Virgil set text

Nisus erat portae custõs, ācerrimus armis, et iuxtā comes Euryalus, quõ pulchrior alter nõn fuit Aeneadum Trõiãna neque induit arma, his amor ūnus erat pariterque in bella ruēbant; tum quoque commūni portam statiõne tenēbant.

Nisus was guard of the gate, fiercest with weapons, and nearby his companion Euryalus, than whom no was more beautiful among the followers of Aeneas, no more beautiful man put on Trojan armour, to them there was one love and side by side they used to charge into war; Then they also used to hold a shared guard-duty of the gate. 

cētera per terrās omnēs animālia somnő laxābant curās et corda oblīta labõrum:

Through all the land the other animals were easing their concerns and hearts in sleep and forgot their labours:

ductõrēs Teucrum prīmī, dēlēcta iuventūs, cõnsilium summis rēgni dē rēbus habēbant, quid facerent quisve Aenēae iam nūntius esset.

The first leaders of the Trojans, the chosen young men, were holding council about important matters of the kingdom, what they might do or who now might be messenger to Aeneas.

stant longīs adnīxī hastīs et scūta tenentēs castrõrum et campi mediō.

They stand leaning on long spears and holding shields in the middle of the camp and plan.

tum Nīsus et ūnā Euryalus cõnfestim alacrēs admittier õrant;

Then Nisus together with Euryalus immediately eagerly begs to be admitted;

rem magnam pretiumque morae fore. prīmus Iülus accēpit trepidōs ac Nisum dicere iussit.

They say it will be an important thing and worth their while. First Iulus accepts the excited men and ordered Nisus to speak.

tum sīc Hyrtacidēs: 'audīte õ mentibus aequis, Aeneadae, nēve haec nostrīs spectentur ab annis quae ferimus.

Then the son of Hyrtacides spoke thus ‘listen with an open mind, men of Aeneas, and do not judge our suggestions which we bring with us by our age.

Rutuli somnō vīnõque solūtī conticuere; locum insidiïs cõnspeximus ipsī, qui patet in biviõ portae quae proxima ponto.

The Rutuli having been overcome by sleep and wine have fallen silent; We ourselves noticed a place for ambush which lies in a fork in the road by the gate which is closest to the sea.

interrupti ignēs āterque ad sīdera fūmus ērigitur; sĩ fortūnā permittitis ūtī quaesitum Aenēãn et moenia Pallantēa,

Their watch fires having been broken up and black smoke rises to the stars; if you allow us to make use of fortune to search for Aeneas in the palantian walls,

mox hic cum spoliis ingenti caede perāctā adfore cernētis.

soon you will see that we will come here with huge spoils with slaughter having been completed.

nec nõs via fallet euntēs: vīdimus obscūrīs prīmam sub vallibus urbem vēnātū adsiduõ et tõtum cognõvimus amnem.’

Nor will the path lead us astray as we go: We have seen the first signs of the city down in the dark valleys in our constant hunting we have come to know the whole river.’ 

prõtinus armātī incēdunt; quõs omnis euntēs prīmõrum manus ad portās, iuvenumque senumque, prõsequitur võtīs.

Straight away they are approaching armed, whom as they go to the gates the whole band of leaders, both young and old men, escort by prayers.

nec nõn et pulcher Iūlus, ante annõs animumque gerēns cũramque virīlem, multa patrī mandāta dabat portanda;

And also the beautiful Iulus, carrying a mind and concerns  of a man beyond his years, was giving many orders to be carried to his father;

sed aurae omnia discerpunt et nübibus irrita dõnant.

But the breezes scatter all and give them useless to the clouds.

ēgressi superant fossās noctisque per umbram castra inimīca petunt, multis tamen ante futūrī exitiõ.

Having marched they climb over the ditches through the nights shadow they seek the enemies camp, yet first they will be a source of death for many.

passim somnõ vīnõque per herbam corpora fūsa vident, arrēctõs lītore currūs, inter lõra rotāsque virõs, simul arma iacēre, vīna simul.

They see everywhere bodies sprawled through the grass in sleep and wine, chariots raised on the shore, men lie between reins and wheels, at the same time they see weapons and wine.

prior Hyrtacidēs sīc õre locūtus: 'Euryale, audendum hãc dextrā:

First the son of Hyrtacides spoke with his mouth thus: ‘Euryalus, it is to be dared by us with our right hand:

nunc ipsa vocat rēs. hac iter est. tũ, nẽ qua manus sẽ attollere nõbis ā tergõ possit, custõdī et cõnsule longe;

Now the occasion itself calls. The journey is by this. You, so that no hand can mount an attack on our men from the rear, be on guard and look out all around;

haec ego vāsta dabõ et lātõ tē līmite dūcam.'

