Complete Works of Virgil

by Virgil

  et Cimini cum monte lacum lucosque Capenos.

  And mere and mound of Ciminus, Capena’s woodland broad.

  ibant aequati numero regemque canebant:

  With measured footfalls on they go, a-singing of their lord:

  ceu quondam niuei liquida inter nubila cycni

  As whiles the snowy swans will fare amid the world of cloud,

  cum sese e pastu referunt et longa canoros 700

  Returning from their feeding-field; far goes the song and loud,

  dant per colla modos, sonat amnis et Asia longe

  Whose notes along their necks they pour: the flood resounds, and all

  pulsa palus.

  The Asian marish beat with song.

  nec quisquam aeratas acies examine tanto

  Scarce might ye deem the brazen ranks of such a mighty host

  misceri putet, aeriam sed gurgite ab alto

  Were gathered there: but rather fowl a-driving toward the coast,

  urgeri uolucrum raucarum ad litora nubem. 705

  An airy cloud of hoarse-voiced things drawn from the wallowing sea.

  Ecce Sabinorum prisco de sanguine magnum

  Lo sprung from ancient Sabine blood comes Clausus presently,

  agmen agens Clausus magnique ipse agminis instar,

  Leading a mighty host, himself a very host of war;

  Claudia nunc a quo diffunditur et tribus et gens

  From whom the Claudian tribe and race hath spread itself afar

  per Latium, postquam in partem data Roma Sabinis.

  Through Latium, since the Sabine folk was given a share in Rome:

  una ingens Amiterna cohors priscique Quirites, 710

  With him the Amiternian host and old Quirites come;

  Ereti manus omnis oliuiferaeque Mutuscae;

  Eretus’ host and they that keep Mutusca’s olive gain,

  qui Nomentum urbem, qui Rosea rura Velini,

  The biders in Nomentum’s wall, and Veline Rosea’s plain,

  qui Tetricae horrentis rupes montemque Seuerum

  The bristling rocks of Tetricæ and high Severus’ flank,

  Casperiamque colunt Forulosque et flumen Himellae,

  Casperia and Foruli and wet Himella’s bank;

  qui Tiberim Fabarimque bibunt, quos frigida misit 715

  The drinkers of the Tiber-stream and Fabaris, and folk

  Nursia, et Ortinae classes populique Latini,

  Cool Nursia sends, and Horta’s troop, and men of Latin yoke;

  quosque secans infaustum interluit Allia nomen:

  And they whom hapless Allia parts with wash of waters wan:

  quam multi Libyco uoluuntur marmore fluctus

  As many as on Lybian main the tumbling waves roll on

  saeuus ubi Orion hibernis conditur undis,

  When fierce Orion falls to sleep in wintry waters’ lair;

  uel cum sole nouo densae torrentur aristae 720

  Or thick as stand the wheaten ears the young sun burneth there

  aut Hermi campo aut Lyciae flauentibus aruis.

  On Hermus’ plain or Lycia’s lea a-yellowing for the hook:

  scuta sonant pulsuque pedum conterrita tellus.

  Loud clashed the shields, and earth afeared beneath their footfalls shook.

  Hinc Agamemnonius, Troiani nominis hostis,

  Halæsus, Agamemnon’s blood, a foe to Troy inbred,

  curru iungit Halaesus equos Turnoque ferocis

  Next yoked the horses to the car; a thousand men he led,

  mille rapit populos, uertunt felicia Baccho 725

  Fierce folk for Turnus: they that hoe the vine-fair Massic soil;

  Massica qui rastris, et quos de collibus altis

  And they that from their lofty hills adown unto the broil

  Aurunci misere patres Sidicinaque iuxta

  Aruncan fathers sent, and they of Sidicinum’s lea;

  aequora, quique Cales linquunt amnisque uadosi

  All who leave Cales, all whose homes beside Vulturnus be,

  accola Volturni, pariterque Saticulus asper

  The shoally water: with them went Saticula’s fierce band,

  Oscorumque manus. teretes sunt aclydes illis 730

  And host of Oscans: slender shafts are weapons of their hand,

  tela, sed haec lento mos est aptare flagello.

