by Virgil
That fetching compass round the same their long course they might turn.
tum loca sorte legunt ipsique in puppibus auro
So then by lot they take their place: there on the deck they burn.
ductores longe effulgent ostroque decori;
The captains, goodly from afar in gold and purple show:
cetera populea uelatur fronde iuuentus
The other lads with poplar-leaf have garlanded the brow,
nudatosque umeros oleo perfusa nitescit. 135
And with the oil poured over them their naked shoulders shine.
considunt transtris, intentaque bracchia remis;
They man the thwarts; with hearts a-stretch they hearken for the sign,
intenti exspectant signum, exsultantiaque haurit
With arms a-stretch upon the oars; hard tugs the pulse of fear
corda pauor pulsans laudumque arrecta cupido.
About their bounding hearts, hard strains the lust of glory dear.
inde ubi clara dedit sonitum tuba, finibus omnes,
But when the clear horn gives the sound, forthwith from where they lie
haud mora, prosiluere suis; ferit aethera clamor 140
They leap away; the seamen’s shouts smite up against the sky,
nauticus, adductis spumant freta uersa lacertis.
The upturned waters froth about as home the arms are borne:
infindunt pariter sulcos, totumque dehiscit
So timely they the furrows cut, and all the sea uptorn
conuulsum remis rostrisque tridentibus aequor.
Is cloven by the sweep of oars and bows’ three-headed push.
non tam praecipites biiugo certamine campum
— Nay, nought so swift in twi-yoke race forth from the barriers rush
corripuere ruuntque effusi carcere currus, 145
The scattered headlong chariots on to wear the space of plain,
nec sic immissis aurigae undantia lora
Nor eager so the charioteers shake waves along the rein
concussere iugis pronique in uerbera pendent.
Above the hurrying yoke, as hung over the lash they go.
tum plausu fremituque uirum studiisque fauentum
— Then with the shouts and praise of men, and hope cast to and fro,
consonat omne nemus, uocemque inclusa uolutant
Rings all the grove; the cliff-walled shore rolleth great voice around,
litora, pulsati colles clamore resultant. 150
And beating ‘gainst the mountain-side the shattering shouts rebound.
Effugit ante alios primisque elabitur undis
Before the others Gyas flies, and first the waves doth skim
turbam inter fremitumque Gyas; quem deinde Cloanthus
Betwixt the throng and roar, but hard Cloanthus presseth him;
consequitur, melior remis, sed pondere pinus
Who, better manned, is held aback by sluggish weight of pine.
tarda tenet. post hos aequo discrimine Pristis
‘Twixt Whale and Centaur after these the edge of strife is fine,
Centaurusque locum tendunt superare priorem; 155
And hard they struggle each with each to win the foremost place.
et nunc Pristis habet, nunc uictam praeterit ingens
Now the Whale hath it; beaten now is foregone in the race
Centaurus, nunc una ambae iunctisque feruntur
By the huge Centaur; head and head now follow on the two,
frontibus et longa sulcant uada salsa carina.
As the long keel of either one the salt sea furrows through.
iamque propinquabant scopulo metamque tenebant,
But now they drew anigh the holm, the goal close on them gave,
cum princeps medioque Gyas in gurgite uictor 160
When Gyas first and conquering there amid the whirl of wave
rectorem nauis compellat uoce Menoeten:
Unto the helmsman of his ship, Menoetes, cries command:
‘quo tantum mihi dexter abis? huc derige cursum;
“And why so far unto the right? turn hither to this hand!
litus ama et laeua stringat sine palmula cautes;
Hug thou the shore; let the blades graze the very rocks a-lee.
altum alii teneant.’ dixit; sed caeca Menoetes
Let others hold the deep!” No less unto the wavy sea
saxa timens proram pelagi detorquet ad undas. 165
Menoetes, fearing hidden rocks, still turns away the bow:
‘quo diuersus abis?’ iterum ‘pete saxa, Menoete!’
Gyas would shout him back again: “Menoetes, whither now?
cum clamore Gyas reuocabat, et ecce Cloanthum
Steer for the rocks!” And therewithal, as back his eyes he cast.
respicit instantem tergo et propiora tenentem.
