Virgil Aeneid Book 4 - lines 1 - 45

at regina gravi iamdudum saucia cura vulnus alit venis, et caeco carpitur igni.

But the Queen, for a long time already wounded by a deep pang of love, fed the wound from her veins and was worn away by an unseen flame.

multa viri virtus animo, multusque recursat gentis honos:

Often the courage of the hero Aeneas, often the honour of his family raced back to her mind:

haerent infixi pectore vultus verbaque, nec placidam membris dat cura quietem.

his expressions, imprinted on her heart, and his words lingered and her worry granted no peaceful rest to her limbs.

postera Phoebea lustrabat lampade terras, umentemque Aurora polo dimoverat umbram,

The following Dawn was traversing the earth by the light of the sun and had dispelled the dewy night from the sky

cum sic unanimam adloquitur male sana sororem:

when out of her mind she addressed her sister, who shared her soul, as follows:

“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 house

quem sese ore ferens, quam forti pectore et armis!

how noble is his bearing and face, how strong his chest and shoulders!

credo equidem, nec vana fides, genus esse deorum.

Indeed I believe, and my belief is not groundless, that his family is descended from the gods.

degeneres animos timor arguit:

Fear betrays degenerate hearts:

heu, quibus ille iactatus fatis! Quae bella exhausta canebat!

Alas, by what fates has he been tossed about! What wars, endured to the end was he relating!

si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet,

If it did not sit in my heart fixed and immoveable,

ne cui me vinclo vellem sociare iugali,

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

postquam primus amor deceptam morte fefellit;

since my first love deceived and escaped me with death;

si non pertaesum thalami taedaeque fuisset,

if I had not become weary of the marriage-bed and marriage-torch

huic uni forsan potui succumbere culpae.

perhaps I could have yielded to this one weakness.

Anna, fatebor enim, miseri post fata Sychaei coniugis

Anna, for I will confess it, after the death of my poor husband Sychaeus

et sparsos fraterna caede Penatis,

and the household gods spattered by a brother-in-law’s slaughter

solus hic inflexit sensus, animumque labantem impulit:

only this man has swayed my feelings and has made a mark upon my wavering heart:

adgnosco veteris vestigia flammae.

I recognise the traces of old passion.

sed mihi vel tellus optem prius ima dehiscat,

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

vel Pater omnipotens adigat me fulmine ad umbras,

or the All-Powerful father might drive me with his thunderbolt to the ghosts

pallentis umbras Erebi noctemque profundam,

the pale ghosts of Erebus and the deep night

ante, Pudor, quam te violo, aut tua iura resolvo.

before, my conscience, I violate you or I break your laws.

Ille meos, primus qui me sibi iunxit, amores abstulit;

He stole away my passion, he who first joined me to him;

ille habeat secum servetque sepulchro.”

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 tears which had welled up.

Anna refert: “O luce magis dilecta sorori,

Anna responded; “O dearer to your sister than life,

solane perpetua maerens carpere iuventa,

will you be worn away on your own, sorrowing for the whole of your youth

nec dulcis natos, Veneris nec praemia noris?

and will you know neither sweet children nor the rewards of Venus?

id cinerem aut Manis credis curare sepultos?

Do you believe that the ashes or the Spirits of the buried dead care for this?

esto: aegram nulli quondam flexere mariti,

So be it; no would-be husbands moved you previously, in your sickened state

non Libyae, non ante Tyro; despectus Iarbas

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

ductoresque alii, quos Africa terra triumphis dives alit:

and other lords, whom Africa, rich in triumphs, nourishes.

placitone etiam pugnabis amori?

Will you fight even against a love that pleases you?

nec venit in mentem, quorum consederis arvis?

Does it not come to mind in whose territories you have settled?

hinc Gaetulae urbes, genus insuperabile bello,

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

et Numidae infreni cingunt et inhospita Syrtis;

and unbridled Numidians surround you and the inhospitable Syrtis

hinc deserta siti regio,

on that side an area made empty by drought

lateque furentes Barcaei.

and the raging Barcaeans far and wide.

quid bella Tyro surgentia dicam,

What shall I say of the wars brewing from Tyre

germanique minas?

and the threats of our brother?

dis equidem auspicibus reor et Iunone secunda

Indeed with the gods as guides and with Juno favourable, I believe

hunc cursum Iliacas vento tenuisse carinas.

that the Trojan ships held this course with the wind.