by Virgil
concitat et superos Arruns sic uoce precatur:
Arruns drew forth his spear, and prayed the Gods above for grace:
‘summe deum, sancti custos Soractis Apollo, 785
“Highest of Gods, Apollo, ward of dear Soracte’s stead,
quem primi colimus, cui pineus ardor aceruo
Whom we first honour, unto whom the piny blaze is fed;
pascitur, et medium freti pietate per ignem
Whom worshipping, we, waxen strong in might of godliness,
cultores multa premimus uestigia pruna,
The very midmost of the fire with eager foot-soles press —
da, pater, hoc nostris aboleri dedecus armis,
Almighty Father, give me grace to do away our shame!
omnipotens. non exuuias pulsaeue tropaeum 790
No battle-gear, no trophies won from vanquished maid I claim,
uirginis aut spolia ulla peto, mihi cetera laudem
No spoils I seek; my other deeds shall bring me praise of folk;
facta ferent; haec dira meo dum uulnere pestis
Let but this dreadful pest of men but fall beneath my stroke,
pulsa cadat, patrias remeabo inglorius urbes.’
And me wend back without renown unto my father’s place!”
Audiit et uoti Phoebus succedere partem
Apollo heard, and half the prayer he turned his heart to grace,
mente dedit, partem uolucris dispersit in auras: 795
The other half he flung away adown the wind to go.
sterneret ut subita turbatam morte Camillam
That he by sudden stroke of death should lay Camilla low, —
adnuit oranti; reducem ut patria alta uideret
He granted this: that his high house should see his safe return,
non dedit, inque Notos uocem uertere procellae.
He granted not: the hurrying gusts that word to breezes turn.
ergo ut missa manu sonitum dedit hasta per auras,
So when the shaft hurled from his hand gave sound upon the air,
conuertere animos acris oculosque tulere 800
All Volscians turn their hardy hearts, and all men’s eyen bear
cuncti ad reginam Volsci. nihil ipsa nec aurae
Upon the Queen: but she no whit had any breeze in mind,
nec sonitus memor aut uenientis ab aethere teli,
Or whistle of the spear that sped from out the house of wind,
hasta sub exsertam donec perlata papillam
Until the hurrying shaft beneath her naked bosom stood,
haesit uirgineumque alte bibit acta cruorem.
And clung there, deeply driven home, drinking her virgin blood.
concurrunt trepidae comites dominamque ruentem 805
Her frighted damsels run to her and catch the falling maid,
suscipiunt. fugit ante omnis exterritus Arruns
But Arruns fleeth fast, forsooth more than all they afraid —
laetitia mixtoque metu, nec iam amplius hastae
Afraid and glad — nor durst he more to trust him to the spear,
credere nec telis occurrere uirginis audet.
Or ‘neath the hail of maiden darts his body forth to bear.
ac uelut ille, prius quam tela inimica sequantur,
And as the murder-wolf, ere yet the avenging spear-points bite,
continuo in montis sese auius abdidit altos 810
Straight hideth him in pathless place amid the mountain-height,
occiso pastore lupus magnoue iuuenco,
When he hath slain some shepherd-lad or bullock of the fold;
conscius audacis facti, caudamque remulcens
Down goes his tail, when once he knows his deed so overbold,
subiecit pauitantem utero siluasque petiuit:
Along his belly close it clings as he the woodland seeks.
haud secus ex oculis se turbidus abstulit Arruns
Not otherwise from sight of men the wildered Arruns sneaks,
contentusque fuga mediis se immiscuit armis. 815
And mingles in the middle fight, glad to be clear away.
illa manu moriens telum trahit, ossa sed inter
Death-smitten, at the spear she plucks; amidst her bones it lay,
ferreus ad costas alto stat uulnere mucro.
About the ribs, that iron point in baneful wound and deep:
labitur exsanguis, labuntur frigida leto
She droopeth bloodless, droop her eyes acold in deadly sleep;
lumina, purpureus quondam color ora reliquit.
