Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  And given us gift of godhead’s life in house of ocean’s ground.

  at puer Ascanius muro fossisque tenetur

  Lo now, the boy Ascanius by dyke and wall is bound

  tela inter media atque horrentis Marte Latinos.

  Amid the spears, the battle-wood that Latins forth have sent.

  iam loca iussa tenent forti permixtus Etrusco

  And now the horse of Arcady, with stout Etruscans blent,

  Arcas eques; medias illis opponere turmas,

  Holdeth due tryst. Now is the mind of Turnus firmly set

  ne castris iungant, certa est sententia Turno. 240

  To thrust between them, lest thy camp they succour even yet.

  surge age et Aurora socios ueniente uocari

  Wherefore arise, and when the dawn first climbs the heavenly shore

  primus in arma iube, et clipeum cape quem dedit ipse

  Call on thy folk, and take thy shield unconquered evermore,

  inuictum ignipotens atque oras ambiit auro.

  The Fire-lord’s gift, who wrought its lips with circling gold about:

  crastina lux, mea si non inrita dicta putaris,

  Tomorrow’s light, unless thou deem’st my words are all to doubt,

  ingentis Rutulae spectabit caedis aceruos.’ 245

  Shall see Rutulian death in heaps a-lying on the land.”

  dixerat et dextra discedens impulit altam

  Therewith departing, forth she thrust the tall ship with her hand,

  haud ignara modi puppim: fugit illa per undas

  As one who had good skill therein, and then across the seas

  ocior et iaculo et uentos aequante sagitta.

  Swifter than dart she fled, or shaft that matcheth well the breeze,

  inde aliae celerant cursus. stupet inscius ipse

  And straight the others hastened on. All mazed was he of Troy,

  Tros Anchisiades, animos tamen omine tollit. 250

  Anchises’ seed, but yet the sign upraised his heart with joy,

  tum breuiter supera aspectans conuexa precatur:

  And, looking to the hollow heaven, in few words prayed he thus

  ‘alma parens Idaea deum, cui Dindyma cordi

  “Kind Ida-Mother of the Gods, whose heart loves Dindymus

  turrigeraeque urbes biiugique ad frena leones,

  And towered towns, and lions yoked and tamed to bear the bit,

  tu mihi nunc pugnae princeps, tu rite propinques

  Be thou my battle-leader now, and do thou further it,

  augurium Phrygibusque adsis pede, diua, secundo.’ 255

  This omen, and with favouring foot the Trojan folk draw nigh.”

  tantum effatus, et interea reuoluta ruebat

  But while he spake, Day, come again, had run adown the sky,

  matura iam luce dies noctemque fugarat;

  With light all utter perfect wrought, and driven away the night.

  principio sociis edicit signa sequantur

  Then folk he biddeth follow on the banners of the fight,

  atque animos aptent armis pugnaeque parent se.

  And make them ready for the play and shape their hearts for war.

  Iamque in conspectu Teucros habet et sua castra 260

  But he, aloft upon the poop, now sees them where they are,

  stans celsa in puppi, clipeum cum deinde sinistra

  His leaguered Teucrians, as his left uprears the blazing shield;

  extulit ardentem. clamorem ad sidera tollunt

  And then, the sons of Dardanus up to the starry field

  Dardanidae e muris, spes addita suscitat iras,

  Send forth the cry, and hope is come to whet their battle-wrath.

  tela manu iaciunt, quales sub nubibus atris

  Thick flies their spear-storm: ’tis as when the Strymon cranes give forth

  Strymoniae dant signa grues atque aethera tranant 265

  Their war-sign on the mirky rack, and down the heavens they run

  cum sonitu, fugiuntque Notos clamore secundo.

  Sonorous, fleeing southern breeze with clamour following on.

  at Rutulo regi ducibusque ea mira uideri

  But wondrous to Rutulian king and dukes of Italy

  Ausoniis, donec uersas ad litora puppis

  That seemed, until they look about, and lo, the keels they see

  respiciunt totumque adlabi classibus aequor.

