by Virgil
Laurentines proud and Turnus fierce thou bidst the battle try.”
dixit, et amplexus nati Cytherea petiuit, 615
So spake the Cytherean one and sought her son’s embrace,
arma sub aduersa posuit radiantia quercu.
And hung the beaming arms upon an oak that stood in face.
ille deae donis et tanto laetus honore
But he, made glad by godhead’s gift, and such a glory great,
expleri nequit atque oculos per singula uoluit,
Marvelleth and rolleth o’er it all his eyes insatiate,
miraturque interque manus et bracchia uersat
And turns the pieces o’er and o’er his hands and arms between;
terribilem cristis galeam flammasque uomentem, 620
The helm that flasheth flames abroad with crest so dread beseen:
fatiferumque ensem, loricam ex aere rigentem,
The sword to do the deeds of Fate; the hard-wrought plates of brass,
sanguineam, ingentem, qualis cum caerula nubes
Blood-red and huge; yea, e’en as when the bright sun brings to pass
solis inardescit radiis longeque refulget;
Its burning through the coal-blue clouds and shines o’er field and fold:
tum leuis ocreas electro auroque recocto,
The light greaves forged and forged again of silver-blend and gold:
hastamque et clipei non enarrabile textum. 625
The spear, and, thing most hard to tell, the plating of the shield.
illic res Italas Romanorumque triumphos
For there the tale of Italy and Roman joy afield
haud uatum ignarus uenturique inscius aeui
That Master of the Fire had wrought, not unlearned of the seers,
fecerat ignipotens, illic genus omne futurae
Or blind to see the days before. The men of coming years,
stirpis ab Ascanio pugnataque in ordine bella.
Ascanius stem, all foughten fields, were wrought in due array.
fecerat et uiridi fetam Mauortis in antro 630
In the green den of Mavors there the fostering she-wolf lay,
procubuisse lupam, geminos huic ubera circum
The twin lads sporting round the beast, clung to her udders there,
ludere pendentis pueros et lambere matrem
And sucked the nursing mother-wolf, and nothing knew of fear;
impauidos, illam tereti ceruice reflexa
But she, with lithe neck turned about, now this now that caressed,
mulcere alternos et corpora fingere lingua.
And either body with her tongue for hardy shaping pressed.
nec procul hinc Romam et raptas sine more Sabinas 635
Rome had he done anigh thereto and Sabine maidens caught
consessu caueae, magnis Circensibus actis,
From concourse of the hollow seats when roundway games were wrought
addiderat, subitoque nouum consurgere bellum
There for the sons of Romulus the sudden war upstarts
Romulidis Tatioque seni Curibusque seueris.
With Tatius, the old king of days, and Cures’ hardy hearts.
post idem inter se posito certamine reges
Then those two kings, the battle quenched, yet clad in battle-gear,
armati Iouis ante aram paterasque tenentes 640
Stand with the bowl in hand before the fire of Jupiter,
stabant et caesa iungebant foedera porca.
As each to each o’er slaughtered sow the troth of peace they plight.
haud procul inde citae Mettum in diuersa quadrigae
Anigh is Metius piecemeal dragged by foursome chariots light.
distulerant (at tu dictis, Albane, maneres!),
— Ah, Alban, by the troth of words ‘twere better to abide! —
raptabatque uiri mendacis uiscera Tullus
There Tullus strews his lying flesh about the thicket wide,
per siluam, et sparsi rorabant sanguine uepres. 645
Nor sprinkling of a traitor’s blood the bramble-bushes lack.
nec non Tarquinium eiectum Porsenna iubebat
There was Porsena bidding men take outcast Tarquin back,
accipere ingentique urbem obsidione premebat;
The while his mighty leaguer lay about the city’s weal.
Aeneadae in ferrum pro libertate ruebant.
For freedom there Æneas’ sons were rushing on the steel:
illum indignanti similem similemque minanti
As full of wrath, as one who threats, might ye behold his frown,
aspiceres, pontem auderet quia uellere Cocles 650
Because that Cocles was of heart to break the bridge adown;
et fluuium uinclis innaret Cloelia ruptis.
