AENEID TRANSLATIONS 1-`109

Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris

Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit

litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto

vi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram;

I sing of arms and a man, who first from the shores of Troy to Italy, driven out by fate, and came to Lavinian shores, the man having been cast much on both the land and in the deep by violence of the highers on account of the mindful anger of savage Juno;

multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem,

inferretque deos Latio, genus unde Latinum,

Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae.

also having endured much in war, until he might found the city, he might bring over the gods to Latium, from whence the Latin type, and the Alba Longa fathers, and the walls of high Rome.

Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso,

quidve dolens, regina deum tot volvere casus

insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores

impulerit. Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

Muse, recall to me the reasons, with what divine will having been offended, or grieving what, the queen of the gods forced a man marked by piety to undergo so much misfortune and to encounter so many labors. Is there such great anger in the minds of the celestials?

Urbs antiqua fuit, Tyrii tenuere coloni,

Karthago, Italiam contra Tibernaque longe

ostia, dives opum strudiisque asperrima belli;

quam Iuno fertur terris magis omnibus unam

posthabita coluisse Samo; hic illius arma,

hic currus fuit; hoc regnum dea gentibus esse,

si qua fata sinant, iam tum tenditque fovetque.

There was an ancient city, Tyrian colonists held, Karthage, facing Italy and by far from the mouths of the Tiber, Karthage rich in respect to resources and most fierce in studies of war; which one Juno is said to cherish more than all lands with Samo having been esteemed less; here are Juno’s arms, here was the chariot, here Juno strives and cherishes that the kingdom is for the people, if the fates should allow it by anyway.

Progeniem sed enim Troiano a sanguine duci

audierat, tyrias olim quae verteret arces;

hinc populum late regem belloque superbum

venturum excidio Libyae: sic volvere Parcas.

But indeed Juno had heard that the offspring from the Trojan blood was derived, which once would overturn the citadels of Tyrias; that from here the population ruling by far and haughty in respect to war would come for the destruction for Libya: thus the fates rolled.

Id metuens, veterisque memor Saturnia belli,

prima quod ad Troiam pro caris gesserat Argis-

Fearing this, and the daughter of Saturn remembering the old war, which first she had fought against Troy on behalf of the dear Argos -

necdum etiam causae irarum saevique dolores

exciderant animo: manet alta mente repostum

iudicium Paridis spretaeque iniuria formae,

et genus invisum, et rapti Ganymedis honores.

not even yet had the causes of her angers and savage pain fallen from her mind: the judgement of Paris stays in her deep mind having been stored up and the injury to her beauty having been rejected, and the hated race, and the snatched honores of Ganymedes.

His accensa super, iactatos aequore toto

Troas, reliquias Danaum atque immitis Achilli,

arcebat longe Latio, multosque per annos

errabant, acti fatis, maria omnia circum.

Enraged more by these things, she kept of the Trojans having been cast in the whole ocean, and the remnants of the Danaans and fierce Achilles, by far from Latium, and they were wandering through many years, having been driven by the fates, around the whole ocean.

Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem.

Vix e conspectu Siculae telluris in altum

vela dabant laeti, et spumas salis aere ruebant,

cum Iuno, aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus,

It was of so much burden to found the Roman race. Scarcely from sight of the land of Sicily in the deep they, happy, were giving their sails, and were ploughing the spray of the ocean by means of bronze, when Juno, preserving the eternal wound under her chest,

haec secum; ‘Mene incepto desistere victam,

nec posse Italia Teucrorum avertere regem?

Quippe vetor fatis.

these things with herself; ‘Am I, having been conquered, to stop beginning, not able to keep off the king of the Teucrians from Italy? Of course I am forbidden by the fates.

*Pallasne exurere classem

Argivum atque ipsos potuit submergere ponto,

unius ob noxam et furias Aiacis Oilei?

Was not Pallas able to set fire to the fleet of the Argives and to submerge those ones in the ocean, on account of the crime and furies of Ajax Oilei alone?

*Ipsa, Iovis rapidum iaculata e nubibus ignem,

disiecitque rates evertitque aequora ventis,

illum expirantem transfixo pectore flammas

turbine corripuit scopuloque infixit acuto.

That one (Minerva), having cast the swift fire of Jupiter from clouds, and scattered the ships and overturned the ocean by means of winds, she snatched up by means of tornado that one (Ajax), breathing out fire from his chest having been pierced and impaled (him) on a sharp rock.

*Ast ego, quae divom incedo regina, Iovisque

et soror et coniunx, una cum gente tot annos

bella gero!

But I, who strides as queen of the gods, and both sister and wife of Jupiter, I wage war for so many years with one race!

*Et quisquam numen Iunonis adoret

praeterea, aut supplex aris imponet honorem?”

And does anyone honor the divine will of Juno hereafter, or will anyone, as a suppliant, place honor on her altars?

Talia flammato secum dea corde volutans

nimborum in patriam, loca feta furentibus austris,

Aeoliam venit.

Pondering such things with herself in her heart having been inflamed the goddess came into the homeland of the clouds, places teeming with raging Austers/South Winds, Aeolia.

Hic vasto rex Aeolus antro

luctantes ventos tempestatesque sonoras

imperio premit ac vinclis et carcere frenat.

Here king Aeolus in a vast cave controls the wrestling winds and roaring tempests by means of command and curbs (them) by chains and a prison.

Illi indignantes magno cum murmure montis

circum claustra fremunt: celsa sedet Aeolus arce

sceptra tenens, mollitque animos et temperat iras.

Those ones (the winds) indignant roar around the bolts of the mountain with a great murmur: Aeolus sits in a high citadel holding the scepters, and soothes their spirits and controls their anger.

