Virgil's Aeneid IV (Colour Coded Translation)

at regina gravi iamdudum saucia cura

But the queen, wounded for a long time already by a deep concern,

vulnus alit venis et caeco carpitur igni.

feeds the wound from her veins and is eaten away by an unseen flame.

multa viri virtus animo multusque recursat gentis honos;

Often the courage of the hero and often the honour of his family return to her mind;

haerent infixi perctore vultus

verbaque nec placidam membris dat cura quietam

his expressions, imprinted on her heart

and his words remain, and her worry does not give peaceful rest to her limbs

postera Phoebea lustrabat lampade terras

umentemque Aurora polo dimoverat umbram,

The following dawn was surveying the earth by the light of the sun, and had moved the dewy shade from the sky,

cum sic unamimam adloquitur male sana sororem:

when she spoke thus, out of her mind, to her like-minded sister.

‘Anna soror, quae me suspensam insomnia terrent!

“Anna my sister, what dreams terrify me in my state of anxiety!

quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes,

What a man is this new guest who has come to our home,

quem sese ore ferens, quam forti pectore et armis!

how noble his bearing and face, with how strong a chest and shoulders!

credo equidem, nec vana fides, genus esse deorum.

Indeed I believe he is sprung from the gods, and my belief is not vain.

degeneres animos timor arguit. heu, quibus ille iactatus fatis!

Fear betrays degenerate hearts. Alas, by what fates he has been tossed about!

quae bella exhausta canebat! si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet

What wars endured to the end was he singing of! If it did not sit fixed and unmoved in my heart,

ne cui me vinclo vellem sociare iugali,

that I should not be willing to ally myself by the chain of marriage,

postquam primus amor deceptam morte fefellit;

since my first love deceived and escaped me in death;

si non pertaesum thalami taedaeque fuisset, huic uni forsan potui succumbere culpae.

if I had not become weary of marriage-bed and marriage-torch, perhaps I could have yielded to this one weakness.

Anna (fatebor enim) miseri post fata Sychaei coniugis et sparsos fraterna caede penates

Anna (for I will confess it), after the fate of the wretched Sychaeus, my husband, and the household gods spattered with a brother’s slaughter

solus hic inflexit sensus animumque labentum impulit. agnosco veteris vestigia flammae.

only this man [Aeneas] has swayed my feelings and overcome my wavering mind.I recognise the traces of the old flame.

sed mihi vel tellus optem prius ima dehiscat

But I could wish that either the deep earth might gape open for me,

velpater omnipotens adigat me fulmine ad umbras,

or that the almighty father might drive me with a thunderbolt to the shades,

pallentes umbras Erebi noctemque profundam, ante, pudor, quam te violoaut tua iura resolvo

and the pale ghost of Hades, and the deep night, before, shame, I violate you or break your laws.

ille meos, primus qui me sibi iunxit, amores abstulit; ille habeat secum servetque sepulcro.”

He who first married me stole my love; let him have it and keep it with him in his tomb.

sic effata sinum lacrimis implevit obortis

Having spoken thus, she filled her lap with welling tears

Anna refert: ‘o luce magis dilecta sorori’,

Anna replied: “Dearer than life to me, your sister,

solane perpetua maerens carpere iuventa

will you waste away grieving on your own for the whole of your youth,

nec dulces natos Veneris nec praemia noris?

will you never know sweet children or the rewards of love?

id cinerem aut manes credis curare sepultos?

Do you believe that the ash or buried spirits care about that?

esto: aegram nulli quondam flexere mariti,

So be it: no husbands moved you previously in your sickened state,

non Libyae, non ante Tyro; despectus Iarbas

not in Libya, not previously in Tyre; Iarbas was scorned,

ductoresque alli, quos Africa terra triumphis

dives alit: placitone etiam pugnabis amori?

and other leaders, whom Africa, a land rich in triumphs,

nourishes: will you even fight a love that pleases you?

nec venit in mentem quorum consederis arvis?

Doesn’t it occur to you in whose lands you have settled?

hinc Gaetulae urbes, genus insuperabile bello,

On this side Gaetulian cities, a people unconquerable in war,

et Numidae infreni cingunt et inhospita Syrtis;

and the unbridled Numidians and the inhospitable Syrtis surround you;

hinc deserta siti regio lateque furentes

Barcaei.

on that side there is an area made empty by thirst and

the Barcaeans raging far and wide.

quid bella Tyro surgentia dicam

germanique minas?

Why should I mention the wars arising from Tyre and the threats of your brother?

dis equidem auspicibus reor et Iunone secunda

Indeed I think that, with the gods as your priests and with Juno’s support

hunc cursum Iliacas vento tenuisse carinas.

the Trojan ships held this course with the wind.

quam tu urbem, soror, hanc cernes, quae surgere regna

What a city you will see this one rise to be, sister, what a great kingdom you will see rise

coniugio tali! Teucrum comitantibus armis

by such as marriage! With the arms of the Trojans accompanying you,

Punica se quantis attollet gloria rebus!

with what great fortunes will Carthaginian glory raise itself up!

tu modo posce deos veniam, sacrisque litatis

All you need do is ask the gods for pardon, and after making holy offerings

indulge hospitio causasque innecte morandi

indulge in hospitality and weave reasons for delaying,

dum pelago desaevit hiems et aquosus Orion,

while winter and rainy Orion work out their anger on the sea,

quassataeque rates, dum non tractabile caelum.’

and the ships are still in bits, and while the weather is not manageable.’

hic dictis impenso animum flammavit amore

With these words she inflamed her heart with a great love,

spemque dedit dubiae menti solvitque pudorem.

and gave hope to her wavering mind, and she dissolved her shame.

principio delubra adeunt pacemque per aras exquirunt;

First they approached the shrines and they sought peace among the altars;

mactant lectas de more bidentis legiferae Cereri Phoeboque patrique Lyaeo,

they sacrificed sheep according to custom to Ceres the lawgiver and to Apollo and to father Lyaeus,

lunoni ante omnes, cui vincla iugalia curae.

and before all others to Juno, to whom the bonds of marriage are of concern.

ipsa tenens dextra pateram pulcherrima Dido

Most beautiful Dido herself, holding a bowl in her right hand,

candentis vaccae media inter cornua fundit, aut ante ora deum pingues spatiatur ad aras,

poured midway between the horns of the shining-white cow, or she advanced towards the rich altars before the faces of the gods,

instauratque diem donis, pecudumque reclusis pectoribus inhians spirantia consulit exta.

and she renewed the day with offerings, and having opened the breast of beasts, with her mouth open she examined the yet-breathing entrails.

heu, vatum ignarae mentes! quid vota furentem, quod delubra iuvant?

Alas, the unknowing minds of prophets! What help are prayers, what help are shrines to one out of her mind?

est molles flamma medullas interea et tacitum vivit sub pectore vulnus.

A flame eats her soft marrow, meanwhile, and a silent wound lives beneath her breast.