And Cloelia from her bursten bonds was swimming o’er the flood.
in summo custos Tarpeiae Manlius arcis
On topmost of Tarpeian burg the warden Manlius stood
stabat pro templo et Capitolia celsa tenebat,
Before the house of God, and held the Capitol high-set;
Romuleoque recens horrebat regia culmo.
Whereon with straw of Romulus the roof was bristling yet.
atque hic auratis uolitans argenteus anser 655
There fluttering mid the golden porch the silver goose was done,
porticibus Gallos in limine adesse canebat;
The seer that told of Gaulish feet unto the threshold won:
Galli per dumos aderant arcemque tenebant
Then through the brake the Gauls were come, and held the castle’s height,
defensi tenebris et dono noctis opacae.
Beneath the shielding of the mirk and gift of shadowy night.
aurea caesaries ollis atque aurea uestis,
All golden are the locks of these, and golden is their gear,
uirgatis lucent sagulis, tum lactea colla 660
And fair they shine in welted coats; their milk-white necks do bear
auro innectuntur, duo quisque Alpina coruscant
The twisted gold; each one in hand two Alpine spears doth wield,
gaesa manu, scutis protecti corpora longis.
And guarded are their bodies well with plenteous length of shield.
hic exsultantis Salios nudosque Lupercos
The Salii in their dancing game; the naked Luperci,
lanigerosque apices et lapsa ancilia caelo
With crests that bore the tuft of wool and shields from out the sky,
extuderat, castae ducebant sacra per urbem 665
There had he wrought: the mothers chaste in softly-gliding car
pilentis matres in mollibus. hinc procul addit
Bore holy things the city through. Yea, he had wrought afar
Tartareas etiam sedes, alta ostia Ditis,
The very house of Tartarus, and doors of Dis the deep,
et scelerum poenas, et te, Catilina, minaci
And dooms of evil: there wert thou hung on the beetling steep,
pendentem scopulo Furiarumque ora trementem,
O Catiline, and quaking sore ‘neath many a fiendly face;
secretosque pios, his dantem iura Catonem. 670
While Cato gave the good their laws in happy hidden place.
haec inter tumidi late maris ibat imago
The image of the swelling sea amidst of these there lay
aurea, sed fluctu spumabant caerula cano,
All golden, with the blue o’erfoamed with flecks of hoary spray,
et circum argento clari delphines in orbem
And dolphins shining silver-white with tail-stroke swept the wave,
aequora uerrebant caudis aestumque secabant.
And gathered in an orbèd band the flowing waters clave.
in medio classis aeratas, Actia bella, 675
And in the midst were brazen fleets and show of Actium’s wars
cernere erat, totumque instructo Marte uideres
; And all Leucate set a-boil with ordered game of Mars
feruere Leucaten auroque effulgere fluctus.
There might ye see; and all the flood lit up with golden light.
hinc Augustus agens Italos in proelia Caesar
Augustus Cæsar, leading on Italian men to fight
cum patribus populoque, penatibus et magnis dis,
With Father-folk, and Household Gods, and Gods of greater name,
stans celsa in puppi, geminas cui tempora flammas 680
Stood high on deck: his joyful brow flashed forth a twofold flame,
laeta uomunt patriumque aperitur uertice sidus.
His father’s star above his head is shining glory-clear.
parte alia uentis et dis Agrippa secundis
With wind to aid and God to aid, Agrippa otherwhere
arduus agmen agens, cui, belli insigne superbum,
Leads on the host from high; whose brows with glorious battle-sign
tempora nauali fulgent rostrata corona.
Are decked; for with the crown of beaks, the ship-host’s prize, they shine.
hinc ope barbarica uariisque Antonius armis, 685
But Antony, with outland force and arms wrought diversely,
uictor ab Aurorae populis et litore rubro,
Victorious from the morning-folks and ruddy-stranded sea,
Aegyptum uirisque Orientis et ultima secum
Bore Egypt and the Eastland might and Bactria’s outer ends;
Bactra uehit, sequiturque (nefas) Aegyptia coniunx.
