Vergil Aeneid Lines 494-578

494 Haec dum Dardaniō Aenēae mīranda videntur,
495 dum stupet obtūtūque haeret dēfīxus in ūnō,
496 rēgīna ad templum, formā pulcherrima Dīdō,
497 incessit magnā iuvenum stīpante catervā.

While these things seem wonderful to Trojan Aeneas,
while he stands dazed and clings, fixed on one view,
the queen Dido, the most beautiful in form,
marched towards the temple while the great band of youth is crowding.

498 Quālis in Eurōtae rīpīs aut per iuga Cynthī
499 exercet Dīāna chorōs, quam mīlle secūtae
500 hinc atque hinc glomerantur Orēades; illa pharetram 501 fert umerō gradiēnsque deās superēminet omnēs
502 (Lātōnae tacitum pertemptant gaudia pectus):

Just as Diana trains choruses on the banks of Eurotas or through the ridges of Cynthus,
whom a thousand mountain nymphs having followed,
gathered here and there; that woman
carries a quiver on her shoulder and, stepping, towers above all the goddesses
(joys master the silent heart of Latona):

503 tālis erat Dīdō, tālem sē laeta ferēbat
504 per mediōs īnstāns operī rēgnīsque futūrīs.
505 Tum foribus dīvae, mediā testūdine templī,
506 saepta armīsoliōque altē subnixa resēdit.

Such was Dido, as such the happy one was carrying herself
through the midst [of the men] pressing on the deed and the future kingdoms.
Then in the gates of the goddess, in the middle of the dome of the temple,
enclosed by arms and resting loftily, she sat down on the throne

507 Iūra dabat lēgēsque virīs, operumque labōrem
508 partibus aequābat iūstīs aut sorte trahēbat:

She was giving laws and decrees to the men, and she was equalizing the labor
of the works in fair parts or she was assigning [the work] by lot;

509 cum subitō Aenēās concursū accēdere magnō
510 Anthea Sergestumque videt fortemque Cloanthum
511 Teucrōrumque aliōs, āter quōs aequore turbō
512 dispulerat penitusque aliās āvēxerat ōrās.

When suddenly Aeneas sees that Antheus and Sergestus and brave Cloanthus
approach with a great crowd and that others of the Trojans whom
a black whirlwind had torn apart on the sea and fully had
born away to the other shores

513 Obstipuit simul ipse, simul perculsus Achātēs
514 laetitiāque metūque; avidī coniungere dextrās
515 ardēbant, sed rēs animōs incognita turbat.

At the same time Aeneas himself stood agape, at the same time Achates
was stricken down by joy and fear; the eager ones were burning to join their
right hands but an unknown circumstance confuses their minds.

516 Dissimulant et nūbe cavā speculantur amictī
517 quae fortūna virīs, classem quō lītore linquant
518 quid veniant; cūnctīs nam lēctī nāvibus ībant
519 ōrantēs veniam et templum clāmōre petēbant.

They hide [their minds] and having been wrapped in a hollow cloud
they spy out which fortune the men have, on which shore they leave their fleet
and why they come; For the men, chosen from all ships, were going
begging [for] favor and were seeking the temple with a shout.

520 Postquam intrōgressī et cōram data cōpia fandī,
521 maximus Īlioneus placidō sīc pectore coepit:

After they entered and the opportunity of speaking openly was given,
thus the greatest Ilioneus began with a calm heart:

522 "Ō Regina, novam cui condere Iuppiter urbem
523 iūstitiāque dedit gentēs frēnāre superbās,
524 Trōes tē miserī, ventīs maria omnia vectī,
525 ōrāmus: prohibē īnfandos ā nāvibus ignēs,
526 parce piō generī et propius rēs aspice nostrās.

O queen, to whom Jupiter gave [the ability] to found the new city
and to restrain proud races with your justice, we the miserable Trojans,
having been carried by winds through all seas,
beg you: prohibit the unspeakable fires from the ships,
spare the pious race and look at our things more closely

527 Nōn nōs aut ferrō Libycōs populāre penātes
528 vēnimus, aut raptās ad lītora vertere praedās;
529 non ea vīs animō nec tanta superbia victīs.

We did not come either to plunder the household gods of Libya with a sword,
or to turn the snatched booties to the shores;
the conquered ones do not have this violence and such great arrogance in mind.

530 Est locus, Hesperiam Graī cognōmine dīcunt,
531 terra antīqua, potēns armīs atque ūbere glaebae;
532 Oenōtrī coluēre virī; nunc fāma minōrēs
533 Ītaliam dīxisse ducis dē nōmine gentem.

There is this place the Greeks call Hesperia, as a name,
an old land powerful in arms and in fertility of land.
The Oenotrian men inhabited; now there is a rumor that the descendants
named, Italian clan from the name of the leader.

534 Hic cursus fuit,
535 cum subitō adsurgēns flūctū nimbōsus Orīōn
536 in vada caeca tulit penitusque procācibus Austrīs
537 perque undās superante salō perque invia saxa
538 dispulit; hūc paucī vestrīs adnāvimus ōrīs.

