by Virgil
talem inter siluas, inter deserta ferarum
So through the woodland wilderness and deserts of the deer
reginam Allecto stimulis agit undique Bacchi. 405
Alecto drave the Queen around, with Bacchus’ stings beset
Postquam uisa satis primos acuisse furores
But when she deemed enough was wrought that rage of hers to whet,
consiliumque omnemque domum uertisse Latini,
And that Latinus’ rede and house was utterly undone,
protinus hinc fuscis tristis dea tollitur alis
Forthwith away on dusky wings is borne that evil one
audacis Rutuli ad muros, quam dicitur urbem
Unto the bold Rutulian’s wall: a city, saith the tale,
Acrisioneis Danae fundasse colonis 410
Raised up by Danaë for her Acrisian folks’ avail
praecipiti delata Noto. locus Ardea quondam
When on the hurrying South she fled: Ardea in days of yore
dictus auis, et nunc magnum manet Ardea nomen,
Our fathers called it; nor as yet is name thereof passed o’er,
sed fortuna fuit. tectis hic Turnus in altis
Though wealth be gone: there Turnus lay within his house on high,
iam mediam nigra carpebat nocte quietem.
And midmost sleep of dusky night was winning peacefully.
Allecto toruam faciem et furialia membra 415
When there Alecto cruel face and hellish body shed,
exuit, in uultus sese transformat anilis
And to an ancient woman’s like her shape she fashionèd,
et frontem obscenam rugis arat, induit albos
Wrinkling her forehead villanous; and hoary coifèd hair
cum uitta crinis, tum ramum innectit oliuae;
She donned, and round about it twined the olive-garland fair,
fit Calybe Iunonis anus templique sacerdos,
And seemed the ancient Calybé of Juno’s holy place;
et iuueni ante oculos his se cum uocibus offert: 420
And so with such a word she thrust before the hero’s face:
‘Turne, tot incassum fusos patiere labores,
“Turnus, and wilt thou bear it now, such labour spent in vain,
et tua Dardaniis transcribi sceptra colonis?
And give thy folk to Dardan men, the outcasts of the main?
rex tibi coniugium et quaesitas sanguine dotes
The King gainsays thy wedding couch, and dowry justly bought
abnegat, externusque in regnum quaeritur heres.
By very blood, and for his throne an outland heir is sought.
i nunc, ingratis offer te, inrise, periclis; 425
Go, thou bemocked, and thrust thyself mid perils none shall thank;
Tyrrhenas, i, sterne acies, tege pace Latinos.
For cloaking of the Latin peace o’erthrow the Tuscan rank!
haec adeo tibi me, placida cum nocte iaceres,
The mighty Saturn’s Seed herself hath bid me openly
ipsa palam fari omnipotens Saturnia iussit.
To bear thee this, while thou in peace of middle night shouldst lie.
quare age et armari pubem portisque moueri
So up! be merry! arm the lads! bid wend from out the gate.
laetus in arua para, et Phrygios qui flumine pulchro 430
Up, up, and arm! The Phrygian folk who in the fair stream wait,
consedere duces pictasque exure carinas.
Burn thou their dukes of men with fire! burn every painted keel!
caelestum uis magna iubet. rex ipse Latinus,
’Tis heavenly might that biddeth this. Let King Latinus feel
ni dare coniugium et dicto parere fatetur,
Thy strength, and learn to know at last what meaneth Turnus’ sword,
sentiat et tandem Turnum experiatur in armis.’
Unless he grant the wedding yet, and hold his plighted word.”
Hic iuuenis uatem inridens sic orsa uicissim 435
But therewithal the young man spake, and answered her in scorn:
ore refert: ‘classis inuectas Thybridis undam
“Thou errest: tidings of all this failed nowise to be borne
non, ut rere, meas effugit nuntius auris;
Unto mine ears, how stranger ships the Tiber-flood beset.
ne tantos mihi finge metus. nec regia Iuno
Nay, make me not so sore afeared, — belike she minds me yet,
immemor est nostri.
