by Virgil
aut hac Dardanium dextra sub Tartara mittam
Then either I this Dardan thing will send adown to night, —
desertorem Asiae (sedeant spectentque Latini), 15
This rag of Asia, — Latin men a-looking on the play,
et solus ferro crimen commune refellam,
And all alone the people’s guilt my sword shall wipe away;
aut habeat uictos, cedat Lauinia coniunx.’
Or let him take us beaten folk, and wed Lavinia then!”
Olli sedato respondit corde Latinus:
But unto him from quiet soul Latinus spake again:
‘o praestans animi iuuenis, quantum ipse feroci
“Great-hearted youth, by e’en so much as thou in valorous might
uirtute exsuperas, tanto me impensius aequum est 20
Dost more excel, by so much I must counsel me aright,
consulere atque omnis metuentem expendere casus.
And hang all haps that may betide in those sad scales of mine.
sunt tibi regna patris Dauni, sunt oppida capta
Thine are thy father Daunus’ realms, a many towns are thine,
multa manu, nec non aurumque animusque Latino est;
Won by thine hand: Latinus too his gold and goodwill yields;
sunt aliae innuptae Latio et Laurentibus aruis
But other high-born maids unwed dwell in Laurentine fields
nec genus indecores. sine me haec haud mollia fatu 25
Or Latin land, — nay, suffer me to set all guile apart,
sublatis aperire dolis, simul hoc animo hauri:
And say a hard thing — do thou take this also to thine heart:
me natam nulli ueterum sociare procorum
To none of all her wooers of old my daughter may I wed;
fas erat, idque omnes diuique hominesque canebant.
This warning word of prophecy all men and Gods have sped.
uictus amore tui, cognato sanguine uictus
But by thy kindred blood o’ercome, and by the love of thee,
coniugis et maestae lacrimis, uincla omnia rupi; 30
And by my sad wife’s tears, I broke all bonds and set me free.
promissam eripui genero, arma impia sumpsi.
From son-in-law I rapt his bride, I drew a godless sword.
ex illo qui me casus, quae, Turne, sequantur
What mishaps and what wrack of peace have been my due reward
bella, uides, quantos primus patiare labores.
Thou seest, Turnus, and what grief I was the first to bear.
bis magna uicti pugna uix urbe tuemur
Twice beaten in a woeful fight, scarce is our city here
spes Italas; recalent nostro Thybrina fluenta 35
Held by the hope of Italy: still Tiber-flood rolls by,
sanguine adhuc campique ingentes ossibus albent.
Warm with our blood, and ‘neath our bones wide meadows whitening lie.
quo referor totiens? quae mentem insania mutat?
But whither waver I so oft? what folly shifts my mind?
si Turno exstincto socios sum ascire paratus,
If I am ready, Turnus dead, peace with these men to bind,
cur non incolumi potius certamina tollo?
Shall I not rather while thou liv’st cast all the war away?
quid consanguinei Rutuli, quid cetera dicet 40
What shall my kindred Rutuli, what shall Italia say,
Italia, ad mortem si te (fors dicta refutet!)
If I deliver thee to death, (Fate thrust the words aside!)
prodiderim, natam et conubia nostra petentem?
Thee, who hast wooed me for thy sire, my daughter for thy bride?
respice res bello uarias, miserere parentis
Look on the wavering hap of war, pity thy father’s eld,
longaeui, quem nunc maestum patria Ardea longe
Now far from thee in sorrow sore by ancient Ardea held.”
diuidit.’ haudquaquam dictis uiolentia Turni 45
But not a whit might all these words the wrath of Turnus bend.
flectitur; exsuperat magis aegrescitque medendo.
Nay, worser waxed he, sickening more by medicine meant to mend:
ut primum fari potuit, sic institit ore:
And e’en so soon as he might speak, such words were in his mouth:
‘quam pro me curam geris, hanc precor, optime, pro me
“Thy trouble for my sake, best lord, e’en for my sake forsooth,
deponas letumque sinas pro laude pacisci.
Lay down, I prithee; let me buy a little praise with death.
et nos tela, pater, ferrumque haud debile dextra 50
I too, O father, sow the spear, nor weak hand scattereth
spargimus, et nostro sequitur de uulnere sanguis.
The iron seed, with me afield: the blood-springs know my stroke.
longe illi dea mater erit, quae nube fugacem
Nor here shall be his Goddess-dame with woman’s cloud to cloak
feminea tegat et uanis sese occulat umbris.’
A craven king, and hide herself in empty mirky shade.”
At regina noua pugnae conterrita sorte
But now the Queen, by this new chance of battle sore afraid,
flebat et ardentem generum moritura tenebat: 55
Fell weeping, as her fiery son she held with dying eyes:
‘Turne, per has ego te lacrimas, per si quis Amatae
“O Turnus, by these tears, by what of worship for me lies
tangit honos animum: spes tu nunc una, senectae
Anigh thy heart; O, only hope of this my latter tide,
tu requies miserae, decus imperiumque Latini
Sole rest from sorrow! thou, in whom all worship doth abide,
te penes, in te omnis domus inclinata recumbit.
All glory of the Latin name, our falling house-wall stay!
unum oro: desiste manum committere Teucris. 60
Set not thine hand to Teucrian war; this thing alone I pray.
qui te cumque manent isto certamine casus
Whatever lot abideth thee, O Turnus, mid the fight,
et me, Turne, manent; simul haec inuisa relinquam
Abideth me, and I with thee will leave the loathed light;
lumina nec generum Aenean captiua uidebo.’
Nor will I, made Æneas’ thrall, behold him made my son.”
accepit uocem lacrimis Lauinia matris
Lavinia heard her mother’s words with burning cheeks, whereon
flagrantis perfusa genas, cui plurimus ignem 65
Lay rain of tears, for thereunto exceeding ruddy flush
subiecit rubor et calefacta per ora cucurrit.
Had brought the fire that now along her litten face did rush:
Indum sanguineo ueluti uiolauerit ostro
As when the Indian ivory they wrong with blood-red dye,
si quis ebur, aut mixta rubent ubi lilia multa
Or when mid many lilies white the ruddy roses lie,
alba rosa, talis uirgo dabat ore colores.
E’en such a mingled colour showed upon the maiden’s face.
illum turbat amor figitque in uirgine uultus; 70
Sore stirred by love upon the maid he fixed his constant gaze,
ardet in arma magis paucisque adfatur Amatam:
And, all the more afire for fight, thus to Amata said:
‘ne, quaeso, ne me lacrimis neue omine tanto
“I prithee, mother, with these tears, such sign of coming dread,
prosequere in duri certamina Martis euntem,
Dog not my feet as forth I wend to Mavors’ bitter play;
o mater; neque enim Turno mora libera mortis.
For Turnus is not free to thrust the hour of death away.
nuntius haec, Idmon, Phrygio mea dicta tyranno 75
Go, Idmon, bear the Phrygian lord these very words of mine,
haud placitura refer. cum primum crastin
a caelo
Nought for his pleasure: When the dawn tomorrow first shall shine,
puniceis inuecta rotis Aurora rubebit,
And from her purple wheels aloft shall redden all the sky,
non Teucros agat in Rutulos, Teucrum arma quiescant
Lead not thy Teucrians to the fight: Teucrians and Rutuli
et Rutuli; nostro dirimamus sanguine bellum,
Shall let their swords be; and we twain, our blood shall quench the strife,
illo quaeratur coniunx Lauinia campo.’ 80
And we upon that field shall woo Lavinia for a wife.”
Haec ubi dicta dedit rapidusque in tecta recessit,He spake, and to the roofed place now swiftly wending home,
poscit equos gaudetque tuens ante ora frementis,
Called for his steeds, and merrily stood there before their foam,
Pilumno quos ipsa decus dedit Orithyia,
E’en those that Orithyia gave Pilumnus, gift most fair,
qui candore niues anteirent, cursibus auras.
Whose whiteness overpassed the snow, whose speed the wingèd air.
circumstant properi aurigae manibusque lacessunt 85
The busy horse-boys stand about, and lay upon their breasts
pectora plausa cauis et colla comantia pectunt.
The clapping of their hollow hands, and comb their manèd crests.
ipse dehinc auro squalentem alboque orichalco
But he the mail-coat doth on him well-wrought with golden scale
circumdat loricam umeris, simul aptat habendo
And latten white; he fits the sword unto his hand’s avail:
ensemque clipeumque et rubrae cornua cristae,
His shield therewith, and hornèd helm with ruddy crest o’erlaid:
ensem quem Dauno ignipotens deus ipse parenti 90
That sword, the very Might of Fire for father Daunus made,
fecerat et Stygia candentem tinxerat unda.
And quenched the white-hot edge thereof amidst the Stygian flood.
exim quae mediis ingenti adnixa columnae
Then the strong spear he took in hand that ‘gainst the pillar stood,
aedibus astabat, ualidam ui corripit hastam,
Amidmost of the house: that spear his hand won mightily
Actoris Aurunci spolium, quassatque trementem
From Actor of Auruncum erst; he shakes the quivering tree
uociferans: ‘nunc, o numquam frustrata uocatus 95
Loud crying: “Now, O spear of mine, who never heretofore
hasta meos, nunc tempus adest: te maximus Actor,
Hast failed my call, the day draws on: thee the huge Actor bore,
te Turni nunc dextra gerit; da sternere corpus
Now Turnus’ right hand wieldeth thee: to aid, that I prevail
loricamque manu ualida lacerare reuulsam
To lay the Phrygian gelding low, and strip his rended mail
semiuiri Phrygis et foedare in puluere crinis
By might of hand; to foul with dust the ringlets of his hair,
uibratos calido ferro murraque madentis.’ 100
Becrisped with curling-irons hot and drenched with plenteous myrrh!”
his agitur furiis, totoque ardentis ab ore
By such a fury is he driven; from all his countenance
scintillae absistunt, oculis micat acribus ignis,
The fiery flashes leap, the flames in his fierce eyeballs dance:
mugitus ueluti cum prima in proelia taurus
As when a bull in first of fight raiseth a fearful roar,
terrificos ciet aut irasci in cornua temptat
And teacheth wrath unto his horns and whets them for the war,
arboris obnixus trunco, uentosque lacessit 105
And ‘gainst the tree-trunks pusheth them, and thrusts the breezes home,
ictibus aut sparsa ad pugnam proludit harena.
And with the scattering of the sand preludeth fight to come.
Nec minus interea maternis saeuus in armis
Nor less Æneas, terrible, in Venus’ armour dight,
Aeneas acuit Martem et se suscitat ira,
Now whetteth war; and in his heart stirreth the wrath of fight,
oblato gaudens componi foedere bellum.
That plighted peace shall lay the war fain is his heart and glad;
tum socios maestique metum solatur Iuli 110
His fellows’ minds and bitter fear that makes Iulus sad
fata docens, regique iubet responsa Latino
He solaceth with fate-wise words; then bids his folk to bear
certa referre uiros et pacis dicere leges.
His answer to the Latin king and peace-laws to declare.
Postera uix summos spargebat lumine montis
But scarce the morrow’s dawn of day had lit the mountain steeps,
orta dies, cum primum alto se gurgite tollunt
And scarce the horses of the Sun drew upward from the deeps,
Solis equi lucemque elatis naribus efflant: 115
And from their nostrils raised aloft blew forth the morning clear,
campum ad certamen magnae sub moenibus urbis
When Trojans and Rutulian men the field of fight prepare,
dimensi Rutulique uiri Teucrique parabant
And measure out a space beneath the mighty city’s wall.
in medioque focos et dis communibus aras
Midmost the hearths they hallow there to common Gods of all,
gramineas. alii fontemque ignemque ferebant
And grassy altars: other some bear fire, and fountain’s flow,
uelati limo et uerbena tempora uincti. 120
All linen clad, and vervain leaves are crowning every brow.
procedit legio Ausonidum, pilataque plenis
Forth comes the host of Italy, the men that wield the spear
agmina se fundunt portis. hinc Troius omnis
Pour outward from the crowded gate; the Trojan host is there,
Tyrrhenusque ruit uariis exercitus armis,
And all the Tyrrhene company in battle-gear diverse,
haud secus instructi ferro quam si aspera Martis
Nor otherwise in iron clad, than if the War-god fierce
pugna uocet. nec non mediis in milibus ipsi 125
Cried on to arms: and in the midst of war-ranks thousandfold
ductores auro uolitant ostroque superbi,
The dukes are flitting, well beseen in purple dye and gold,
et genus Assaraci Mnestheus et fortis Asilas
E’en Mnestheus of Assaracus, Asylas huge of force,
et Messapus equum domitor, Neptunia proles;
Messapus, Neptune’s very son, the tamer of the horse.
utque dato signo spatia in sua quisque recessit,
But when the sign was given abroad each to his own place won,
defigunt tellure hastas et scuta reclinant. 130
And set his spear-shaft in the earth and leaned his shield thereon.
tum studio effusae matres et uulgus inermum
Then streamed forth mothers fain to see and elders feeble grown;
inualidique senes turris ac tecta domorum
The unarmed crowd beset the towers and houses of the town,
obsedere, alii portis sublimibus astant.
And others of the people throng the high-built gates around.
At Iuno ex summo (qui nunc Albanus habetur;
But Juno from the steep that men now call the Alban mound
tum neque nomen erat neque honos aut gloria monti) 135
(Though neither worship, name, nor fame it bore upon that day),
prospiciens tumulo campum aspectabat et ambas
Was looking down upon the lists and either war-array
Laurentum Troumque acies urbemque Latini.
Of Trojan and Laurentine men, and King Latinus’ wall,
extemplo Turni sic est adfata sororem
Then upon Turnus’ sister’s ear he
r words of God did fall:
diua deam, stagnis quae fluminibusque sonoris
A goddess she, the queen of mere and sounding river-wave;
praesidet (hunc illi rex aetheris altus honorem 140
Which worship Jupiter the King, the Heaven-Abider gave
Iuppiter erepta pro uirginitate sacrauit):
A hallowed gift to pay her back for ravished maidenhood:
‘nympha, decus fluuiorum, animo gratissima nostro,
“O Nymph, the glory of the streams, heart well-beloved and good,
scis ut te cunctis unam, quaecumque Latinae
Thee only, as thou know’st, I love of all who e’er have come
magnanimi Iouis ingratum ascendere cubile,
Into the unkind bed of Jove from out a Latin home,
praetulerim caelique libens in parte locarim: 145
With goodwill have I granted thee the heavenly house to share;
disce tuum, ne me incuses, Iuturna, dolorem.
Therefore, Juturna, know thy grief lest I the blame should bear:
qua uisa est Fortuna pati Parcaeque sinebant
While Fortune would, and while the Fates allowed the Latin folk
cedere res Latio, Turnum et tua moenia texi;
A happy day, so long did I thy town and Turnus cloak;
nunc iuuenem imparibus uideo concurrere fatis,
But now I see him hastening on to meet the fated ill:
Parcarumque dies et uis inimica propinquat. 150
His doomsday comes, the foeman’s hand shall soon his hour fulfil.
non pugnam aspicere hanc oculis, non foedera possum.
I may not look upon the fight, or see the wagered field;
tu pro germano si quid praesentius audes,
But thou, if any present help thou durst thy brother yield,
perge; decet. forsan miseros meliora sequentur.’
Haste, it behoves thee! — happier days on wretches yet may rise.”
uix ea, cum lacrimas oculis Iuturna profundit
Scarce spake she ere Juturna poured the tear-flood from her eyes,
terque quaterque manu pectus percussit honestum. 155
And thrice and four times smote with hand her bosom well beseen.
‘non lacrimis hoc tempus’ ait Saturnia Iuno:
“Nay, this is now no weeping-time,” saith that Saturnian Queen,
‘accelera et fratrem, si quis modus, eripe morti;
“Haste; snatch thy brother from the death if all be not undone,
aut tu bella cie conceptumque excute foedus.
Or wake up war and rend apart the treaty scarce begun;
auctor ego audendi.’ sic exhortata reliquit
And I am she that bids thee dare.” She urged her, and she left
incertam et tristi turbatam uulnere mentis. 160
