Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  te precor, hanc animam serues gnatoque patrique. 525

  I pray thee for my sire and son my life yet let me win:

  est domus alta, iacent penitus defossa talenta

  I have a high house, silver wrought is dug adown therein,

  caelati argenti, sunt auri pondera facti

  A talent’s weight, and store therewith of wrought and unwrought gold:

  infectique mihi. non hic uictoria Teucrum

  This will not snatch the victory from out the Teucrian’s hold,

  uertitur aut anima una dabit discrimina tanta.’

  Nor can the life of one alone such mighty matter make.”

  dixerat. Aeneas contra cui talia reddit: 530

  So he, but answering thereunto this word Æneas spake:

  ‘argenti atque auri memoras quae multa talenta

  “Thy gold and silver talent’s weight, whereof thou tell’st such store,

  gnatis parce tuis. belli commercia Turnus

  Spare for thy sons! thy Turnus slew such chaffering of war

  sustulit ista prior iam tum Pallante perempto.

  When Pallas’ death he brought about a little while ago;

  hoc patris Anchisae manes, hoc sentit Iulus.’

  So deems my sire Anchises’ ghost, Iulus deemeth so.”

  sic fatus galeam laeua tenet atque reflexa 535

  Then with his left he caught the helm and hilt-deep thrust the blade

  ceruice orantis capulo tenus applicat ensem.

  Into the back-bent throat of him e’en as the prayer he prayed.

  nec procul Haemonides, Phoebi Triuiaeque sacerdos,

  Not far hence was Hæmonides, Phoebus’ and Trivia’s priest,

  infula cui sacra redimibat tempora uitta,

  The holy fillets on his brow, his glory well increased

  totus conlucens ueste atque insignibus albis.

  With glorious arms, and glittering gear shining on every limb.

  quem congressus agit campo, lapsumque superstans 540

  Him the King chaseth o’er the field, and, standing over him,

  immolat ingentique umbra tegit, arma Serestus

  Hides him in mighty dusk of death; whose gleanèd battle-gear,

  lecta refert umeris tibi, rex Gradiue, tropaeum.

  A gift to thee, O battle-god, back doth Serestus bear.

  Instaurant acies Volcani stirpe creatus

  Then Cæculus of Vulcan’s stem the hedge of battle fills,

  Caeculus et ueniens Marsorum montibus Vmbro.

  And Umbro cometh unto fight down from the Marsian hills.

  Dardanides contra furit: Anxuris ense sinistram 545

  On them his rage the Dardan child let slip. But next his blade

  et totum clipei ferro deiecerat orbem

  Anxur’s left hand and orbèd shield upon the meadow laid.

  (dixerat ille aliquid magnum uimque adfore uerbo

  Proud things had Anxur said, and deemed his word was matched by might,

  crediderat, caeloque animum fortasse ferebat

  And so perchance he raised his soul up to the heavenly height,

  canitiemque sibi et longos promiserat annos);

  And hoary eld he looked to see, and many a peaceful year.

  Tarquitus exsultans contra fulgentibus armis, 550

  Tarquitius, proud of heart and soul, in glittering battle-gear,

  siluicolae Fauno Dryope quem nympha crearat,

  Whom the nymph Dryope of yore to woodland Faunus gave,

  obuius ardenti sese obtulit. ille reducta

  Came thrusting thwart his fiery way; his back-drawn spear he drave,

  loricam clipeique ingens onus impedit hasta,

  Pinning his mail-coat unto him, and mighty mass of shield:

  tum caput orantis nequiquam et multa parantis

  His vainly-praying head, that strove with words, upon the field

  dicere deturbat terrae, truncumque tepentem 555

  He swept therewith, and rolling o’er his carcase warm with death,

  prouoluens super haec inimico pectore fatur:

  Above him from the heart of hate such words as this he saith:

  ‘istic nunc, metuende, iace. non te optima mater

  “Lie there, fear-giver! no more now thy mother most of worth

  condet humi patrioque onerabit membra sepulcro:

  Shall load thee with thy father’s tomb, or lay thee in the earth:

  alitibus linquere feris, aut gurgite mersum

  Thou shalt be left to birds of prey, or deep adown the flood

  unda feret piscesque impasti uulnera lambent.’ 560

  The waves shall bear thee, and thy wounds be hungry fishes’ food.”

  protinus Antaeum et Lucam, prima agmina Turni,

  Next Lucas and Antæus stout, foremost of Turnus’ men,

  persequitur, fortemque Numam fuluumque Camertem,

  He chaseth: Numa staunch of heart and yellow Camers then;

  magnanimo Volcente satum, ditissimus agri

  A man from high-souled Volscens sprung, field-wealthiest one of all

  qui fuit Ausonidum et tacitis regnauit Amyclis.

