by Virgil
ense sequens nudo superimminet; ille securi
O’er him he hangs with naked sword; but he, with bill swung back,
aduersi frontem mediam mentumque reducta
Cleaveth the foeman facing him through midmost brow and chin,
dissicit et sparso late rigat arma cruore.
And all about his battle-gear the bloody rain doth win:
olli dura quies oculos et ferreus urget
Then iron slumber fell on him, hard rest weighed down his eyes,
somnus, in aeternam conduntur lumina noctem. 310
And shut were they for evermore in night that never dies.
At pius Aeneas dextram tendebat inermem
Then good Æneas stretched forth hands all empty of the sword,
nudato capite atque suos clamore uocabat:
And called bare-headed on his folk, with eager shouted word:
‘quo ruitis? quaeue ista repens discordia surgit?
“Where rush ye on, and whither now doth creeping discord rise?
o cohibete iras! ictum iam foedus et omnes
Refrain your wrath; the troth is struck; its laws in equal wise
compositae leges. mihi ius concurrere soli; 315
Are doomed; and ’tis for me alone the battle to endure.
me sinite atque auferte metus. ego foedera faxo
Nay, let me be! cast fear away; my hand shall make it sure.
firma manu; Turnum debent haec iam mihi sacra.’
This troth-plight, all these holy things, owe Turnus to my sword.”
has inter uoces, media inter talia uerba
But while his voice was sounding, lo, amidmost of his word,
ecce uiro stridens alis adlapsa sagitta est,
A whistling speedy-wingèd shaft unto the hero won;
incertum qua pulsa manu, quo turbine adacta, 320
Unknown what hand hath sped it forth, what whirlwind bore it on;
quis tantam Rutulis laudem, casusne deusne,
What God, what hap, such glory gave to hands of Rutuli;
attulerit; pressa est insignis gloria facti,
Beneath the weight of things unknown dead doth the honour lie,
nec sese Aeneae iactauit uulnere quisquam.
Nor boasted any of the hurt Æneas had that day.
Turnus ut Aenean cedentem ex agmine uidit
But Turnus, when he saw the King give back from that array,
turbatosque duces, subita spe feruidus ardet; 325
And all the turmoil of the Dukes, with hope his heart grew fain;
poscit equos atque arma simul, saltuque superbus
He cried for horse and arms, and leapt aloft to battle-wain,
emicat in currum et manibus molitur habenas.
And high of heart set on apace, the bridle in his hand;
multa uirum uolitans dat fortia corpora leto.
And many a brave man there he gave unto the deadly land,
seminecis uoluit multos: aut agmina curru
And rolled o’er wounded men in heaps, and high in car wore down
proterit aut raptas fugientibus ingerit hastas. 330
The ranks of men; and fleers’ spears from out his hand were thrown:
qualis apud gelidi cum flumina concitus Hebri
E’en as when litten up to war by Hebrus’ chilly flood
sanguineus Mauors clipeo increpat atque furentis
Red Mavors beateth on his shield, and rouseth fightful mood
bella mouens immittit equos, illi aequore aperto
Amid the fury of his steeds, who o’er the level lea
ante Notos Zephyrumque uolant, gemit ultima pulsu
In uttermost hoof-smitten Thrace the south and west outflee.
Thraca pedum circumque atrae Formidinis ora 335
And lo, the fellows of the God, the black Fear’s bitter face,
Iraeque Insidiaeque, dei comitatus, aguntur:
The Rage of men, the Guile of War anigh him wend apace:
talis equos alacer media inter proelia Turnus
E’en so amid the battle-field his horses Turnus sped,
fumantis sudore quatit, miserabile caesis
Reeking with sweat: there tramples he the woeful heaps of dead,
hostibus insultans; spargit rapida ungula rores
The hurrying hoofs go scattering wide a drift of bloody rain;
sanguineos mixtaque cruor calcatur harena. 340
The gore, all blent with sandy dust, is pounded o’er the plain.
iamque neci Sthenelumque dedit Thamyrumque Pholumque,
To death he casteth Sthenelus, Pholus, and Thamyris;
hunc congressus et hunc, illum eminus; eminus ambo
Those twain anigh, but him afar; from far the bane he is
Imbrasidas, Glaucum atque Laden, quos Imbrasus ipse
Of Glaucus and of Lades, sons of Imbrasus, whom he
nutrierat Lycia paribusque ornauerat armis
In Lycia bred a while agone, and armed them equally
uel conferre manum uel equo praeuertere uentos. 345
To fight anigh, or on their steeds the winds to overrun.
