by Virgil
So met, they join their right hands there and in the house sit down,
aedibus et licito tandem sermone fruuntur.
And win the joy of spoken words, that lawful now hath grown;
rex prior haec:
And thuswise speaks Evander first:
‘maxime Teucrorum ductor, quo sospite numquam 470
“O mightiest duke of Trojan men, — for surely, thou being safe,
res equidem Troiae uictas aut regna fatebor,
My heart may never more believe in Troy-town’s vanquishing, —
nobis ad belli auxilium pro nomine tanto
The battle-help that I may give is but a little thing
exiguae uires; hinc Tusco claudimur amni,
For such a name: by Tuscan stream on this side are we bound;
hinc Rutulus premit et murum circumsonat armis.
On that side come Rutulian arms to gird our walls with sound.
sed tibi ego ingentis populos opulentaque regnis 475
But ’tis my rede to join to you a mighty folk of fight,
iungere castra paro, quam fors inopina salutem
A wealthy lordship: chance unhoped this hope for us hath dight;
ostentat: fatis huc te poscentibus adfers.
So draw thou thither whereunto the Fates are calling on.
haud procul hinc saxo incolitur fundata uetusto
Not far hence is a place of men, on rock of yore agone
urbis Agyllinae sedes, ubi Lydia quondam
Built up; Agylla’s city ’tis, where glorious folk of war,
gens, bello praeclara, iugis insedit Etruscis. 480
The Lydian folk, on Tuscan hills pitched their abode of yore.
hanc multos florentem annos rex deinde superbo
A many years of blooming once they had, until the king
imperio et saeuis tenuit Mezentius armis.
Mezentius held them ‘neath his pride and cruel warfaring.
quid memorem infandas caedes, quid facta tyranni
Why tell those deaths unspeakable, and many a tyrant’s deed?
effera? di capiti ipsius generique reseruent!
May the Gods store them for the heads of him and all his seed!
mortua quin etiam iungebat corpora uiuis 485
Yea, yea, dead corpses would he join to bodies living yet,
componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora,
And hand to hand, O misery! and mouth to mouth would set;
tormenti genus, et sanie taboque fluentis
There, drenched with gore and drenched with dew of death, must they abide,
complexu in misero longa sic morte necabat.
A foul embrace unspeakable, and long and long they died.
at fessi tandem ciues infanda furentem
Worn out at last, his folk in arms beset his house about,
armati circumsistunt ipsumque domumque, 490
And him therein all mad with rage, cut of his following rout,
obtruncant socios, ignem ad fastigia iactant.
And cast the wildfire therewithal over his roof on high:
ille inter caedem Rutulorum elapsus in agros
But he, amidst the slaughter slipped, to fields of Rutuli
confugere et Turni defendier hospitis armis.
Made shift to flee, and there is held a guest by Turnus’ sword.
ergo omnis furiis surrexit Etruria iustis,
So by just anger raised today Etruria is abroad,
regem ad supplicium praesenti Marte reposcunt. 495
Crying with Mars to aid, ‘Give back the king to pay the cost!’
his ego te, Aenea, ductorem milibus addam.
Æneas, I will make thee now the captain of their host:
toto namque fremunt condensae litore puppes
For down the whole coast goes the roar from out their ship-host’s pack;
signaque ferre iubent, retinet longaeuus haruspex
They cry to bear the banners forth; but them still holdeth back
fata canens: “o Maeoniae delecta iuuentus,
The ancient seer, thus singing Fate:Mæonia’s chosen peers,
flos ueterum uirtusque uirum, quos iustus in hostem 500
The heart and flower of men of old, whom grief’s just measure bears
fert dolor et merita accendit Mezentius ira,
Against the foe; souls that your king hath stirred to righteous wrath,
nulli fas Italo tantam subiungere gentem:
No man of Italy is meet to lead this army forth;
externos optate duces.” tum Etrusca resedit
Seek outland captains. Then, indeed, the Tuscan war array,
hoc acies campo monitis exterrita diuum.