Ni faciat, maria ac terras caelumque profundum

quippe ferant rapidi secum verrantque per auras.

If (Aeolus) were not to do that, surely the quick winds would carry off the oceans and the lands and the profound heavens and with themselves sweep through the skies. 

Sed pater omnipotens speluncis abdidit atris,

hoc metuens, molemque et montis insuper altos

imposuit, regemque dedit, qui foedere certo

et premere et laxas sciret dare iussus habenas.

But the all knowing father hid away (the winds) in black caves, fearing this, and placed a mass and high mountains on top, and he gave (the winds) a king, who would by a fixed treaty know to control and to give loose reins having been ordered.

Ad quem tum Iuno supplex his vocibus usa est:

‘Aeole, namque tibi divum pater atque hominum rex

et mulcere dedit fluctus et tollere vento,

Then to whom Juno as a suppliant used these voices: ‘Aeolus, for the father of the gods and king of men gave to you the power to soothe the waves and to raise (the waves) by wind,

*gens inimica mihi Tyrrhenum navigat aequor,

Ilium in Italiam portans victosque Penates:

incute vim ventis submersasque obrue puppes,

aut age diversos et disiice corpora ponto.

A people hostile to me sails on the Tyrrhenian sea, bearing Ilium to Italy and the conquered penates: strike violence to the winds and crush the crushed ships, or drive the scattered (ships) and scatter their bodies on the ocean.

*Sunt mihi bis septem praestanti corpore nymphae,
quarum quae forma pulcherrima Deiopea,
conubio iungam stabili propriamque dicabo,
omnis ut tecum meritis pro talibus annos
exigat, et pulchra faciat te prole parentem.' 

There are for me twice seven nymphs surpassing in their bodies, which of whom Deiopea most beautiful in respect to her form, I will join in stable wedlock (with you) and dedicate your own, so that she might for a reward of such things with you pass all her years, and make you a parent by beautiful offspring.’

Aeolus haec contra: 'Tuus, O regina, quid optes
explorare labor; mihi iussa capessere fas est.

Aeolus in reply these things: ‘You, O queen, your labor is to examine what you want; for me it is divine will to perform orders. 

Tu mihi, quodcumque hoc regni, tu sceptra Iovemque
concilias, tu das epulis accumbere divom,
nimborumque facis tempestatumque potentem.'  

You win for me, whatever this is of a kingdom, you this scepter and Jupiter, you grant me the power to recline at the banquets of the gods and to make me ruling over the clouds and storms.’

Haec ubi dicta, cavum conversa cuspide montem
impulit in latus: ac venti, velut agmine facto,
qua data porta, ruunt et terras turbine perflant.

When these things were said, he struck the hollow mountain on the side with his spear having been reversed: and the winds, just as with troops having been made, by which way the gate was given, they rush and blow over the lands with a storm.

Incubuere mari, totumque a sedibus imis
una Eurusque Notusque ruunt creberque procellis   
Africus, et vastos volvunt ad litora fluctus.

They brood over the seas, and together both the Eurus/East wind and Notus/North wind and Africus/southwest wind with frequent blasts overturn the whole sea from its lowest seats, and roll the vast waves to the shores.

Insequitur clamorque virum stridorque rudentum.
Eripiunt subito nubes caelumque diemque
Teucrorum ex oculis; ponto nox incubat atra.

Both the shouting of men and creaking of ropes follow. The clouds suddenly snatch both the sky and the day from the eyes of the Teucrians; night lies over the black sea. 

Intonuere poli, et crebris micat ignibus aether,       
praesentemque viris intentant omnia mortem.

The heavens thunder, and the upper air quivers with frequent fire, and all things threaten present death for the men. 

Extemplo Aeneae solvuntur frigore membra:
ingemit, et duplicis tendens ad sidera palmas
talia voce refert:

Immediately the limbs of Aeneas loosen with cold: he groans, and holding his palms to the stars he recalls such things with a voice:

'O terque quaterque beati,
quis ante ora patrum Troiae sub moenibus altis       
contigit oppetere! O Danaum fortissime gentis
Tydide!

‘O three times and four times blessed, for whom it befell to encounter death before the faces of the fathers under the high walls of Troy! O Tydides most brave of the Danaan race!

*Mene Iliacis occumbere campis
non potuisse, tuaque animam hanc effundere dextra,
saevus ubi Aeacidae telo iacet Hector, ubi ingens
Sarpedon, ubi tot Simois correpta sub undis          
scuta virum galeasque et fortia corpora volvit?

I was not able to fall in death at the fields of Ilium, and pour out this soul by your right hand, where the fierce Hector lies by the spear of Aeacides, where the huge Sarpedon lies, where the Simois rolls so many shields and helmets and brave bodies of men having been snatched up under the waves?’

Talia iactanti stridens Aquilone procella
velum adversa ferit, fluctusque ad sidera tollit.
Franguntur remi; tum prora avertit, et undis
dat latus; insequitur cumulo praeruptus aquae mons. 

(Aeneas) tossing out such things the creaking storm opposite strikes the sail with Aquilone, and (the storm) raises the waves to the stars. The oars shatter; then the prow turns away, and gives the side to waves; a steep mountain of water follows by a mass.

Hi summo in fluctu pendent; his unda dehiscens
terram inter fluctus aperit; furit aestus harenis.

These (men) hang in the high wave; these gaping waves reveal land between the waves; the tide rages on the sands.

Tris Notus abreptas in saxa latentia torquet—
saxa vocant Itali mediis quae in fluctibus aras—

Notus/North wind twists three (ships) having been caught into lurking rocks - the Italians call the rocks which are in the middle of the waves Aras -