Juno, the Queen of Heaven aloft.
sed te uicta situ uerique effeta senectus, 440
Nay, mother, Eld the mouldy-dull, the empty of all sooth,
o mater, curis nequiquam exercet, et arma
Tormenteth thee with cares in vain, and mid the arms of kings
regum inter falsa uatem formidine ludit.
Bemocks the seer with idle shows of many fearful things.
cura tibi diuum effigies et templa tueri;
Nay, ’tis for thee to watch God’s house, and ward the images,
bella uiri pacemque gerent quis bella gerenda.’
And let men deal with peace and war; for they were born for these.”
Talibus Allecto dictis exarsit in iras. 445
But at such word Alecto’s wrath in utter fire outbrake;
at iuueni oranti subitus tremor occupat artus,
A tremor ran throughout his limbs e’en as the word he spake;
deriguere oculi: tot Erinys sibilat hydris
Fixed stared his eyes, the Fury hissed with Serpent-world so dread,
tantaque se facies aperit; tum flammea torquens
And such a mighty body woke: then rolling in her head
lumina cunctantem et quaerentem dicere plura
Her eyes of flame, she thrust him back, stammering and seeking speech,
reppulit, et geminos erexit crinibus anguis, 450
As on her head she reared aloft two adders each by each,
uerberaque insonuit rabidoque haec addidit ore:
And sounded all her fearful whip, and cried from raving mouth:
‘en ego uicta situ, quam ueri effeta senectus
“Lo, I am she, the mouldy-dull, whom Eld, the void of sooth,
arma inter regum falsa formidine ludit.
Bemocks amid the arms of kings with empty lies of fear!
respice ad haec: adsum dirarum ab sede sororum,
Look, look! for from the Sisters’ House, the Dread Ones, come I here;
bella manu letumque gero.’ 455
And war and death I have in hand.”
sic effata facem iuueni coniecit et atro
She spake, and on the youth she cast her torch and set its blaze,
lumine fumantis fixit sub pectore taedas.
A mirky gleam of smoke-wreathed flame, amidmost of his heart:
olli somnum ingens rumpit pauor, ossaque et artus
And mighty dread his slumber brake, and forth from every part,
perfundit toto proruptus corpore sudor.
From bones and body, burst the sweat, and o’er his limbs ‘gan fall;
arma amens fremit, arma toro tectisque requirit; 460
And wild he cries for arms, and seeks for arms from bed and wall:
saeuit amor ferri et scelerata insania belli,
The sword-lust rageth in his soul, and wicked thirst of war.
ira super: magno ueluti cum flamma sonore
So was it as at whiles it is, when with a mighty roar
uirgea suggeritur costis undantis aeni
The twiggen flame goes up about the hollow side of brass;
exsultantque aestu latices, furit intus aquai
The water leapeth up therewith, within comes rage to pass,
fumidus atque alte spumis exuberat amnis, 465
The while the cloudy foaming flood spouts up a bubbling stir,
nec iam se capit unda, uolat uapor ater ad auras.
Until the sea refrains no mo
re; the black cloud flies in air.
ergo iter ad regem polluta pace Latinum
So to the dukes of men he shows how peace hath evil end,
indicit primis iuuenum et iubet arma parari,
And on Latinus biddeth them in weed of war to wend;
tutari Italiam, detrudere finibus hostem;
That they may save their Italy, and thrust the foemen forth.
se satis ambobus Teucrisque uenire Latinisque. 470
And he will fare unto the field more than the twain of worth,
haec ubi dicta dedit diuosque in uota uocauit,
Teucrians and Latins: so he saith, and calls the Gods to aid.
certatim sese Rutuli exhortantur in arma.
Then eagerly Rutulian men to war and battle bade:
hunc decus egregium formae mouet atque iuuentae,
For some his glorious beauty stirred, and some his youth drave on,
hunc ataui reges, hunc claris dextera factis.
And some his sires; and some were moved by deeds his hand had done.
Dum Turnus Rutulos animis audacibus implet, 475
But while he fills Rutulian souls with love for glorious things,
Allecto in Teucros Stygiis se concitat alis,
Alecto to the Teucrians wends on Stygian-fashioned wings,
arte noua, speculata locum, quo litore pulcher
With fresh guile spying out the place where goodly on the shore,
insidiis cursuque feras agitabat Iulus.