  Turned shoreward; yea, a sea of ships onsetting toward the shore.

  ardet apex capiti cristisque a uertice flamma 270

  Yea, and the helm is all ablaze, beams from the crest outpour,

  funditur et uastos umbo uomit aureus ignis:

  The golden shield-boss wide about a world of flame doth shed.

  non secus ac liquida si quando nocte cometae

  E’en so, amid the clear of night, the comets bloody-red

  sanguinei lugubre rubent, aut Sirius ardor

  Blush woeful bright; nor otherwise is Sirius’ burning wrought,

  ille sitim morbosque ferens mortalibus aegris

  When drought and plagues for weary men the birth of him hath wrought,

  nascitur et laeuo contristat lumine caelum. 275

  And that unhappy light of his hath saddened all the heaven.

  Haud tamen audaci Turno fiducia cessit

  But nought from Turnus’ hardy heart was high hope ever driven

  litora praecipere et uenientis pellere terra.

  To take the strand of them and thrust those comers from the shore:

  [ultro animos tollit dictis atque increpat ultro:]

  Eager he chid, hot-heart, with words men’s courage he upbore:

  ‘quod uotis optastis adest, perfringere dextra.

  “Lo, now your prayers have come about, that hand meet hand in strife,

  in manibus Mars ipse uiris. nunc coniugis esto 280

  And Mars is in the brave man’s hand: let each one’s home and wife

  quisque suae tectique memor, nunc magna referto

  Be in his heart! Call ye to mind those mighty histories,

  facta, patrum laudes. ultro occurramus ad undam

  The praises of our father-folk! Come, meet them in the seas,

  dum trepidi egressisque labant uestigia prima.

  Amid their tangle, while their feet yet totter on the earth:

  audentis Fortuna iuuat.’

  For Fortune helpeth them that dare.”

  haec ait, et secum uersat quos ducere contra 285

  So saying, he turneth in his mind with whom on these to fall,

  uel quibus obsessos possit concredere muros.

  And unto whom to leave meanwhile the leaguering of the wall.

  Interea Aeneas socios de puppibus altis

  Meanwhile Æneas from his ships high-built his folk doth speed

  pontibus exponit. multi seruare recursus

  Ashore by bridges: many men no less the back-draught heed

  languentis pelagi et breuibus se credere saltu,

  Of the spent seas, and, trusting shoals, they make the downward leap;

  per remos alii. speculatus litora Tarchon, 290

  And others slide adown the oars. Tarchon the shore doth sweep,

  qua uada non sperat nec fracta remurmurat unda,

  Espying where the waves break not, nor back the sea doth roar,

  sed mare inoffensum crescenti adlabitur aestu,

  But where the sea-flood harmlessly with full tide swims ashore,

  aduertit subito proras sociosque precatur:

  And thither straight he lays his keels, and prays unto his folk:

  ‘nunc, o lecta manus, ualidis incumbite remis;

  “O chosen, on the stark oars lay! now up unto the stroke;

  tollite, ferte rates, inimicam findite rostris 295

  Bear on the ships, and with your beaks cleave ye this foeman’s earth;

  hanc terram, sulcumque sibi premat ipsa carina.

  And let the very keels themselves there fu
rrow them their berth.

  frangere nec tali puppim statione recuso

  On such a haven nought I heed, though ship and all we break,

  arrepta tellure semel.’ quae talia postquam

  If once we gain the land.” Therewith, as such a word he spake,

  effatus Tarchon, socii consurgere tonsis

  His fellows rise together hard on every shaven tree,

  spumantisque rates aruis inferre Latinis, 300

  In mind to bear their ships befoamed up on the Latin lea,

  donec rostra tenent siccum et sedere carinae

  Until their tynes are high and dry, and fast is every keel

  omnes innocuae. sed non puppis tua, Tarchon:

  Unhurt: save, Tarchon, thine alone, that winneth no such weal;

  namque inflicta uadis, dorso dum pendet iniquo

  For on the shallows driven aground, on evil ridge unmeet,

  anceps sustentata diu fluctusque fatigat,

  She hangeth balanced a long while, and doth the waters beat;

  soluitur atque uiros mediis exponit in undis, 305

  Then, breaking, droppeth down her men amidmost of the waves,

  fragmina remorum quos et fluitantia transtra

  Entangled in the wreck of oars, and floating thwarts and staves;

  impediunt retrahitque pedes simul unda relabens.

  And in the back-draught of the seas their feet are caught withal.

