by Virgil
His ancient chin; his bristling beard with plenteous ice is done.
hic primum paribus nitens Cyllenius alis
There hovering on his poisèd wings stayed that Cyllenian one,
constitit; hinc toto praeceps se corpore ad undas
And all his gathered body thence sent headlong toward the waves;
misit aui similis, quae circum litora, circum
Then like a bird the shores about, about the fishy caves,
piscosos scopulos humilis uolat aequora iuxta. 255
Skims low adown upon the wing the sea-plain’s face anigh,
haud aliter terras inter caelumque uolabat
Not otherwise ‘twixt heaven and earth Cyllene’s God did fly;
litus harenosum ad Libyae, uentosque secabat
And now, his mother’s father great a long way left behind,
materno ueniens ab auo Cyllenia proles.
Unto the sandy Libya’s shore he clave the driving wind.
ut primum alatis tetigit magalia plantis,
But when the cot-built place of earth he felt beneath his feet,
Aenean fundantem arces ac tecta nouantem 260
He saw Æneas founding towers and raising houses meet:
conspicit. atque illi stellatus iaspide fulua
Starred was the sword about him girt with yellow jasper stone,
ensis erat Tyrioque ardebat murice laena
The cloak that from his shoulders streamed with Tyrian purple shone:
demissa ex umeris, diues quae munera Dido
Fair things that wealthy Dido’s hand had given him for a gift,
fecerat, et tenui telas discreuerat auro.
Who with the gleam of thready gold the purple web did shift.
continuo inuadit: ‘tu nunc Karthaginis altae 265
Then brake the God on him: “Forsooth, tall Carthage wilt thou found,
fundamenta locas pulchramque uxorius urbem
O lover, and a city fair raise up from out the ground?
exstruis? heu, regni rerumque oblite tuarum!
Woe’s me! thy lordship and thy deeds hast thou forgotten quite?
ipse deum tibi me claro demittit Olympo
The very ruler of the Gods down from Olympus bright
regnator, caelum et terras qui numine torquet,
Hath sent me, he whose majesty the earth and heavens obey;
ipse haec ferre iubet celeris mandata per auras: 270
This was the word he bade me bear adown the windy way.
quid struis? aut qua spe Libycis teris otia terris?
What dost thou? hoping for what hope in Libya dost thou wear
si te nulla mouet tantarum gloria rerum
Thy days? if glorious fated things thine own soul may not stir,
[nec super ipse tua moliris laude laborem,]
And heart thou lackest for thy fame the coming toil to wed,
Ascanium surgentem et spes heredis Iuli
Think on Ascanius’ dawn of days and hope inherited,
respice, cui regnum Italiae Romanaque tellus 275
To whom is due the Italian realm and all the world of Rome!”
debetur.’ tali Cyllenius ore locutus
But when from out Cyllenius’ mouth such word as this had come,
mortalis uisus medio sermone reliquit
Amidst his speech he left the sight of men that die from day,
et procul in tenuem ex oculis euanuit auram.
And mid thin air from eyes of folk he faded far away.
At uero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens,
But sore the sight Æneas feared, and wit from out him drave;
arrectaeque horrore comae et uox faucibus haesit. 280
His hair stood up, amidst his jaws the voice within him clave.
ardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras,
Bewildered by that warning word, and by that God’s command,
attonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum.
He yearneth to depart and flee, and leave the lovely land.
heu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem
Ah, what to do? and with what word may he be bold to win
audeat adfatu? quae prima exordia sumat?
Peace of the Queen all mad with love? what wise shall he begin?
atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc diuidit illuc 285
Hither and thither now he sends his mind all eager-swift,
in partisque rapit uarias perque omnia uersat.
And bears it diversely away and runs o’er every shift:
haec alternanti potior sententia uisa est:
At last, as many things he weighed, this seemed the better rede.
