Vergil Aeneid 4.259-295

[4.259-295]
259 Ut prīmum ālātīs tetigit māgālia plantīs,
260 Aenēān fundantem arcēs ac tēcta novantem
261 cōnspicit. Atque illī stēllātus iāspide fulvā
262 ēnsis erat Tyriōque ardēbat mūrice laena
263 dēmissa ex umerīs, dīves quae mūnera Dīdō
264 fēcerat, et tenuī tēlās discrēverat aurō.

As soon as he touched the huts with his winged heels,
he catches sight of Aeneas, founding citadels and building houses.
And that man had a sword studded with yellow jasper, and the mantle,
having been lowered from his shoulder, was sparkling with Tyrian purple,
which gifts wealthy Dido had made,
and she had separated the textiles with fine gold.

265 Continuō invādit: “Tū nunc Karthāginis altae
266 fundāmenta locās pulchramque uxōrius urbem
267 exstruis? Heu, rēgnī rērumque oblīte tuārum!
268 Ipse deum tibi mē clārō dēmittit Olympō
269 rēgnātor, caelum et terrās quī nūmine torquet,
270 ipse haec ferre iubet celerēs mandāta per aurās:

Immediately he attacks: "Now do you place the foundations of lofty Carthage,
wife-ruled one, and build up a beautiful city?
Alas, one having forgotten the kingdom and your affairs!
He himself, ruler of the gods, who twists the sky and earth(s) with divine will,
sends me down to you from illustrious Olympus,
he himself orders [me] to carry these commands through quick airs:

271 Quid struis? Aut quā spē Libycīs teris ōtia terrīs?
272 Sī tē nūlla movet tantārum glōria rērum
273 [nec super ipse tuā mōlīris laude labōrem,]
274 Ascanium surgentem et spēs hērēdis Iūlī
275 respice, cui rēgnum Ītaliae Rōmānaque tellūs
276 dēbētur.” Tālī Cyllēnius ōre locūtus
277 mortālēs vīsūs mediō sermōne relīquit
278 et procul in tenuem ex oculīs ēvānuit auram.

What do you plan? Or with what hope do you waste leisure on Libyan soils?
If no glory of so great matters moves you,
[nor in addition do you yourself undertake labor because of your praise],
look back at rising Ascanius, and the hopes of the successor Iulus,
to whom the kingdom of Italy and Roman land are owed."
Mercury, having spoken with such a speech,
Left the mortal faces in the middle of the speech,
and vanished into thin air, far from the eyes.

279 At vērō Aenēās aspectū obmūtuit āmēns,
280 arrēctaeque horrōre comae et vōx faucibus haesit.
281 Ardet abīre fugā dulcēsque relinquere terrās,
282 attonitus tantō monitū imperiōque deōrum.

But Aeneas truly, frenzied, stood speechless at this sight,
both his hair stood on end with horror and his voice stuck in his throat.
He is eager to leave in flight and abandon the sweet lands,
thunderstruck with such a great warning and command of the gods.

283 Heu quid agat? Quō nunc rēgīnam ambīre furentem
284 audeat adfātū? Quae prīma exordia sūmat?
285 Atque animum nunc hūc celerem nunc dīvidit illūc
286 in partēsque rapit variās perque omnia versat.

Alas, what should he do? Now with what address should he dare to conciliate
the raging queen? Which first beginnings should he take up?
And he divides his swift mind now in this direction, now in that,
and he takes [it] into different directions, and revolves [it] through everything.

287 Haec alternantī potior sententia vīsa est:
288 Mnēsthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum,
289 classem aptent tacitī sociōsque ad lītora cōgant,
290 arma parent et quae rēbus sit causa novandīs
291 dissimulent; sēsē intereā, quandō optima Dīdō
292 nesciat et tantōs rumpī nōn spēret amōrēs,

This opinion has been perceived as the better [one] to the wavering one:
he calls Mnestheus, and Sergestus, and brave Serestus2
that they, quiet, equip the fleet and collect the men to the shores,
they should prepare arms and they should conceal what the cause is for renewing things;
meanwhile, since best Dido does not know,
and does not hope such great love to be broken,

293 temptātūrum aditūs et quae mollissima fandī
294 tempora, quis rēbus dexter modus. Ōcius omnēs
295 imperiō laetī pārent et iussa facessunt.

That he would seek approaches and which [are] the
mildest times for speaking, which [is] the right method for these things,
all happy ones more swiftly obey his command, and fulfill her orders.