Aeneid Book 1 Lines 1-101

Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit litora multum ille et terris iactatus et alto vi superum, saeve memorem Iunonis ob iram;

Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit litora multum ille et terris iactatus et alto vi superum, saeve memorem Iunonis ob iram;

I sing about weapons and a man who first from the shores of Troy came over to Italy, a refugee from fate, and to Lavinian shores, that man having been thrown much both on the land and on the deep sea by the power of the gods on account of the remembering anger of the savage Queen Juno;

multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem, inferretque deos Latio, genus unde Latinum, Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae.

And having suffered many things in war until he did establish the city and bring in the gods to Latium, from where the race of the Latins, the Alban fathers, and also 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.

Muses, remind me of the reasons, with what power having been struck or grieving, did the queens of the gods drive the man to do the labors, distinguished with piety to do two things to undergo so many disasters and to undertake so many works.

Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

Is there so much danger in the minds of the heavenly beings?

Urbs antiqua fuit, (Tyrii tenuere coloni,) Karthago, Italiam contra Tiberinaque longe ostia, dives opum studiisque asperrima belli;

There was an ancient city, (Tyrian colonists held it,) Carthage, far off Italy in the mouths of the Tiber rich in resources and most fierce with enthusiasm for war;

quam Iuno fertur terris magis omnibus unam posthabita coluisse Samo;

which Juno is said to have cared for alone more than all lands with Samus in second place;

hic illius arma, hic currus fuit;

here with her arms, here her chariot;

hoc regnum dea gentibus esse, si qua fata sinant, iam tum tenditque fovetque.

Now at that time she both stretches and cherishes that this is the ruling people for all the peoples, if some fates should allow it.

Progeniem sed enim Troiano a sanguine duci audierat, Tyrias olim quae verteret arces;

But surely she had heard that offspring was being led from Trojan blood which someday would overturn Tyrian citadels;

hinc populum late regem belloque superbum venturum excidio Libyae: sic volvere Parcas.

Here a people ruling widely and proud in war, he would come for the destruction for Libya: thus the fates were spinning

Id metuens, veterisque memor Saturnia belli, prima quod ad Troiam pro caris gesserat Argis - necdum etiam causae irarum saevique dolores exciderant animo:

The saturnian fearing it and remembering the ancient war, which as leader she had waged against Troy for the dear Argis - and not yet also had reasons of rage and the cruel grief from the mind:

manet alta mente repostum iudicium Paridis spretaeque iniuria formae, et genus invisum, et rapti Ganymedis honores.

in her deep mind remains placed the judgment of Paris and the injury of her rejected form, and the hated race, and the stolen honor of Ganymede

His accensa super, iactatos aequore toto Troas, reliquias Danaum atque immitis Achilli, arcebat longe Latio, multosque per annos errabant, acti fatis, maria omnia circum.

Inflamed by these things beyond, she was warding off far from Latium the Trojans, having been thrown to the whole sea the remnants of the Greeks and of hateful Achilles, and they were wandering through many years, having been driven by fate, around all the seas.

Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem!

To establish the Roman race was of such great difficulty!

Vix e conspectu Siculae telluris in altum vela dabant laeti, et spumas salis aere ruebant, cum Iuno, aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus, haec secum:

Barely out of sight of Sicilian land the happy people were giving sails into the sky and were rushing through the bubbling salt (by means of bronze) when Juno,: persevering the eternal wound under her chest, says these things with herself

“Mene incepto desistere victam, nec posse Italia Teucrorum avertere regem?

“Do I beaten desist from my undertaking and nor am I able to turn away the Trojan king from Italy?

Quippe vetor fatis.

Certainly I am forbidden by the fates.

Pallasne exuere classem Argivom atque ipsos potuit submergere ponto, unius ob noxam et furias Aiacis Oilei?

Was Minerva not able to burn up the fleet of the Argives and to submerge those people in the sea because of the crime and the rage of one man (Ajax), son of Oileus?

Ipsa, Iovis rapidum iaculata e nubibus ignem, disiecitque rates evertitque aequora ventism illum expierantem transfixo pectore flammas turbine corripuit scopuloque infixit acuto.

She herself, having thrown the swift lightning from the clouds and both scattered the ships and overturned the water by means of wind, he exhales transfixed by the heart of the flames snatched up by a twister and is impacted by a sharp rock.

Ast ego, quae divum encedo regina, Iovisque et soror et coniunx, una cum gente tot annos bella gero!

But I, who walk forth as queen of the gods, and both sister and spouse of Jupiter, wage wars with one race for so many years!

Et quisquam numen Iunonis adorat praeterea, aut supplex aris imponet honorem?

And does anyone worship the power of Juno hereafter, or a worshipper will place honor on the altars?

