

  quod superest, oro, liceat dare tuta per undas

  I pray thee let the remnant left sail safe thine ocean o’er,

  uela tibi, liceat Laurentem attingere Thybrim,

  And let them come where into sea Laurentian Tiber falls,

  si concessa peto, si dant ea moenia Parcae.’

  If right I ask, and unto these Fate giveth fateful walls.”

  tum Saturnius haec domitor maris edidit alti:

  Then Saturn’s son, the sea-tamer, gave forth such words as these:

  ‘fas omne est, Cytherea, meis te fidere regnis, 800

  “’Tis utter right, O Cytherean, to trust thee to my seas,

  unde genus ducis. merui quoque; saepe furores

  Whence thou wert born; and I myself deserve no less; e’en I,

  compressi et rabiem tantam caelique marisque.

  Who oft for thee refrain the rage of maddened sea and sky.

  nec minor in terris, Xanthum Simoentaque testor,

  Nor less upon the earth my care Æneas did embrace;

  Aeneae mihi cura tui. cum Troia Achilles

  Xanthus and Simoïs witness it! — When, following up the chace,

  exanimata sequens impingeret agmina muris, 805

  The all-unheartened host of Troy ‘gainst Troy Achilles bore,

  milia multa daret leto, gemerentque repleti

  And many a thousand gave to death; choked did the rivers roar

  amnes nec reperire uiam atque euoluere posset

  Nor any way might Xanthus find to roll his flood to sea:

  in mare se Xanthus, Pelidae tunc ego forti

  Æneas then in hollow cloud I caught away, when he

  congressum Aenean nec dis nec uiribus aequis

  Would meet Pelides’ might with hands and Gods not strong enow.

  nube caua rapui, cuperem cum uertere ab imo 810

  Yea, that was when from lowest base I wrought to overthrow

  structa meis manibus periurae moenia Troiae.

  The walls of that same Troy forsworn my very hands had wrought.

  nunc quoque mens eadem perstat mihi; pelle timores.

  And now cast all thy fear away, my mind hath shifted nought;

  tutus, quos optas, portus accedet Auerni.

  Avernus’ haven shall he reach, e’en as thou deemest good,

  unus erit tantum amissum quem gurgite quaeres;

  And one alone of all his folk shall seek amidst the flood;

  unum pro multis dabitur caput.’ 815

  One head shall pay for all the rest.”

  his ubi laeta deae permulsit pectora dictis,

  So when these words had brought to peace the Goddess’ joyful heart,

  iungit equos auro genitor, spumantiaque addit

  The Father yokes his steeds with gold, and bridles the wild things

  frena feris manibusque omnis effundit habenas.

  With o’erfoamed bit, and loose in hand the rein above them flings,

  caeruleo per summa leuis uolat aequora curru;

  And light in coal-blue car he flies o’er topmost of the sea:

  subsidunt undae tumidumque sub axe tonanti 820

  The waves sink down, the heaped main lays his waters peacefully

  sternitur aequor aquis, fugiunt uasto aethere nimbi.

  Before the thunder of his wheels; from heaven all cloud-flecks fail.

  tum uariae comitum facies, immania cete,

  Lo, diverse bodies of his folk; lo, many a mighty whale;

  et senior Glauci chorus Inousque Palaemon

  And Glaucus’ ancient fellowship, Palæmon Ino’s son,

  Tritonesque citi Phorcique exercitus omnis;

  And Tritons swift, and all the host that Phorcus leadeth on;

  laeua tenet Thetis et Melite Panopeaque uirgo, 825

  Maid Panopea and Melite, Cymodoce the fair,

  Nisaee Spioque Thaliaque Cymodoceque.

  Nesæa, Spio, and Thalia, with Thetis leftward bear.

  Hic patris Aeneae suspensam blanda uicissim

  Now to Æneas’ overstrained heart the kindly joy and soft

  gaudia pertemptant mentem; iubet ocius omnis

  Sinks deep: herewith he biddeth men raise all the masts aloft

  attolli malos, intendi bracchia uelis.

