Virgil Aeneid 2: 268-317, 370-558 U6

Tempus erat quo prima quies mortalibus aegris

incipit

It was the time when the first sleep for weary mortals begins

et dono divum gratissima serpit.

and by the grace of the gods creeps over them most welcome.

in somnis, ecce,

in sleep, behold,

ante oculos maestissimus Hector

visus

most sorrowful Hector appeared before my eyes

adesse mihi largosque effundere fletus,

to be near to me and pour out copious tears,

raptatus bigis ut quondam,

torn by the chariot as once of old,

aterque cruento

pulvere

and black with bloody dust

perque pedes traiectus lora tumentis.

his swollen feet pierced by leather straps.

ei mihi, qualis erat,

oh me, in what a state he was,

quantum mutatus ab illo

Hectore

how greatly changed from that Hector

qui redit exuvias indutus Achilli

who returns dressed in the spoils of Achilles

vel Danaum Phrygios iaculatus puppibus ignis!

or hurling on Danaan ships the Phrygian fires!

squalentem barbam

his beard was unkempt

et concretos sanguine crinis

and his hair was matted with blood

vulneraque illa gerens,

and showing those very many wounds,

quae circum plurima muros

accepit patrios.

which he received around the walls of his homeland.

ultro flens ipse videbar

compellare

weeping myself, I seemed first to address the man

et maestas expromere voces:

and utter sad words:

‘o lux Dardaniae,

‘oh light of Troy,

spes o fidissima Teucrum,

o most faithful hope of the Trojans,

quae tantae tenuere morae?

what great delay has held you?

quibus Hector ab oris

exspectate venis?

from what shores, long awaited Hector, do you come?

ut te post multa tuorum

funera,

weary, how we see you after the deaths of many of your people,

post varios hominumque urbisque labores

defessi aspicimus!

after various toils of both the people and the city!

quae causa indigna serenos

foedavit vultus?

what unworthy cause spoilt your bright face?

aut cur haec vulnera cerno?’

or why do I see these wounds?

ille nihil,

he said nothing in reply,

nec me quaerentem vana moratur,

he does not heed me asking useless things,

sed graviter gemitus imo de pectore ducens.

but drawing groans heavily from the bottom of his heart.

‘heu fuge,

alas flee,

nate dea,

goddess born,

teque his’ ait ‘eripe flammis.

and rescue yourself from these flames.’ he said

hostis habet muros;

the enemy holds the walls;

ruit alto a culmine Troia.

Troy falls from the high heights.

sat patriae Priamoque datum:

enough has been given (by you) to the county and to Priam:

si Pergama dextra

defendi possent,

if Troy could be defended by any right hand,

etiam hac defensa fuissent.

it would have been defended by this very right hand.

sacra suosque tibi commendat Troia penatis;

Troy entrusts to you her holy emblems and household gods;

hos cape fatorum comites.

take them to share your fate.

his moenia quaere

magna

seek for them the great city

pererrato statues quae denique ponto.’

which you will establish at last after wandering over the sea.

sic ait

so he spoke

et manibus vittas Vestamque potentem

aeternumque adytis effert

and in his hands he brought forth from her innermost shrine, the ribbons, the mighty Vesta

penetralibus ignem.

and her undying flame.

Diverso interea miscentur moenia luctu,

Everywhere meanwhile, the city is thrown into confusion with distant lamentation,

et magis atque magis,

and more and more,

quamquam secreta parentis

Anchisae domus arboribusque obtecta recessit,

although the house of father Anchises lay back secluded and hidden by trees,

clarescunt sonitus

the noise grows clearer

armorumque ingruit horror.

and the dread din of the weapons rushes on.

excutior somno

I shake (myself) from sleep

et summi fastigia tecti

ascensu supero

and by climbing, I mount the roof of the very high building

atque arrectis auribus asto:

and I stand with pricked up ears:

in segetem veluti cum flamma furentibus Austris

incidit,

just like when flames fall on a corn field with South Winds raging,

aut rapidus montano flumine torrens

sternit agros,

or the rapid torrent from a mountain stream lays low the fields,

sternit sata laeta

and it lays low the rich crops

boumque labores

praecipitisque trahit silvas;

and the labours of the oxen and drags (down) forests headlong;

stupet inscius alto

accipiens sonitum saxi de vertice pastor.

the ignorant shepherd is amazed hearing the sound from the lofty top of a rock.

tum vero manifesta fides,

then indeed the truth (is) clear,

Danaumque patescunt

insidiae.

and the treachery of the Greeks is clear.

iam Deiphobi dedit ampla ruinam

Volcano superante domus,

now the spacious house of Deiphobus has fallen down, with the fire towering above,

iam proximus ardet

Ucalegon;

now his neighbour Ucalegon burns;

Sigea igni freta lata relucent.

the broad Sigeum straits reflect back with fire

exoritur clamorque virum clangorque tubarum.

the shouts of men arise and the noise of trumpets.

arma amens capio:

out of my mind, I seize arms:

nec sat rationis in armis,

and yet there is little reason in arms,

sed glomerare manum bello

but my heart burns to mass together a band of men for war

et concurrere in arcem

cum socks ardent animi;

and run together with my comrades to the citadel;

furor iraque mentem

praesipitat,

madness and anger send my mind reeling,

pulchrumque mori succurrit in armis.

and the thought occurs that it is honourable to die in arms.

primus se Danaum magna comitante caterva

first, with a great crowd of Greeks accompanying him,

Androgeos offert nobis,

Androgeos presents himself to us,

socia agmina credens

inscius,

in ignorance, believing us to be an allied band,

atque ultro verbis compellat amicis:

and he addresses us forthwith with friendly words:

‘festinate, viri!

hurry, men!

nam quae tam sera moratur

segnities?

for what slackness delays you so long?

alii rapiunt incensa feruntque

Pergama:

others sack and ravage burning Pergamum:

vos celsis nunc primum a navibus itis?’

are you coming only just now from the high ships?’

dixit, et extemplo

he spoke, and at once

(neque enim responsa dabantur

fida satis)

(for no sufficiently trustworthy reply was given)

sensit medios delapsus in hostis.

he realised that he had fallen into the middle of foes.

obstipuit retroque pedem cum voce repressit.

he was dazed and he checked back foot together with his voice

improvisum aspris veluti qui sentibus anguem

pressit

just like one who has crushed an unseen snake amidst the rough thorns,

humi nitens

while putting his full weight on the ground

trepidusque repente refugit

attollentem iras

and who suddenly shrinks back in fear as it rouses to anger

et caerula colla tumentem,

and swelling up its dark blue neck,

haud secus Androgeos visu tremefactus abibat.

just so Androgeos began to withdraw shaken at the sight of us.

inruimus densis et circumfundimur armis,

we rush in and with dense arms we surround them,

ignarosque loci

and unaware of the location

passim et formidine captos

sternimus;

and gripped by fear, we slay them far and wide;

aspirat primo Fortuna labori.

Fortune breathes favourably on our first attempt.

atque hic successu exsultans

and here exultant in success

animisque

and in high spirits

Coroebus

‘o socii, qua prima’ inquit

Coroebus says ‘o comrades,

Fortuna salutis

monstrat iter,

where Fortune first points out the road to safety,

quaque ostendit se dextra,

and where she shows herself favourable,

sequamur:

let us follow:

mutemus clipeos

let us change the shields

Danaumque insignia nobis

aptemus.

and let us fit on us Danaan emblems.

dolus an virtus,

whether this is deceit or valour,

quis in hoste requirat?

who would ask in the case of an enemy?