Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  Meanwhile Æneas scaled the cliff and far and wide he swept

  prospectum late pelago petit, Anthea si quem

  The main, if anywhere perchance the sea his Antheus kept,

  iactatum vento videat Phrygiasque biremis,

  Tossed by the wind, if he might see the twi-banked Phrygians row;

  aut Capyn, aut celsis in puppibus arma Caici.

  If Capys, or Caïcus’ arms on lofty deck might show.

  Navem in conspectu nullam, tris litore cervos

  Nor any ship there was in sight, but on the strand he saw

  prospicit errantis; hos tota armenta sequuntur 185

  Three stags a-wandering at their will, and after them they draw

  a tergo, et longum per vallis pascitur agmen.

  The whole herd following down the dales long strung out as they feed:

  Constitit hic, arcumque manu celerisque sagittas

  So still he stood, and caught in hand his bow and shafts of speed,

  corripuit, fidus quae tela gerebat Achates;

  The weapons that Achates staunch was bearing then and oft;

  ductoresque ipsos primum, capita alta ferentis

  And first the very lords of those, that bore their heads aloft

  cornibus arboreis, sternit, tum volgus, et omnem 190

  With branching horns, he felled, and then the common sort, and so

  miscet agens telis nemora inter frondea turbam;

  Their army drave he with his darts through leafy woods to go:

  nec prius absistit, quam septem ingentia victor

  Nor held his hand till on the earth were seven great bodies strown,

  corpora fundat humi, et numerum cum navibus aequet.

  And each of all his ships might have one head of deer her own.

  Hinc portum petit, et socios partitur in omnes.

  Thence to the haven gat he gone with all his folk to share,

  Vina bonus quae deinde cadis onerarat Acestes 195

  And that good wine which erst the casks Acestes made to bear,

  litore Trinacrio dederatque abeuntibus heros,

  And gave them as they went away on that Trinacrian beach,

  dividit, et dictis maerentia pectora mulcet:

  He shared about; then fell to soothe their grieving hearts with speech:

  ‘O socii — neque enim ignari sumus ante malorum —

  “O fellows, we are used ere now by evil ways to wend;

  O passi graviora, dabit deus his quoque finem.

  O ye who erst bore heavier loads, this too the Gods shall end.

  Vos et Scyllaeam rabiem penitusque sonantis 200

  Ye, ye have drawn nigh Scylla’s rage and rocks that inly roar,

  accestis scopulos, vos et Cyclopea saxa

  And run the risk of storm of stones upon the Cyclops’ shore:

  experti: revocate animos, maestumque timorem

  Come, call aback your ancient hearts and put your fears away!

  mittite: forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit.

  This too shall be for joy to you remembered on a day.

  Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum

  Through diverse haps, through many risks wherewith our way is strown,

  tendimus in Latium; sedes ubi fata quietas 205

  We get us on to Latium, the land the Fates have shown

  ostendunt; illic fas regna resurgere Troiae.

  To be for peaceful seats for us: there may we raise up Troy.

  Durate, et vosmet rebus servate secundis.’

  Abide, endure, and keep yourselves for coming days of joy.”

  Talia voce refert, curisque ingentibus aeger

  So spake his voice: but his sick heart did mighty trouble rack,

  spem voltu simulat, premit altum corde dolorem.

  As, glad of countenance, he thrust the heavy anguish back.

  Illi se praedae accingunt, dapibusque futuris; 210

  But they fall to upon the prey, and feast that was to dight,

  tergora deripiunt costis et viscera nudant;

  And flay the hide from off the ribs, and bare the flesh to sight.

  pars in frusta secant veribusque trementia figunt;

  Some cut it quivering into steaks which on the spits they run,

  litore aena locant alii, flammasque ministrant.

  Some feed the fire upon the shore, and set the brass thereon.

  Tum victu revocant vires, fusique per herbam

  And so meat bringeth might again, and on the grass thereby,

  implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinae. 215

  Fulfilled with fat of forest deer and ancient wine, they lie.

  Postquam exempta fames epulis mensaeque remotae,

  But when all hunger was appeased and tables set aside,

  amissos longo socios sermone requirunt,

  Of missing fellows how they fared the talk did long abide;

  spemque metumque inter dubii, seu vivere credant,

  Whom, weighing hope and weighing fear, either alive they trow,

  sive extrema pati nec iam exaudire vocatos.