  Ausonian men, and lord within the hushed Amyclæ’s wall.

  Aegaeon qualis, centum cui bracchia dicunt 565

  E’en as Ægæon, who they say had arms an hundred-fold,

  centenasque manus, quinquaginta oribus ignem

  And hundred hands, from fifty mouths and maws the wildfire rolled,

  pectoribusque arsisse, Iouis cum fulmina contra

  What time in arms against the bolts from Jove of Heaven that flew

  tot paribus streperet clipeis, tot stringeret ensis:

  He clashed upon the fifty shields and fifty sword-points drew:

  sic toto Aeneas desaeuit in aequore uictor

  So conquering, over all the mead Æneas’ fury burns

  ut semel intepuit mucro. quin ecce Niphaei 570

  When once his sword is warm with death: and now, behold, he turns

  quadriiugis in equos aduersaque pectora tendit.

  Upon Niphæus’ four-yoked steeds, and breasts their very breath.

  atque illi longe gradientem et dira frementem

  But when they see him striding far, and threatening doom and death,

  ut uidere, metu uersi retroque ruentes

  In utter dread they turn about, and rushing back again,

  effunduntque ducem rapiuntque ad litora currus.

  They shed their master on the earth and shoreward drag the wain.

  Interea biiugis infert se Lucagus albis 575

  Meanwhile with twi-yoked horses white fares Lucagus midst men,

  in medios fraterque Liger; sed frater habenis

  His brother Liger by his side, who holdeth rein as then,

  flectit equos, strictum rotat acer Lucagus ensem.

  And turneth steed, while Lucagus the drawn sword whirleth wide.

  haud tulit Aeneas tanto feruore furentis;

  Them and their war-rage in no wise Æneas might abide,

  inruit aduersaque ingens apparuit hasta.

  But on he rushes, showing huge with upheaved threatening shaft.

  cui Liger: 580

  Then Liger cast a word at him:

  ‘non Diomedis equos nec currum cernis Achilli

  “No steeds of Diomede thou seest, and no Achilles’ car

  aut Phrygiae campos: nunc belli finis et aeui

  Or Phrygian fields: this hour shall end thy life-days and the war

  his dabitur terris.’ uesano talia late

  Here on this earth.” Such words as these from witless Liger stray,

  dicta uolant Ligeri. sed non et Troius heros

  But nought in bandying of words the man of Troy would play;

  dicta parat contra, iaculum nam torquet in hostis. 585

  Rather his mighty battle-shaft he hurled against the foe,

  Lucagus ut pronus pendens in uerbera telo

  While Lucagus his horses drives with s
pear-butt, bending low

  admonuit biiugos, proiecto dum pede laeuo

  Over the lash, and setteth forth his left foot for the fight.

  aptat se pugnae, subit oras hasta per imas

  Beneath the bright shield’s nether rim the spear-shaft takes its flight,

  fulgentis clipei, tum laeuum perforat inguen;

  Piercing his groin upon the left: then shaken from his wain,

  excussus curru moribundus uoluitur aruis. 590

  He tumbleth down and rolleth o’er in death upon the plain.

  quem pius Aeneas dictis adfatur amaris:

  To whom a fierce and bitter word godly Æneas said:

  ‘Lucage, nulla tuos currus fuga segnis equorum

  “Ho, Lucagus! no dastard flight of steeds thy car betrayed,

  prodidit aut uanae uertere ex hostibus umbrae:

  No empty shadow turned them back from facing of the foe,

  ipse rotis saliens iuga deseris.’ haec ita fatus

  But thou thyself hast leapt from wheel and let the yoke-beasts go.”

  arripuit biiugos; frater tendebat inertis 595

  He spake, and caught the reins withal; slipped down that wretched one

  infelix palmas curru delapsus eodem:

  His brother, and stretched forth the hands that little deed had done:

  ‘per te, per qui te talem genuere parentes,

  “By thee, by those that brought thee forth so glorious unto day,

  uir Troiane, sine hanc animam et miserere precantis.’

