by Virgil
Her wavering mind and turmoiled heart with sorrow’s torment cleft.
Interea reges ingenti mole Latinus
Meantime the Kings — Latinus there, a world of state around,
quadriiugo uehitur curru (cui tempora circum
Is borne upon the fourfold car, his gleaming temples bound
aurati bis sex radii fulgentia cingunt,
With twice six golden rays, the sign of his own grandsire’s light,
Solis aui specimen), bigis it Turnus in albis,
The heavenly Sun; and Turnus wends with twi-yoked horses white,
bina manu lato crispans hastilia ferro. 165
Tossing in hand two shafts of war with broad-beat points of steel.
hinc pater Aeneas, Romanae stirpis origo,
And hither Father Æneas, spring of the Roman weal,
sidereo flagrans clipeo et caelestibus armis
Flaming with starry shield and arms wrought in the heavenly home,
et iuxta Ascanius, magnae spes altera Romae,
And next to him Ascanius young, the second hope of Rome,
procedunt castris, puraque in ueste sacerdos
Fare from the camp: the priest thereon, in unstained raiment due,
saetigeri fetum suis intonsamque bidentem 170
Offereth a son of bristly sow and unshorn yearling ewe,
attulit admouitque pecus flagrantibus aris.
And bringeth up the four-foot hosts unto the flaming place.
illi ad surgentem conuersi lumina solem
But they, with all eyes turned about the rising sun to face,
dant fruges manibus salsas et tempora ferro
Give forth the salt meal from the hand, and with the iron sign
summa notant pecudum, paterisque altaria libant.
The victims’ brows, and mid the flame pour out the bowls of wine:
Tum pius Aeneas stricto sic ense precatur: 175
Then good Æneas draws his sword, and thuswise prays the prayer:
‘esto nunc Sol testis et haec mihi terra uocanti,
“Bear witness, Sun, and thou, O Land, who dost my crying hear!
quam propter tantos potui perferre labores,
Land, for whose sake I waxed in might, sustaining toils enow;
et pater omnipotens et tu Saturnia coniunx
And Thou, Almighty Father, hear! Saturnian Juno thou,
(iam melior, iam, diua, precor), tuque inclute Mauors,
Grown kinder, Goddess, I beseech; and thou, most glorious Mars,
cuncta tuo qui bella, pater, sub numine torques; 180
Father, whose hand of utter might is master of all wars;
fontisque fluuiosque uoco, quaeque aetheris alti
Ye Springs, and River-floods I call, and whatsoever God
religio et quae caeruleo sunt numina ponto:
Is in the air, or whatso rules the blue sea with its rod —
cesserit Ausonio si fors uictoria Turno,
If to Ausonian Turnus here Fortune shall give the day,
conuenit Euandri uictos discedere ad urbem,
The conquered to Evander’s town shall straightly wend their way;
cedet Iulus agris, nec post arma ulla rebelles 185
Iulus shall depart the land, nor shall Æneas’ folk
Aeneadae referent ferroue haec regna lacessent.
Stir war hereafter, or with sword the Latin wrath provoke.
sin nostrum adnuerit nobis uictoria Martem
But if the grace of victory here bow down upon our fight;
(ut potius reor et potius di numine firment),
— (As I believe, as may the Gods make certain with their might!) —
non ego nec Teucris Italos parere iubebo
I will not bid the Italian men to serve the Teucrian’s will;
nec mihi regna peto: paribus se legibus ambae 190
Nor for myself seek I the realm; but all unconquered still
inuictae gentes aeterna in foedera mittant.
Let either folk with equal laws plight peace for evermore:
sacra deosque dabo; socer arma Latinus habeto,
The Gods and worship I will give, Latinus see to war;
imperium sollemne socer; mihi moenia Teucri
My father lawful rule shall have; for me my Teucrians here
constituent urbique dabit Lauinia nomen.’
Shall build a city, and that home Lavinia’s name shall bear.”