He sees Cloanthus hard at heel and gaining on him fast;
ille inter nauemque Gyae scopulosque sonantis
Who, grazing on this hand and that the rocks and Gyas’ ship,
radit iter laeuum interior subitoque priorem 170
Now suddenly by leeward course a-head of all doth slip,
praeterit et metis tenet aequora tuta relictis.
And leaving clear the goal behind hath open water’s gain.
tum uero exarsit iuueni dolor ossibus ingens
Then unto Gyas’ very bones deep burns the wrathful pain;
nec lacrimis caruere genae, segnemque Menoeten
Nor did his cheeks lack tears indeed: forgetting honour’s trust,
oblitus decorisque sui sociumque salutis
Forgetting all his fellows’ weal, Menoetes doth he thrust
in mare praecipitem puppi deturbat ab alta; 175
Headlong from off the lofty deck into the sea adown,
ipse gubernaclo rector subit, ipse magister
And takes the tiller, helmsman now and steering-master grown;
hortaturque uiros clauumque ad litora torquet.
He cheers his men, and toward the shore the rudder wresteth round.
at grauis ut fundo uix tandem redditus imo est
Menoetes, heavy, hardly won up from the ocean’s ground,
iam senior madidaque fluens in ueste Menoetes
(For he was old, and floods enow fulfilled his dripping gear,)
summa petit scopuli siccaque in rupe resedit. 180
Made for the holm and sat him down upon the dry rock there:
illum et labentem Teucri et risere natantem
The Teucrians laughed to see him fall, and laughed to see him swim,
et salsos rident reuomentem pectore fluctus.
And laugh to see him spue the brine back from the heart of him.
Hic laeta extremis spes est accensa duobus,
Now Mnestheus’ and Sergestus’ hope began anew to spring,
Sergesto Mnestheique, Gyan superare morantem.
That they might outgo Gyas yet amid his tarrying:
Sergestus capit ante locum scopuloque propinquat, 185
Of whom Sergestus draws ahead and nears the rocky holm;
nec tota tamen ille prior praeeunte carina;
But not by all his keel indeed the other did o’ercome,
parte prior, partim rostro premit aemula Pristis.
But by the half; the eager Whale amidships held her place,
at media socios incedens naue per ipsos
Where Mnestheus midst the men themselves now to and fro did pace,
hortatur Mnestheus: ‘nunc, nunc insurgite remis,
Egging them on: “Now, now!” he cries; “up, up, on oar-heft high!
Hectorei socii, Troiae quos sorte suprema 190
Fellows of Hector, whom I chose when Troy last threw the die!
delegi comites; nunc illas promite uiris,
Now put ye forth your ancient heart, put forth the might of yore,
nunc animos, quibus in Gaetulis Syrtibus usi
Wherewith amid Getulian
sand, Ionian sea ye bore;
Ionioque mari Maleaeque sequacibus undis.
The heart and might ye had amidst Malea’s following wave!
non iam prima peto Mnestheus neque uincere certo
I, Mnestheus, seek not victory now, nor foremost place to save.
(quamquam o! — sed superent quibus hoc, Neptune, dedisti); 195
— Yet, O my heart! but let them win to whom thou giv’st the crown,
extremos pudeat rediisse: hoc uincite, ciues,
O Neptune! — but the shameful last! O townsmen, beat it down.
et prohibete nefas.’ olli certamine summo
And ban such horror!” Hard on oars they lie mid utter throes,
procumbunt: uastis tremit ictibus aerea puppis
And quivereth all the brazen ship beneath their mighty blows;
subtrahiturque solum, tum creber anhelitus artus
The sea’s floor slippeth under them; the ceaseless pantings shake
aridaque ora quatit, sudor fluit undique riuis. 200
Their limbs and parchèd mouths, and still the sweat-streams never slake.
attulit ipse uiris optatum casus honorem:
But very chance those strivers gave the prize they struggled for,
namque furens animi dum proram ad saxa suburget
Since now Sergestus, hot at heart, while to the stony shore
interior spatioque subit Sergestus iniquo,
He clingeth innerward, is come into the treacherous strait,
infelix saxis in procurrentibus haesit.
