Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  And thrice fell back upon the bed, and sought with wandering eyes

  quaesiuit caelo lucem ingemuitque reperta.

  The light of heaven aloft, and moaned when it was found at last.

  Tum Iuno omnipotens longum miserata dolorem

  Then on her long-drawn agony did Juno pity cast,

  difficilisque obitus Irim demisit Olympo

  Her hard departing; Iris then she sent from heaven on high,

  quae luctantem animam nexosque resolueret artus. 695

  And bade her from the knitted limbs the struggling soul untie.

  nam quia nec fato merita nec morte peribat,

  For since by fate she perished not, nor waited death-doom given,

  sed misera ante diem subitoque accensa furore,

  But hapless died before her day by sudden fury driven,

  nondum illi flauum Proserpina uertice crinem

  Not yet the tress of yellow hair had Proserpine off-shred,

  abstulerat Stygioque caput damnauerat Orco.

  Nor unto Stygian Orcus yet had doomed her wandering head.

  ergo Iris croceis per caelum roscida pennis 700

  So Iris ran adown the sky on wings of saffron dew,

  mille trahens uarios aduerso sole colores

  And colours shifting thousandfold against the sun she drew,

  deuolat et supra caput astitit. ‘hunc ego Diti

  And overhead she hung: “So bid, from off thee this I bear,

  sacrum iussa fero teque isto corpore soluo’:

  Hallowed to Dis, and charge thee now from out thy body fare.”

  sic ait et dextra crinem secat, omnis et una

  She spake and sheared the tress away; then failed the life-heat spent

  dilapsus calor atque in uentos uita recessit.

  And forth away upon the wind the spirit of her went.

  ‘The Death of Dido’ by Andrea Sacchi , 1661

  LIBER V

  BOOK V.

  Interea medium Aeneas iam classe tenebat

  Meanwhile Æneas with his ships the mid-sea way did hold

  certus iter fluctusque atros Aquilone secabat

  Steadfast, and cut the dusky waves before the north wind rolled,

  moenia respiciens, quae iam infelicis Elissae

  Still looking back upon the walls now litten by the flame

  conlucent flammis. quae tantum accenderit ignem

  Of hapless Dido: though indeed whence so great burning came

  causa latet; duri magno sed amore dolores 5

  They knew not; but the thought of grief that comes of love defiled

  polluto, notumque furens quid femina possit,

  How great it is, what deed may come of woman waxen wild,

  triste per augurium Teucrorum pectora ducunt.

  Through woeful boding of the sooth the Teucrians’ bosoms bore.

  ut pelagus tenuere rates nec iam amplius ulla

  But when the ships the main sea held, nor had they any more

  occurrit tellus, maria undique et undique caelum,

  The land in sight, but sea around and sky around was spread,

  olli caeruleus supra caput astitit imber 10

  A coal-blue cloud drew up to them, that hanging overhead

  noctem hiememque ferens et inhorruit unda tenebris.

  Bore night and storm: feared ‘neath the dark the waters trembling lie.

  ipse gubernator puppi Palinurus ab alta:

  Then called the helmsman Palinure from lofty deck on high:

  ‘heu quianam tanti cinxerunt aethera nimbi?

  “Ah, wherefore doth such cloud of storm gird all the heavens about?

  quidue, pater Neptune, paras?’ sic deinde locutus

  What will ye, Father Neptune, now?” Therewith he crieth out

  colligere arma iubet ualidisque incumbere remis, 15

  To gather all the tackling in, and hard on oars to lay,

  obliquatque sinus in uentum ac talia fatur:

  And slopeth sail across the wind; and so such word doth say:

  ‘magnanime Aenea, non, si mihi Iuppiter auctor

  “Great-souled Æneas, e’en if Jove my borrow now should be,

  spondeat, hoc sperem Italiam contingere caelo.