Sic prior Aeneas, sequitur sic deinde Latinus 195
So first Æneas: after whom Latinus swears and says,
suspiciens caelum, tenditque ad sidera dextram:
Looking aloft, and stretching hands up towards the starry ways:
‘haec eadem, Aenea, terram, mare, sidera, iuro
“E’en so, Æneas, do I swear by Stars, and Sea, and Earth,
Latonaeque genus duplex Ianumque bifrontem,
By twi-faced Janus, and the twins Latona brought to birth,
uimque deum infernam et duri sacraria Ditis;
And by the nether Might of God and shrine of unmoved Dis;
audiat haec genitor qui foedera fulmine sancit. 200
And may the Sire who halloweth in all troth-plight hearken this:
tango aras, medios ignis et numina testor:
I hold the altars, and these Gods and fires to witness take,
nulla dies pacem hanc Italis nec foedera rumpet,
That, as for Italy, no day the peace and troth shall break,
quo res cumque cadent; nec me uis ulla uolentem
What thing soever shall befall; no might shall conquer me.
auertet, non, si tellurem effundat in undas
Not such as with the wrack of flood shall mingle earth and sea,
diluuio miscens caelumque in Tartara soluat, 205
Nor such as into nether Hell shall melt the heavenly land.
ut sceptrum hoc’ (dextra sceptrum nam forte gerebat)
E’en as this sceptre” — (for by chance he bore a staff in hand) —
‘numquam fronde leui fundet uirgulta nec umbras,
“Shall never more to leafage light and twig and shadow shoot,
cum semel in siluis imo de stirpe recisum
Since when amid the thicket-place, cut off from lowest root,
matre caret posuitque comas et bracchia ferro,
It lost its mother, and the knife hath lopped it, leaf and bough, —
olim arbos, nunc artificis manus aere decoro 210
A tree once, but the craftsman’s hand hath wrapped it seemly now
inclusit patribusque dedit gestare Latinis.’
With brass about, and made it meet for hands of Latin lords.”
talibus inter se firmabant foedera dictis
So in the sight of all the chiefs with such abundant words
conspectu in medio procerum. tum rite sacratas
They bound the troth-plight fast and sure: then folk in due wise slay
in flammam iugulant pecudes et uiscera uiuis
The victims on the altar-flame, and draw the hearts away
eripiunt, cumulantque oneratis lancibus aras. 215
Yet living, and with platters full the holy altars pile.
At uero Rutulis impar ea pugna uideri
But unto those Rutulian men unequal this long while
iamdudum et uario misceri pectora motu,
The fight had seemed, and in their hearts the mingled trouble rose;
tum magis ut propius cernunt non uiribus aequos.
And all the more, as nigher now they note the ill-matched foes,
adiuuat incessu tacito progressus et aram
This helpeth Turnus’ silent step, and suppliant worshipping
suppliciter uenerans demisso lumine Turnus 220
About the altars, and his eyes that unto earth do cling,
pubentesque genae et iuuenali in corpore pallor.
His faded cheeks, his youthful frame that wonted colour lacks.
quem simul ac Iutur
na soror crebrescere uidit
Wherefore Jaturna, when she hears the talk of people wax,
sermonem et uulgi uariare labantia corda,
And how the wavering hearts of men in diverse manner sway,
in medias acies formam adsimulata Camerti,
Like unto Camers wendeth now amidst of that array;
cui genus a proauis ingens clarumque paternae 225
— A mighty man, from mighty blood, his father well renowned
nomen erat uirtutis, et ipse acerrimus armis,
For valorous worth, and he himself keen in the battle found.
in medias dat sese acies haud nescia rerum
So through the mid array she speeds, well knowing what is toward,
rumoresque serit uarios ac talia fatur:
And soweth rumour on the wind and speaketh such a word:
‘non pudet, o Rutuli, pro cunctis talibus unam
“O shame ye not, Rutulian men, to offer up one soul
obiectare animam? numerone an uiribus aequi 230
For all your warriors? lack we aught in might or muster-roll
non sumus? en, omnes et Troes et Arcades hi sunt,
To match them? Here is all they have — Trojans, Arcadian peers,
fatalisque manus, infensa Etruria Turno:
And that Etruscan Turnus’ bane, the fateful band of spears:
uix hostem, alterni si congrediamur, habemus.
Why, if we meet, each second man shall scantly find a foe.
ille quidem ad superos, quorum se deuouet aris,
And now their king, upborne by fame, unto the Gods shall go,
succedet fama uiuusque per ora feretur; 235
Upon whose shrines he vows himself; his name shall live in tale.
nos patria amissa dominis parere superbis
But we shall lose our fatherland and ‘neath proud lords shall fail,
cogemur, qui nunc lenti consedimus aruis.’
E’en those that sit there heavy-slow upon our fields today.”
Talibus incensa est iuuenum sententia dictis
So with such words she lit the hearts of all that young array;
iam magis atque magis, serpitque per agmina murmur:
Yet more and more a murmur creeps about the ranks of men;
ipsi Laurentes mutati ipsique Latini. 240
Changed even are Laurentine folk; changed are the Latins then;
qui sibi iam requiem pugnae rebusque salutem
They who had hoped that rest from fight and peaceful days were won,
sperabant, nunc arma uolunt foedusque precantur
Are now but fain of battle-gear, and wish the troth undone,
infectum et Turni sortem miserantur iniquam.
For ruth that such a cruel fate on Turnus’ head should fall.
his aliud maius Iuturna adiungit et alto
But unto these a greater thing Jaturna adds withal,
dat signum caelo, quo non praesentius ullum 245
A sign from heaven; and nought so much stirred Italy that day,
turbauit mentes Italas monstroque fefellit.
As this whose prodigy beguiled men’s hearts to go astray:
namque uolans rubra fuluus Iouis ales in aethra
For now the yellow bird of Jove amid the ruddy light
litoreas agitabat auis turbamque sonantem
Was chasing of the river-fowl, and drave in hurried flight
agminis aligeri, subito cum lapsus ad undas
The noisy throng; when suddenly down to the waves he ran,
cycnum excellentem pedibus rapit improbus uncis. 250
And caught in greedy hookèd claws a goodly-bodied swan:
arrexere animos Itali, cunctaeque uolucres
Uprose the hearts of Italy, for all the fowl cry out,
conuertunt clamore fugam (mirabile uisu),
And, wonderful for eyes to see, from fleeing turn about,
aetheraque obscurant pennis hostemque per auras
Darken the air with cloud of wings, and fall upon the foe;
facta nube premunt, donec ui uictus et ipso
Till he, oppressed by might of them and by his prey held low,
pondere defecit praedamque ex unguibus ales 255
Gives way, and casts the quarry down from out his hookéd claws
proiecit fluuio, penitusque in nubila fugit.
Into the river, and aback to inner cloud-land draws.
Tum uero augurium Rutuli clamore salutant
Then to the sign the Rutuli shout greeting with one breath,
expediuntque manus, primusque Tolumnius augur
And spread their hands abroad; but first the seer Tolumnius saith:
‘hoc erat, hoc uotis’ inquit ‘quod saepe petiui.
“This, this is that, which still my prayers sought oft and o’er again.
accipio agnoscoque deos; me, me duce ferrum 260
I take the sign, I know the God! to arms with me, O men!
corripite, o miseri, quos improbus aduena bello
Poor people, whom the stranger-thief hath terrified with war.
territat inualidas ut auis, et litora uestra
E’en like these feeble fowl; who wastes the acres of your shore,
ui populat. petet ille fugam penitusque profundo
Yet shall he fly, and give his sails unto the outer sea:
uela dabit. uos unanimi densete cateruas
But ye, your ranks with heart and mind now serry manfully,
et regem uobis pugna defendite raptum.’ 265
And ward your ravished King and Duke with all your battle-world!”
dixit, et aduersos telum contorsit in hostis
He spake, and, running forth, a shaft against the foe he hurled.
procurrens; sonitum dat stridula cornus et auras
Forth whizzed the cornel through the air, cleaving its way aright,
certa secat. simul hoc, simul ingens clamor et omnes
And therewithal great noise outbreaks, and every wedge of fight
turbati cunei calefactaque corda tumultu.
Is turmoiled, and the hearts of men are kindled for the fray.
hasta uolans, ut forte nouem pulcherrima fratrum 270
On sped the shaft to where there stood across its baneful way
corpora constiterant contra, quos fida crearat
Nine fair-shaped brethren, whom whilom one faithful Tuscan wife
una tot Arcadio coniunx Tyrrhena Gylippo,
Amid Gylippus’ Arcad house brought forth to light and life:
horum unum ad medium, teritur qua sutilis aluo
Now one of these, e’en where the belt of knitted stitches wrought
balteus et laterum iuncturas fibula mordet,
Chafed on the belly, and the clasp the joining edges caught,
egregium forma iuuenem et fulgentibus armis, 275
A youth most excellent of frame and clad in glittering gear —
transadigit costas fuluaque effundit harena.
It pierced his ribs; on yellow sand it stretched him dying there.
at fratres, animosa phalanx accensaque luctu,
Thereat his brethren, a fierce folk, with grief and rage alight,
pars gladios stringunt manibus, pars missile ferrum
Some draw their swords and some catch up the steel of speedy flight,
corripiunt caecique ruunt. quos agmina contra
And rush on blind: Laurentum’s ranks, against them swift they go,
procurrunt Laurentum, hinc densi rursus inundant 280
And thick the Trojans from their side the meadows overflow,
Troes Agyllinique et pictis Arcades armis:
Agyllans and Arcadian men with painted war array;
sic omnis amor unus habet decernere ferro.
And one lust winneth over all with point and edge to play.
diripuere aras, it toto turbida caelo
They strip the altars; drifting storm of weapon-shot doth gain
tem
pestas telorum ac ferreus ingruit imber,
O’er all the heavens, and ever grows the iron battle-rain.
craterasque focosque ferunt. fugit ipse Latinus 285
The bowls and hearths they bear away: Latinus gets him gone,
pulsatos referens infecto foedere diuos.
Bearing aback the beaten Gods and troth-plight all undone,
infrenant alii currus aut corpora saltu
But other men rein in the car and leap upon the steed,
subiciunt in equos et strictis ensibus adsunt.
And there with naked swords they sit, all ready for the need.
Messapus regem regisque insigne gerentem
Messapus, fain to rend the troth, on hostile horse down-bears
Tyrrhenum Aulesten, auidus confundere foedus, 290
Upon Aulestes, Tuscan king, who kingly raiment wears:
aduerso proterret equo; ruit ille recedens
He fled, but as abackward there away from him he went,
et miser oppositis a tergo inuoluitur aris
Came on the altars at his back in hapless tanglement
in caput inque umeros. at feruidus aduolat hasta
Of head and shoulders: thitherward doth hot Messapus fly
Messapus teloque orantem multa trabali
With spear in hand, and from his steed he smites him heavily
desuper altus equo grauiter ferit atque ita fatur: 295
With the great beam amid his prayers, and word withal doth say:
‘hoc habet, haec melior magnis data uictima diuis.’
“He hath it, and the Gods have got a better host today!”
concurrunt Itali spoliantque calentia membra.
Therewith to strip his body warm up runs the Italian band;
obuius ambustum torrem Corynaeus ab ara
But Corynæus from the hearth catches a half-burnt brand,
corripit et uenienti Ebyso plagamque ferenti
And e’en as Ebusus comes up, and stroke in hand doth bear,
occupat os flammis: olli ingens barba reluxit 300
He filleth all his face with flame; out doth his great beard flare,
nidoremque ambusta dedit. super ipse secutus
And sendeth stink of burning forth: the Trojan followed on
caesariem laeua turbati corripit hostis
The wildered man, and with his left grip of his tresses won,
impressoque genu nitens terrae applicat ipsum;
And, straining hard with weight of knee, to earth he pinned his foe,
sic rigido latus ense ferit. Podalirius Alsum
And drave the stark sword through his side. See Podalirius go,
pastorem primaque acie per tela ruentem 305
Chasing the shepherd Alsus through the front of weapon-wrack;