And hapless driveth on the rocks thrust forth for such a fate:
concussae cautes et acuto in murice remi 205
The cliffs are shaken and the oars against the flinty spikes
obnixi crepuere inlisaque prora pependit.
Snap crashing, and the prow thrust up yet hangeth where it strikes:
consurgunt nautae et magno clamore morantur
Up start the seafarers, and raise great hubbub tarrying;
ferratasque trudes et acuta cuspide contos
Then sprits all iron-shod and poles sharp-ended forth they bring
expediunt fractosque legunt in gurgite remos.
To bear her off, and gather oars a-floating in the wash.
at laetus Mnestheus successuque acrior ipso 210
But Mnestheus, whetted by his luck, joyful, with hurrying dash
agmine remorum celeri uentisque uocatis
Of timely-beating oars, speeds forth, and praying breezes on,
prona petit maria et pelago decurrit aperto.
O’er waters’ slope adown the sea’s all open way doth run:
qualis spelunca subito commota columba,
— E’en as a pigeon in a cave stirred suddenly from rest,
cui domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi,
Who in the shady pumice-rock hath house and happy nest;
fertur in arua uolans plausumque exterrita pennis 215
Scared ‘neath the roof she beateth forth with mighty flap of wings,
dat tecto ingentem, mox aere lapsa quieto
And flieth, borne adown the fields, till in soft air she swings,
radit iter liquidum celeris neque commouet alas:
And floateth on the flowing way, nor scarce a wing doth move;
sic Mnestheus, sic ipsa fuga secat ultima Pristis
— So Mnestheus, so the Whale herself, the latter waters clove,
aequora, sic illam fert impetus ipse uolantem.
So with the way erst made on her she flew on swift and soft;
et primum in scopulo luctantem deserit alto 220
And first Sergestus doth she leave stayed on the rock aloft,
Sergestum breuibusque uadis frustraque uocantem
Striving in shallows’ tanglement, calling for help in vain,
auxilia et fractis discentem currere remis.
And learning with his broken oars a little way to gain.
inde Gyan ipsamque ingenti mole Chimaeram
Then Gyas and Chimæra’s bulk he holdeth hard in chase,
consequitur; cedit, quoniam spoliata magistro est.
Who, from her lack of helmsman lost, must presently give place.
solus iamque ipso superest in fine Cloanthus, 225
And now at very end of all Cloanthus is the last
quem petit et summis adnixus uiribus urget.
With whom to deal: his most he strives, and presseth on him fast.
Tum uero ingeminat clamor cunctique sequentem
Then verily shout thrusts on shout, and all with all goodwill
instigant studiis, resonatque fragoribus aether.
Cry on the chase; their echoing noise the very lift doth fill.
hi proprium decus et partum indignantur honorem
These, thinking shame of letting fall their hardly-gotten gain
ni teneant, uitamque uolunt pro laude pacisci; 230
Of glory’s meed, to buy the praise with very life are fain;
hos successus alit: possunt, quia posse uidentur.
Those, fed on good-hap, all things may, because they deem they may:
et fors aequatis cepissent praemia rostris,
The twain, perchance, head laid to head, had won the prize that day,
ni palmas ponto tendens utrasque Cloanthus
But if Cloanthus both his palms had stretched to seaward there,
fudissetque preces diuosque in uota uocasset:
And called upon the Gods to aid and poured forth eager prayer:
‘di, quibus imperium est pelagi, quorum aequora curro, 235
“O Gods, whose lordship is the sea, whose waters I run o’er,
uobis laetus ego hoc candentem in litore taurum
Now glad will I, your debtor bound, by altars on the shore
constituam ante aras uoti reus, extaque salsos
Bring forth for you a snow-white bull, and cast amid the brine
proiciam in fluctus et uina liquentia fundam.’
His inner meat, and pour abroad a flowing of fair wine.”
dixit, eumque imis sub fluctibus audiit omnis
He spake, and all the Nereids’ choir hearkened the words he said
Nereidum Phorcique chorus Panopeaque uirgo, 240
Down ‘neath the waves, and Phorcus’ folk, and Panopea the maid;
et pater ipse manu magna Portunus euntem
Yea, and the sire Portunus thrust the keel with mighty hand
impulit: illa Noto citius uolucrique sagitta
Upon its way, and arrow-swift it flew on toward the land,
ad terram fugit et portu se condidit alto.
Swift as the South, and there at rest in haven deep it lies.
tum satus Anchisa cunctis ex more uocatis
But now Anchises’ seed, all men being summoned in due wise,
uictorem magna praeconis uoce Cloanthum 245
Proclaims Cloanthus victor there by loud-voiced herald’s shout,
declarat uiridique aduelat tempora lauro,
And with green garland of the bay he does his brows about;
muneraque in nauis ternos optare iuuencos
Then biddeth them to choose the gifts, for every ship three steers,
uinaque et argenti magnum dat ferre talentum.
And wine, and every crew therewith great weight of silver bears.
ipsis praecipuos ductoribus addit honores:
And glorious gifts he adds withal to every duke of man:
uictori chlamydem auratam, quam plurima circum 250
A gold-wrought cloak the victor hath, about whose rim there ran
purpura maeandro duplici Meliboea cucurrit,
A plenteous double wavy stream of Meliboean shell,
intextusque puer frondosa regius Ida
And leafy Ida’s kingly boy thereon was pictured well.
uelocis iaculo ceruos cursuque fatigat
A-following up the fleeing hart with spear and running fleet;
acer, anhelanti
similis, quem praepes ab Ida
Eager he seemed as one who pants; then him with hookèd feet
sublimem pedibus rapuit Iouis armiger uncis; 255
Jove’s shield-bearer hath caught, and up with him from Ida flies,
longaeui palmas nequiquam ad sidera tendunt
And there the ancient masters stretch vain palms unto the skies,
custodes, saeuitque canum latratus in auras.
While bark of staring hunting-hound beats fierce at upper air.
at qui deinde locum tenuit uirtute secundum,
Then next for him who second place of might and valour bare
leuibus huic hamis consertam auroque trilicem
A mail-coat wove of polished rings with threefold wire of gold,
loricam, quam Demoleo detraxerat ipse 260
Which from Demoleos the King had stripped in days of old,
uictor apud rapidum Simoenta sub Ilio alto,
A conqueror then by Simoïs swift beneath high-builded Troy,
donat habere, uiro decus et tutamen in armis.
He giveth now that lord to have a safeguard and a joy;
uix illam famuli Phegeus Sagarisque ferebant
Its many folds his serving-men, Phegeus and Sagaris,
multiplicem conixi umeris; indutus at olim
Scarce bore on toiling shoulders joined, yet clad in nought but this
Demoleos cursu palantis Troas agebat. 265
Swift ran Demoleos following on the Trojans disarrayed.
tertia dona facit geminos ex aere lebetas
A third gift then he setteth forth, twin cauldrons brazen made,
cymbiaque argento perfecta atque aspera signis.
And silver bowls with picturing fret and wrought with utter pain.
iamque adeo donati omnes opibusque superbi
And now when all had gotten gifts, and glorying in their gain,
puniceis ibant euincti tempora taenis,
Were wending with the filleting of purple round the brow,
cum saeuo e scopulo multa uix arte reuulsus 270
Lo, gotten from the cruel rock with craft and toil enow,
amissis remis atque ordine debilis uno
With missing oars, and all one board unhandy and foredone,
inrisam sine honore ratem Sergestus agebat.
His ship inglorious and bemocked, Sergestus driveth on.
qualis saepe uiae deprensus in aggere serpens,
— As with an adder oft it haps caught on the highway’s crown,
aerea quem obliquum rota transiit aut grauis ictu
Aslant by brazen tire of wheel, or heavy pebble thrown
seminecem liquit saxo lacerumque uiator; 275
By wayfarer, hath left him torn and nigh unto his end:
nequiquam longos fugiens dat corpore tortus