And after him — O shame to tell! — a wife of Egypt wends.
una omnes ruere ac totum spumare reductis
They rush together; all the sea is beaten into foam,
conuulsum remis rostrisque tridentibus aequor. 690
Torn by the great three-tynèd beaks and oar-blades driven home:
alta petunt; pelago credas innare reuulsas
They seek the deep: ye might have thought that uptorn Cyclades
Cycladas aut montis concurrere montibus altos,
Swam o’er the main, that mountains met high mountains on the seas,
tanta mole uiri turritis puppibus instant.
With such a world of towered ships fall on those folks of war.
stuppea flamma manu telisque uolatile ferrum
The hempen flame they fling from hand; they cast the dart afar
spargitur, arua noua Neptunia caede rubescunt. 695
Of wingèd steel, and Neptune’s lea reddens with death anew.
regina in mediis patrio uocat agmina sistro,
The Queen amidst calls on her host with timbrel fashioned due
necdum etiam geminos a tergo respicit anguis.
In Egypt’s guise, nor looks aback the adders twain to see;
omnigenumque deum monstra et latrator Anubis
Barking Anubis, shapes of God wild-wrought and diversely
contra Neptunum et Venerem contraque Mineruam
‘Gainst Neptune and ‘gainst Venus fair, and ‘gainst Minerva’s weal
tela tenent. saeuit medio in certamine Mauors 700
Put forth the spear; and Mavors’ wrath was fashioned forth in steel
caelatus ferro, tristesque ex aethere Dirae,
Amidst the fight: the Dreadful Ones stooped evil-wrought from heaven,
et scissa gaudens uadit Discordia palla,
And Discord stalked all glad at heart beneath her mantle riven;
quam cum sanguineo sequitur Bellona flagello.
And after her, red scourge in hand, did dire Bellona go.
Actius haec cernens arcum intendebat Apollo
All this Apollo, Actian-housed, beheld, and bent his bow
desuper; omnis eo terrore Aegyptus et Indi, 705
From high aloft, and with his fear all Egypt fell to wrack,
omnis Arabs, omnes uertebant terga Sabaei.
And Ind and Araby; and all Sabæans turned the back.
ipsa uidebatur uentis regina uocatis
Then once again the Queen was wrought, who on the winds doth cry,
uela dare et laxos iam iamque immittere funis.
And spreadeth sail; and now, and now, the slackened sheet lets fly.
illam inter caedes pallentem morte futura
The Lord of Fire had wrought her there wan with the death to be,
fecerat ignipotens undis et Iapyge ferri, 710
Borne on, amid the death of men, by wind and following sea.
contra autem magno maerentem corpore Nilum
But Nile was wrought to meet them there, with body great to grieve,
pandentemque sinus et tota ueste uocantem
And in the folding of his cloak the vanquished to receive,
caeruleum in gremium latebrosaque flumina uictos.
To take them to his bosom grey, his flood of hidden home.
at Caesar, triplici inuectus Romana triumpho
There Cæsar threefold triumphing, borne on amidst of Rome,
moenia, dis Italis uotum immortale sacrabat, 715
Three hundred shrines was hallowing to Gods of Italy
maxima ter centum totam delubra per urbem.
Through all the city; glorious gift that nevermore shall die;
laetitia ludisque uiae plausuque fremebant;
The while all ways with joy and game and plenteous praising rang.
omnibus in templis matrum chorus, omnibus arae;
In all the temples altars were; in all the mothers sang
ante aras terram caesi strauere iuuenci.
Before the altars; on the earth the steers’ due slaughter lay.
ipse sedens niueo candentis limine Phoebi 720
But on the snow-white threshold there of Phoebus bright as day
dona recognoscit populorum aptatque superbis
He sat and took the nations’ gifts, and on the glorious door
postibus; incedunt uictae longo ordine gentes,
He hung them up: in long array the tamed folks went before,
quam uariae linguis, habitu tam uestis et armis.