Feared by such warnings of the Gods, amidst these meadows lay.
ipse oratores ad me regnique coronam 505
Tarchon himself hath hither sent sweet speakers, bearing me
cum sceptro misit mandatque insignia Tarchon,
Their lordships’ kingly staff and crown, and signs of royalty;
succedam castris Tyrrhenaque regna capessam.
And bidding take the Tuscan land and join their camp of war.
sed mihi tarda gelu saeclisque effeta senectus
But eld adull with winter frost and spent with days of yore,
inuidet imperium seraeque ad fortia uires.
My body over-old for deeds begrudged such government.
natum exhortarer, ni mixtus matre Sabella 510
I would have stirred my son, but he, with Sabine mother blent,
hinc partem patriae traheret. tu, cuius et annis
Shared blood of this Italian land: but thee the Fates endow
et generi fatum indulget, quem numina poscunt,
With years and race full meet hereto; the Gods call on thee now.
ingredere, o Teucrum atque Italum fortissime ductor.
Go forth, O captain valorous of Italy and Troy.
hunc tibi praeterea, spes et solacia nostri,
Yea, I will give thee Pallas here, my hope and darling joy,
Pallanta adiungam; sub te tolerare magistro 515
And bid him ‘neath thy mastery learn in battle to be bold,
militiam et graue Martis opus, tua cernere facta
And win the heavy work of Mars, and all thy deeds behold;
adsuescat, primis et te miretur ab annis.
And, wondering at thy valiancy, win through his earliest years.
Arcadas huic equites bis centum, robora pubis
Two hundred knights of Arcady, the bloom of all it bears,
lecta dabo, totidemque suo tibi nomine Pallas.’
I give thee; in his own name, too, like host shall Pallas bring.”
Vix ea fatus erat, defixique ora tenebant 520
Scarce had he said, and still their gaze unto the earth did cling,
Aeneas Anchisiades et fidus Achates,
Æneas of Anchises born and his Achates true,
multaque dura suo tristi cum corde putabant,
For many thoughts of matters hard their minds were running through,
ni signum caelo Cytherea dedisset aperto.
When Cytherea gave a sign amid the open sky;
namque improuiso uibratus ab aethere fulgor
For from the left a flash of light went quivering suddenly,
cum sonitu uenit et ruere omnia uisa repente, 525
And sound went with it, and all things in utter turmoil fared,
Tyrrhenusque tubae mugire per aethera clangor.
And clangour of the Tyrrhene trump along the heavens blared.
suspiciunt, iterum atque iterum fragor increpat ingens.
They look up; ever and anon a mighty clash they hear,
arma inter nubem caeli in regione serena
And gleams they see betwixt the clouds, amid the sky-land clear,
per sudum rutilare uident et pulsa tonare.
The glitter of the arms of God, the thunder of their clang.
; obstipuere animis alii, sed Troius heros 530
The man of Troy, while others’ hearts amazed and fearful hang,
agnouit sonitum et diuae promissa parentis.
Knoweth the sound, the promised help, his Goddess-mother’s meed.
tum memorat: ‘ne uero, hospes, ne quaere profecto
He saith: “Yea, verily, O host, to ask is little need
quem casum portenta ferant: ego poscor Olympo.
What hap this portent draweth on: the Gods will have me wend;
hoc signum cecinit missuram diua creatrix,
The God that made me promised erst such heavenly signs to send
si bellum ingrueret, Volcaniaque arma per auras 535
If war were toward; and through the sky she promised to bear down
laturam auxilio.
Arms Vulcan-fashioned for my need.
heu quantae miseris caedes Laurentibus instant!
Woe’s me for poor Laurentium’s folk! what death, what bloody graves!
quas poenas mihi, Turne, dabis! quam multa sub undas
— Ah, Turnus, thou shalt pay it me! — how many ‘neath thy waves,
scuta uirum galeasque et fortia corpora uolues,
O Father Tiber, shalt thou roll the shields and helms of men,
Thybri pater! poscant acies et foedera rumpant.’ 540
And bodies of the mighty ones! Cry war, oath-breakers, then!”