Mnesthea Sergestumque uocat fortemque Serestum,
Mnestheus, Sergestus, straight he calls, Sergestus stout at need,
classem aptent taciti sociosque ad litora cogant,
And bids them dight ship silently and bring their folk to shore,
arma parent et quae rebus sit causa nouandis 290
And dight their gear, and cause thereof with lying cover o’er;
dissimulent; sese interea, quando optima Dido
While he himself, since of all this kind Dido knoweth nought,
nesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores,
Nor of the ending of such love may ever have a thought,
temptaturum aditus et quae mollissima fandi
Will seek to draw anigh the Queen, seek time wherein the word
tempora, quis rebus dexter modus. ocius omnes
May softliest be said to her, the matter lightliest stirred.
imperio laeti parent et iussa facessunt. 295
So all they glad his bidding do, and get them to the work.
At regina dolos (quis fallere possit amantem?)
But who may hoodwink loving eyes? She felt the treason lurk
praesensit, motusque excepit prima futuros
About her life, and from the first saw all that was to be;
omnia tuta timens. eadem impia Fama furenti
Fearing indeed where no fear was. That Rumour wickedly
detulit armari classem cursumque parari.
Told her wild soul of ship-host armed and ready to set out;
saeuit inops animi totamque incensa per urbem 300
The heart died in her; all aflame she raves the town about,
bacchatur, qualis commotis excita sacris
E’en as a Thyad, who, soul-smit by holy turmoil, hears
Thyias, ubi audito stimulant trieterica Baccho
The voice of Bacchus on the day that crowns the triple years,
orgia nocturnusque uocat clamore Cithaeron.
And mirk Cithæron through the night hath called her clamorous.
tandem his Aenean compellat uocibus ultro:
Unto Æneas at the last herself she speaketh thus:
‘dissimulare etiam sperasti, perfide, tantum 305
“O thou forsworn! and hast thou hoped with lies to cover o’er
posse nefas tacitusque mea decedere terra?
Such wickedness, and silently to get thee from my shore?
nec te noster amor nec te data dextera quondam
Our love, it hath not held thee back? nor right hand given in faith
nec moritura tenet crudeli funere Dido?
Awhile agone? nor Dido doomed to die a bitter death?
quin etiam hiberno moliri sidere classem
Yea, e’en beneath the winter heavens thy fleet thou gatherest
et mediis properas Aquilonibus ire per altum, 310
In haste to fare across the main amid the north’s unrest
crudelis? quid, si non arua aliena domosque
O cruel! What if land unknown and stranger field and fold
ignotas peteres, et Troia antiqua maneret,
Thou sought’st not; if the ancient Troy stood as in days of old;
Troia per undosum peteretur classibus aequor?
Wouldst thou not still be seeking Troy across the wavy bri
ne?
mene fugis? per ego has lacrimas dextramque tuam te
— Yea, me thou fleest. O by these tears, by that right hand of thine,
(quando aliud mihi iam miserae nihil ipsa reliqui), 315
Since I myself have left myself unhappy nought but this,
per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos,
And by our bridal of that day and early wedding bliss,
si bene quid de te merui, fuit aut tibi quicquam
If ever I were worthy thanks, if sweet in aught I were,
dulce meum, miserere domus labentis et istam,
Pity a falling house! If yet be left a space for prayer,
oro, si quis adhuc precibus locus, exue mentem.
O then I pray thee put away this mind of evil things!
te propter Libycae gentes Nomadumque tyranni 320
Because of thee the Libyan folks, and those Numidian kings,
odere, infensi Tyrii; te propter eundem
Hate me, and Tyrians are my foes: yea, and because of thee
exstinctus pudor et, qua sola sidera adibam,
My shame is gone, and that which was my heavenward road to be.
fama prior. cui me moribundam deseris hospes
My early glory. — Guest, to whom leav’st thou thy dying friend?
(hoc solum nomen quoniam de coniuge restat)?
Since of my husband nought but this is left me in the end.
quid moror? an mea Pygmalion dum moenia frater 325
Why bide I till Pygmalion comes to lay my walls alow,
destruat aut captam ducat Gaetulus Iarbas?