From out her cheeks the colour flees that once therewith were clear.
tum sic exspirans Accam ex aequalibus unam 820
Then, passing, Acca she bespeaks, her very maiden peer,
adloquitur, fida ante alias quae sola Camillae
Her who alone of all the rest might share Camilla’s rede,
quicum partiri curas, atque haec ita fatur:
A trusted friend: such words to her the dying mouth doth speed:
‘hactenus, Acca soror, potui: nunc uulnus acerbum
“Sister, thus far my might hath gone; but now this bitter wound
conficit, et tenebris nigrescunt omnia circum.
Maketh an end, and misty dark are grown all things around:
effuge et haec Turno mandata nouissima perfer: 825
Fly forth, and unto Turnus bear my very latest words;
succedat pugnae Troianosque arceat urbe.
Let him to fight, and from the town thrust off the Trojan swords —
iamque uale.’ simul his dictis linquebat habenas
Farewell, farewell!” — And with the word the bridle failed her hold,
ad terram non sponte fluens. tum frigida toto
And unto earth unwilling now she flowed, and waxen cold
paulatim exsoluit se corpore, lentaque colla
Slowly she slipped her body’s bonds; her languid neck she bent,
et captum leto posuit caput, arma relinquens, 830
Laid down the head that death had seized, and left her armament;
uitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras.
And with a groan her life flew forth disdainful into night.
tum uero immensus surgens ferit aurea clamor
Then rose the cry and smote aloft the starry golden height,
sidera: deiecta crudescit pugna Camilla;
And with the Queen so felled to field the fight grew young again,
incurrunt densi simul omnis copia Teucrum
And thronged and serried falleth on the Teucrian might and main,
Tyrrhenique duces Euandrique Arcades alae. 835
The Tuscan Dukes, Evander’s host, the wings of Arcady.
At Triuiae custos iamdudum in montibus Opis
But Opis, Dian’s watch of war, set on the mountain high,
alta sedet summis spectatque interrita pugnas.
A long while now all unafeard had eyed the battle o’er,
utque procul medio iuuenum in clamore furentum
And when far off, amid the cries of maddened men of war,
prospexit tristi mulcatam morte Camillam,
She saw Camilla win the death by bitter ill award,
ingemuitque deditque has imo pectore uoces: 840
She groaned, and from her inmost heart such words as these she poured:
‘heu nimium, uirgo, nimium crudele luisti
“Alas, O maid, thou payest it o’ermuch and bitterly,
supplicium Teucros conata lacessere bello!
That thou unto the Teucrian folk the challenge needs must cry.
nec tibi desertae in dumis coluisse Dianam
Ah, nothing it availed thee, maid, through deserts of the deer
profuit aut nostras umero gessisse pharetras.
To worship Dian, or our shafts upon thy back to bear.
non tamen indecorem tua te regina reliquit 845
And yet the Queen hath left thee not alone amidst of shame
e
xtrema iam in morte, neque hoc sine nomine letum
In grip of death; nor shalt thou die a death without a name
per gentis erit aut famam patieris inultae.
In people’s ears; nor yet as one all unavenged be told:
nam quicumque tuum uiolauit uulnere corpus
For whosoever wronged thy flesh with wounding overbold
morte luet merita.’ fuit ingens monte sub alto
Shall pay the penalty well earned.” Now ‘neath the mountains high,
regis Dercenni terreno ex aggere bustum 850
All clad with shady holm-oaks o’er, a mighty mound doth lie,
antiqui Laurentis opacaque ilice tectum;
The tomb of King Dercennus called, Laurentum’s lord of yore;
hic dea se primum rapido pulcherrima nisu
And thitherward her speedy feet that loveliest Goddess bore,
sistit et Arruntem tumulo speculatur ab alto.
And there abiding, Arruns spied from off the high-heaped mound
ut uidit fulgentem armis ac uana tumentem,
But when the wretch in gleaming arms puffed up with pride she found,
‘cur’ inquit ‘diuersus abis? huc derige gressum, 855
“Why,” quoth she, “dost thou turn away? Here, hither wend thy feet;
huc periture ueni, capias ut digna Camillae
Come here and perish; take reward for slain Camilla meet!
praemia. tune etiam telis moriere Dianae?’