  Which same to toughened casting-thong amid the fight they tie;

  laeuas caetra tegit, falcati comminus enses.

  With bucklered left and scanty blade they come to blows anigh.

  Nec tu carminibus nostris indictus abibis,

  Nor, Oebalus, shalt thou unsung from this our story fail,

  Oebale, quem generasse Telon Sebethide nympha

  Whom Telon on nymph Sebethis begat as tells the tale

  fertur, Teleboum Capreas cum regna teneret, 735

  When Teleboan Capreæ he reigned o’er waxen old;

  iam senior; patriis sed non et filius aruis

  Whose son might not abide to sit within his father’s fold;

  contentus late iam tum dicione premebat

  But even then held neath his sway the country far and wide,

  Sarrastis populos et quae rigat aequora Sarnus,

  Sarrastes’ folk, and all the plain along the Sarnus side.

  quique Rufras Batulumque tenent atque arua Celemnae,

  Celenna’s lea, and Batulum, and folk of Rufra’s town,

  et quos maliferae despectant moenia Abellae, 740

  And those on whom Abella’s walls, the apple-rich, look down.

  Teutonico ritu soliti torquere cateias;

  But these are wont to hurl the spear after the Teuton wise,

  tegmina quis capitum raptus de subere cortex

  Their heads are helmed with e’en such bark as on the holm-oak lies:

  aerataeque micant peltae, micat aereus ensis.

  All brazen-wrought their targets gleam, their brazen sword-blades flash.

  Et te montosae misere in proelia Nersae,

  ’Twas Nursæ in the heart of hills sent thee to battle-clash,

  Vfens, insignem fama et felicibus armis, 745

  O Ufens, well renowned of fame, and rich in battle’s grace;

  horrida praecipue cui gens adsuetaque multo

  Whose folk are roughest lived of men, eager for woodland chase;

  uenatu nemorum, duris Aequicula glaebis.

  Æquiculi they hight; who dwell on land of little gain,

  armati terram exercent semperque recentis

  And ever armed they till the earth, and ever are they fain

  conuectare iuuat praedas et uiuere rapto.

  To drive the spoil from hour to hour, and live upon the prey.

  Quin et Marruuia uenit de gente sacerdos 750

  Then Umbro of the hardy heart went on the battle-way;

  fronde super galeam et felici comptus oliua

  Priest was he of Marruvian folk; about his helm was bent

  Archippi regis missu, fortissimus Vmbro,

  The happy olive, leaf and twig: him King Archippus sent:

  uipereo generi et grauiter spirantibus hydris

  Wont was he with his hand and voice the bitter viper-kind

  spargere qui somnos cantuque manuque solebat,

  And water-worms of evil breath in bonds of sleep to bind;

  mulcebatque iras et morsus arte leuabat. 755

  And he would soothe the wrath of them, and dull their bite by craft,

  sed non Dardaniae medicari cuspidis ictum

  Yet nothing might he heal the hurt that came of Dardan shaft;

  eualuit neque eum iuuere in uulnera cantus

  Nay, nothing might the sleepy song avail against his bane,

  somniferi et Marsis quaesitae montibus herbae.

  All herbs on Marsian mountains plucked were nought thereto and vain.

  te nemus Angitiae, uitrea te Fucinus unda,

  Anguitia’s thicket wept for thee, Fucinus wave of glass,

 
te liquidi fleuere lacus. 760

  The thin wan waters wept for thee.

  Ibat et Hippolyti proles pulcherrima bello,

  Most goodly Virbius went to war, Hippolytus’ own son:

  Virbius, insignem quem mater Aricia misit,

  His mother fair Aricia sent this battle-glorious one

  eductum Egeriae lucis umentia circum

  From fostering of Egeria’s wood, from out the marish place

  litora, pinguis ubi et placabilis ara Dianae.