  At swiftest, and along the yards to spread the sails to wind:

  una omnes fecere pedem pariterque sinistros, 830

  So all sheet home together then; then leftward with one mind

  nunc dextros soluere sinus; una ardua torquent

  They tack; then tack again to right: the yard-horns up in air

  cornua detorquentque; ferunt sua flamina classem.

  They shift and shift, while kindly winds seaward the ship-host bear.

  princeps ante omnis densum Palinurus agebat

  But first before all other keels did Palinurus lead

  agmen; ad hunc alii cursum contendere iussi.

  The close array, and all were charged to have his course in heed.

  iamque fere mediam caeli Nox umida metam 835

  And now the midmost place of heaven had dewy night drawn nigh,

  contigerat, placida laxabant membra quiete

  And ‘neath the oars on benches hard scattered the shipmen lie,

  sub remis fusi per dura sedilia nautae,

  Who all the loosened limbs of them to gentle rest had given;

  cum leuis aetheriis delapsus Somnus ab astris

  When lo, the very light-winged Sleep stooped from the stars of heaven,

  aera dimouit tenebrosum et dispulit umbras,

  Thrusting aside the dusky air and cleaving night atwain:

  te, Palinure, petens, tibi somnia tristia portans 840

  The sackless Palinure he sought with evil dreams and vain.

  insonti; puppique deus consedit in alta


  So on the high poop sat the God as Phorbas fashionèd,

  Phorbanti similis funditque has ore loquelas:

  And as he sat such-like discourse from out his mouth he shed:

  ‘Iaside Palinure, ferunt ipsa aequora classem,

  “Iasian Palinure, unasked the waves our ship-host bear;

  aequatae spirant aurae, datur hora quieti.

  Soft blow the breezes steadily; the hour for rest is here:

  pone caput fessosque oculos furare labori. 845

  Lay down thine head, steal weary eyes from toil a little space,

  ipse ego paulisper pro te tua munera inibo.’

  And I will do thy deeds awhile and hold me in thy place.”

  cui uix attollens Palinurus lumina fatur:

  But Palinure with scarce-raised eyes e’en such an answer gave:

  ‘mene salis placidi uultum fluctusque quietos

  “To gentle countenance of sea and quiet of the wave

  ignorare iubes? mene huic confidere monstro?

  Deem’st thou me dull? would’st have me trow in such a monster’s truth?

  Aenean credam (quid enim?) fallacibus auris 850

  And shall I mine Æneas trust to lying breeze forsooth,

  et caeli totiens deceptus fraude sereni?’

  I, fool of peaceful heaven and sea so many times of old?”

  talia dicta dabat, clauumque adfixus et haerens

  So saying to the helm he clung, nor ever left his hold,

  nusquam amittebat oculosque sub astra tenebat.

  And all the while the stars above his eyen toward them drew.

  ecce deus ramum Lethaeo rore madentem

  But lo, the God brought forth a bough wet with Lethean dew,

  uique soporatum Stygia super utraque quassat 855

  And sleepy with the might of Styx, and shook it therewithal

  tempora, cunctantique natantia lumina soluit.

  Over his brow, and loosed his lids delaying still to fall:

  uix primos inopina quies laxauerat artus,

  But scarce in first of stealthy sleep his limbs all loosened lay,

  et super incumbens cum puppis parte reuulsa

  When, weighing on him, did he tear a space of stern away,

  cumque gubernaclo liquidas proiecit in undas

  And rolled him, helm and wrack and all, into the flowing wave

  praecipitem ac socios nequiquam saepe uocantem; 860

  Headlong, and crying oft in vain for fellowship to save:

  ipse uolans tenuis se sustulit ales ad auras.

  Then Sleep himself amid thin air flew, borne upon the wing.

  currit iter tutum non setius aequore classis

  No less the ship-host sails the sea, its safe way following

  promissisque patris Neptuni interrita fertur.