Till taken by Getulian kings, Iarbas’ slave I go?
saltem si qua mihi de te suscepta fuisset
Ah! if at least ere thou wert gone some child of thee I had!
ante fugam suboles, si quis mihi paruulus aula
If yet Æneas in mine house might play a little lad,
luderet Aeneas, qui te tamen ore referret,
E’en but to bring aback the face of that beloved one,
non equidem omnino capta ac deserta uiderer.’ 330
Then were I never vanquished quite, nor utterly undone.”
Dixerat. ille Iouis monitis immota tenebat
She spake: he, warned by Jove’s command, his eyes still steadfast held,
lumina et obnixus curam sub corde premebat.
And, striving, thrust his sorrow back, howso his heart-strings swelled:
tandem pauca refert: ‘ego te, quae plurima fando
At last he answered shortly thus: “O Queen, though words may fail
enumerare uales, numquam, regina, negabo
To tell thy lovingkindness, ne’er my heart belies the tale:
promeritam, nec me meminisse pigebit Elissae 335
Still shall it be a joy to think of sweet Elissa’s days
dum memor ipse mei, dum spiritus hos regit artus.
While of myself I yet may think, while breath my body sways.
pro re pauca loquar. neque ego hanc abscondere furto
Few words about the deed in hand: ne’er in my mind it came
speraui (ne finge) fugam, nec coniugis umquam
As flees a thief to flee from thee; never the bridal flame
praetendi taedas aut haec in foedera ueni.
Did I hold forth, or plight my troth such matters to fulfil.
me si fata meis paterentur ducere uitam 340
If fate would let me lead a life according to my will,
auspiciis et sponte mea componere curas,
Might I such wise as pleaseth me my troubles lay to rest,
urbem Troianam primum dulcisque meorum
By Troy-town surely would I bide among the ashes blest
reliquias colerem, Priami tecta alta manerent,
Of my beloved, and Priam’s house once more aloft should stand;
et recidiua manu posuissem Pergama uictis.
New Pergamus for vanquished men should rise beneath my hand.
sed nunc Italiam magnam Gryneus Apollo, 345
But now Grynean Phoebus bids toward Italy the great
Italiam Lyciae iussere capessere sortes;
To reach my hand; to Italy biddeth the Lycian fate:
hic amor, haec patria est. si te Karthaginis arces
There is my love, there is my land. If Carthage braveries
Phoenissam Libycaeque aspectus detinet urbis,
And lovely look of Libyan walls hold fast thy Tyrian eyes,
quae tandem Ausonia Teucros considere terra
Why wilt thou grudge the Teucrian men Ausonian dwelling-place?
inuidia est? et nos fas extera quaerere regna. 350
If we too seek the outland realm, for us too be there grace!
me patris Anchisae, quotiens umentibus umbris
Father Anchises, whensoever night covereth up the earth
nox operit terras, quotiens astra ignea surgunt,
With dewy dark, and whensoe’er the bright stars come to birth,
admonet in somnis et turbida terret imago;
His troubled image midst of sleep brings warning word and fear.
me puer Ascanius capitisque iniuria cari,
Ascanius weigheth on my heart with wrong of head so dear,
quem regno Hesperiae fraudo et fatalibus aruis. 355
Whom I beguile of fateful fields and realm of Italy.
nunc etiam interpres diuum Ioue missus ab ipso
Yea, even now God’s messenger sent from the Jove on high,
(testor utrumque caput) celeris mandata per auras
(Bear witness either head of us!) bore doom of God adown
detulit: ipse deum manifesto in lumine uidi
The eager wind: I saw the God enter the fair-walled town
intrantem muros uocemque his auribus hausi.
In simple light: I drank his voice, yea with these ears of mine.
desine meque tuis incendere teque querelis; 360
Cease then to burn up with thy wail my burdened heart and thine!
Italiam non sponte sequor.’
