Aeneid 279-295 -- Aeneas reacts to Mercury’s message

English word order

at vero Aeneas amens aspectu obmutuit

But in fact, Aeneas, stupefied at the vision, has struck dumb.

que comae arrectae horrore et vox haesit faucibus,

and his hair rose in terror, and his voice stuck in his throat.

ardet abire fuga que relinquere dulces terras,

He was fired [with desire] to be gone, in flight, and leave that sweet land,

attonitus tanto monitu que deorum imperio.

shocked by so great a warning and the gods’ command.

heu quid agat? quo adfatu audeat ambire furentem reginam nunc?

Alas! What was he to do? With what address dare he tackle the love-sick queen now?

quae prima exordia sumat?

What first opening words should he choose?

atque celerem dividit animum nunc huc nunc illuc,

And he swiftly cast his mind now here now there,

que rapit in varias partes que versat per omnia,

and considers [the issue] from every aspect and turned [it] over [and over] every [way],

alternanti haec sententia visa est potior:

To the wavering [one], this decision seemed preferable:

vocat Mnesthea que Sergestus que fortem Serestus,

he calls Mnestheus and Sergestus and brave Serestus,

aptent classem taciti que cogant socios ad litora,

[Telling them to] fit out the fleet in silence and gather the men on the shore,

parent arma, et dissimulent quae causa sit novandis rebus,

ready the equipment, and hide what the reason may be for changing things,

sese interea, quando optima Dido nesciat et non sperat amores tantos rumpi,

he, meanwhile, since excellent Dido knew nothing and didn’t expect so great a love to be broken,

temptaturum [esse] aditus et quae molissima tempora fandi,

would try [to find] an approach and what [would be] the gentlest moment to speak,

quis modus dexter rebus.

what method [would be] right for the situation.

omnes ocius laeti parent imperio et facessunt iussa.

All quickly [and] gladly obeyed by his command and carried out his orders.