  O Trojan hero, spare my life, and pity me that pray!”

  pluribus oranti Aeneas: ‘haud talia dudum

  Æneas cut athwart his speech: “Not so erewhile ye spake.

  dicta dabas. morere et fratrem ne desere frater.’ 600

  Die! ill it were for brother thus a brother to forsake.”

  tum latebras animae pectus mucrone recludit.

  And in his breast the sword he drave home to the house of breath.

  talia per campos edebat funera ductor

  Thus through the meads the Dardan Duke set forth the tale of death,

  Dardanius torrentis aquae uel turbinis atri

  With rage as of the rushing flood, or whirl-storm of the wind.

  more furens. tandem erumpunt et castra relinquunt

  At last they break forth into field and leave their camp behind,

  Ascanius puer et nequiquam obsessa iuuentus. 605

  Ascanius and the lads of war in vain beleaguerèd.

  Iunonem interea compellat Iuppiter ultro:

  Meanwhile to Juno Jupiter set forth the speech and said:

  ‘o germana mihi atque eadem gratissima coniunx,

  “O thou who art my sister dear and sweetest wife in one,

  ut rebare, Venus (nec te sententia fallit)

  ’Tis Venus as thou deemedst, (nought thy counsel is undone),

  Troianas sustentat opes, non uiuida bello

  Who upholds Trojan might forsooth: they lack fight-eager hand,

  dextra uiris animusque ferox patiensque pericli.’ 610

  They lack fierce heart and steady soul the peril to withstand!”

  cui Iuno summissa: ‘quid, o pulcherrime coniunx,

  To whom spake Juno, meek of mood: “And why, O fairest lord,

  sollicitas aegram et tua tristia dicta timentem?

  Dost thou so vex me sad at heart, fearing thy heavy word?

  si mihi, quae quondam fuerat quamque esse decebat,

  But in my soul were love as strong as once it used to be,

  uis in amore foret, non hoc mihi namque negares,

  And should be, thou though all of might wouldst ne’er deny it me,

  omnipotens, quin et pugnae subducere Turnum 615

  That Turnus I should draw away from out the midst of fight,

  et Dauno possem incolumem seruare parenti.

  That I might keep him safe to bless his father Daunus’ sight.

  nunc pereat Teucrisque pio det sanguine poenas.

  Now let him die, let hallowed blood the Teucrian hate atone:

  ille tamen nostra deducit origine nomen

  And yet indeed his name and race from blood of ours hath grown;

  Pilumnusque illi quartus pater, et tua larga

  He from Pilumnus is put forth: yea, good gifts furthermore

  saepe manu multisque onerauit limina donis.’ 620

  His open hand full oft hath piled within thine holy door.”

  cui rex aetherii breuiter sic fatur Olympi:

  To whom air-high Olympus’ king short-worded answer made:

  ‘si mora praesentis leti tempusque caduco

  “If for the youth who soon must fall respite of death is prayed,

  oratur iuueni meque hoc ita ponere sentis,

  And tarrying-time, nor aught thou deem’st but that my doom must stand,

  tolle fuga Turnum atque instantibus eripe fatis:

  Then carry Turnus off by flight, snatch him from fate at hand.

  hactenus indulsisse uacat. sin altior istis 625

  So far thy longing may I please: but if a greater grace

  sub precibus uenia ulla latet totumque moueri

  Lurk ‘neath thy prayers, and thou hast hope to change the battle’s face,

  mutariue putas bellum, spes pascis inanis.’

  And turmoil everything once more, thou feedest hope in vain.”

  et Iuno adlacrimans: ‘quid si, quae uoce grauaris,

  Then Juno weeping: “Ah, but if thy heart should give the gain

  mente dares atque haec Turno rata uita maneret?

  Thy voice begrudgeth! if ‘twere doomed that he in life abide —

  nunc manet insontem grauis exitus, aut ego ueri 630

  But ill-end dogs the sackless man, unless I wander wide

  uana feror. quod ut o potius formidine falsa

  Away from sooth — Ah, yet may I be mocked of fear-wrought lies,

  ludar, et in melius tua, qui potes, orsa reflectas!’

  And may thy rede as thou hast might be turned to better wise.”