  Nec Turnum segnis retinet mora, sed rapit acer

  No dull delay holds Turnus back; but fiercely doth he fall,

  totam aciem in Teucros et contra in litore sistit.

  With all his host, on them of Troy, and meets them on the strand.

  signa canunt. primus turmas inuasit agrestis 310

  The war-horns sing. Æneas first breaks through the field-folk’s band,

  Aeneas, omen pugnae, strauitque Latinos

  — Fair omen of the fight — and lays the Latin folk alow.

  occiso Therone, uirum qui maximus ultro

  Thero he slays, most huge of men, whose own heart bade him go

  Aenean petit. huic gladio perque aerea suta,

  Against Æneas: through the links of brass the sword doth fare,

  per tunicam squalentem auro latus haurit apertum.

  And through the kirtle’s scaly gold, and wastes the side laid bare.

  inde Lichan ferit exsectum iam matre perempta 315

  Then Lichas smites he, ripped erewhile from out his mother dead,

  et tibi, Phoebe, sacrum: casus euadere ferri

  And hallowed, Phoebus, unto thee, because his baby head

  quo licuit paruo? nec longe Cissea durum

  Had ‘scaped the steel: nor far from thence he casteth down to die

  immanemque Gyan sternentis agmina claua

  Hard Cisseus, Gyas huge, who there beat down his company

  deiecit leto; nihil illos Herculis arma

  With might of clubs; nought then availed that Herculean gear,

  nec ualidae iuuere manus genitorque Melampus, 320

  Nor their stark hands, nor yet their sire Melampus, though he were

  Alcidae comes usque grauis dum terra labores

  Alcides’ friend so long as he on earth wrought heavy toil.

  praebuit. ecce Pharo, uoces dum iactat inertis,

  Lo Pharo! while a deedless word he flingeth mid the broil,

  intorquens iaculum clamanti sistit in ore.

  The whirring of the javelin stays within his shouting mouth.

  tu quoque, flauentem prima lanugine malas

  Thou, Cydon, following lucklessly thy new delight, the youth

  dum sequeris Clytium infelix, noua gaudia, Cydon, 325

  Clytius, whose first of fallow down about his cheeks is spread

  Dardania stratus dextra, securus amorum

  Art well-nigh felled by Dardan hand, and there hadst thou lain dead,

  qui iuuenum tibi semper erant, miserande iaceres,

  At peace from all the many loves wherein thy life would stray,

  ni fratrum stipata cohors foret obuia, Phorci

  Had not thy brethren’s serried band now thrust across the way

  progenies, septem numero, septenaque tela

  E’en Phorcus’ seed: sevenfold of tale and sevenfold spears they wield:

  coniciunt; partim galea clipeoque resultant 330

  But some thereof fly harmless back from helm-side and from shield,

  inrita, deflexit partim stringentia corpus

  The rest kind Venus turned aside, that grazing past they flew;

  alma Venus. fidum Aeneas adfatur Achaten:

  But therewithal Æneas spake unto Achates true:

  ‘suggere tela mihi, non ullum dextera frustra

  “Reach me my shafts: not one in vain my right hand now shall speed

  torserit in Rutulos, steterunt quae in corpore Graium

  Against Rutulians, of all those that erst in Ilian mead

  Iliacis campis.’ tum magnam corripit hastam 335

  Stood in the bodies of the Greeks.” Then caught he a great spear

  et iacit: illa uolans clipei transuerberat aera

  And cast it, and it flew its ways the brazen shield to shear

  Maeonis et thoraca simul cum pectore rumpit.

  Of Mæon, breaking through his mail, breaking his breast withal:

  huic frater subit Alcanor fratremque ruentem

  Alcanor is at hand therewith, to catch his brother’s fall

  sustentat dextra: traiecto missa lacerto

  With his right hand; but through his arm the spear without a stay

  protinus hasta fugit seruatque cruenta tenorem, 340

  Flew hurrying on, and held no less its straight and bloody way,

  dexteraque ex umero neruis moribunda pependit.

  And by the shoulder-nerves the hand hung down all dead and vain.

  tum Numitor iaculo fratris de corpore rapto

  Then Numitor, his brother’s spear caught from his brother slain,

  Aenean petiit: sed non et figere contra

  Falls on Æneas; yet to smite the mighty one in face

  est licitum, magnique femur perstrinxit Achatae.

