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talibus insidiis periurique arte Sinonis
credita res, captique dolis lacrimisque coactis,
quos neque Tydides, nec Larisaeus Achilles,
non anni domuere decem, non mille carinae.
hic aliud maius miseris multoque tremendum
obicitur magis, atque improvida pectora turbat.
Through the tricks and skill of lying Sinon,
his tale was trusted, and we were trapped by deceit and forced tears,
we who were neither conquered by Diomedes nor Larissan Achilles,
nor by ten years of war, nor a thousand ships.
Then another thing much greater and more miserable
presents to us trembling, and disturbs our unforeseeing souls.
Laocoön, ductus Neptuno sorte sacerdos,
sollemnis taurum ingentem mactabat ad aras.
ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta
- horresco referens - immensis orbibus angues
incumbunt pelago, pariterque ad litora tendunt;
pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque
sanguineae superant undas; pars cetera pontum
pone legit, sinuatque immensa volumine terga.
Laocoon, chosen by chance as priest of Neptune,
was sacrificing a huge bull at the customary altar.
But see, from Tenedos through the tranquil deep
- I shudder remembering it - twin serpents
with huge coils, pressing across the sea, and striving together to the shore;
their chests raised high over the tide,
and their crests blood red towering over the waves
the rest of their body skimming over the sea behind them and their huge backs curving in folds.
fit sonitus spumante salo; iamque arva tenebant,
ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine et igni,
sibila lambebant linguis vibrantibus ora.
A roar arises as the salt-sea foams; and now they reach the shore,
and their burning eyes stained with blood and fire
lick at their hissing jaws with flickering tongues
diffugimus visu exsangues: illi agmine certo
Laocoönta petunt; et primum parva duorum
corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque
implicat, et miseros morsu depascitur artus;
post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem
corripiunt, spirisque ligant ingentibus; et iam
bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum
terga dati, superant capite et cervicibus altis.
Growing pale at the sight we scatter: they advance on a set course
towards Laocoon; and first each serpent
clasping the small bodies of his two sons wraps around
them, and devours their wretched limbs in a bite:
next as he comes to their aid including bringing weapons
they seize him, and bind him in huge coils; and now
twice encircling his waist, twice around his neck their scaly bodies
wind, with their high necks and heads they tower over him.
Ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos,
perfusus sanie vittas atroque veneno,
clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit:
quales mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram
taurus, et incertam excussit cervice securim.
While he stretches to tear apart the knots with his hands,
his sacred headband drenched in his own blood and dark venom,
at the same time he raises terrible shouts up to the stars:
just like the bellowing of a bull, that has fled wounded
from the altar, and shaking the ill-aimed axe from its neck.
at gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones
effugiunt saevaeque petunt Tritonidis arcem,
sub pedibusque deae clipeique sub orbe teguntur.
But the twin serpents escape slithering away to the high temple,
and seeking the citadel of savage Tritonia,
and hide there under the goddess’s feet, and under the circle of her shield.
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