Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  tandem liber equus, campoque potitus aperto

  Set free at last, and, having won the unfenced open mead,

  aut ille in pastus armentaque tendit equarum

  Now runneth to the grassy grounds wherein the mare-kind feed;

  aut adsuetus aquae perfundi flumine noto 495

  Or, wont to water, speedeth him in well-known stream to wash,

  emicat, arrectisque fremit ceruicibus alte

  And, wantoning, with uptossed head about the world doth dash,

  luxurians luduntque iubae per colla, per armos.

  While wave his mane-locks o’er his neck, and o’er his shoulders play.

  Obuia cui Volscorum acie comitante Camilla

  But, leading on the Volscian host, there comes across his way

  occurrit portisque ab equo regina sub ipsis

  Camilla now, who by the gate leapt from her steed adown,

  desiluit, quam tota cohors imitata relictis 500

  And in likewise her company, who left their horses lone,

  ad terram defluxit equis; tum talia fatur:

  And earthward streamed: therewith the Queen such words as this gave forth:

  ‘Turne, sui merito si qua est fiducia forti,

  “Turnus, if any heart may trust in manly might and worth,

  audeo et Aeneadum promitto occurrere turmae

  I dare to promise I will meet Æneas’ war array,

  solaque Tyrrhenos equites ire obuia contra.

  And face the Tyrrhene knights alone, and deal them battle-play.

  me sine prima manu temptare pericula belli, 505

  Let my hand be the first to try the perils of the fight,

  tu pedes ad muros subsiste et moenia serua.’

  The while the foot-men townward bide, and hold the walls aright.”

  Turnus ad haec oculos horrenda in uirgine fixus:

  Then Turnus answered, with his eyes fixed on the awful maid:

  ‘o decus Italiae uirgo, quas dicere grates

  “O glory of Italian land, how shall the thanks be paid

  quasue referre parem? sed nunc, est omnia quando

  Worthy thy part? but since all this thy great soul overflies,

  iste animus supra, mecum partire laborem. 510

  To portion out our work today with me indeed it lies.

  Aeneas, ut fama fidem missique reportant

  Æneas, as our spies sent out and rumour saith for sure,

  exploratores, equitum leuia improbus arma

  The guileful one, his light-armed horse hath now sent on before

  praemisit, quaterent campos; ipse ardua montis

  To sweep the lea-land, while himself, high on the hilly ground,

  per deserta iugo superans aduentat ad urbem.

  Across the desert mountain-necks on for our walls is bound.

  furta paro belli conuexo in tramite siluae, 515

  But I a snare now dight for him in woodland hollow way

  ut biuias armato obsidam milite fauces.

  Besetting so the straitened pass with weaponed war-array.

  tu Tyrrhenum equitem conlatis excipe signis;

  But bear thy banners forth afield to meet the Tyrrhene horse,

  tecum acer Messapus erit turmaeque Latinae

  With fierce Messapus joined to thee, the Latin battle-force,

  Tiburtique manus, ducis et tu concipe curam.’

  Yea, and Tiburtus: thou thyself the leader’s care shalt take.”

  sic ait, et paribus Messapum in proelia dictis 520

  So saith he, and with such-like words unto the war doth wake

  hortatur sociosque duces et pergit in hostem.

  Messapus and his brother-lords; then ‘gainst the foeman fares.

  Est curuo anfractu ualles, accommoda fraudi

  There was a dale of winding ways, most meet for warlike snares

  armorumque dolis, quam densis frondibus atrum

  And lurking swords: with press of leaves the mountain bent is black

  urget utrimque latus, tenuis quo semita ducit

  That shutteth it on either side: thence leads a scanty track;

  angustaeque ferunt fauces aditusque maligni. 525

  By strait-jawed pass men come thereto, a very evil road:

  hanc super in speculis summoque in uertice montis

  But thereabove, upon the height, lieth a plain abode,

  planities ignota iacet tutique receptus,

  A mountain-heath scarce known of men, a most safe lurking-place,

  seu dextra laeuaque uelis occurrere pugnae

  Whether to right hand or to left the battle ye will face,

  siue instare iugis et grandia uoluere saxa.

