Vergil Aeneid Lines 2.40-56 and 2.201-249

[2.40-2.56] 40 Prīmus ibi ante omnēs magnā comitante catervā 41 Lāocoōn ardēns summā dēcurrit ab arce, 42 et procul 'Ō miserī, quae tanta īnsānia, cīvēs? 43 crēditis āvectōs hostēs? Aut ūlla putātis 44 dōna carēre dolīs Danaum? Sīc nōtus Ulixēs?

First there burning Laocoon runs down from the highest citadel before all
with a great crowd following
and from afar [says] 'Oh miserable citizens, what such great madness [is this]?
Do you believe that the enemy has been carried away? Or do you think that any
gifts of the Greeks are free from tricks? Thus [is] Ulysses well known?

45 Aut hōc inclūsī lignō occultantur Achīvī, 46 aut haec in nostrōs fabricāta est māchina mūrōs, 47 īnspectūra domōs ventūraque dēsuper urbī, 48 aut aliquis latet error; equō nē crēdite, Teucrī. 49 Quidquid id est, timeō Danaōs et dōna ferentēs.'

Either the Greeks are hidden having been enclosed in this wood,
or this machine has been made against our walls
to look into our homes and to come from above to our city,
or any trick lies hidden, don't trust the horse, Trojans.
Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even the ones bearing gifts.'

50 Sīc fātus validīs ingentem vīribus hastam 51 in latus inque ferī curuam compāgibus alvum 52 contorsit. Stetit illa tremēns, uterōque recussō 53 īnsonuēre cauae gemitumque dedēre cauernae.

Having spoken thus, with mighty power he hurled a huge spear
into the side and body curved with the joints of the beast.
That [spear] stood trembling, and with the belly having been struck back,
the hollow cavities roared and gave a groan.

54 Et, sī fāta deum, sī mēns nōn laeua fuisset, 55 impulerat ferrō Argolicās foedāre latebrās, 56 Troiaque nunc stāret, Priamīque arx alta manērēs.

And, if the fates of the gods, if the mind had not been unlucky,
he had driven [us] to defile the Greek hiding places with iron,
now both Troy would stand, and you, the lofty citadel of Priam, would remain.

[2.201-249]
201 Lāocoōn, ductus Neptuno sorte sacerdōs,
202 sollemnēs taurum ingentem mactābat ad ārās.
203 Ecce autem geminī ā Tenedō tranquilla per alta
204 (horrēscō referēns) immēnsīs orbibus anguēs
205 incumbunt pelagō pariterque ad lītora tendunt;

Laocoon, a priest for Neptune having been chosen by lot,
was sacrificing a huge bull at the customary altars.
But look, the twin snakes of immense coils (I tremble reporting)
[coming] from Tenedos through the calm seas,
lower over the sea and aim toward the shores side by side

206 pectora quōrum inter flūctūs arrēcta iubaeque
207 sanguineae superant undās, pars cētera pontum
208 pōne legit sinuatque immēnsa volūmine terga.

The hearts of whom having been raised between the waves,
and blood red crests overcome the surges, another part skims
behind the sea and it twists their immense backs with a coil.
A roar arises, while the sea is foaming, and now they were holding the fields,

209 Fit sonitus spūmante salō; iamque arua tenēbant
210 ardentēsque oculōs suffectī sanguine et ignī
211 sībila lambēbant linguīs vibrantibus ōra.

A roar arises, while the sea is foaming, and now they were holding the fields,
suffused with respect to their burning eyes with blood and fire,
they were licking the hissing mouths with quivering tongues.

212 Diffugimus visū exsanguēs. Illī agmine certō
213 Lāocoōnta petunt; et prīmum parua duōrum
214 corpora nātōrum serpēns amplexus uterque
215 implicat et miserōs morsū dēpascitur artūs;

We scatter, pale from the sight. Those attack Laocoon
with a battle line having been fixed; and first each serpent
having enfolded the small bodies of the two sons,
entwines and feeds on the wretched limbs, with a bite;

216 post ipsum auxiliō subeuntem ac tēla ferentem
217 corripiunt spīrīsque ligant ingentibus; et iam
218 bis medium amplexī, bis collō squāmea circum
219 terga datī superant capite et cervīcibus altīs.

