AP Latin Book II Aeneid Translation

Primus ibi ante omnes magna comitante caterva Laocoon ardens summa decurrit ab arce, et procul 'O miseri, quae tanta insania, cives?

First, before them all, with a huge crowd accompanying him, Laocoon, burning runs down from the highest citadel and, from afar, says "Oh wretched citizens, what is this madness?

Creditis avectos hostis? Aut ulla putatis

dona carere dolis Danaum? Sic notus Ulixes?

Do you believe that the enemies were taken away? Or, do you think that the Greek gift lacks trickery? Is this not what Odysseus/Ulysses is known for?

Aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi,

aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina muros,

inspectura domos venturaque desuper urbi,

aut aliquis latet error.

Either the Greeks are inside the wood, or the machine was made to destroy/scale our walls, to inspect our homes and to attack the city from above, or other hidden tricks lie.

Equo ne credite, Teucri. Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis."

Do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it might be, I fear the Greeks, even when bearing gifts."

Sic fatus validis ingentem viribus hastam in latus inque feri curvam compagibus alvum contorsit.

Thus, having spoken, he hurled his huge spear with strong strength into the side and into the belly of the beast, curved with its binding.

Stetit illa tremens, uteroque recusso insonuere cavae gemitumque dedere cavernae.

That spear stood trembling, with the stomach having reverberated, and the hollow cavities made a loud noise and gave a moan.

et, si fata deum, si mens non laeva fuisset, impulerat ferro Argolicas foedare latebras, Troiaque nunc staret, Priamique arx alta maneres.

And, if the fate of the gods, if the mind of the god had been unfavorable, if he had tried to defile the hiding place of the Greeks with his sword, both Troy would now stand, and you would survive, tall citadel of Priam.

Laocoon, ductus Neptuno sorte sacerdos, sollemnis taurum ingentem mactabat ad aras.

Laocoön, chosen by lot as priest to Neptune, was sacrificing a huge bull at the ceremonial altars.

Ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta (horresco referens) immensis orbibus angues incumbunt pelago pariterque ad litora tendunt; pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque sanguineae superant undas, pars cetera pontum pone legit sinuatque immensa volumine terga.

Look, moreover! A pair of serpents, from Tenedos, through the tranquil deep (I shudder to tell it) with their huge coils pressed upon the sea and at the same time heading for the shore: their fronts, having lifted high over the tide, and their blood-red crests, top the waves.

Fit sonitus spumante salo; iamque arva tenebant

ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine et igni

sibila lambebant linguis vibrantibus ora.

The rest of their body slides through the ocean behind, and bends their huge backs in voluminous folds.

There's a roar from the foaming sea. And now they hold the shore, and with burning eyes suffused with blood and fire, lick at their hissing jaws with flickering tongues.

Diffugimus visu exsangues. Illi agmine certo

Laocoonta petunt, et primum parva duorum

corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque

At ruunt in hostes, furiaeque, auctorque mali,
Laocoön, et primum in montem delubra alta
Laocoönis epulatus: et hostes (aegrumque
Hostis aversus) in orbe retro detinet
Sanguine abdita umerum.

Blanching at the sight, we scatter. They move on a set course towards Laocoön: and first, each serpent, having surrounded the small bodies of his two sons, entwines them and feeds upon their wretched limbs with its bite.

Post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem corripiunt spirisque ligant ingentibus; et iam bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum terga dati, superant capite et cervicibus altus.

After, they seize and carry weapons and bind one with huge coils; now having encircled [his] middle twice, having placed their scaly backs around his neck twice, the snakes overpower him with their head and lofty necks.

Ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos perfusus sanie vittas atroque veneno, clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit: quales mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram taurus et incertam excussit cervice securim.

Simultaneously, he reaches to tear the knots with his hands, his band having been soaked by blood and black poison, raising terrible shouts to the stars: like the roaring when a wounded bull flees the altar and [he] shakes off the uncertain-aimed axe from his neck.

At gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones effugiunt saevaeque petunt Tritonidis arcem, sub pedibusque deae clipeique sub orbe teguntur.

But the twin serpents escape, gliding, to the highest shrine and seek the temple of fierce Athena.

Tum vero tremefacta novus per pectora cunctis insinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse merentem Laocoonta ferunt, sacrum qui cuspide robur laeserit et tergo sceleratam intorserit hastam.

Then in truth a strange terror steals through each shuddering heart, and they say that Laocoon has suffered justly for his crime in wounding the sacred oak tree with his spear, by hurling its evil shaft in the trunk.

dūcendum ad sēdēs simulācrum ōrandaque dīvae

dūcendum ad sēdēs simulācrum ōrandaque dīvae
nūmina conclamant.

they shout together that the image should be led to the seats (of the gods) and prayers offered to the powers of the goddess.

Dividimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis.

We breached the wall and opened up the defences of the city.

Accingunt omnes operi pedibusque rotarum subiciunt lapsus, et stuppea vincula collo intendunt.

All prepare themselves for work and they set up wheels allowing movement under its feet, and stretch hemp ropes round its neck.

Scandit fatalis machina muros

feta armis. Pueri circum innuptaeque puellae

sacra canunt funemque manu contingere gaudent; illa subit mediaeque minans inlabitur urbi.

That engine of fate mounts our walls pregnant with armed men. Around it boys and girls, sing sacred songs, and delight in touching their hands to the ropes: Up it glides and rolls threateningly into the midst of the city.

O patria, O divum domus Ilium et incluta bello moenia Dardanidum!

O Homeland, O Ilium home of the Gods and Troy's walls famed in war!

quater ipso in limine portae

substitit atque utero sonitum quater arma dedere.

Four times on the threshold itself of the gate it resisted, and four times the weapons gave forth a sound from the belly.

Instamus tamen immemores caecique furore et monstrum infelix sacrata sistimus arce.

We pressed on nonetheless heedless and blinded by madness, and we set the unlucky omen on the hallowed citadel.

Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris ora dei iussu non umquam credita Teucris.

Even then for the purpose of the fates to come Cassandra discloses words not ever, by the order of a god, believed by Trojans.

Nos delubra deum miseri, quibus ultimus esset ille dies, festa velamus fronde per urbem.

We Unfortunates, for whom that day was to be the last, deck the shrines of the gods with festive foliage throughout the city.

Tempus erat quo prima quies mortalibus aegris incipit et dono divum gratissima serpit.

It was the time in which first rest begins for sick mortals creeps most thankful as a gift of the gods.

In somnis, ecce, ante oculos maestissimus Hector visus adesse mihi largosque effundere fletus, raptatus bigis ut quondam, aterque cruento pulvere perque pedes traiectus lora tumentes.

Behold, before eyes in dreams saddest Hector seemed to me to be present and to pour out huge tears, black with blood [and] with dust as once dragged by the two horse chariot and through the swollen feet pierced reins.

Ei mihi, qualis erat, quantum mutatus ab illo

Hectore qui redit exuvias indutus Achilli

vel Danaum Phrygios iaculatus puppibus ignis;

Woe me, what sort he was, how much changed from that Hector who returned having donned the spoils of Achilles, or having thrown Phrygian fire on [the ships] of the Danaans;

squalentem barbam et concretos sanguine crines vulneraque illa gerens, quae circum plurima muros accepit patrios.

and bearing a filthy beard and hair matted with blood and wounds, which many he received around the walls of the fatherland.

"O lux Dardaniae, spes o fidissima Teucrum, quae tantae tenuere morae? Quibus Hector ab oris expectate venis?

"Oh light of Troy, oh most faithful hope of the Trojans, which delay has held you so long? From which shores, Hector, the long awaited, do you come?

Ut te post multa tuorum funera, post varios hominumque urbisque labores defessi aspicimus! Quae causa indigna seneros foedavit vultus? Aut cur haec vulnera cerno?"

How happily, after the many burials of your kin,

after the various labors of our men and of our city

the weary behold you! What unworthy cause has

defiled that clear face? Or why do I see these wounds?"

Ille nihil, nec me quaerentem vana moratur,

sed graviter gemitus imo de pectore ducens,

'heu fuge, nate dea, teque his' ait 'eripe flammis.

He says nothing, nor does he pay attention to my empty asking, but deeply leading groans from the depths of his chest, "Alas, flee, son of a goddess," he says, "and steal away from these flames.

hostis habet muros; ruit alto a culmine Troia.

Sat patriae Priamoque datum: si Pergama dextra

Hostes habet muros; ruuntque aediumque domosque.
Satis Priamo et patriæ datum: si quis adesset,
Trojæ quem manus hanc servare potuisset,
Hanc servaret manus."

The enemy has the walls; Troy falls from her summit. Enough has been given to Priam and the fatherland: if Troy were able to be saved by anyone's hand, it would have been saved by this hand.

Sacra suosque tibi commendat Troia penatis;

hos cape fatorum comites, his moenia quaere

magna pererrato statues quae denique ponto.'

And Troy entrusts her men and sacred gods to you; Seize them as companions of your fate, seek great walls for them, which, when the sea has been thoroughly wandered, you will finally establish."

Sic ait et manibus vittas Vestamque potentem

aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem.

And he carries the eternal fire from the innermost sanctum."

powerful Vesta, and the eternal flame.