This was the course,
When suddenly rainy Orion rising up on a wave
brought [us] onto the dark shoals. And with the South winds being insolent,
he wholly scattered [us] through the waves while the sea was overcoming us.
and through the pathless rocks To this place, we few swam here to your shores.

539 Quod genus hoc hominum? Quaeve hunc tam barbara mōrem
540 permittit patria? Hospitiō prohibēmur harēnae;
541 bella cient prīmāque vetant cōnsistere terrā.
542 Sī genus hūmānum et mortālia temnitis arma,
543 at spērāte deōs memorēs fandī atque nefandī.

What race of men is this? Or which such barbarous country allows this custom?
We are kept away from the welcome of sand;
they arouse wars and they forbid us to settle on the first land.
Even if you all despise the human race and mortal weapons,
at least hope the gods will be mindful of right and wrong.

544 Rēx erat Aenēās nōbīs, quō iūstior alter,
545 nec pietāte fuit, nec bellō maior et armis.
546 Quem sī fāta virum servant, sī vēscitur aurā
547 aetheriā neque adhūc crūdēlibus occubat umbrīs,
548 nōn metus, officiō nec tē certāsse priōrem
549 paeniteat. Sunt et Siculīs regiōnibus urbēs
550 armaque Troiānōque ā sanguine clārus Acestēs.

We had a king Aeneas, than whom another was more just not in loyalty
and not greater in war and weapons.
If the fates protect this man, if he feeds upon
the ethereal breeze, if he does not until now lie in the cruel shades,
there is not fear, and let there not be regret that you have strived to be first in service.
There are cities in the regions of Sicily and weapons ,
and famous Acestes, from Trojan blood.

551 Quassātam ventīs liceat subdūcere classem
552 et silvīs aptāre trabēs et stringere rēmos,
553 sī datur Ītaliam sociīs et rēge receptō
554 tendere, ut Ītaliam laetī Latiumque petāmus;

Let it be permitted to beach the fleet battered by winds
and to make ready the beams in the forests and to graze the oars,
If it is given to head to Italy with the companions and the king having been received,
so that we, the happy ones, may seek Italy and Latium.

555 sīn absūmpta salūs, et tē, pater optime Teucrum,
556 pontus habet Libyae nec spēs iam restat Iūlī,
557 at freta Sīcaniae saltem sēdēsque parātās,
558 unde hūc advectī, rēgemque petāmus Acestēn."

If safety has been taken away and the sea of Libya holds you,
best father of the Trojans nor does the hope of Iulus stand firm,
Still let us seek the channels of Sicily and the prepared seats,
from where we have been carried away to this place, and [let us] seek the king Acestes."

559 Tālibus Īlioneus; cūnctī simul ōre fremēbant
560 Dardanidae.

So Ilioneus [said] with such things; the Trojans

561 Tum breviter Dīdō vultum dēmissa profātur:
562 "Solvite corde metum, Teucrī, sēclūdite cūrās.
563 Rēs dūra et rēgnī novitās mē tālia cōgunt
564 mōlīrī et lātē fīnēs custōde tuērī.

Then shortly Dido having lowered the face speaks:
"Loosen the fear from your heart, Trojans, seclude your worries."
The harsh situation and newness of [my] kingdom forces me
to undertake such things, and to widely protect my territory with a guard.

565 Quis genus Aeneadum, quis Troiae nesciat urbem,
566 virtūtēsque virōsque aut tantī incendia bellī?
567 Nōn obtūnsa adeō gestāmus pectora Poenī,
568 nec tam āversus equōs Tyriā Sōl iungit ab urbe.

Who would not know the race of descendents of Aeneas, who would not know the city of Troy,
both the virtues and the men or the fires of such great war?
We the Phoenicians do not carry hearts weakened so much,
nor does the Sun yoke his horses so far from the Tyrrian city.

569 Seu vōs Hesperiam magnam Sāturniaque arva
570 sīve Erycis fīnēs rēgemque optātis Acestēn,
571 auxiliō tūtōs dīmittam opibusque iuvābō.
572 Vultis et hīs mēcum pariter cōnsīdere rēgnīs?
573 Urbem quam statuō, vestra est; subdūcite nāvēs;
574 Trōs Tyriusque mihī nūllō discrīmine agētur.

Whether you desire the great Hesperia and the fields of Saturnia
or the territory of Eryx and king Acestes,
I will send away you, protected with assistance, and I will help with resources.
Do you want to settle in these kingdoms equally with me?
The city, which I set up, is yours, beach the ships;
The Trojan and the Tyrrian will be treated by me with no difference.

575 Atque utinam rēx ipse Notō compulsus eōdem
576 adforet Aenēās! Equidem per lītora certōs
577 dīmittam et Libyae lūstrāre extrēma iubēbō,
578 sī quibus ēiectus silvīs aut urbibus errat."

And if only that king Aeneas himself driven by the same Notus
were present! I will indeed send out reliable men along the shores
and I will order [them] to survey the farthest or the borders of Libya
if having been tossed out he is wandering in any forests or towns."