Afterwards they seize [Laocoon] himself, approaching to help, and carrying spears,
and they bind [him] with giant coils, and now
twice having embraced the middle [of his body], twice having placed their scaly
backs around the neck, they overcome [him] with head[s] and with tall necks.

220 Ille simul manibus tendit dīvellere nōdos
221 perfūsus saniē vittās ātrōque vēnenō,
222 clāmōrēs simul horrendōs ad sīdera tollit:
223 quālis mūgītus, fūgit cum saucius āram
224 taurus et incertam excussit cervīce secūrim.

At the same time, that man attempts to tear apart the knots with his hands,
having been soaked with respect to headbands with blood and black poison,
At the same time, he raises horrible shouts to the stars.
Such a roar is as when a wounded bull has fled an altar
and has shaken off an uncertain ax from its neck.

225 At geminī lāpsū dēlūbra ad summa dracōnēs
226 effugiunt saevaeque petunt Trītōnidis arcem,
227 sub pedibusque deae clipeīque sub orbe teguntur.

But with a gliding, the twin serpents flee to the highest temples
and seek the citadel of fierce Minerva
and they are hidden under the feet of the goddess and under the circle of her shield.

228 Tum vērō tremefacta novus per pectora cūnctīs
229 īnsinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse merentem
230 Lāocoōnta ferunt, sacrum quī cuspide rōbur
231 laeserit et tergō scelerātam intorserit hastam.

Then indeed a new terror creeps through the trembling hearts for all,
and they say that deserving Laocoon expiated the crime,
who struck the consecrated oak with a spear,
and who hurled a wicked lance against the back.

232 Dūcendum ad sēdēs simulācrum ōrandaque dīvae
233 nūmina conclāmant.
234 Dīvidimus mūrōs et moenia pandimus urbis.

They shout that the statue must be led to the seats, and the divine will of the
goddess must be prayed for
We divide the walls and open the fortifications of the city.

235 Accingunt omnēs operī pedibusque rotārum
236 subiciunt lāpsūs, et stuppea vincula collō
237 intendunt: scandit fātālis māchina mūrōs
238 fēta armīs. Puerī circum innūptaeque puellae
239 sacra canunt fūnemque manū contingere gaudent;

All equip themselves for the task, and they place rollings of the wheels
under the feet and they stretch flax cables from its neck:
the deadly machine pregnant with weapons climbs the wall
Boys and unmarried girls sing sacred songs around the horse
and rejoice to touch the rope with hand[s],

240 illa subit mediaeque mināns inlābitur urbī.
241 Ō patria, Ō dīvum domus Īlium et incluta bellō
242 moenia Dardanidum! quater ipsō in līmine portae
243 substitit atque uterō sonitum quater arma dedēre;

that [machine] approaches and glides threatening the middle of the city.
O fatherland, O Ilium, home of the divine ones, and walls of the Trojans,
famous in war! Four times it stopped at the threshold of the gate itself,
and four time the weapons gave a noise from the womb,

244 īnstāmus tamen immemorēs caecīque furōre
245 et mōnstrum īnfēlix sacrātā sistimus arce.
246 Tunc etiam fātīs aperit Cassandra futūrīs
247 ōra deī iussū nōn umquam crēdita Teucrīs.

However we, unmindful and blind with madness, press on
and we set the unlucky omen in the consecrated citadel.
Then Cassandra also opens the mouths for future fates,
not ever believed by the Trojans, by the command of the god.

248 Nōs dēlūbra deum miserī, quibus ultimus esset
249 ille diēs, fēstā vēlāmus fronde per urbem.

We miserable ones, for whom that day was the last cover the shrines of the gods with the festival foliage through the city.