  ‘Neath such a sky I might not hope to make our Italy:

  mutati transuersa fremunt et uespere ab atro

  The changed winds roar athwart our course, and from the west grown black

  consurgunt uenti, atque in nubem cogitur aer. 20

  They rise; while o’er the face of heaven gathers the cloudy rack.

  nec nos obniti contra nec tendere tantum

  Nor have we might to draw a-head, nor e’en to hold our own.

  sufficimus. superat quoniam Fortuna, sequamur,

  Wherefore since Fortune hath prevailed, by way that she hath shown,

  quoque uocat uertamus iter. nec litora longe

  Whither she calleth, let us turn: methinks the way but short

  fida reor fraterna Erycis portusque Sicanos,

  To brother-land of Eryx leal and safe Sicanian port,

  si modo rite memor seruata remetior astra.’ 25

  If I may read the stars aright that erst I bare in mind.”

  tum pius Aeneas: ‘equidem sic poscere uentos

  Quoth good Æneas: “Now for long that suchwise would the wind

  iamdudum et frustra cerno te tendere contra.

  I saw, and how thou heldest head against it all in vain:

  flecte uiam uelis. an sit mihi gratior ulla,

  Shift sail and go about; what land may sweeter be to gain,

  quoue magis fessas optem dimittere nauis,

  Or whither would I liefer turn my keels from beat of sea,

  quam quae Dardanium tellus mihi seruat Acesten 30

  Than that which yet the Dardan lord Acestes holds for me,

  et patris Anchisae gremio complectitur ossa?’

  That holds my very father’s bones, Anchises, in its breast?”

  haec ubi dicta, petunt portus et uela secundi

  They seek the haven therewithal, and fair and happy west

  intendunt Zephyri; fertur cita gurgite classis,

  Swelleth the sails: o’er whirl of waves full speedily they wend,

  et tandem laeti notae aduertuntur harenae.

  And glad to that familiar sand they turn them in the end:

  At procul ex celso miratus uertice montis 35

  But there Acestes meeteth them, who from a mountain high

  aduentum sociasque rates occurrit Acestes,

  All wondering had seen afar the friendly ships draw nigh.

  horridus in iaculis et pelle Libystidis ursae,

  With darts he bristled, and was clad in fell of Libyan bear.

  Troia Criniso conceptum flumine mater

  Him erst unto Crimisus’ flood a Trojan mother fair

  quem genuit. ueterum non immemor ille parentum

  Brought forth: and now, forgetting nought his mother’s folk of old,

  gratatur reduces et gaza laetus agresti 40

  He welcomes them come back again with wealth of field and fold,

  excipit, ac fessos opibus solatur amicis.

  And solaces the weary men with plenteous friendly cheer.

  Postera cum primo stellas Oriente fugarat

  But when the stars in first of dawn fled from the morrow clear,

  clara dies, socios in coetum litore ab omni

  Æneas called upon the shore assembly of his folk,

  aduocat Aeneas tumulique ex aggere fatur:

  And standing high aloft on mound such words to tell he spoke:

  ‘Dardanidae magni, genus alto a sanguine diuum, 45

  “O mighty Dardan men, O folk from blood of Godhead born,

  annuus exactis completur mensibus orbis,

  The yearly round is all fulfilled, with lapse of months outworn,

  ex quo reliquias diuinique ossa parentis

  Since when my godlike father’s husk and bon
es of him we laid

  condidimus terra maestasque sacrauimus aras;

  Amid the mould, and heavy sad the hallowed altars made:

  iamque dies, nisi fallor, adest, quem semper acerbum,

  And now meseems the day is here, for evermore to me

  semper honoratum (sic di uoluistis) habebo. 50

  A bitter day, a worshipped day. — So God would have it be!

  hunc ego Gaetulis agerem si Syrtibus exsul,

  Yea should it find me outcast man on great Getulia’s sand,

  Argolicoue mari deprensus et urbe Mycenae,

  Or take me in the Argive sea, or mid Mycenæ’s land,

  annua uota tamen sollemnisque ordine pompas

  Yet yearly vows, and pomps that come in due recurring while,

  exsequerer strueremque suis altaria donis.

  Still should I pay, and gifts most meet upon the altar pile.

  nunc ultro ad cineres ipsius et ossa parentis 55

  Now to my father’s bones, indeed, and ashes are we brought

  haud equidem sine mente, reor, sine numine diuum

  By chance; yet not, meseems, without the Godhead’s will and thought

  adsumus et portus delati intramus amicos.

  Are we come here, to lie in peace within a friendly bay.

  ergo agite et laetum cuncti celebremus honorem:

  So come, and let all worship here the glory of the day;

  poscamus uentos, atque haec me sacra quotannis

  Pray we the winds, that year by year this worship may be done

  urbe uelit posita templis sibi ferre dicatis. 60

  In temples dedicate to him within my city won.

  bina boum uobis Troia generatus Acestes

  Troy-born Acestes giveth you two head of hornèd beasts

  dat numero capita in nauis; adhibete penatis

  For every ship; so see ye bid the House-gods to your feasts,

  et patrios epulis et quos colit hospes Acestes.

  Both them of Troy and them our host Acestes loveth here.

  praeterea, si nona diem mortalibus almum

  Moreover, if the ninth dawn hence Aurora shall uprear

  Aurora extulerit radiisque retexerit orbem, 65

  For health of men, and with her rays earth’s coverlit shall lift,

  prima citae Teucris ponam certamina classis;

  For Teucrians will I fast set forth the race for galleys swift:

  quique pedum cursu ualet, et qui uiribus audax

  Then whosoe’er is fleet of foot, or bold of might and main,

  aut iaculo incedit melior leuibusque sagittis,

  Or with the dart or eager shaft a better prize may gain,

  seu crudo fidit pugnam committere caestu,

  Or whoso hath the heart to play in fight-glove of raw hide,

  cuncti adsint meritaeque exspectent praemia palmae. 70

  Let all be there, and victory’s palm and guerdon due abide.

  ore fauete omnes et cingite tempora ramis.’

  Clean be all mouths! and gird with leaves the temple of the head.”

  Sic fatus uelat materna tempora myrto.

  His mother’s bush he did on brow e’en as the word he said;

  hoc Helymus facit, hoc aeui maturus Acestes,

  The like did Helymus, the like Acestes ripe of eld,

  hoc puer Ascanius, sequitur quos cetera pubes.

  The like the boy Ascanius, yea, and all that manner held.

  ille e concilio multis cum milibus ibat 75

  Then from that council to the tomb that duke of men did pass;

  ad tumulum magna medius comitante caterua.

  Mid many thousands, he the heart of all that concourse was.

  hic duo rite mero libans carchesia Baccho

  There, worshipping, on earth he pours in such wise as was good

  fundit humi, duo lacte nouo, duo sanguine sacro,

  Two cups of mere wine, two of milk, and two of holy blood,

  purpureosque iacit flores ac talia fatur:

  And scatters purple flowers around; and then such words he said:

  ‘salue, sancte parens, iterum; saluete, recepti 80

  “Hail, holy father! hail once more! hail, ashes visited

  nequiquam cineres animaeque umbraeque paternae.

  Once more for nought! hail, father-shade and spirit sweet in vain!

  non licuit finis Italos fataliaque arua

  Forbid with me that Italy to seek, that fated plain,

  nec tecum Ausonium, quicumque est, quaerere Thybrim.’

  With me Ausonian Tiber-flood, whereso it be, to seek.”

  dixerat haec, adytis cum lubricus anguis ab imis

  He spake: but from the lowest mound a mighty serpent sleek

  septem ingens gyros, septena uolumina traxit 85

  Drew seven great circles o’er the earth, and glided sevenfold,

  amplexus placide tumulum lapsusque per aras,

  Passing in peace the tomb around, and o’er the altars rolled:

  caeruleae cui terga notae maculosus et auro

  Blue stripèd was the back of him, and all his scales did glow

  squamam incendebat fulgor, ceu nubibus arcus

  With glitter of fine flecks of gold; e’en as the cloud-hung bow

  mille iacit uarios aduerso sole colores.

  A thousand shifting colours fair back from the sun he cast.

  obstipuit uisu Aeneas. ille agmine longo 90

  Æneas wondered at the sight; but on the serpent passed,

  tandem inter pateras et leuia pocula serpens

  And ‘twixt the bowls and smoothèd cups his long array he wound,

  libauitque dapes rursusque innoxius imo

  Tasting the hallowed things; and so he gat him underground

  successit tumulo et depasta altaria liquit.

  Beneath the tomb again, and left the altars pastured o’er.

  hoc magis inceptos genitori instaurat honores,

  Heartened hereby, his father’s soul Æneas worshipped more,

  incertus geniumne loci famulumne parentis 95

  And, doubtful, deemeth it to be Anchises’ guardian ghost

  esse putet; caedit binas de more bidentis

  Or godhead of the place: so there he slayeth double host,

  totque sues, totidem nigrantis terga iuuencos,

  As custom would; two black-backed steers, and e’en as many swine,

  uinaque fundebat pateris animamque uocabat

  And calleth on his father’s soul with pouring of the wine,

  Anchisae magni manisque Acheronte remissos.

  On great Anchises’ glorious ghost from Acheron set free.

  nec non et socii, quae cuique est copia, laeti 100

  From out their plenty therewithal his fellows joyfully

  dona ferunt, onerant aras mactantque iuuencos;

  Give gifts, and load the altar-stead, and smite the steers adown.

  ordine aena locant alii fusique per herbam

  While others serve the seething brass, and o’er the herbage strown

  subiciunt ueribus prunas et uiscera torrent.

  Set coaly morsels ‘neath the spit, and roast the inner meat.

  Exspectata dies aderat nonamque serena

  And now the looked-for day was come with simple light and sweet,

  Auroram Phaethontis equi iam luce uehebant, 105

  And Phaeton’s horses shining bright the ninth dawn in did bear.

  famaque finitimos et clari nomen Acestae

  Fame and the name Acestes had the neighbouring people stir

  excierat; laeto complerant litora coetu

  To fill the shore with joyful throng, Æneas’ folk to see:

  uisuri Aeneadas, pars et certare parati.

  But some were dight amid the games their strife-fellows to be.

  munera principio ante oculos circoque locantur

  There first before the eyes of men the gifts to come they lay

  in medio, sacri tripodes uiridesqu
e coronae 110

  Amid the course; as hallowed bowls, and garlands of green bay,

  et palmae pretium uictoribus, armaque et ostro

  And palms, the prize of victory, weapons, and raiment rolled

  perfusae uestes, argenti aurique talenta;

  In purple, and a talent’s weight of silver and of gold;

  et tuba commissos medio canit aggere ludos.

  Then blast of horn from midst the mound the great games halloweth in:

  Prima pares ineunt grauibus certamina remis

  Four ships from all the fleet picked out will first the race begin

  quattuor ex omni delectae classe carinae. 115

  With heavy oars; well matched are they for speed and rowers’ tale:

  uelocem Mnestheus agit acri remige Pristim,

  Hereof did Mnestheus’ eager oars drive on the speedy Whale,

  mox Italus Mnestheus, genus a quo nomine Memmi,

  Mnestheus to be of Italy, whence cometh Memmius’ name.

  ingentemque Gyas ingenti mole Chimaeram,

  The huge Chimæra’s mountain mass was Gyas set to tame;

  urbis opus, triplici pubes quam Dardana uersu

  There on that city of a ship threesome its rowing plies

  impellunt, terno consurgunt ordine remi; 120

  The Dardan youth; the banks of oars in threefold order rise.

  Sergestusque, domus tenet a quo Sergia nomen,

  Sergestus next, the name whereof the Sergian house yet bears,

  Centauro inuehitur magna, Scyllaque Cloanthus

  Is ferried by the Centaur great: last in blue Scylla steers

  caerulea, genus unde tibi, Romane Cluenti.

  Cloanthus, whence the name of thee, Cluentius, man of Rome.

  Est procul in pelago saxum spumantia contra

  Far mid the sea a rock there is, facing the shore-line’s foam,

  litora, quod tumidis summersum tunditur olim 125

  Which, beat by overtoppling waves, is drowned and hidden oft,

  fluctibus, hiberni condunt ubi sidera Cauri;

  What time the stormy North-west hides the stars in heaven aloft:

  tranquillo silet immotaque attollitur unda

  But otherwhiles it lies in peace when nought the sea doth move,

  campus et apricis statio gratissima mergis.

  And riseth up a meadow fair that sunning sea-gulls love.

  hic uiridem Aeneas frondenti ex ilice metam

  There a green goal Æneas raised, dight of a leafy oak,

  constituit signum nautis pater, unde reuerti 130

  To be a sign of turning back to that sea-faring folk,

  scirent et longos ubi circumflectere cursus.