As diverse in their tongues as in their arms and garments’ guise.
hic Nomadum genus et discinctos Mulciber Afros,
The Nomads had he fashioned there, that Mulciber the wise,
hic Lelegas Carasque sagittiferosque Gelonos 725
And Afric’s all ungirded folk; Carians and Leleges,
finxerat; Euphrates ibat iam mollior undis,
Shafted Geloni: softlier there Euphrates rolled his seas;
extremique hominum Morini, Rhenusque bicornis,
The Morini, the last of men, the hornèd Rhine, were there,
indomitique Dahae, et pontem indignatus Araxes.
Danæ untamed, Araxes loth the chaining bridge to bear.
Talia per clipeum Volcani, dona parentis,
So on the shield, his mother’s gift by Vulcan fashioned fair,
miratur rerumque ignarus imagine gaudet 730
He wondereth, blind of things to come but glad the tale to see,
attollens umero famamque et fata nepotum.
And on his shoulder bears the fame and fate of sons to be.
LIBER IX
BOOK IX.
Atque ea diuersa penitus dum parte geruntur,
Now while a long way off therefrom do these and those such deed,
Irim de caelo misit Saturnia Iuno
Saturnian Juno Iris sends from heaven aloft to speed
audacem ad Turnum. luco tum forte parentis
To Turnus of the hardy heart, abiding, as doth hap,
Pilumni Turnus sacrata ualle sedebat.
Within his sire Pilumnus’ grove in shady valley’s lap;
ad quem sic roseo Thaumantias ore locuta est: 5
Whom Thaumas’ child from rosy mouth in suchwise doth bespeak:
‘Turne, quod optanti diuum promittere nemo
“Turnus, what no one of the Gods might promise, didst thou seek,
auderet, uoluenda dies en attuli
t ultro.
The day of Fate undriven now hath borne about for thee:
Aeneas urbe et sociis et classe relicta
Æneas, he hath left his town, and ships, and company,
sceptra Palatini sedemque petit Euandri.
And sought the lordship Palatine and King Evander’s house;
nec satis: extremas Corythi penetrauit ad urbes 10
Nay more, hath reached the utmost steads, the towns of Corythus
Lydorumque manum, collectos armat agrestis.
And host of Lydians, where he arms the gathered carles for war.
quid dubitas? nunc tempus equos, nunc poscere currus.
Why doubt’st thou? now is time to call for horse and battle-car.
rumpe moras omnis et turbata arripe castra.’
Break tarrying off, and make thy stoop upon their camp’s dismay.”
dixit, et in caelum paribus se sustulit alis
She spake, and on her poisèd wings went up the heavenly way,
ingentemque fuga secuit sub nubibus arcum. 15
And in her flight with mighty bow cleft through the cloudy land.
agnouit iuuenis duplicisque ad sidera palmas
The warrior knew her, and to heaven he cast up either hand,
sustulit ac tali fugientem est uoce secutus:
And with such voice of spoken things he followed as she fled:
‘Iri, decus caeli, quis te mihi nubibus actam
“O Iris, glory of the skies, and who thy ways hath sped
detulit in terras? unde haec tam clara repente
Amidst the clouds to earth and me? Whence this so sudden clear
tempestas? medium uideo discedere caelum 20
Of weather? Lo, the midmost heaven I see departed shear,
palantisque polo stellas. sequor omina tanta,
And through the zenith stray the stars: such signs I follow on,
quisquis in arma uocas.’ et sic effatus ad undam
Whoso ye be that call to war.” And therewithal he won
processit summoque hausit de gurgite lymphas
Unto the stream, and from its face drew forth the water fair,
multa deos orans, onerauitque aethera uotis.
Praying the Gods, and laid a load of vows upon the air.
Iamque omnis campis exercitus ibat apertis 25
And now the host drew out to war amid the open meads,
diues equum, diues pictai uestis et auri;
With wealth of painted gear and gold, and wealth of noble steeds.
Messapus primas acies, postrema coercent
Messapus leads the first array, and Tyrrheus’ children ward
Tyrrhidae iuuenes, medio dux agmine Turnus:
The latter host, and in the midst is Turnus’ self the lord.