Parte alia media Eumedes in proelia fertur,
But otherwhere amidst the fight Eumedes fareth on,
antiqui proles bello praeclara Dolonis,
The son of Dolon of old time, most well-renowned in fight,
nomine auum referens, animo manibusque parentem,
And bringing back his father’s name in courage and in might:
qui quondam, castra ut Danaum speculator adiret,
For that was he who while agone the Danaan camp espied,
ausus Pelidae pretium sibi poscere currus; 350
And chose Achilles’ car for spoil in his abundant pride:
illum Tydides alio pro talibus ausis
But otherwise Tydides paid for such a deed o’erbold,
adfecit pretio nec equis aspirat Achilli.
And no more had he any hope Achilles’ steeds to hold.
hunc procul ut campo Turnus prospexit aperto,
So Turnus, when adown the lea this warrior he had seen,
ante leui iaculo longum per inane secutus
First a light spear he sent in chase across the void between,
sistit equos biiugis et curru desilit atque 355
Then stayed his steeds, and leaping down unto the fallen ran,
semianimi lapsoque superuenit, et pede collo
And set his foot upon the neck of that scarce-breathing man,
impresso dextrae mucronem extorquet et alto
And from his right hand wrenched the sword and bathed its glittering blade
fulgentem tingit iugulo atque haec insuper addit:
Deep in his throat, and therewithal such spoken chiding said:
‘en agros et, quam bello, Troiane, petisti,
“Down, Trojan! measure out the mead, and that Hesperean land
Hesperiam metire iacens: haec praemia, qui me 360
Thou sought’st in war: such are the gifts that fall unto the hand
ferro ausi temptare, ferunt, sic moenia condunt.’
Of those that dare the sword with me; such city-walls they raise!”
huic comitem Asbyten coniecta cuspide mittit
Asbutes wends ‘neath spear-cast then, a fellow of his ways;
Chloreaque Sybarimque Daretaque Thersilochumque
Chloreus, Dares, Thersilochus, and Sybaris, withal;
et sternacis equi lapsum ceruice Thymoeten.
Thymoetes, who from rearing horse had hap to catch a fall;
ac uelut Edoni Boreae cum spiritus alto 365
And e’en as when the breathing forth of Thracian Boreas roars
insonat Aegaeo sequiturque ad litora fluctus,
O’er deep Ægean, driving on the wave-press to the shores,
qua uenti incubuere, fugam dant nubila caelo:
Then wheresoe’er the wind stoops down the clouds flee heaven apace;
sic Turno, quacumque uiam secat, agmina c
edunt
So wheresoe’er cleaves Turnus way all battle giveth place,
conuersaeque ruunt acies; fert impetus ipsum
All war-array is turned to wrack: his onrush beareth him,
et cristam aduerso curru quatit aura uolantem. 370
And in the breeze that meets his car his tossing crest doth swim.
non tulit instantem Phegeus animisque frementem
This onset of the maddened heart nought Phegeus might abide,
obiecit sese ad currum et spumantia frenis
But cast himself before the steeds, and caught and wrenched aside
ora citatorum dextra detorsit equorum.
The bit-befoaming mouths of them, the heart-stung hurrying steeds.
dum trahitur pendetque iugis, hunc lata retectum
But while he hangeth dragged along, the spear broad-headed speeds
lancea consequitur rumpitque infixa bilicem 375
Unto his shieldless side, and rends the twilinked coat of mail,
loricam et summum degustat uulnere corpus.