With toils and speed ‘gainst woodland beasts, Iulus waged the war.
hic subitam canibus rabiem Cocytia uirgo
Here for his hounds Cocytus’ Maid a sudden madness blent,
obicit et noto naris contingit odore, 480
Crossing the nostrils of the beasts with long familiar scent,
ut ceruum ardentes agerent; quae prima laborum
As eagerly they chased a hart. This first began the toil,
causa fuit belloque animos accendit agrestis.
And kindled field-abiders’ souls to war and deadly broil.
ceruus erat forma praestanti et cornibus ingens,
There was a hart most excellent, a noble hornèd thing,
Tyrrhidae pueri quem matris ab ubere raptum
That Tyrrheus’ sons had stolen from its own dam’s cherishing,
nutribant Tyrrhusque pater, cui regia parent 485
And fostered: he, their father, had the kingly herd to heed,
armenta et late custodia credita campi.
And well was trusted far and wide, the warden of the mead.
adsuetum imperiis soror omni Siluia cura
But to their sister Sylvia’s hand the beast was used, and oft
mollibus intexens ornabat cornua sertis,
She decked him lovingly, and wreathed his horns with leafage soft,
pectebatque ferum puroque in fonte lauabat.
And combed him oft, and washed him oft in water of the well.
ille manum patiens mensaeque adsuetus erili 490
Tame to her hand, and used enow amid manfolk to dwell,
errabat siluis rursusque ad limina nota
He strayed the woods; but day by day betook him evermore,
ipse domum sera quamuis se nocte ferebat.
Of his own will at twilight-tide, to that familiar door.
hunc procul errantem rabidae uenantis Iuli
Him now Iulus’ hunting hounds mad-eager chanced to stir
commouere canes, fluuio cum forte secundo
Afar from home, and floating whiles adown the river fair,
deflueret ripaque aestus uiridante leuaret. 495
Or whiles on bank of grassy green beguiling summer’s flame.
ipse etiam eximiae laudis succensus amore
Therewith Ascanius, all afire with lust of noble fame,
Ascanius curuo derexit spicula cornu;
Turned on the beast the spiky reed from out the curvèd horn;
nec dextrae erranti deus afuit, actaque multo
Nor lacked the God to his right hand; on was the arrow borne
perque uterum sonitu perque ilia uenit harundo.
With plenteous whirr, and smote the hart through belly and through flank;
saucius at quadripes nota intra tecta refugit 500
Who, wounded, to the well-known house fled fast, and groaning shrank
successitque gemens stabulis, questuque cruentus
Into the stalls of his abode, and bloody, e’en as one
atque imploranti similis tectum omne replebat.
Who cries for pity, filled the place with woefulness of moan.
Siluia prima soror palmis percussa lacertos
Then first the sister Sylvia there, smiting her breast, cried out,
auxilium uocat et duros conclamat agrestis.
Calling to aid the hardy hearts of field-folk thereabout;
olli (pestis enim tacitis latet aspera siluis) 505
And swifter than the thought they came; for still that bitter Bane
improuisi adsunt, hic torre armatus obusto,
Lurked in the silent woods: this man a half-burned brand did gain
stipitis hic grauidi nodis; quod cuique repertum
For weapon; that a knotted stake: whate’er came first to hand,
rimanti telum ira facit. uocat agmina Tyrrhus,
The seeker’s wrath a weapon made: there Tyrrheus cheers his band,
quadrifidam quercum cuneis ut forte coactis
Come from the cleaving of an oak with foursome driven wedge,
scindebat rapta spirans immane securi. 510
Panting and fierce he tossed aloft the wood-bill’s grinded edge.
