Aeneid 4.279-295

Aeneas is horrified. He has to obey. He arranges his departure but postpones the moment of telling Dido.

At vero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens,

arrectaeque horrore comae, et vox faucibus haesit.

Yet indeed Aeneas has been struck dumb, mindless at the sight [of Mercury], and his hair has stood on end in horror and his voice has stuck in his throat.

Ardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras,

attonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum.

He burns to depart in flight and to abandon the sweet lands, astonished by such a great warning and command of the gods.

Heu quid agat? Quo nunc reginam ambire furentem

audeat adfatu?

Alas, what is he to do? With what address dare he now approach the queen in her fury?

Quae prima exordia sumat?

Which first beginnings should he take up?

Atque animum nunc huc celerem, nunc dividit illuc,

in partisque rapit varias perque omnia versat.

And he divides his quick mind now this way now that, and snatches it in various directions and keeps turning over everything.

Haec alternanti potior sententia visa est:

As he was changing back and forth, this proposal seemed to have more potential:

Mnesthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum,

he calls Mnestheus and Sergestus and brave Serestus,

classem aptent taciti sociosque ad litora cogant,

[that] they are to fit out the fleet in silence and assemble the company on the shore,

arma parent, et quae rebus sit causa novandis dissimulent;

[that] they are to prepare the equipment and conceal what is the reason for changing plans

sese interea, quando optuma Dido

nesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores,

[that] meanwhile he, since excellent Dido is unaware and does not expect such a great love to be broken,

temptaturum aditus, et quae mollissima fandi

tempora, quis rebus dexter modus.

will attempt to find approaches and what occasions are kindest for speaking to her, [and] which plan is suitable for the situation.

Ocius omnes imperio laeti parent ac iussa facessunt.

Quite quickly everyone obeys his command gladly and carries out the orders.