This I will devastate and I will lead you on a wide path.’

sic memorat võcemque premit, simul ënse superbum Rhamnětem aggreditur,

Thus he speaks and oppresses his voice, at the same time attacks the proud Rhamnes with his sword,

quî forte tapētibus altīs exstrūctus tõtő prőflābat pectore somnum.

whom by chance propped up by deep pillows was breathing out sleep from his whole chest. 

intereã praemissi equitēs ex urbe Latīnā cētera dum legiõ campīs înstrūcta morātur,

Meanwhile the horsemen having been sent ahead from the town of the Latinia while the rest of the army having been instructed waits by the plains.

îbant et Turnő rēgī respõnsa ferēbant, ter centum, scūtāti omnēs, Volcente magistrõ.

They are going to Turnus the king carrying a reply, three hundred men, everyone carrying a shield, with Volcens as commander.

iamque propinquabant castrīs mūrõsque subībant cum procul hõs laevõ flectentēs līmite cernunt,

And now they were approaching the camp and going up to the walls when at distance they see them turning on the left path,

et galea Euryalum sublustri noctis in umbrā prõdidit immemorem radiisque adversa refulsit.

and the helmet betrayed the forgetful Euryalas in the half-lit shade of night and glinting flashed back with the rays of moonlight.

haud temerē est vīsum. conclāmat ab agmine Volcens: 'stāte, virī. quae causa viae? quive estis in armis? quõve tenētis iter?"

This was not seen idly. The Volcens shouts out from the procession: ‘stop, men. What is the cause of the/your journey? Why are you in arms? To where are you making your journey?’

nihil illi tendere contrã, sed celerāre fugam in silvās et fīdere nocti.

They replied nothing in response, but they hastened their flight into the woods and trusted the night.

obiciunt equitēs sēsē ad dīvortia nõta hinc atque hinc, omnemque abitum custõde corōnant.

The carvery places themselves at the well-known crossway on either side, and they encircle every escape route with a guard.

saevit atrõx Volcēns nec tēlī cõnspicit usquam auctõrem nec quõ sẽ ardēns immittere possit.

Fierce volcens rages neither does he see the person who had thrown the spear anywhere nor to where he, fiery, should charge himself.

‘tū tamen intereã calidō mihi sanguine poenās persolvēs ambõrum' inquit;

‘Meanwhile you however will pay the penalty to me for both by your hot blood’ he says:

simul ense recluso ibat in Euryalum. tum vērõ exterritus, āmēns, conclāmat Nīsus nec sẽ cēlāre tenebrīs amplius aut tantum potuit perferre dolőrem:

At the same time his sword having been unsheathed he was going towards Euryalus. Indeed, then terrified out of his mind, Nisus cries out and he was not able to neither conceal himself in darkness any longer nor was able to endure so much pain:

'mē, mē, adsum qui fēcī, in mẽ convertite ferrum, õ Rutuli! mea fraus omnis, nihil iste nec ausus nec potuit;

‘me, me, I approach who did it, turn your sword to me, o Rutuli! Everything is my fault, He neither dared nor able to do anything';

caelum hoc et cõnscia sīdera testor; tantum infēlīcem nimium dīlēxit amīcum.'

The heaven and stars knowing the truth I call to witness; The only think he is only guilty of loving his unlucky friend too much.’

tālia dicta dabat, sed vīribus ēnsis adāctus trānsabiït costăs et candida pectora rumpit.

he spoke such words but a sword driven in with strength pierced his ribs and burst his pale chest.

volvitur Euryalus lētõ, pulchrõsque per artus it cruor inque umerõs cervix collāpsa recumbit:

Euryalus is twisted in death blood goes through his beautiful limbs and his collapsed neck falls onto his shoulders:

purpureus veluti cum flōs succīsus arātrō languēscit moriēns, lassõve papāvera collo dēmīsēre caput pluviă cum forte gravantur.

just as when a crimson flower having been cut down by the plough droops down dying, for poppies with tired neck hung down their head when by chance they are weighed down by rain.

at Nisus ruit in mediõs sõlumque per omnēs Volcentem petit, in sõlō Volcente morātur.

But nisus rushes into the middle and alone through all seeks volcens, in volcens alone he is concerned.

quem circum glomerātī hostēs hinc comminus atque hinc prõturbant.

The enemies gather around him on this side and that and in close combat trying to repel him.

instat nõn sētius ac rotat ēnsem fulmineum, dõnec Rutuli clāmantis in õre condidit adversõ et moriēns animam abstulit hosti.

He presses onwards nonetheless and whirling his lightening sword, until he buried it full in the face of the shouting Rutullan opposite him and dying took away the soul of his enemy.

tum super exanimum sēsē prõiēcit amicum cõnfossus, placidāque ibi dēmum morte quiēvit.

Then having been stabbed he threw himself on top of his lifeless friend and there at last rested in peaceful death.