  No hap he had, but did the thigh of great Achates graze.

  Hic Curibus fidens primaeuo corpore Clausus 345

  Clausus of Cures, trusting well in his young body’s might,

  aduenit et rigida Dryopem ferit eminus hasta

  Now cometh, and with stiff-wrought spear from far doth Dryops smite

  sub mentum grauiter pressa, pariterque loquentis

  Beneath the chin; home went its weight, and midst his shouting’s birth

  uocem animamque rapit traiecto gutture; at ille

  From rent throat snatched both voice and life, and prone he smote the ear

  fronte ferit terram et crassum uomit ore cruorem.

  And from his mouth abundantly shed forth the flood of gore.

  tris quoque Threicios Boreae de gente suprema 350

  Three Thracians also, men whose stem from Boreas came of yore,

  et tris quos Idas pater et patria Ismara mittit,

  Three whom their father Idas sent, and Ismara their land,

  per uarios sternit casus. accurrit Halaesus

  In various wise he fells. And now Halesus comes to hand,

  Auruncaeque manus, subit et Neptunia proles,

  And his Aruncans: Neptune’s seed now cometh thrusting in,

  insignis Messapus equis. expellere tendunt

  Messapus, excellent of horse. Hard strife the field to win!

  nunc hi, nunc illi: certatur limine in ipso 355

  On this side and on that they play about Ausonia’s door.

  Ausoniae. magno discordes aethere uenti

  As whiles within the mighty heaven the winds are making war,

  proelia ceu tollunt animis et uiribus aequis;

  And equal heart they have thereto, and equal might they wield:

  non ipsi inter se, non
nubila, non mare cedit;

  Yields none to none, nor yields the rack, nor aught the waters yield;

  anceps pugna diu, stant obnixa omnia contra:

  Long hangs the battle; locked they stand, all things are striving then:

  haud aliter Troianae acies aciesque Latinae 360

  Not otherwise the Trojan host and host of Latin men

  concurrunt, haeret pede pes densusque uiro uir.

  Meet foot to foot, and man to man, close pressing in the fray.

  At parte ex alia, qua saxa rotantia late

  But in another place, where erst the torrent in its way

  intulerat torrens arbustaque diruta ripis,

  Had driven the rolling rocks along and torn trees of the banks,

  Arcadas insuetos acies inferre pedestris

  Did Pallas see the Arcadian folk, unused to fight in ranks

  ut uidit Pallas Latio dare terga sequaci, 365

  Of footmen, turn their backs before the Latins in the chase,

  aspera aquis natura loci dimittere quando

  Since they forsooth had left their steeds for roughness of the place:

  suasit equos, unum quod rebus restat egenis,

  Wherefore he did the only deed that failing Fortune would,

  nunc prece, nunc dictis uirtutem accendit amaris;

  Striving with prayers and bitter words to make their valour good:

  ‘quo fugitis, socii? per uos et fortia facta,

  “Where flee ye, fellows? Ah, I pray, by deeds that once were bold,

  per ducis Euandri nomen deuictaque bella 370

  By name of King Evander dear, by glorious wars of old,

  spemque meam, patriae quae nunc subit aemula laudi,

  By my own hope of praise that springs to mate my father’s praise,

  fidite ne pedibus. ferro rumpenda per hostis

  Trust not your feet! with point and edge ye needs must cleave your ways

  est uia. qua globus ille uirum densissimus urget,

  Amidst the foe. Where yon array of men doth thickest wend,

  hac uos et Pallanta ducem patria alta reposcit.

  Thither our holy fatherland doth you and Pallas send:

  numina nulla premunt, mortali urgemur ab hoste 375

  No Gods weigh on us; mortal foes meet mortal men today;

  mortales; totidem nobis animaeque manusque.

  As many hands we have to use, as many lives to pay.

  ecce maris magna claudit nos obice pontus,

  Lo, how the ocean shuts us in with yonder watery wall!

  deest iam terra fugae: pelagus Troiamne petamus?’

  Earth fails for flight — what! seaward then, or Troyward shall we fall?”

  haec ait, et medius densos prorumpit in hostis.

  Thus said, forthwith he breaketh in amid the foeman’s press,