The Aeneid Translation

Urbs antiqua fuit, Tyrii tenuere coloni,

Karthago, Italiam contra Tiberinaque longe

ostia, dives opum studiisque asperrima belli;

Long ago, there was a city, held by Tyrian colonists,

Carthage, opposite Italy and the far off mouths of the Tiber

rich in resources and most harsh in the pursuits of war

quam Iuno fertur terris magis omnibus unam

posthabita coluisse Samo; hic illius arma,

Juno is said to have revered Carthage alone, more than all other lands

with Samos placed after; here were her weapons

posthabita coluisse Samo; hic illius arma

hic currus fuit; hoc regnum dea gentibus esse,

si qua fata sinant, iam tum tenditque fovetque

with Samos placed after; here were her weapons

here was her chariot; even then, the goddess both strived and cherished the idea that this should be a kingdom over nations

if only the fates might allow it.

progeniem sed enim Troiano a sanguine duci

audierat, Tyrias olim quae verteret arces;

However, she had heard of a race that derived from Trojan blood

which would one day overthrow the Tyrian strongholds

hinc populum late regem belloque superbum

venturum excidio Lilbyae: sic volvere Parcas.

henceforth, a people, wide ruling and proud in war,

would come to Libya’s destruction: so the fates spun.

id metuens, veterisque memor Saturnia belli,

prima quod ad Troiam pro caris gesserat Argis

Fearing this, and remembering the long-standing war which Juno had first waged at Troy on behalf of her beloved Argos

(necdum etiam causae irarum saevique dolores

exciderant animo: manet alta mente repostum

(also, not yet had the causes of her anger and bitter sorrows

fallen from her mind: the judgement of Paris remained buried deep in her mind,

iudicium Paridis spretaeque iniuria formae,

et genus invisum, et rapti Ganymedis honores.)

and the injustice to her scorned beauty

and the hated race, and the honours paid to stolen Ganymede.)

his accensa super, iactatos aequore toto

Troas, reliquias Danaum atque immitis Achilli,

Incensed further by this, she was keeping the Trojans, tossed over the whole sea,

the remnants left by the Greeks and pitiless Achilles

arcebat longe Latio, multosque per annos

errabant, acti fatis, maria omnia circum.

far away from Latium, and they were wandering for many years,

driven by the Fates, around all the seas.

tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem!

So great a struggle it was to found the Roman people!

Vix e conspectu Siculae telluris in altum

Scarcely out of sight of Siciliy’s land, in the deep sea

vela dabant laeti, et spumas salis aere ruebant,

cum Iuno, aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus,

they were joyfully setting sail and were ploughing through the sea foam with their bronze prow,

when Juno, nursing the eternal wound in her breast

haec secum: ‘mene incepto desistere victam,

nec posse Italia Teucrorum avertere regem?

spoke these words to herself: ‘Am I to abandon my purpose, conquered,

unable to turn the Tucrian King away from Italy?

quippe vetor fatis. Pallasne exurere classem

Argivum atque ipsos potuit submergere ponto,

unius ob noxam et furias Aiacis Oilei.

But of course, I am forbidden by the Fates. Was Pallas able to burn up the fleet

of the Argives and submerge them themselves in the sea

on account of one man’s offence and the rage of Ajax, son of Oileus.

Ipsa Iovis rapidum iaculata e nubibus ignem,

disiecitque rates evertitque aequora ventis,

She herself, having hurled the swift fire of Jupiter from the clouds,

both scattered the ships and overturned the seas with the winds

illum exspirantem transfixo pectore flammas

turbine corripuit scopuloque infixit acuto.

while him, breathing forth flames from his pierced chest

she snatched up in a whirlwind and thrust him onto a sharp rock.