  Or that the last and worst has come, that called they hear not now.

  Praecipue pius Aeneas nunc acris Oronti, 220

  And chief of all the pious King Æneas moaned the pass

  nunc Amyci casum gemit et crudelia secum

  Of brisk Orontes, Amycus, and cruel fate that was

  fata Lyci, fortemque Gyan, fortemque Cloanthum.

  Of Lycus, and of Bias strong, and strong Cloanthus gone.

  Et iam finis erat, cum Iuppiter aethere summo

  But now an end of all there was, when Jove a-looking down

  despiciens mare velivolum terrasque iacentis

  From highest lift on sail-skimmed sea, and lands that round it lie,

  litoraque et latos populos, sic vertice caeli 225

  And shores and many folk about, in topmost burg of sky

  constitit, et Libyae defixit lumina regnis.

  Stood still, and fixed the eyes of God on Libya’s realm at last:

  Atque illum talis iactantem pectore curas

  To whom, as through his breast and mind such cares of godhead passed,

  tristior et lacrimis oculos suffusa nitentis

  Spake Venus, sadder than her due with bright eyes gathering tears:

  adloquitur Venus: ‘O qui res hominumque deumque

  “O thou, who rulest with a realm that hath no days nor years,

  aeternis regis imperiis, et fulmine terres, 230

  Both Gods and men, and mak’st them fear thy thunder lest it fall,

  quid meus Aeneas in te committere tantum,

  What then hath mine Æneas done so great a crime to call?

  quid Troes potuere, quibus, tot funera passis,

  What might have Trojan men to sin? So many deaths they bore

  cunctus ob Italiam terrarum clauditur orbis?

  ‘Gainst whom because of Italy is shut the wide world’s door.

  Certe hinc Romanos olim, volventibus annis,

  Was it not surely promised me that as the years rolled round

  hinc fore ductores, revocato a sanguine Teucri, 235

  The blood of Teucer come again should spring from out the ground,

  qui mare, qui terras omni dicione tenerent,

  The Roman folk, such very lords, that all the earth and sea

  pollicitus, quae te, genitor, sententia vertit?

  Their sway should compass? Father, doth the counsel shift in thee?

  Hoc equidem occasum Troiae tristisque ruinas

  This thing indeed atoned to me for Troy in ashes laid,

  solabar, fatis contraria fata rependens;

  And all the miserable end, as fate ‘gainst fate I weighed:

  nunc eadem fortuna viros tot casibus actos 240

  But now the self-same fortune dogs men by such troubles driven

  insequitur. Quem das finem, rex magne, laborum?

  So oft and oft. What end of toil then giv�
��st thou, King of heaven?

  Antenor potuit, mediis elapsus Achivis,

  Antenor was of might enow to ‘scape the Achæan host,

  Illyricos penetrare sinus, atque intima tutus

  And safe to reach the Illyrian gulf and pierce Liburnia’s coast,

  regna Liburnorum, et fontem superare Timavi,

  And through the inmost realms thereof to pass Timavus’ head,

  unde per ora novem vasto cum murmure montis 245

  Whence through nine mouths midst mountain roar is that wild water shed,

  it mare proruptum et pelago premit arva sonanti.

  To cast itself on fields below with all its sounding sea:

  Hic tamen ille urbem Patavi sedesque locavit

  And there he made Patavium’s town and Teucrian seats to be,

  Teucrorum, et genti nomen dedit, armaque fixit

  And gave the folk their very name and Trojan arms did raise:

  Troia; nunc placida compostus pace quiescit:

  Now settled in all peace and rest he passeth quiet days.

  nos, tua progenies, caeli quibus adnuis arcem, 250

  But we, thy children, unto whom thou giv’st with bowing head

  navibus (infandum!) amissis, unius ob iram

  The heights of heaven, our ships are lost, and we, O shame! betrayed,

  prodimur atque Italis longe disiungimur oris.

  Are driven away from Italy for anger but of one.

  Hic pietatis honos? Sic nos in sceptra reponis?’

  Is this the good man’s guerdon then? is this the promised throne?”

