virgil aeneid book 2 lines 40-249 translation

primus ibi ante omnis magna comitante caterva laocoon ardens summa decurrit ab arce,

Then first before all with a great crowd accompanying Lacoon, eager, runs down from the top of the citadel,

et procul: O miseri, quae tanta insania, cives?

and at a distance cries out: "Oh miserable citizens, what so great madness if that of yours?

Creditis avectos hostis?

Do you believe that the enemies (have been) carried off?

Aut ulla putatis dona carere dolis Danaum? Sic notus Ulixes?

Or do you suppose that any gifts lack the tricks of the greeks? Thus is Ulysses known to you?

aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi

either the greeks are hidden, concealed in this wood,

aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina muros,

or this machine has been fabricated against our walls,

inspectura domos venturaque desuper ubi,

about to look into our houses and about to come from above the city,

aut aliquis latet error; equo ne credite, Teucri.

or some deciet lies hidden; Trojans, do not trust the horse.

Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

whatever this is, I fear the greeks even bearing gifts."

Sic fatus, validis ingentem viribus hastam in latus inque feri curvam compagibus alvum contorsit.

thus having spoken, with strong powers he hurls an enormous spear into the side of the beast and against the belly curved with joints.

Stetit illa tremens, uteroque recusso insonuere cavae gemitumque dedere cavernae.

that stood tembling, and with the belly having been struck the hollow cave resounded and gave a groan.

et, si fata deum, si mens non laeva fuisset,

and if the decrees of the gods, if our minds had not been foolish,

impulerat ferro Argolicas foedare latebras, Troiaque nunc staret

then he had persuaded us to defile the greek hiding places with a sword,

Troiaque nunc staret

and troy would now stand

Priamique arx alta maneres.

and you the high citadel of priam might remain.

lacoon, ductus neptuno sorte sacredos,

laocoon, chosen by lot as priest to neptune,

sollemnis taurum ingentem mactabat ad aras.

was sacrificing a huge bull at the customary alters.

Ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta (horresco referens) immensis orbibus angues incumbunt pelago pariterque ad litora tendunt;

look however twin snakes with immense coils coming from Tendons through the peaceful sea (I tremble relating) press upon the sea and stretch toward the shore side by side;

pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque sanguineae superant undas;

whose chests raised between the waves and their bloody crests rise above the waves;

pars cetera pontum pone legit sinuatque immensa volumine terga.

the remaining part of each snake skims the sea behind and curves their immense backs in a coil.

fit sonitus spumante salo;

a sound arises with the salt sea foaming;

iamque arva tenebant ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine

and now they were reaching the shores and filled with respect to their eyes burning with blood

et igni sibila lambebant linguis vibrantibus ora.

and fire licking their hissing mouths with their vibrating tongues.

Diffugimus visu exsangues.

we pale flee from the site.

illi agmine certo laocoonta petunt;

they seek lacoon in a certain battle line;

et primum parva duorum corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque impicat et miseros morsu depascitur artus;

and first each snake having enfolded the small bodies of the two sons and feed upon the wretched limbs with its bites;

post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem corripiunt

afterwards they seize lacoon himself going up to them for help and carrying weapons

spirisque ligant ingentibus;

and they bind him with their huge coils;

et iam bis medium amplexi,

and now having embraced his middle two times,

bis collo squamea circum terga dati superant capite et cervicibus altis.

and twice placed around his neck in respect to their scaly backs and they overcome him with their heads and high necks.

ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos perfusus sanie vittas atroque veneno,

at the same time he strives to tear apart the knots with his hands soaked in respect to his headbands with blood and black venom,

clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit:

he at the same time raises horrible shouts towards the stars:

qualis mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram taurus et incertam excussit cervice securim.

just as the bellowings, when a wounded bull escapes the alter and shakes off the ill-aimed ax from his neck.

at gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones effugiunt saevaeque petunt tritonidis arcem,

but the twin dragons (serpents) by gliding escape to the top of the shrines and seek the citadel of savage Minerva,

sub pedibus deae clipeique sub orbe teguntur.

and are concealed under the feet of the goddess and under the circle of her shield.

tum vero tremefacta novus per pectora cunctis insinuat pavor,

then indeed new terror creeps to all through their trembling hearts,

et scelus expendisse merentem Laocoonta ferunt,

and they say that laocoon, deserving, paid for his crime,

sacrum qui cuspide robur laeserit

who struck the sacred oak with a spearpoint

et tergo sceleratam intorserit hastam.

and hurled his wicked spear against its side.

Ducendum ad sedes simulacrum orandaque divae numina conclamant.

they shout that the statue must be lead toward its seat and the divinity of the goddess must be prayed to.

Dividimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis.

we divide the walls and open the buildings of the city.

accingunt omnes operi

everyone equips themselves for the work

pedibusque rotarum subiciunt lapsus,

and place the rollings of wheels under the feet,

et stuppea vincula collo intendunt:

and they stretch the hempen cables from its neck:

scandit fatalis machina muros feta armis.

the fatal machine pregnant with arms mounts the walls.

pueri circum innuptaeque puellae sacra canunt

the boys and unmarried girls sing sacred songs around it

funemque manu contingere gaudent:

and rejoice to touch the rope with their hand:

illa subit mediaeque minans inlabitur urbi.

that (machine) threatening advances and glides into the middle of the city.

O patria, O divum domus Ilium et incluta bello moenia Dardanidum!

Oh fatherland, oh ilium, home of the gods, and walls of the trojans famous in war!

quater ipso in limine portae substitit

four times it stopped on the threshold of the fate itself

atque utero sonitum quater arma dedere;

and four times arms have given a sound from the womb;

instamus tamen immemores,

nevertheless we press on, unmindful,

caecique furore et monstrum infelix sacrata sistimus arce.

blind with madness and stop the unlucky monster in the sacred citadel.

Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris ora dei iussu non umquam credita Teucris.

then indeed cassandra opens her mouth for singing the future fates by the command of the god not ever believed by the trojans.

nos delubra deum miseri, quibus ultimus esset ille dies,

we miserable ones, to whom that day would be our last,

festa velamus fronde per urbem.

decorate the shrines of the gods with festive frond through the city.