And for the razing of his flesh a little doth avail:
ille tamen clipeo obiecto conuersus in hostem
But he turned round about his shield and at the foemen made,
ibat et auxilium ducto mucrone petebat,
And from his naked sword drawn forth sought most well-needed aid;
cum rota praecipitem et procursu concitus axis
When now the axle-tree and wheel, unto fresh speeding won,
impulit effunditque solo, Turnusque secutus 380
Cast him down headlong unto earth, and Turnus following on,
imam inter galeam summi thoracis et oras
Betwixt the lowest of the helm and haubert’s upper lip
abstulit ense caput truncumque reliquit harenae.
Sheared off his head, and left the trunk upon the sand to slip.
Atque ea dum campis uictor dat funera Turnus,
But while victorious Turnus gives these deaths unto the plain,
interea Aenean Mnestheus et fidus Achates
Mnestheus and that Achates leal, Ascanius with the twain,
Ascaniusque comes castris statuere cruentum 385
Bring great Æneas to the camp all covered with his blood;
alternos longa nitentem cuspide gressus.
There, propping up his halting steps with spear-shaft long, he stood:
saeuit et infracta luctatur harundine telum
Mad wroth he is, and strives to pluck the broken reed away,
eripere auxilioque uiam, quae proxima, poscit:
And bids them help by any road, the swiftest that they may,
ense secent lato uulnus telique latebram
To cut away the wound with sword, cut to the hiding-place
rescindant penitus, seseque in bella remittant. 390
Where lies the steel, and send him back to meet the battle’s face.
iamque aderat Phoebo ante alios dilectus Iapyx
Iapis, son of Iasus, by Phoebus best beloved,
Iasides, acri quondam cui captus amore
Draws nigh now: Phoebus on a time, by mighty longing moved,
ipse suas artis, sua munera, laetus Apollo
Was fain to give him gifts of God, his very heavenly craft —
augurium citharamque dabat celerisque sagittas.
Foresight, or skill of harp-playing, or mastery of the shaft:
ille, ut depositi proferret fata parentis, 395
But he, that from his bed-rid sire the death he yet might stave,
scire potestates herbarum usumque medendi
Would liefer know the might of herbs, and how men heal and save,
maluit et mutas agitare inglorius artis.
And, speeding of a silent craft, inglorious life would wear.
stabat acerba fremens ingentem nixus in hastam
Æneas, fretting bitterly, stood leaning on his spear
Aeneas magno iuuenum et maerentis Iuli
Midst a great concourse of the lords, with sad Iulus by,
concursu, lacrimis immobilis. ille retorto 400
Unmoved amid their many tears: the elder, girded high
Paeonium in morem senior succinctus amictu
In folded gown, in e’en such wise as Pæon erst was dight,
multa manu medica Phoebique potentibus herbis
With hurrying hand speeds many a salve of Phoebus’ herbs of might;
nequiquam trepidat, nequiquam spicula dextra
But all in vain: his right hand woos the arrow-head in vain;
sollicitat prensatque tenaci forcipe ferrum.
For nought the teeth of pincers grip the iron of the bane;
nulla uiam Fortuna regit, nihil auctor Apollo 405
No happy road will Fortune show, no help Apollo yields:
subuenit, et saeuus campis magis ac magis horror
And grimly terror more and more prevaileth o’er the fields,
crebrescit propiusque malum est. iam puluere caelum
And nigher draws the evil hour: they see the dusty pall
stare uident: subeunt equites et spicula castris
Spread o’er the heaven; draw horsemen nigh, and shafts begin to fall
densa cadunt mediis. it tristis ad aethera clamor
Thick in the midmost of the camp: grim clamour smites the stars,
bellantum iuuenum et duro sub Marte cadentum. 410
The shouts of men, the cries of men that fall in game of Mars.
Hic Venus indigno nati concussa dolore
Now Mother Venus, sore at heart for her sore-wounded son,
dictamnum genetrix Cretaea carpit ab Ida,
Plucketh a stalk of dittany from Cretan Ida won,
puberibus caulem foliis et flore comantem
That with a downy leaf of grey and purple head doth grow,
purpureo; non illa feris incognita capris
And well enough the mountain-goats the herbage of it know
gramina, cum tergo uolucres haesere sagittae. 415
What time the winged shaft of man within them clingeth sore.
hoc Venus obscuro faciem circumdata nimbo
This Venus brought, with cloudy cloak her body covered o’er,
detulit, hoc fusum labris splendentibus amnem
This in the waves of glittering rims she steepeth privily,
inficit occulte medicans, spargitque salubris
Drugging the cup, and wholesome juice withal there blendeth she,
ambrosiae sucos et odoriferam panaceam.