  Or hold the heights, and roll a storm of mighty rocks adown.

  huc iuuenis nota fertur regione uiarum 530

  Thither the war-lord wends his way by country road well known,

  arripuitque locum et siluis insedit iniquis.

  And takes the place, and bideth there within the wood accursed.

  Velocem interea superis in sedibus Opim,

  Meanwhile within the heavenly house Diana speaketh first

  unam ex uirginibus sociis sacraque caterua,

  To Opis of the holy band, the maiden fellowship,

  compellabat et has tristis Latonia uoces

  And words of grief most sorrowful Latonia’s mouth let slip:

  ore dabat: ‘graditur bellum ad crudele Camilla, 535

  “Unto the bitter-cruel war the maid Camilla wends,

  o uirgo, et nostris nequiquam cingitur armis,

  O maid: and all for nought indeed that dearest of my friends

  cara mihi ante alias. neque enim nouus iste Dianae

  Is girding her with arms of mine.” Nought new-born was the love

  uenit amor subitaque animum dulcedine mouit.

  Diana owned, nor sudden-sweet the soul in her did move:

  pulsus ob inuidiam regno uirisque superbas

  When Metabus, by hatred driven, and his o’erweening pride,

  Priuerno antiqua Metabus cum excederet urbe, 540

  Fled from Privernum’s ancient town, his fathers’ country-side,

  infantem fugiens media inter proelia belli

  Companion of his exile there, amid the weapon-game,

  sustulit exsilio comitem, matrisque uocauit

  A babe he had with him, whom he called from her mother’s name

  nomine Casmillae mutata parte Camillam.

  Casmilla, but a little changed, and now Camilla grown.

  ipse sinu prae se portans iuga longa petebat

  He, bearing her upon his breast, the woody ridges lone

  solorum nemorum: tela undique saeua premebant 545

  Went seeking, while on every side the sword-edge was about,

  et circumfuso uolitabant milite Volsci.

  And all around were scouring wide the weaponed Volscian rout.

  ecce fugae medio summis Amasenus abundans

  But big lay Amasenus now athwart his very road,

  spumabat ripis, tantus se nubibus imber

  Foaming bank-high, such mighty rain from out of heaven had flowed.

  ruperat. ille innare parans infantis amore

  There, as he dight him to swim o’er, love of his babe, and fear

  tardatur caroque oneri timet. omnia secum 550

  For burden borne so well-beloved, his footsteps back did bear.

  uersanti subito uix haec sententia sedit:

  At last, as all things o’er he turned, this sudden rede he took:

  telum immane manu ualida quod forte gerebat

  The huge spear that in mighty hand by hap the warrior shook,

  bellator, solidum nodis et robore cocto,

  A close-knit shaft of seasoned oak with many a knot therein,

  huic natam libro et siluestri subere clausam

  Thereto did he his daughter bind, wrapped in the cork-tree’s skin,

  implicat atque habilem mediae circumligat hastae; 555
/>   And to the middle of the beam he tied her craftily;

  quam dextra ingenti librans ita ad aethera fatur:

  Then, shaking it in mighty hand, thus spoke unto the sky:

  “alma, tibi hanc, nemorum cultrix, Latonia uirgo,

  “O kind, O dweller in the woods, Latonian Virgin fair,

  ipse pater famulam uoueo; tua prima per auras

  A father giveth thee a maid, who holds thine arms in air

  tela tenens supplex hostem fugit. accipe, testor,

  As from the foe she flees to thee: O Goddess, take thine own,

  diua tuam, quae nunc dubiis committitur auris.” 560

  That now upon the doubtful winds by this mine arm is thrown!”

  dixit, et adducto contortum hastile lacerto

  He spake, and from his drawn-back arm cast forth the brandished wood;

  immittit: sonuere undae, rapidum super amnem

  Sounded the waves; Camilla flew across the hurrying flood,

  infelix fugit in iaculo stridente Camilla.

  A lorn thing bound to whistling shaft, and o’er the river won.

  at Metabus magna propius iam urgente caterua

  But Metabus, with all the band of chasers pressing on,

  dat sese fluuio, atque hastam cum uirgine uictor 565

  Unto the river gives himself, and reaches maid and spear,

  gramineo, donum Triuiae, de caespite uellit.

  And, conquering, from the grassy bank Diana’s gift doth tear.

  non illum tectis ullae, non moenibus urbes

  To roof and wall there took him thence no city of the land,

  accepere (neque ipse manus feritate dedisset),

  Nay, he himself, a wild-wood thing, to none had given the hand;

  pastorum et solis exegit montibus aeuum.

  Upon the shepherd’s lonely hills his life thenceforth he led;

  hic natam in dumis interque horrentia lustra 570

  His daughter mid the forest-brake, and wild deers’ thicket-stead,

  armentalis equae mammis et lacte ferino

  He nourished on the milk that flowed from herd-mare’s untamed breast,

  nutribat teneris immulgens ubera labris.

  And to the maiden’s tender lips the wild thing’s udder pressed;

  utque pedum primis infans uestigia plantis

  Then from the first of days when she might go upon her feet,

  institerat, iaculo palmas armauit acuto

  The heft of heavy sharpened dart her hand must learn to meet,

  spiculaque ex umero paruae suspendit et arcum. 575

  And from the little maiden’s back he hung the shaft and bow;

  pro crinali auro, pro longae tegmine pallae

  While for the golden hair-clasp fine and long-drawn mantle’s flow

  tigridis exuuiae per dorsum a uertice pendent.

  Down from her head, along her back, a tiger’s fell there hung.

  tela manu iam tum tenera puerilia torsit

  E’en then too from her tender hand a childish shot she flung,

  et fundam tereti circum caput egit habena

  The sling with slender smoothened thong she drave about her head

  Strymoniamque gruem aut album deiecit olorem. 580

  To bring the crane of Strymon down, or lay the white swan dead.

  multae illam frustra Tyrrhena per oppida matres

  Then many a mother all about the Tyrrhene towns in vain

  optauere nurum; sola contenta Diana

  Would wed her to their sons; but she, a maid without a stain,

  aeternum telorum et uirginitatis amorem

  Alone in Dian’s happiness the spear for ever loved,

  intemerata colit. uellem haud correpta fuisset

  For ever loved the maiden life.— “O had she ne’er been moved

  militia tali conata lacessere Teucros: 585

  By such a war, nor dared to cross the Teucrian folk in fight!

  cara mihi comitumque foret nunc una mearum.

  Then had she been a maid of mine, my fellow and delight.

  uerum age, quandoquidem fatis urgetur acerbis,

  But since the bitterness of fate lies round her life and me,

  labere, nympha, polo finisque inuise Latinos,

  Glide down, O maiden, from the pole, and find the Latin lea,

  tristis ubi infausto committitur omine pugna.

  Where now, with evil tokens toward, sad battle they awake;

  haec cape et ultricem pharetra deprome sagittam: 590

  Take these, and that avenging shaft from out the quiver take,

  hac, quicumque sacrum uiolarit uulnere corpus,

  Wherewith whoso shall wrong with wound my holy-bodied may,

  Tros Italusque, mihi pariter det sanguine poenas.

  Be he of Troy or Italy, see thou his blood doth pay:

  post ego nube caua miserandae corpus et arma

  And then will I her limbs bewept, unspoiled of any gear,

  inspoliata feram tumulo patriaeque reponam.’

  Wrap in a hollow cloud, and lay in kindred sepulchre.”

  dixit, at illa leuis caeli delapsa per auras 595

  She spoke; the other slipped adown the lightsome air of heaven,

  insonuit nigro circumdata turbine corpus.

  With wrapping cloak of mirky cloud about her body driven.

  At manus interea muris Troiana propinquat,

  But in meanwhile the Trojan folk the city draw anigh,

  Etruscique duces equitumque exercitus omnis

  The Tuscan dukes and all their horse in many a company

  compositi numero in turmas. fremit aequore toto

  Well ordered: over all the plain neighing the steed doth fare,

  insultans sonipes et pressis pugnat habenis 600

  Prancing, and champing on the bit that turns him here and there,

  huc conuersus et huc; tum late ferreus hastis

  And far and wide the lea is rough with iron harvest now.

  horret ager campique armis sublimibus ardent.

  And with the weapons tossed aloft the level meadows glow.

  nec non Messapus contra celeresque Latini

  Messapus and the Latins swift, lo, on the other hand;

  et cum fratre Coras et uirginis ala Camillae

  And Coras with his brother-lord, and maid Camilla’s band,

  aduersi campo apparent, hastasque reductis 605

  Against them in the field; and lo, far back their arms they fling

  protendunt longe dextris et spicula uibrant,

  In couching of the level spears, and shot spears’ brandishing.

  aduentusque uirum fremitusque ardescit equorum.

  All is afire with neigh of steeds and onfall of the men.

  iamque intra iactum teli progressus uterque

  And now, within a spear-shot come, short up they rein, and then

  substiterat: subito erumpunt clamore furentisque

  They break out with a mighty cry, and spur the maddened steeds;

  exhortantur equos, fundunt simul undique tela 610

  And all at once from every side the storm of spear-shot speeds,

  crebra niuis ritu, caelumque obtexitur umbra.

  As thick as very snowing is, and darkens down the sun.

  continuo aduersis Tyrrhenus et acer Aconteus

  And thereon with their levelled spears each against each they run,

  conixi incurrunt hastis primique ruinam

  Tyrrhenus and Aconteus fierce: in forefront of the fight

  dant sonitu ingenti perfractaque quadripedantum

  They meet and crash with thundering sound; wracked are the steeds outright,

  pectora pectoribus rumpunt; excussus Aconteus 615

  Breast beating in each breast of them: far is Aconteus flung

  fulminis in morem aut tormento ponderis acti

  In manner of the lightning bolt, or stone from engine slung;

  praecipitat longe et uitam dispergit in auras.

/>   Far off he falls, and on the air pours all his life-breath out.

  Extemplo turbatae acies, uersique Latini

  Then wildered is the war array; the Latins wheel about

  reiciunt parmas et equos ad moenia uertunt;

  And sling their targets all aback, and townward turn their steeds.

  Troes agunt, princeps turmas inducit Asilas. 620

  The Trojans follow; first of whom the ranks Asylas leads.

  iamque propinquabant portis rursusque Latini

  But when they draw anigh the gates once more the Latin men

  clamorem tollunt et mollia colla reflectunt;

  Raise up the cry, and turn about the limber necks again;

  hi fugiunt penitusque datis referuntur habenis.

  Then flee their foes, and far afield with loosened reins they ride;

  qualis ubi alterno procurrens gurgite pontus

  As when the sea-flood setting on with flowing, ebbing tide,

  nunc ruit ad terram scopulosque superiacit unda 625

  Now earthward rolling, overlays the rocks with foaming sea,

  spumeus extremamque sinu perfundit harenam,

  And with its bosom overwhelms the sand’s extremity,

  nunc rapidus retro atque aestu reuoluta resorbens

  Now swiftly fleeing back again, sucks back into its deep

  saxa fugit litusque uado labente relinquit:

  The rolling stones, and leaves the shore with softly-gliding sweep.

  bis Tusci Rutulos egere ad moenia uersos,

  Twice did the Tuscans townward drive the host of Rutuli;

  bis reiecti armis respectant terga tegentes. 630

  Twice, looking o’er their shielded backs, afield they needs must fly;

  tertia sed postquam congressi in proelia totas

  But when they joined the battle thrice knit up was all array

  implicuere inter se acies legitque uirum uir,

  In one great knot, and man sought man wherewith to play the play.

  tum uero et gemitus morientum et sanguine in alto

  Then verily the dying groans up to the heavens went;

  armaque corporaque et permixti caede uirorum

  Bodies and arms lie deep in blood, and with the men-folk blent,

  semianimes uoluuntur equi, pugna aspera surgit. 635

  The dying horses wallow there, and fearful fight arose.

  Orsilochus Remuli, quando ipsum horrebat adire,

  Orsilochus with Remulus had scant the heart to close,

  hastam intorsit equo ferrumque sub aure reliquit;

  But hurled his shaft against the horse, and smote him ‘neath the ear;

  quo sonipes ictu furit arduus altaque iactat

  The smitten beast bears not the wound, but, maddened, high doth rear