Haec ubi dicta dedit, solio se tollit ab alto
And as he spake the word he rose from off the lofty throne,
et primum Herculeis sopitas ignibus aras
And the slaked fire of Hercules roused on the altar-stone;
excitat, hesternumque larem paruosque penatis
And joyfully he drew anear the God of yesterday
laetus adit; mactat lectas de more bidentis
And little House-Gods: chosen ewes in manner due they slay,
Euandrus pariter, pariter Troiana iuuentus. 545
Evander and the youth of Troy together side by side.
post hinc ad nauis graditur sociosque reuisit,
Then to the ships they wend their ways, where yet their fellows bide:
quorum de numero qui sese in bella sequantur
There men to follow him in fight he chooseth from the peers,
praestantis uirtute legit; pars cetera prona
The flower of hardy hearts; the rest the downlong water bears;
fertur aqua segnisque secundo defluit amni,
Deedless they swim adown the stream, Ascanius home to bring
nuntia uentura Ascanio rerumque patrisque. 550
The tidings of his coming sire and matters flourishing.
dantur equi Teucris Tyrrhena petentibus arua;
But horses get such Teucrian men as are for Tyrrhene mead;
ducunt exsortem Aeneae, quem fulua leonis
By lot they choose Æneas one which yellow lion’s weed
pellis obit totum praefulgens unguibus aureis.
Goes all about; full fair it shone, for it was golden-clawed.
Fama uolat paruam subito uulgata per urbem
Then sudden through the little town the rumour flies abroad,
ocius ire equites Tyrrheni ad limina regis. 555
That knights will speedily ride forth to Tyrrhene kingly stead.
uota metu duplicant matres, propiusque periclo
Then fear redoubleth mothers’ prayers, and nigher draweth dread
it timor et maior Martis iam apparet imago.
In peril’s hand, and greater still the face of Mars doth grow.
tum pater Euandrus dextram complexus euntis
Father Evander strains the hand of him that needs must go,
haeret inexpletus lacrimans ac talia fatur:
Clinging with tears insatiate, and such a word doth say:
‘o mihi praeteritos referat si Iuppiter annos, 560
“O me! would Jove bring back again the years long worn away!
qualis eram cum primam aciem Praeneste sub ipsa
Were I as when the foremost foes upon Præneste’s field
straui scutorumque incendi uictor aceruos
I felled, and burnt victoriously a heap of shield on shield:
et regem hac Erulum dextra sub Tartara misi,
When with this very hand I sent King Herilus to Hell,
nascenti cui tris animas Feronia mater
Whose dam, Feronia, at his birth, — wild is the tale to tell, —
(horrendum dictu) dederat, terna arma mouenda — 565
Had given him gift of threefold life; three times the sword to shake,
ter leto sternendus erat; cui tunc tamen omnis
And thrice to fall upon the field: yet did this right hand take
abstulit haec animas dextra et totidem exuit armis:
That threefold life away from him, thrice spoiled him of his gear.
non ego nunc dulci amplexu diuellerer usquam,
O were I such, ne’er would I break from thine embracing dear,
nate, tuo, neque finitimo Mezentius umquam
O son; nor had Mezentius erst, the tyrant neighbour lord,
huic capiti insultans tot ferro saeua dedisset 570
In my despite so many deaths wrought with his cruel sword,
funera, tam multis uiduasset ciuibus urbem.
Nor widowed this our city here of such a host of sons.
at uos, o superi, et diuum tu maxime rector
But ye, O Gods! — thou Mightiest, King of all heavenly ones,
Iuppiter, Arcadii, quaeso, miserescite regis
O Jove, have pity now, I pray, upon the Arcadian King,
et patrias audite preces. si numina uestra
And hear a father’s prayers! for if your mighty governing, —
incolumem Pallanta mihi, si fata reseruant, 575
If Fate shall keep my Pallas safe, and I may live to see
si uisurus eum uiuo et uenturus in unum,
His face again, — if he return to keep our unity,
uitam oro, patior quemuis durare laborem.