  Haec ubi dicta dedit, caelo se protinus alto

  She spake the word and cast herself adown from heaven the high,

  misit agens hiemem nimbo succincta per auras,

  Girt round with rain-cloud, driving on a storm amid the sky,

  Iliacamque aciem et Laurentia castra petiuit. 635

  And that Laurentian leaguer sought and Ilium’s hedge of fight.

  tum dea nube caua tenuem sine uiribus umbram

  And there she fashioned of the cloud a shadow lacking might:

  in faciem Aeneae (uisu mirabile monstrum)

  With image of Æneas’ shape the wondrous show is drest,

  Dardaniis ornat telis, clipeumque iubasque

  She decks it with the Dardan spear and shield, and mocks the crest

  diuini adsimulat capitis, dat inania uerba,

  Of that all-godlike head, and gives a speech that empty flows,

  dat sine mente sonum gressusque effingit euntis, 640

  Sound without soul, and counterfeits the gait wherewith he goes, —

  morte obita qualis fama est uolitare figuras

  As dead men’s images they say about the air will sweep,

  aut quae sopitos deludunt somnia sensus.

  Or as the senses weary-drenched are mocked with dreams of sleep.

  at primas laeta ante acies exsultat imago

  But in the forefront of the fight war-merry goes the thing,

  inritatque uirum telis et uoce lacessit.

  And cries the warrior on with words and weapons brandishing:

  instat cui Turnus stridentemque eminus hastam 645

  On whom falls Turnus, and afar hurleth his whizzing spear:

  conicit; illa dato uertit uestigia tergo.

  Then turns the phantom back about and fleeth as in fear.

  tum uero Aenean auersum ut cedere Turnus

  Then verily when Turnus deemed he saw Æneas fled.

 
credidit atque animo spem turbidus hausit inanem:

  With all the emptiness of hope his headlong heart he fed:

  ‘quo fugis, Aenea? thalamos ne desere pactos;

  “Where fleest thou, Æneas, then? why leave thy plighted bride?

  hac dabitur dextra tellus quaesita per undas.’ 650

  This hand shall give thee earth thou sought’st so far across the tide.”

  talia uociferans sequitur strictumque coruscat

  So cries he following, brandishing his naked sword on high,

  mucronem, nec ferre uidet sua gaudia uentos.

  Nor sees what wise adown the wind his battle-bliss goes by.

  Forte ratis celsi coniuncta crepidine saxi

  By hap a ship was moored anear unto a ledgy stone,

  expositis stabat scalis et ponte parato,

  With ladders out and landing-bridge all ready to let down,

  qua rex Clusinis aduectus Osinius oris. 655

  That late the King Orsinius bore from Clusium o’er the sea;

  huc sese trepida Aeneae fugientis imago

  And thereinto the hurrying lie, Æneas’ shape, did flee,

  conicit in latebras, nec Turnus segnior instat

  And down its lurking-places dived: but Turnus none the more

  exsuperatque moras et pontis transilit altos.

  Hangs back, but beating down delay swift runs the high bridge o’er.

  uix proram attigerat, rumpit Saturnia funem

  Scarce on the prow, ere Juno brake the mooring-rope atwain,

  auulsamque rapit reuoluta per aequora nauem. 660

  And rapt the sundered ship away o’er back-draught of the main.

  tum leuis haud ultra latebras iam quaerit imago, 663

  And there afar from fight is he on whom Æneas cries,

  sed sublime uolans nubi se immiscuit atrae,

  Still sending down to death’s abode an host of enemies;

  illum autem Aeneas absentem in proelia poscit; 661

  Nor any more the image then will seek his shape to shroud,

  obuia multa uirum demittit corpora morti,

  But flying upward blendeth him amid the mirky cloud.

  cum Turnum medio interea fert aequore turbo. 665

  Meanwhile, as midmost of the sea the flood bore Turnus on,

  respicit ignarus rerum ingratusque salutis

  Blind to the deed that was in hand, thankless for safety won,

  et duplicis cum uoce manus ad sidera tendit:

  He looketh round, and hands and voice starward he reacheth forth:

  ‘omnipotens genitor, tanton me crimine dignum

  “Almighty Father, deemedst thou my guilt so much of worth?

  duxisti et talis uoluisti expendere poenas?

  And wouldst thou have me welter through such woeful tide of pain?