Aeneid 4.54-73

Latin Term 1

His dictis incensum animum inflammavit amore, spemque dedit dubiae menti, solvitque pudorem.

With these words, she set her spirit alight with great love, and gave hope to her wavering mind, and broke down her sense of shame.

Principio delubra adeunt, pacemque per aras exquirunt;

At first they approached shrines and from altar to alter work at acquiring divine approval;

mactant lectas de more bidentis
legiferae Cereri Phoeboque patrique Lyaeo,
Iunoni ante omnis, cui vincla iugalia curae.

They sacrifice duly chosen two-year-old sheep to lawgiver Ceres and to Phoebus Apollo and to father Lyaeus [loosener] Bacchus, to Juno above all, who looks over marriage bonds.

Ipsa, tenens dextra pateram, pulcherrima Dido candentis vaccae media inter cornua fundit,

Most beautiful Dido herself, holding the dish with her right hand, pours it into the middle between the horns of the snow-white cow,

aut ante ora deum pinguis spatiatur ad aras,

she strides to the rich alters, before the faces of the gods,

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

and she renews the day with gifts, pouring over the opened chests of beasts, consults the breathing entrail.

Heu vatum ignarae mentes! quid vota furentem,
quid delubra iuvant?

Alas ignorant minds of seers! How do prayers help the raving, how do the shrines?The

Est mollis flamma medullas
interea, et tacitum vivit sub pectore vulnus.

The flame eats soft marrow, meanwhile, and there, living in silence, deep in her heart is the wound.

Uritur infelix Dido, totaque vagatur
urbe furens,

Unfortunate Dido is enflamed and wanders about the city raving,

qualis coniecta cerva sagitta,
quam procul incautam nemora inter Cresia fixit
pastor agens telis,

Like a deer after an arrow has been shot, heedless among the forest of Crete, which a shepherd has shot from afar, while chasing with weapons

liquitque volatile ferrum
nescius;

and he has left behind the flying iron unaware,

illa fuga silvas saltusque peragrat
Dictaeos;

she in flight wanders over the woods and the glades of Dictae

haeret lateri letalis arundo.

the shaft of death sticks in her side