Then may I live, and any toil, such as ye will, abide!
sin aliquem infandum casum, Fortuna, minaris,
But, Fortune, if thou threatenest ill, and misery betide,
nunc, nunc o liceat crudelem abrumpere uitam,
Then let me now, yea, now indeed, the cruel life break through,
dum curae ambiguae, dum spes incerta futuri, 580
While yet my fear is unfulfilled and hope may yet come true;
dum te, care puer, mea sola et sera uoluptas,
While thee, belovèd joy of eld, I wrap mine arms around,
complexu teneo, grauior neu nuntius auris
Ere yet the tale of evil hap mine ancient ears may wound.”
uulneret.’ haec genitor digressu dicta supremo
Thus at their last departing-tide the father poured the prayer,
fundebat; famuli conlapsum in tecta ferebant.
Whom, fainting now, the serving-men back within doors must bear;
Iamque adeo exierat portis equitatus apertis 585
While forth from out the open gate the host of horsemen ride,
Aeneas inter primos et fidus Achates,
Æneas and Achates leal in forefront of their pride,
inde alii Troiae proceres; ipse agmine Pallas
And then the other Trojan lords: amidst the company,
it medio chlamyde et pictis conspectus in armis,
In cloak adorned and painted arms, was Pallas fair to see:
qualis ubi Oceani perfusus Lucifer unda,
E’en such as Lucifer, when he bathed in the ocean stream,
quem Venus ante alios astrorum diligit ignis, 590
The light beloved of Venus well o’er every starry beam,
extulit os sacrum caelo tenebrasque resoluit.
Hath raised his holy head in heaven and down the darkness rent.
stant pauidae in muris matres oculisque sequuntur
pulueream nubem et fulgentis aere cateruas.
Following the dusty cloud of them and ranks of glittering brass.
olli per dumos, qua proxima meta uiarum,
But mid the thicket places there by nighest road they pass
armati tendunt; it clamor, et agmine facto 595
Unto their end in weed of war: with shout and serried band
quadripedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula campum.
The clattering hooves of four-foot things shake down the dusty land.
est ingens gelidum lucus prope Caeritis amnem,
There is a mighty thicket-place by chilly Cæres’ side,
religione patrum late sacer; undique colles
By ancient dread of fathers gone held holy far and wide:
inclusere caui et nigra nemus abiete cingunt.
A place that hollow hills shut in and pine-wood black begirds.
Siluano fama est ueteres sacrasse Pelasgos, 600
Men say that to Silvanus erst, the God of fields and herds,
aruorum pecorisque deo, lucumque diemque,
The old Pelasgi hallowed it, and made a holy day,
qui primi finis aliquando habuere Latinos.
E’en those who in the time agone on Latin marches lay.
haud procul hinc Tarcho et Tyrrheni tuta tenebant
No great way hence the Tuscan folk and Tarcho held them still
castra locis, celsoque omnis de colle uideri
In guarded camp; the host of them from rising of a hill
iam poterat legio et latis tendebat in aruis. 605
Might now be seen, as far and wide they spread about the field.
huc pater Aeneas et bello lecta iuuentus
Father Æneas and his folk, the mighty under shield,
succedunt, fessique et equos et corpora curant.
Speed hither, and forewearied now their steeds and bodies tend.
At Venus aetherios inter dea candida nimbos
But through the clouds of heavenly way doth fair white Venus wend,
dona ferens aderat; natumque in ualle reducta
Bearing the gift; who when she saw in hidden valley there
ut procul egelido secretum flumine uidit, 610
Her son afar, apart from men by river cool and fair,
talibus adfata est dictis seque obtulit ultro:
Then kind she came before his eyes, and in such words she spake:
‘en perfecta mei promissa coniugis arte
“These promised gifts, my husband’s work, O son, I bid thee take:
munera. ne mox aut Laurentis, nate, superbos
So shalt thou be all void of doubt, O son, when presently
aut acrem dubites in proelia poscere Turnum.’