  Olli subridens hominum sator atque deorum,

  The Sower of the Gods and men a little smiled on her

  voltu, quo caelum tempestatesque serenat, 255

  With such a countenance as calms the storms and upper air;

  oscula libavit natae, dehinc talia fatur:

  He kissed his daughter on the lips, and spake such words to tell:

  ‘Parce metu, Cytherea: manent immota tuorum

  “O Cytherean, spare thy dread! unmoved the Fates shall dwell

  fata tibi; cernes urbem et promissa Lavini

  Of thee and thine, and thou shalt see the promised city yet,

  moenia, sublimemque feres ad sidera caeli

  E’en that Lavinium’s walls, and high amidst the stars shalt set

  magnanimum Aenean; neque me sententia vertit. 260

  Great-souled Æneas: nor in me doth aught of counsel shift

  Hic tibi (fabor enim, quando haec te cura remordet,

  But since care gnaws upon thine heart, the hidden things I lift

  longius et volvens fatorum arcana movebo)

  Of Fate, and roll on time for thee, and tell of latter days.

  bellum ingens geret Italia, populosque feroces

  Great war he wars in Italy, and folk full wild of ways

  contundet, moresque viris et moenia ponet,

  He weareth down, and lays on men both laws and wallèd steads,

  tertia dum Latio regnantem viderit aestas, 265

  Till the third summer seeth him King o’er the Latin heads,

  ternaque transierint Rutulis hiberna subactis.

  And the third winter’s wearing brings the fierce Rutulians low.

  At puer Ascanius, cui nunc cognomen Iulo

  Thereon the lad Ascanius, Iulus by-named now,

  additur, — Ilus erat, dum res stetit Ilia regno, —

  (And Ilus was he once of old, when Ilium’s city was,)

  triginta magnos volvendis mensibus orbis

  Fulfilleth thirty orbs of rule with rolling months that pass,

  imperio explebit, regnumque ab sede Lavini 270

  And from the town Lavinium shifts the dwelling of his race,

  transferet, et longam multa vi muniet Albam.

  And maketh Alba-town the Long a mighty fencèd place.

  Hic iam ter centum totos regnabitur annos

  Here when for thrice an hundred years untouched the land hath been

  gente sub Hectorea, donec regina sacerdos,

  Beneath the rule of Hector’s folk, lo Ilia, priestess-queen,

  Marte gravis, geminam partu dabit Ilia prolem.

  Goes heavy with the love of Mars, and bringeth twins to birth.

  Inde lupae fulvo nutricis tegmine laetus 275

  ‘Neath yellow hide of foster-wolf thence, mighty in his mirth,

  Romulus excipiet gentem, et Mavortia condet

  Comes Romulus to bear the folk, and Mavors’ walls to frame,

  moenia, Romanosque suo de nomine dicet.

  And by the word himself was called the Roman folk to name.

  His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono;

  On them I lay no bonds of time, no bonds of earthly part;

  imperium sine fine dedi. Quin aspera Iuno,

  I give them empire without end: yea, Juno, hard of heart,

  quae mare nunc terrasque metu caelumque fatigat, 280

  Who wearieth now with fear of her the heavens and earth and sea,

  consilia in melius referet, mecumque fovebit

  Shall gather better counsel yet, and cherish them with me;

  Romanos rerum dominos gentemque togatam:

  The Roman folk, the togaed men, lords of all worldly ways.

  sic placitum. Veniet lustris labentibus aetas,

  Such is the doom. As weareth time there come those other days,

  cum domus Assaraci Phthiam clarasque Mycenas

  Wherein Assaracus shall bind Mycenæ of renown,

  servitio premet, ac victis dominabitur Argis. 285

  And Phthia, and shall lord it o’er the Argives beaten down.

  Nascetur pulchra Troianus origine Caesar,

  Then shall a Trojan Cæsar come from out a lovely name,

  imperium oceano, famam qui terminet astris, —

  The ocean-stream shall bound his rule, the stars of heaven his fame,

  Iulius, a magno demissum nomen Iulo.

  Julius his name from him of old, the great Iulus sent:

  Hunc tu olim caelo, spoliis Orientis onustum,

  Him too in house of heaven one day ‘neath spoils of Eastlands bent

  accipies secura; vocabitur hic quoque votis. 290

  Thou, happy, shalt receive; he too shall have the prayers of men.