Wrought of ambrosia; heal-all too most sweet of heavenly smell.
fouit ea uulnus lympha longaeuus Iapyx 420
So with that stream Iapis old the shaft-wound cherished well
ignorans, subitoque omnis de corpore fugit
Unwitting: sudden from the flesh all grievance doth depart,
quippe dolor, omnis stetit imo uulnere sanguis.
And all the blood is staunched at once up from the wound’s deep heart,
iamque secuta manum nullo cogente sagitta
And comes the shaft unto the hand with nought to force it forth,
excidit, atque nouae rediere in pristina uires.
And freshly to the king returns his ancient might and worth.
‘arma citi properate uiro! quid statis?’ Iapyx 425
Then cries Iapis: “Loiter ye? arms for the hero then!”
conclamat primusque animos accendit in hostem.
And he is first against the foe to whet the hearts of men.
‘non haec humanis opibus, non arte magistra
“Lo, not from any help of man, nor from art’s mastery
proueniunt, neque te, Aenea, mea dextera seruat:
These things have happed, nor hath mine hand, Æneas, holpen thee.
maior agit deus atque opera ad maiora remittit.’
A great God wrought to send thee back great deeds of fame to win.”
ille auidus pugnae suras incluserat auro 430
Then, fain of fight, on either side the king his legs shuts in
hinc atque hinc oditque moras hastamque coruscat.
With ruddy gold: he loathes delay, and high his war-shaft shakes;
postquam habilis lateri clipeus loricaque tergo est,
And then his left side meets the shield, his back the hauberk takes,
Ascanium fusis circum complectitur armis
And round Iulus casteth he a steel-clad man’s embrace,
summaque per galeam delibans oscula fatur:
And saith, but lightly kissing him from midst the helmet’s space:
‘disce, puer, uirtutem ex me uerumque laborem, 435
“Child, the bare valour learn of me and very earthly toil,
fortunam ex aliis. nunc te mea dextera bello
Good-hap of others; my right hand shall ward thee in the broil
defensum dabit et magna inter praemia ducet.
These days that are, and gain for thee exceeding great rewards;
tu facito, mox cum matura adoleuerit aetas,
But thou, when ripe thine age shall grow, remember well the swords;
sis memor et te animo repetentem exempla tuorum
Then as thine heart seeks through the past for kin to show the road,
et pater Aeneas et auunculus excitet Hector.’ 440
Well shall thy sire Æneas stir, thine uncle Hector goad.”
Haec ubi dicta dedit, portis sese extulit ingens
But when these words are cast abroad, huge through the gate he goes,
telum immane manu quatiens; simul agmine denso
Shaking in hand a mighty spear; then in arrayment close
Antheusque Mnestheusque ruunt, omnisque relictis
Antheus and Mnestheus rush to war: the camp is left behind,
turba fluit castris. tum caeco puluere campus
And all the host flows forth; the fields are blent with dust-cloud blind,
miscetur pulsuque pedum tremit excita tellus. 445
And, stirred by trample of the feet, the earth’s face trembleth sore.
uidit ab aduerso uenientis aggere Turnus,
But Turnus from a facing mound beheld that coming war.
uidere Ausonii, gelidusque per ima cucurrit
The Ausonians looked, and through their hearts swift ran the chilly fear:
ossa tremor; prima ante omnis Iuturna Latinos
And now before all other men first doth Jaturna hear,
audiit agnouitque sonum et tremefacta refugit.
And know the sound, and, quaking sore, she fleeth back again.
ille uolat campoque atrum rapit agmen aperto. 450
On comes he, hurrying on the host black o’er the open plain:
qualis ubi ad terras abrupto sidere nimbus
As when a storm cast on the world from heaven asunder rent,