Perforce I follow Italy.” But now this long while, as he spake, athwart and wild she gazed,
Talia dicentem iamdudum auersa tuetur
And here and there her eyeballs rolled, and strayed with silent look
huc illuc uoluens oculos totumque pererrat
His body o’er; and at the last with heart of fire outbroke:
luminibus tacitis et sic accensa profatur:
“Traitor! no Goddess brought thee forth, nor Dardanus was first
‘nec tibi diua parens generis nec Dardanus auctor, 365
Of thine ill race; but Caucasus on spiky crags accurst
perfide, sed duris genuit te cautibus horrens
Begot thee; and Hyrcanian dugs of tigers suckled thee.
Caucasus Hyrcanaeque admorunt ubera tigres.
Why hide it now? why hold me back lest greater evil be?
nam quid dissimulo aut quae me ad maiora reseruo?
For did he sigh the while I wept? his eyes — what were they moved?
num fletu ingemuit nostro? num lumina flexit?
Hath he been vanquished unto tears, or pitied her that loved?
num lacrimas uictus dedit aut miseratus amantem est? 370
— Ah, is aught better now than aught, when Juno utter great,
quae quibus anteferam? iam iam nec maxima Iuno
Yea and the Father on all this with evil eyen wait?
nec Saturnius haec oculis pater aspicit aequis.
All faith is gone! I took him in a stranded outcast, bare:
nusquam tuta fides. eiectum litore, egentem
Yea in my very throne and land, ah fool! I gave him share.
excepi et regni demens in parte locaui.
His missing fleet I brought aback; from death I brought his friends.
amissam classem, socios a morte reduxi 375
— Woe! how the furies burn me up! — Now seer Apollo sends,
(heu furi
is incensa feror!): nunc augur Apollo,
Now bidding send the Lycian lots; now sendeth Jove on high
nunc Lyciae sortes, nunc et Ioue missus ab ipso
His messenger to bear a curse adown the windy sky!
interpres diuum fert horrida iussa per auras.
Such is the toil of Gods aloft; such are the cares that rack
scilicet is superis labor est, ea cura quietos
Their souls serene. — I hold thee not, nor cast thy words aback.
sollicitat. neque te teneo neque dicta refello: 380
Go down the wind to Italy! seek lordship o’er the sea!
i, sequere Italiam uentis, pete regna per undas.
Only I hope amid the rocks, if any God there be,
spero equidem mediis, si quid pia numina possunt,
Thou shalt drink in thy punishment and call on Dido’s name
supplicia hausurum scopulis et nomine Dido
Full oft: and I, though gone away, will follow with black flame;
saepe uocaturum. sequar atris ignibus absens
And when cold death from out my limbs my soul hath won away,
et, cum frigida mors anima seduxerit artus, 385
I will be with thee everywhere; O wretch, and thou shalt pay.
omnibus umbra locis adero. dabis, improbe, poenas.
Ah, I shall hear; the tale of all shall reach me midst the dead.”
audiam et haec Manis ueniet mihi fama sub imos.’
Therewith she brake her speech athwart, and sick at heart she fled
his medium dictis sermonem abrumpit et auras
The outer air, and turned away, and gat her from his eyes;
aegra fugit seque ex oculis auertit et aufert,
Leaving him dallying with his fear, and turning many wise
linquens multa metu cunctantem et multa parantem 390
The words to say. Her serving-maids the fainting body weak,
dicere. suscipiunt famulae conlapsaque membra
Bear back unto the marble room and on the pillows streak.
marmoreo referunt thalamo stratisque reponunt.
But god-fearing Æneas now, however fain he were
At pius Aeneas, quamquam lenire dolentem
To soothe her grief and with soft speech assuage her weary care,
solando cupit et dictis auertere curas,
Much groaning, and the heart of him shaken with loving pain.
multa gemens magnoque animum labefactus amore 395
Yet went about the God’s command and reached his ships again.
iussa tamen diuum exsequitur classemque reuisit.
Then fall the Teucrians on indeed, and over all the shore
tum uero Teucri incumbunt et litore celsas
Roll the tall ships; the pitchy keel swims in the sea once more: