Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  corpora? quae lucis miseris tam dira cupido?’

  How can such mad desire be to win the worldly day?”

  ‘dicam equidem nec te suspensum, nate, tenebo’

  “Son, I shall tell thee all thereof, nor hold thee on the way.”

  suscipit Anchises atque ordine singula pandit.

  Therewith he takes the tale and all he openeth orderly:

  ‘Principio caelum ac terras camposque liquentis

  “In the beginning: earth and sky and flowing fields of sea,

  lucentemque globum lunae Titaniaque astra 725

  And stars that Titan fashioned erst, and gleaming moony ball,

  spiritus intus alit, totamque infusa per artus

  An inward spirit nourisheth, one soul is shed through all,

  mens agitat molem et magno se corpore miscet.

  That quickeneth all the mass, and with the mighty thing is blent:

  inde hominum pecudumque genus uitaeque uolantum

  Thence are the lives of men and beasts and flying creatures sent,

  et quae marmoreo fert monstra sub aequore pontus.

  And whatsoe’er the sea-plain bears beneath its marble face;

  igneus est ollis uigor et caelestis origo 730

  Quick in these seeds is might of fire and birth of heavenly place,

  seminibus, quantum non noxia corpora tardant

  Ere earthly bodies’ baneful weight upon them comes to lie,

  terrenique hebetant artus moribundaque membra.

  Ere limbs of earth bewilder them and members made to die.

  hinc metuunt cupiuntque, dolent gaudentque, neque auras

  Hence fear they have, and love, and joy, and grief, and ne’er may find

  dispiciunt clausae tenebris et carcere caeco.

  The face of heaven amid the dusk and prison strait and blind:

  quin et supremo cum lumine uita reliquit, 735

  Yea, e’en when out of upper day their life at last is borne,

  non tamen omne malum miseris nec funditus omnes

  Not all the ill of wretched men is utterly outworn,

  corporeae excedunt pestes, penitusque necesse est

  Not all the bane their bodies bred; and sure in wondrous wise

  multa diu concreta modis inolescere miris.

  The plenteous ill they bore so long engrained in them it lies:

  ergo exercentur poenis ueterumque malorum

  So therefore are they worn by woes and pay for ancient wrong:

  supplicia expendunt: aliae panduntur inanes 740

  And some of them are hung aloft the empty winds among;

  suspensae ad uentos, aliis sub gurgite uasto

  And some, their stain of wickedness amidst the water’s heart

  infectum eluitur scelus aut exuritur igni:

  Is washed away; amidst the fire some leave their worser part;

  quisque suos patimur manis. exinde per amplum

  And each his proper death must bear: then through Elysium wide

  mittimur Elysium et pauci laeta arua tenemus,

  Are we sent forth; a scanty folk in joyful fields we bide,

  donec longa dies perfecto temporis orbe 745

  Till in the fulness of the time, the day that long hath been

  concretam exemit labem, purumque relinquit

  Hath worn away the inner stain and left the spirit clean,

  aetherium sensum atque aurai simplicis ignem.

  A heavenly essence, a fine flame of all unmingled air.

  has omnis, ubi mille rotam uoluere per annos,

  All these who now have turned the wheel for many and many a year

  Lethaeum ad fluuium deus euocat agmine magno,

  God calleth unto Lethe’s flood in mighty company,

  scilicet immemores supera ut conuexa reuisant 750

  That they, remembering nought indeed, the upper air may see

  rursus, et incipiant in corpora uelle reuerti.’

  Once more, and long to turn aback to worldly life anew.”

  Dixerat Anchises natumque unaque Sibyllam

  Anchises therewithal his son, and her the Sibyl drew

  conuentus trahit in medios turbamque sonantem,

  Amid the concourse, the great crowd that such a murmuring sent,

  et tumulum capit unde omnis longo ordine posset

  And took a mound whence they might see the spirits as they went

  aduersos legere et uenientum discere uultus. 755

  In long array, and learn each face as ‘neath their eyes it came.

  ‘Nunc age, Dardaniam prolem quae deinde sequatur

  “Come now, and I of Dardan folk will tell the following fame,

  gloria, qui maneant Itala de gente nepotes,

  And what a folk from Italy the world may yet await,

  inlustris animas nostrumque in nomen ituras,

  Most glorious souls, to bear our name adown the ways of fate.

  expediam dictis, et te tua fata docebo.

  Yea, I will set it forth in words, and thou thy tale shalt hear:

  ille, uides, pura iuuenis qui nititur hasta, 760

  Lo ye, the youth that yonder leans upon the headless spear,

  proxima sorte tenet lucis loca, primus ad auras

  Fate gives him nighest place today; he first of all shall rise,

  aetherias Italo commixtus sanguine surget,

  Blent blood of Troy and Italy, unto the earthly skies:

  Siluius, Albanum nomen, tua postuma proles,

  Silvius is he, an Alban name, thy son, thy latest born;

  quem tibi longaeuo serum Lauinia coniunx

  He whom thy wife Lavinia now, when thin thy life is worn,

  educet siluis regem regumque parentem, 765

  Beareth in woods to be a king and get a kingly race,

  unde genus Longa nostrum dominabitur Alba.

  Whence comes the lordship of our folk within the Long White Place.

  proximus ille Procas, Troianae gloria gentis,

  And Procas standeth next to him, the Trojan people’s fame;

  et Capys et Numitor et qui te nomine reddet

  Then Capys, Numitor, and he who bringeth back thy name,

  Siluius Aeneas, pariter pietate uel armis

  Silvius Æneas, great in war, and great in godliness,

  egregius, si umquam regnandam acceperit Albam. 770

  If ever he in that White Stead may bear the kingdom’s stress.

  qui iuuenes! quantas ostentant, aspice, uiris

  Lo ye, what youths! what glorious might unto thine eyes is shown!

  atque umbrata gerunt ciuili tempora quercu!

  But they who shade their temples o’er with civic oaken crown,

  hi tibi Nomentum et Gabios urbemque Fidenam,

  These build for thee Nomentum’s walls, and Gabii, and the folk

  hi Collatinas imponent montibus arces,

  Fidenian, and the mountains load with fair Collatia’s yoke:

  Pometios Castrumque Inui Bolamque Coramque; 775

  Pometii, Bola, Cora, there shall rise beneath their hands,

  haec tum nomina erunt, nunc sunt sine nomine terrae.

  And Inuus’ camp: great names shall spring amid the nameless lands.

  quin et auo comitem sese Mauortius addet

  “Then Mavors’ child shall come on earth, his grandsire following,

  Romulus, Assaraci quem sanguinis Ilia mater

  When Ilia’s womb, Assaracus’ own blood, to birth shall bring

  educet. uiden, ut geminae stant uertice cristae

  That Romulus: — lo, see ye not the twin crests on his head,

  et pater ipse suo superum iam signat honore? 780

  And how the Father hallows him for day with his own dread

  en huius, nate, auspiciis illa incluta Roma

  E’en now? Lo, son! those signs of his; lo, that renownèd Rome!

  imperium terris, animos aequabit Olympo,

  Whose lordship filleth all the earth, whose heart O
lympus’ home,

  septemque una sibi muro circumdabit arces,

  And with begirdling of her wall girds seven great burgs to her,

  felix prole uirum: qualis Berecyntia mater

  Rejoicing in her man-born babes: e’en as the Earth-Mother

  inuehitur curru Phrygias turrita per urbes 785

  Amidst the Phrygian cities goes with car and towered crown,

  laeta deum partu, centum complexa nepotes,

  Glad in the Gods, whom hundred-fold she kisseth for her own.

  omnis caelicolas, omnis supera alta tenentis.

  All heaven-abiders, all as kings within the house of air.

  huc geminas nunc flecte acies, hanc aspice gentem

  Ah, turn thine eyeballs hitherward, look on this people here,

  Romanosque tuos. hic Caesar et omnis Iuli

  Thy Roman folk! Lo Cæsar now! Lo all Iulus’ race,

  progenies magnum caeli uentura sub axem. 790

  Who ‘neath the mighty vault of heaven shall dwell in coming days.

  hic uir, hic est, tibi quem promitti saepius audis,

  And this is he, this is the man thou oft hast heard foretold,

  Augustus Caesar, diui genus, aurea condet

  Augustus Cæsar, sprung from God to bring the age of gold

  saecula qui rursus Latio regnata per arua

  Aback unto the Latin fields, where Saturn once was king.

  Saturno quondam, super et Garamantas et Indos

  Yea, and the Garamantian folk and Indians shall he bring

  proferet imperium; iacet extra sidera tellus, 795

  Beneath his sway: beyond the stars, beyond the course of years,

  extra anni solisque uias, ubi caelifer Atlas

  Beyond the Sun-path lies the land, where Atlas heaven upbears,

  axem umero torquet stellis ardentibus aptum.

  And on his shoulders turns the pole with burning stars bestrown.

  huius in aduentum iam nunc et Caspia regna

  Yea, and e’en now the Caspian realms quake at his coming, shown

  responsis horrent diuum et Maeotia tellus,

  By oracles of God; and quakes the far Mæotic mere,

  et septemgemini turbant trepida ostia Nili. 800

  And sevenfold Nile through all his mouths quakes in bewildered fear.

  nec uero Alcides tantum telluris obiuit,

  Not so much earth did Hercules o’erpass, though he prevailed

  fixerit aeripedem ceruam licet, aut Erymanthi

  To pierce the brazen-footed hind, and win back peace that failed

  pacarit nemora et Lernam tremefecerit arcu;

  The Erymanthus’ wood, and shook Lerna with draught of bow;

  nec qui pampineis uictor iuga flectit habenis

  Nor Liber turning vine-wreathed reins when he hath will to go

  Liber, agens celso Nysae de uertice tigris. 805

  Adown from Nysa’s lofty head in tiger-yokèd car. —

  et dubitamus adhuc uirtutem extendere factis,

  Forsooth then shall we doubt but deeds shall spread our valour far?

  aut metus Ausonia prohibet consistere terra?

  Shall fear forsooth forbid us rest in that Ausonian land?

  quis procul ille autem ramis insignis oliuae

  “But who is this, the olive-crowned, that beareth in his hand

  sacra ferens? nosco crinis incanaque menta

  The holy things? I know the hair and hoary beard of eld

  regis Romani primam qui legibus urbem 810

  Of him, the Roman king, who first a law-bound city held,

  fundabit, Curibus paruis et paupere terra

  Sent out from little Cures’ garth, that unrich land of his,

  missus in imperium magnum. cui deinde subibit

  Unto a mighty lordship: yea, and Tullus next is this,

  otia qui rumpet patriae residesque mouebit

  Who breaks his country’s sleep and stirs the slothful men to fight;

  Tullus in arma uiros et iam desueta triumphis

  And calleth on the weaponed hosts unused to war’s delight

  agmina. quem iuxta sequitur iactantior Ancus 815

  But next unto him Ancus fares, a boaster overmuch;

  nunc quoque iam nimium gaudens popularibus auris.

  Yea and e’en now the people’s breath too nigh his heart will touch.

  uis et Tarquinios reges animamque superbam

  And wilt thou see the Tarquin kings and Brutus’ lofty heart,

  ultoris Bruti, fascisque uidere receptos?

  And fasces brought aback again by his avenging part?

  consulis imperium hic primus saeuasque securis

  He first the lordship consular and dreadful axe shall take;

  accipiet, natosque pater noua bella mouentis 820

  The father who shall doom the sons, that war and change would wake,

  ad poenam pulchra pro libertate uocabit,

  To pain of death, that he thereby may freedom’s fairness save.

  infelix, utcumque ferent ea facta minores:

  Unhappy! whatso tale of thee the after-time may have,

  uincet amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido.

  The love of country shall prevail, and boundless lust of praise.

  quin Decios Drusosque procul saeuumque securi

  “Drusi and Decii lo afar! On hard Torquatus gaze,

  aspice Torquatum et referentem signa Camillum. 825

  He of the axe: Camillus lo, the banner-rescuer!

  illae autem paribus quas fulgere cernis in armis,

  But note those two thou seest shine in arms alike and clear,

  concordes animae nunc et dum nocte prementur,

  Now souls of friends, and so to be while night upon them weighs:

  heu quantum inter se bellum, si lumina uitae

  Woe’s me! what war shall they awake if e’er the light of days

  attigerint, quantas acies stragemque ciebunt,

  They find: what host each sets ‘gainst each, what death-field shall they dight!

  aggeribus socer Alpinis atque arce Monoeci 830

  The father from the Alpine wall, and from Monoecus’ height

  descendens, gener aduersis instructus Eois!

  Comes down; the son against him turns the East’s embattlement.

  ne, pueri, ne tanta animis adsuescite bella

  O children, in such evil war let not your souls be spent,

  neu patriae ualidas in uiscera uertite uiris;

  Nor turn the valour of your might against the heart of home.

  tuque prior, tu parce, genus qui ducis Olympo,

  Thou first, refrain, O thou my blood from high Olympus come;

  proice tela manu, sanguis meus! — 835

  Cast thou the weapons from thine hand!

  ille triumphata Capitolia ad alta Corintho

  “Lo to the Capitol aloft, for Corinth triumphing,

  uictor aget currum caesis insignis Achiuis.

  One glorious with Achæan deaths in victor’s chariot goes;

  eruet ille Argos Agamemnoniasque Mycenas

  Mycenæ, Agamemnon’s house, and Argos he o’erthrows,

  ipsumque Aeaciden, genus armipotentis Achilli,

  Yea and Æacides himself the great Achilles’ son;

  ultus auos Troiae templa et temerata Mineruae. 840

  Avenging so the sires of Troy and Pallas’ house undone.

  quis te, magne Cato, tacitum aut te, Cosse, relinquat?

  Great Cato, can I leave thee then untold? pass Cossus o’er?

  quis Gracchi genus aut geminos, duo fulmina belli,

  Or house of Gracchus? Yea, or ye, twin thunderbolts of war,

  Scipiadas, cladem Libyae, paruoque potentem

  Ye Scipios, bane of Libyan land? Fabricius, poor and strong?

  Fabricium uel te sulco, Serrane, serentem?

  Or thee, Serranus, casting seed adown the furrows long?

  quo fessum rapitis, Fabii? tu Maximus ille es,
845

  Fabii, where drive ye me outworn? Thou Greatest, thou art he,

  unus qui nobis cunctando restituis rem.

  Who bringest back thy country’s weal by tarrying manfully.

  excudent alii spirantia mollius aera

  “Others, I know, more tenderly may beat the breathing brass,

  (credo equidem), uiuos ducent de marmore uultus,

  And better from the marble block bring living looks to pass;

  orabunt causas melius, caelique meatus

  Others may better plead the cause, may compass heaven’s face,

  describent radio et surgentia sidera dicent: 850

  And mark it out, and tell the stars, their rising and their place:

  tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento

  But thou, O Roman, look to it the folks of earth to sway;

  (hae tibi erunt artes), pacique imponere morem,

  For this shall be thine handicraft, peace on the world to lay,

  parcere subiectis et debellare superbos.’

  To spare the weak, to wear the proud by constant weight of war.”

  Sic pater Anchises, atque haec mirantibus addit:

  So mid their marvelling he spake, and added furthermore:

  ‘aspice, ut insignis spoliis Marcellus opimis 855

  “Marcellus lo! neath Spoils of Spoils how great and glad he goes,

  ingreditur uictorque uiros supereminet omnis.

  And overtops all heroes there, the vanquisher of foes:

  hic rem Romanam magno turbante tumultu

  Yea, he shall prop the Roman weal when tumult troubleth all,

  sistet eques, sternet Poenos Gallumque rebellem,

  And ride amid the Punic ranks, and crush the rising Gaul,

  tertiaque arma patri suspendet capta Quirino.’

  And hang in sire Quirinus’ house the third war-taken gear.”

  atque hic Aeneas (una namque ire uidebat 860

  Then spake Æneas, for he saw following Marcellus near

  egregium forma iuuenem et fulgentibus armis,

  A youth of beauty excellent, with gleaming arms bedight,

  sed frons laeta parum et deiecto lumina uultu)

  Yet little glad of countenance with eyes that shunned the light:

  ‘quis, pater, ille, uirum qui sic comitatur euntem?

  “O father, who is he that wends beside the hero’s hem,

  filius, anne aliquis magna de stirpe nepotum?

  His son belike, or some one else from out that mighty stem?

  qui strepitus circa comitum! quantum instar in ipso! 865

  What murmuring of friends about! How mighty is he made!

  sed nox atra caput tristi circumuolat umbra.’

  But black Night fluttereth over him with woeful mirky shade.”