Talia flammato secum dea corde volutans nimborum in patriam, loca feta furentibus austris, Aeoliam venit.

The goddess, tossing such things to herself in her inflamed chest, comes to Aeolia, the homeland of clouds, a place filled with furious winds.

Hic vasto rex Aeolus antro Iuctantes ventos tempestesque sonoras imperio premit ac vinclis et carcere frenat.

Here in a vast cave King Aeolus with his power presses the struggling winds and the raging storms and he restrains them with chains and a prison.

Illi indignantes magno cum murmure montis circum claustra fremunt;

Those indignant winds, with a great rumble of the mountain, roar around their enclosures;

celsa sedet Aeolus arce sceptra tenens, mollitque animos et temperat iras.

Aeolus sits on his high throne holding his scepter and he soothes their minds and calms their angers.

Ni faciat, maria ac terras caelumque profundum quippe ferant rapidi secum verrantque per auras.

If he should not do this indeed the rapid winds and their Madness would carry away the seas and the lands and the poured out sky with themselves and they would rush over the skies.

Sed pater omnipotens speluncis abididit atris, hoc metuens, molemque et montes insuper altos imposuit, regemque dedit, qui foedere certo et premer et laxas sciret dare iussus habenas.

But the omnipotent father hid them in dark caves, fearing this, and he placed above them a mass of high mountains and he gave them a king, who would know, having been ordered, with certain agreement both to restrain or to let out the reins having been loosened.

Ad quem tum Iuno supplex his vocibus usa est:

And to him, then Juno as a supplical used these words:

“Aeole, namque tibi divum pater atque hominum rex et mulcere dedit fluctus et tollere vento, gens inimica mihi Tyrrhenum navigat aequor, Ilium in Italiam portans victosque Penates:

“Aeolus, for to you the father of the gods and the king of men gave (the power) to raise up and calm the waves with the wind, a race hostile to me sails the Tyrrhenian sea, carrying Troy and the conquered Penates into Italy:

incute vim ventis submersasque obrue puppes, aut age diversos et dissice corpora ponto.

strike power to the winds and overwhelm the sunken ships or drive them scattered and disperse their bodies in the sea.

Sunt mihi bis spetem praestanti corpore nymphae, quarum quae forma pulcherrima Deiopea,

There are seven twice (14) nymphs with excellent bodies belonging to me, of which one, Deiopea, is the one who is the most beautiful with respect to her form,

conubio iungam stabili propriamque dicabo, omnes ut tecum meritis pro talibus annos exigat, et pulchra faciat te prole parentem.”

I will unite her in stable wedlock and I will declare her yours forever so that she will complete with you all her years on account of such worthy deeds, and she will make you a parent with beautiful offspring.

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

Aeolus says these things in reply: “Oh Queen, your job is to decide what you want for me it is right to undertake things having been ordered.

Tu mihi, quocumque hoc regni, tu sceptra Iovemque concilias, tu das epulis accumbere divum, nimborumque facis tempestatumque potentem.”

For me you unite this whatever of a kingdom and you unite for me the power and Jupiter, you give me the power to recline at the feasts of the gods, and you make me powerful over clouds and storms.”

Haec ubi dicta, cavum conversa cuspide montem impulit in latus:

When the words were said, with a downturn spear he strikes into the side of the mountain

ac venti, velut agmine facto, qua data porta, ruunt et terras turbine peflant.

And the winds, just like with a battle line made, rush out from where an opening has been made and they flow throughout the lands in a whirlwind

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

They fell upon the sea, and from their deepest seats together both Eurus and Notus and Africus, filled with gusts, rush over everything and roll up vast waves to the shore.

Insequitur clamorque virum stridorque rudentum.

Both the shouting of men and the creaking of ropes follows.

Eripiunt subito nubes caelumque diemque Teucrorum ex oculis;

Suddenly the clouds take away both the sky and the day from the eyes of the Trojans;

ponto nox incubat atra.

the dark night falls upon the sea.

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

The skies roared and the ether flashes with frequent fires, and all these things threaten present death for the men.

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

Immediately the limbs of Aeneas are loosened with cold: he groans, and stretching both palms to the stars, he says such things with his voice:

“O terque quaterque beati, quis ante ora patrum Troiae sub moenibus altis contigit oppetere!

“Oh 3 and 4 times blessed, for whom it was possible to meet death before the faces of their fathers under the high walls!

O Danaum fortissime gentis Tydide!

Oh Tydide, the most brave of the race of Greeks!

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?”

Why was I not able to die in Trojan fields, and to pour out this spirit by your right hand, where fierce Hector lies (dead) from the spear of Achilles, where huge Sarpedon lies dead, where so many shields and helmets and brave bodies of men roll, having been taken under the waves of the Simcis?”