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ea lapsa repente ruinam
cum sonitu trahit et Danaum super agmina late
incidit. ast alii subeunt, nec saxa, nec ullum
telorum interea cessat genus.
it having fallen suddenly it drags ruin with a noise and crashes widely over the Greeks ranks. And yet others come up, nor meanwhile do rocks nor any kind of missiles cease.
‘ruinam…trahit’ - Graphic imagery of the tower.
vestibulum ante ipsum primoque in limine Pyrrhus
exsultat, telis et luce coruscus aëna;
qualis ubi in lucem coluber mala gramina pastus,
frigida sub terra tumidum quem bruma tegebat,
Before the entrance itself and on the first threshold Pyrrhus jumps, shimmering with weapons and with bronze light; such as when a snake into the light having been fed on poisonous herbs, whom the cold winter was concealing beneath the swollen ground,
Pyrrhus - The son of the Greek warrior, Achilles.
‘qualis…pastus’ - refers to the Illad where Hector was described as a snake awaiting Achilles but here the role’s are reversed and now the Greeks awaiting Hector’s father.
nunc, positis novus exuviis nitidusque iuventa,
lubrica convolvit sublato pectore terga
arduus ad solem, et linguis micat ore trisulcis.
now, the snake having shed its skin new and shining with youth, with uplifted chest it rolls on its slippery back towering towards the sun, and the 3-forked tongue flickers from its mouth.
una ingens Periphas et equorum agitator Achillis,
armiger Automedon, una omnis Scyria pubes
succedunt tecto, et flammas ad culmina iactant.
With him huge Periphas and the driver of Achilles’ horses, the armour-bearer Automedon, with him the whole Scyrian youth advance to the dwelling and hurl flames towards the roof.
ipse inter primos correpta dura bipenni
limina perrumpit postisque a cardine vellit
aeratos; iamque excisa trabe firma cavavit
robora et ingentem lato dedit ore fenestram.
He himself among the foremost with a battle-axe burst through the tough doors and tears the bronze door-posts from the hinge; and now with a wooden panel heaved out he has breached the firm oak and made a huge window with a wide mouth.
apparet domus intus, et atria longa patescunt;
apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum,
armatosque vident stantis in limine primo.
The house appears from within the long halls open out; there appears the chambers of Priam and of the ancient kings and they see armed men standing on the very threshold.
“apparet…apparent“ - polyptoton - Creates an overwhelming atmosphere that the Greeks felt.
at domus interior gemitu miseroque tumultu
miscetur, penitusque cavae plangoribus aedes
femineis ululant; ferit aurea sidera clamor.
tum pavidae tectis matres ingentibus errant;
But the inner house is confused with groaning and with wretched commotion; and deep within the vaulted halls howl with women’s lamentations; the shouts strike the golden stars. Then terrified mothers wander in the huge dwelling;
“at domus interior“ - Contrast - We see something else happening inside
“ululant“ - onomatopoeia - personifies the halls and presenting them as being in danger like animals.
amplexaeque tenent postis atque oscula figunt.
instat vi patria Pyrrhus; nec claustra, neque ipsi
custodes sufferre valent; labat ariete crebro
ianua, et emoti procumbunt cardine postes.
and having embraced the door-posts they hold them and fix kisses to them. Pyrrhus presses on with his father’s strength; neither bolts, nor the very guards are able to withstand him; the doors totters from the incessant battering, and the door-posts removed from the hinge fall forwards.
fit via vi; rumpunt aditus, primosque trucidant
immissi Danai, et late loca milite complent.
non sic, aggeribus ruptis cum spumeus amnis
exiit, oppositasque evicit gurgite moles,
A way arises from force; the Greeks having been let in they burst an entrance and they butcher the foremost and fill the places widely with soldiers. Not so furiously, with its dam having been burst when a foaming river has overflowed and has over whelmed the opposing river-banks with its torrent,
“vi“ - Repetition - Puts emphasis on the strength of the Greeks
“trucidare“ - Graphic - The Greeks are violent and kill presumably the guards
fertur in arva furens cumulo, camposque per omnis
cum stabulis armenta trahit. vidi ipse furentem
caede Neoptolemum geminosque in limine Atridas;
vidi Hecubam centumque nurus Priamumque per aras
sanguine foedantem, quos ipse sacraverat, ignis.
It is carried into the fields raging in a mass and through all the fields it drags herds along with stables. I myself raging with slaughter saw Neoptolemus (Pyrrhus) and both sons of Atreus on the threshold, I saw Hecuba and her 100 daughter-in-laws and her husband Priam amid the altars polluting with his blood the fires which he himself had cursed.
Similarity between Pyrrhus and the river - they both are violent and enraged with slaughter.
“centumque nurus“ - refers to their 50 daughters & 50 daughters-in-laws.
“sanguine foedantem“ - proleptic - his slaughter at the altar that is yet to happen.
quinquaginta illi thalami, spes tanta nepotum,
barbarico postes auro spoliisque superbi,
procubuere; tenent Danai, qua deficit ignis.
Those famous 50 bedrooms, such a great hope of grandsons, the door-posts proud with foreign gold and spoils fell low; the Greeks hold sway, where the fire fails.
“illi“ - The bedrooms are famous as they were described in the Iliad.
“tenent …ignis“ - the Greeks are even more dangerous than fire.
forsitan et Priami fuerint quae fata requiras.
urbis uti captae casum convolsaque vidit
limina tectorum et medium in penetralibus hostem,
Perhaps also, you may ask what was the fate of Priam. When he saw the fall of the captured city and the thresholds of the palace shattered and the middle of the enemy in the inner rooms,
arma diu senior desueta trementibus aevo
circumdat nequiquam umeris, et inutile ferrum
cingitur, ac densos fertur moriturus in hostis.
though older he puts on in vain long unused armour around his shoulders trembling with age and puts on his useless sword, and rushes unto the thick of the enemy.
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