But ah, for death of such an one is Dian’s arrow due?”
dixit, et aurata uolucrem Threissa sagittam
Then from the Thracian quiver gilt a wingèd shaft she drew,
deprompsit pharetra cornuque infensa tetendit
And bent the horn-wrought bow withal with heart on slaying set:
et duxit longe, donec curuata coirent 860
Far drew she, till the curving horns each with the other met:
inter se capita et manibus iam tangeret aequis,
Alike she strained her hands to shoot; the left hand felt the steel,
laeua aciem ferri, dextra neruoque papillam.
The right that drew the string aback her very breast did feel.
extemplo teli stridorem aurasque sonantis
Then straightway Arruns heard in one the bow-string how it rung,
audiit una Arruns haesitque in corpore ferrum.
And whistle of the wind; and there the shaft within him clung:
illum exspirantem socii atque extrema gementem 865
His fellows leave him dying there and groaning out his last,
obliti ignoto camporum in puluere linquunt;
Forgotten in an unknown field, amid the sand downcast;
Opis ad aetherium pennis aufertur Olympum.
While to Olympus on the wing straightway is Opis borne.
Prima fugit domina amissa leuis ala Camillae,
But now first flees Camilla’s band, their Queen and mistress lorn,
turbati fugiunt Rutuli, fugit acer Atinas,
And flee the beaten Rutuli, and fierce Atinas flees;
disiectique duces desolatique manipli 870
The Dukes of men in disarray, the broken companies
tuta petunt et equis auersi ad moenia tendunt.
Now turn their faces to the town, and seek a sheltering place,
nec quisquam instantis Teucros letumque ferentis
Nor yet may any turn with spear upon the Teucrian chase,
sustentare ualet telis aut sistere contra,
That beareth death of men in hand, or bar the homeward road:
sed laxos referunt umeris languentibus arcus,
Cast back on fainting shoulders now the loose bow hangs a load;
quadripedumque putrem cursu quatit ungula campum. 875
The horny hoofs of four-foot things shake down the dusty mead,
uoluitur ad muros caligine turbidus atra
The mirky cloud of rolling dust doth ever townward speed;
puluis, et e speculis percussae pectora matres
And mothers beating of their breasts stand on the watch-towers high,
femineum clamorem ad caeli sidera tollunt.
And cast abroad their woman’s wail up to the starry sky.
qui cursu portas primi inrupere patentis,
But they who in their fleeing first break through the open doors,
hos inimica super mixto premit agmine turba, 880
In mingled tumult on their backs a crowd of foemen pours;
nec miseram effugiunt mortem, sed limine in ipso,
Nor do they ‘scape a wretched death: there, on the threshold-stead,
moenibus in patriis atque inter tuta domorum
Within their fathers’ walls, amidst the peace of home, they shed
confixi exspirant animas. pars claudere portas,
The lives from out their bodies pierced: then some men shut the gate,
nec sociis aperire uiam nec moenibus audent
Nor durst they open to their friends, or take in them that wait
accipere orantis, oriturque miserrima caedes 885
Praying without; and there indeed is woeful slaughter towards
defendentum armis aditus inque arma ruentum.
Of them that fence the wall with swords, and rushers on the swords.
exclusi ante oculos lacrimantumque ora parentum
Those shut out ‘neath the very eyes of weeping kith and kin,
pars in praecipitis fossas urgente ruina
Some headlong down the ditches roll, by fleeing rout thrust in;
uoluitur, immissis pars caeca et concita frenis
Some blindly and with loosened rein spur on their steeds to meet
arietat in portas et duros obice postis. 890
As battering-rams the very gates, the ruthless door-leaves beat
ipsae de muris summo certamine matres
And now, in agony of fight, the mothers on the walls,
(monstrat amor uerus patriae, ut uidere Camillam)
E’en as they saw Camilla do, (so love of country calls),
tela manu trepidae iaciunt ac robore duro
With hurrying hands the javelins cast, and in the iron’s stead
stipitibus ferrum sudibusque imitantur obustis
Make shift of hardened pale of oak and stake with half-burned head.
praecipites, primaeque mori pro moenibus ardent. 895
Hot-heart they are, afire to die the first their town to save.
