Aeneid 1.1-13

conticuere omnes

All fell silent

intentique ora tenebant;

and were eagerly holding their gaze on him;

inde toro pater Aeneas sic orsus ab alto:

then father Aeneas began thus from his lofty couch:

'infandum, regina, iubes renovare dolorem,

'Queen, you order me to renew an unspeakable grief,

Troianas ut opes et lamentabile regnum eruerint Danai,

how the Greeks destroyed the wealth of Troy and its pitiable kingdom,

quaeque ipse miserrima vidi

and the most wretched things which I myself saw

et quorum pars magna fui.

and of which I was a great part.

quis talia fando Myrmidonum Dolopumve

In telling such things, which of the Myrmidons or the Dolopians

aut duri miles Ulixi

or what soldier of harsh Ulysses

temperet a lacrimis?

could refrain from tears?

et iam nox umida caelo praecipitat

And now dewy night is rushing from the sky

suadentque cadentia sidera somnos.

and the setting stars suggest sleep.

sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros

But if (there is) such a great desire to get to know our misfortunes

et breviter Troiae supremum audire laborem,

and to hear briefly the final hardship of Troy,

quamquam animus meminisse horret

although my mind shudders to recall it

luctuque refugit, incipiam.

and flees from the grief, I shall begin.