At saeua e speculis tempus dea nacta nocendi
But she, that Evil, on the watch, noting the death anigh,
ardua tecta petit stabuli et de culmine summo
Climbs up upon the stall-house loft, and from its roof on high
pastorale canit signum cornuque recuruo
Singeth the shepherd’s gathering sign, and through the crookèd horn
Tartaream intendit uocem, qua protinus omne
Sends voice of hell: and e’en therewith, as forth the notes were borne,
contremuit nemus et siluae insonuere profundae; 515
The forest trembled; the deep woods resounded; yea afar
audiit et Triuiae longe lacus, audiit amnis
The mere of Trivia heard the sound, and that white water, Nar,
sulpurea Nar albus aqua fontesque Velini,
That bears the sulphur down its stream; the Veline well-springs heard:
et trepidae matres pressere ad pectora natos.
Mothers caught up their little ones, and trembled sore afeard.
tum uero ad uocem celeres, qua bucina signum
Then hurrying at the voice sent forth by the dread war-horn’s song,
dira dedit, raptis concurrunt undique telis 520
The hardy-hearted folk of fields from everywhither throng,
indomiti agricolae, nec non et Troia pubes
With weapons caught in haste: and now the Trojan folk withal
Ascanio auxilium castris effundit apertis.
Pour from their opened gates, and on to aid Ascanius fall.
derexere acies. non iam certamine agresti
And there the battle is arrayed; and now no war they wake,
stipitibus duris agitur sudibusue praeustis,
Where field-folk strive with knotty club or fire-behardened stake;
sed ferro ancipiti decernunt atraque late 525
But with the two-edged sword they strive: the meadows bristle black
horrescit strictis seges ensibus, aeraque fulgent
With harvest of the naked steel: the gleaming brass throws back
sole lacessita et lucem sub nubila iactant:
Unto the clouds that swim aloft the smiting of the sun:
fluctus uti primo coepit cum albescere uento,
As when the whitening of t
he wind across the flood doth run,
paulatim sese tollit mare et altius undas
And step by step the sea gets up, and higher heaps the wave,
erigit, inde imo consurgit ad aethera fundo. 530
Until heaven-high it sweeps at last up from its lowest cave.
hic iuuenis primam ante aciem stridente sagitta,
And here, by dint of whistling shaft in forefront of the fight,
natorum Tyrrhi fuerat qui maximus, Almo,
A youth, e’en Tyrrheus’ eldest son, by name of Almo hight,
sternitur; haesit enim sub gutture uulnus et udae
Was laid alow: there in his throat the reedy bane abode,
uocis iter tenuemque inclusit sanguine uitam.
And shut with blood the path of speech, the tender life-breath’s road.
corpora multa uirum circa seniorque Galaesus, 535
And many a body fell around: there, thrusting through the press
dum paci medium se offert, iustissimus unus
With peaceful word, Galæsus old died in his righteousness;
qui fuit Ausoniisque olim ditissimus aruis:
Most just of men; most rich erewhile of all Ausonian land:
quinque greges illi balantum, quina redibant
Five flocks of bleaters once he had: five-fold came home to hand
armenta, et terram centum uertebat aratris.
His herds of neat: an hundred ploughs turned up the earth for him.
Atque ea per campos aequo dum Marte geruntur, 540
But while they wrought these deeds of Mars mid doubtful fate and dim,
promissi dea facta potens, ubi sanguine bellum
The Goddess, strong in pledge fulfilled, since she the war had stained
imbuit et primae commisit funera pugnae,
With very blood, and death of men in that first battle gained,
deserit Hesperiam et caeli conuersa per auras
Leaveth the Westland, and upborne along the hollow sky,
Iunonem uictrix adfatur uoce superba:
To Juno such a word of pride sets forth victoriously:
‘en, perfecta tibi bello discordia tristi; 545
“Lo thou, the discord fashioned fair with misery of fight!
dic in amicitiam coeant et foedera iungant.
Come let them join in friendship now, and troth together plight!
quandoquidem Ausonio respersi sanguine Teucros,
But now, since I have sprinkled Troy with that Ausonian blood,
hoc etiam his addam, tua si mihi certa uoluntas:
I will do more, if thereunto thy will abideth good;
finitimas in bella feram rumoribus urbes,
For all the cities neighbouring to war my word shall bring,
accendamque animos insani Martis amore 550