  Aspera tum positis mitescent saecula bellis;

  The wars of old all laid aside, the hard world bettereth then,

  cana Fides, et Vesta, Remo cum fratre Quirinus,

  And Vesta and the hoary Faith, Quirinus and his twin

  iura dabunt; dirae ferro et compagibus artis

  Now judge the world; the dreadful doors of War now shut within

  claudentur Belli portae; Furor impius intus,

  Their iron bolts and strait embrace the godless Rage of folk,

  saeva sedens super arma, et centum vinctus aenis 295

  Who, pitiless, on weapons set, and bound in brazen yoke

  post tergum nodis, fremet horridus ore cruento.’

  Of hundred knots aback of him foams fell from bloody mouth.”

  Haec ait, et Maia genitum demittit ab alto,

  Such words he spake, and from aloft he sent down Maia’s youth

  ut terrae, utque novae pateant Karthaginis arces

  To cause the lands and Carthage towers new-built to open gate

  hospitio Teucris, ne fati nescia Dido

  And welcome in the Teucrian men; lest Dido, fooled of fate,

  finibus arceret: volat ille per aera magnum 300

  Should drive them from her country-side. The unmeasured air he beat

  remigio alarum, ac Libyae citus adstitit oris.

  With flap of wings, and speedily in Libya set his feet:

  Et iam iussa facit, ponuntque ferocia Poeni

  And straightway there his bidding wrought, and from the Tyrians fall,

  corda volente deo; in primis regina quietum

  God willing it, their hearts of war; and Dido first of allr />
  accipit in Teucros animum mentemque benignam.

  Took peace for Teucrians to her soul, and quiet heart and kind.

  At pius Aeneas, per noctem plurima volvens, 305

  Now good Æneas through the night had many things in mind,

  ut primum lux alma data est, exire locosque

  And set himself to fare abroad at first of holy day

  explorare novos, quas vento accesserit oras,

  To search the new land what it was, and on what shore he lay

  qui teneant, nam inculta videt, hominesne feraene,

  Driven by the wind; if manfolk there abode, or nought but deer,

  quaerere constituit, sociisque exacta referre

  (For waste it seemed), and tidings true back to his folk to bear.

  Classem in convexo nemorum sub rupe cavata 310

  So in that hollow bight of groves beneath the cavern cleft,

  arboribus clausam circum atque horrentibus umbris

  All hidden by the leafy trees and quavering shades, he left

  occulit; ipse uno graditur comitatus Achate,

  His ships: and he himself afoot went with Achates lone,

  bina manu lato crispans hastilia ferro.

  Shaking in hand two slender spears with broad-beat iron done.

  Cui mater media sese tulit obvia silva,

  But as he reached the thicket’s midst his mother stood before,

  virginis os habitumque gerens, et virginis arma 315

  Who virgin face, and virgin arms, and virgin habit bore,

  Spartanae, vel qualis equos Threissa fatigat

  A Spartan maid; or like to her who tames the Thracian horse,

  Harpalyce, volucremque fuga praevertitur Hebrum.

  Harpalyce, and flies before the hurrying Hebrus’ course.

  Namque umeris de more habilem suspenderat arcum

  For huntress-wise on shoulder she had hung the handy bow,

  venatrix, dederatque comam diffundere ventis,

  And given all her hair abroad for any wind to blow,

  nuda genu, nodoque sinus collecta fluentis. 320

  And, naked-kneed, her kirtle long had gathered in a lap:

  Ac prior, ‘Heus’ inquit ‘iuvenes, monstrate mearum

  She spake the first: “Ho youths,” she said, “tell me by any hap

  vidistis si quam hic errantem forte sororum,

  If of my sisters any one ye saw a wandering wide

  succinctam pharetra et maculosae tegmine lyncis,

  With quiver girt, and done about with lynx’s spotted hide,

  aut spumantis apri cursum clamore prementem.’

  Or following of the foaming boar with shouts and eager feet?”

  Sic Venus; et Veneris contra sic filius orsus: 325

  So Venus; and so Venus’ son began her words to meet: