Complete Works of Virgil

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,