Interea Turnum in siluis saeuissimus implet
Meanwhile to Turnus in the woods sweeps in that cruel wave
nuntius et iuueni ingentem fert Acca tumultum:
Of tidings: trouble measureless doth Acca to him bring, —
deletas Volscorum acies, cecidisse Camillam,
The wasting of the Volscian host, Camilla’s murdering,
ingruere infensos hostis et Marte secundo
The onset of the baneful foe with favouring Mars to aid;
omnia corripuisse, metum iam ad moenia ferri. 900
The ruin of all things; present fear e’en on the city laid,
ille furens (et saeua Iouis sic numina poscunt)
He, madly wroth, (for even so Jove’s dreadful might deemed good),
deserit obsessos collis, nemora aspera linquit.
Leaveth the hills’ beleaguerment and mirky rugged wood.
uix e conspectu exierat campumque tenebat,
Scarce was he out of sight thereof, and nigh his camp to win,
cum pater Aeneas saltus ingressus apertos
When mid the opened pass and bare Æneas entereth in,
exsuperatque iugum siluaque euadit opaca. 905
Climbeth the ridge, and slippeth through the thicket’s shadowy night.
sic ambo ad muros rapidi totoque feruntur
So either toward the city fares with all their battle-might,
agmine nec longis inter se passibus absunt;
And no long space of way indeed ther
e was betwixt the twain,
ac simul Aeneas fumantis puluere campos
For e’en so soon as far away Æneas saw the plain
prospexit longe Laurentiaque agmina uidit,
Through dusty reek, and saw withal Laurentum’s host afar,
et saeuum Aenean agnouit Turnus in armis 910
Turnus the fierce Æneas knew in all array of war,
aduentumque pedum flatusque audiuit equorum.
And heard the marching footmen tramp, and coming horses neigh.
continuoque ineant pugnas et proelia temptent,
Then had they fallen to fight forthwith and tried the battle-play,
ni roseus fessos iam gurgite Phoebus Hibero
But rosy Phoebus sank adown amidst Iberian flood
tingat equos noctemque die labente reducat.
His weary steeds, and brought back Night upon the failing day.
considunt castris ante urbem et moenia uallant.
So there they pitch before the town and make their ramparts good.
LIBER XII
BOOK XII.
Turnus ut infractos aduerso Marte Latinos
When Turnus sees the Latin men all failing from the sword,
defecisse uidet, sua nunc promissa reposci,
Broken by Mars, and that all folk bethink them of his word.
se signari oculis, ultro implacabilis ardet
And fall to mark him with their eyes, then fell he burns indeed,
attollitque animos. Poenorum qualis in aruis
And raises up his heart aloft; e’en as in Punic mead
saucius ille graui uenantum uulnere pectus 5
The smitten lion, hurt in breast by steel from hunters’ ring,
tum demum mouet arma leo, gaudetque comantis
Setteth the battle in array, and joyfully doth fling
excutiens ceruice toros fixumque latronis
The mane from off his brawny neck, and fearless of his mood
impauidus frangit telum et fremit ore cruento:
Breaks off the clinging robber-spear, and roars from mouth of blood;
haud secus accenso gliscit uiolentia Turno.
E’en so o’er Turnus’ fiery heart the tide of fury wins,
tum sic adfatur regem atque ita turbidus infit: 10
And thus he speaketh to the King, and hasty speech begins:
‘nulla mora in Turno; nihil est quod dicta retractent
“No hanging back in Turnus is, and no Ænean thrall
ignaui Aeneadae, nec quae pepigere recusent:
Hath aught to do to break his word or plighted troth recall:
congredior. fer sacra, pater, et concipe foedus.
I will go meet him: Father, bring the Gods, the peace-troth plight;