  Where standeth Dian’s altar rich fulfilled of plenteous grace.

  namque ferunt fama Hippolytum, postquam arte nouercae 765

  For folk say, when Hippolytus, undone by step-dame’s lie,

  occiderit patriasque explerit sanguine poenas

  Had paid unto his father’s wrath that utmost penalty,

  turbatis distractus equis, ad sidera rursus

  He, piecemeal torn by maddened steeds, yet came aback to live

  aetheria et superas caeli uenisse sub auras,

  Beneath the starry firmament, and air that heaven doth give,

  Paeoniis reuocatum herbis et amore Dianae.

  Brought back to life by healing herbs and Dian’s cherishing:

  tum pater omnipotens aliquem indignatus ab umbris 770

  Then the Almighty Father, wroth that any mortal thing

  mortalem infernis ad lumina surgere uitae,

  Should rise again to light of life from nether shadows wan,

  ipse repertorem medicinae talis et artis

  Beat down with bolt to Stygian wave the Phoebus-gotten man,

  fulmine Phoebigenam Stygias detrusit ad undas.

  The finder of such healing craft, the wise in such an art.

  at Triuia Hippolytum secretis alma recondit

  But Trivia’s lovingkindness hid Hippolytus apart,

  sedibus et nymphae Egeriae nemorique relegat, 775

  And in the nymph Egeria’s wood she held him many a day:

  solus ubi in siluis Italis ignobilis aeuum

  Alone in woods of Italy he wore his life away,

  exigeret uersoque ubi nomine Virbius esset.

  Deedless, his very name all changed, and Virbius by-named then.

  unde etiam templo Triuiae lucisque sacratis

  So for this cause to Trivia’s fane and hallowed grove do men

  cornipedes arcentur equi, quod litore currum

  Drive horn-foot steeds, because, o’ercome by sea-beasts dread of yore,

  et iuuenem monstris pauidi effudere marinis. 780

  Piecemeal the chariot and the man they strewed about the shore.

  filius ardentis haud setius aequore campi

  No less his son would drive the steeds across the level plain

  exercebat equos curruque in bella ruebat.

  For all their heat, and rush to war aloft in battle-wain.

  Ipse inter primos praestanti corpore Turnus

  Now mid the forefront Turnus self of body excellent,

  uertitur arma tenens et toto uertice supra est.

  Strode sword in hand: there by the head all others he outwent:

  cui triplici crinita iuba galea alta Chimaeram 785

  His threefold crested helm upbore Chimæra in her wrath;

  sustinet Aetnaeos efflantem faucibus ignis;

  Where very flame of Ætna’s womb her jaws were pouring forth;

  tam magis illa fremens et tristibus effera flammis

  And fiercer of her flames was she, and madder of her mood

  quam magis effuso crudescunt sanguine pugnae.

  As bloomed the battle young again with more abundant blood.

  at leuem clipeum sublatis cornibus Io

  But on the smoothness of his shield was golden Io shown

  auro insignibat, iam saetis obsita, iam bos, 790

  With upraised horns, with hairy skin, a very heifer grown, —

  argumentum ingens, et custos uirginis Argus,

  A noble tale; — and Argus there was wrought, the maiden’s ward;

  caelataque amnem fundens pater Inachus urna.

  And father Inachus from bowl well wrought the river poured.

  insequitur nimbus peditum clipeataque totis

  A cloud of foot-folk follow him; his shielded people throng

  agmina densentur campis, Argiuaque pubes

  The meadows all about; forth goes the Argive manhood strong;

  Auruncaeque manus, Rutuli ueteresque Sicani, 795

  Aruncan men and Rutuli, Sicanians of old years,

  et Sacranae acies et picti scuta Labici;

  Sacranian folk, Labicus’ band the blazoned shield-bearers:

  qui saltus, Tiberine, tuos sacrumque Numici

  Thy thicket-biders, Tiber; those that holy acres till

  litus arant Rutulosque exercent uomere collis

  Beside Numicus, those that plough Rutulian holt and hill,

  Circaeumque iugum, quis Iuppiter Anxurus aruis

  And ridges of Circæi: they whose meadows Anxur Jove

  praesidet et uiridi gaudens Feronia luco; 800

  Looks down on, where Feronia joys amid her fair green grove;

  qua Saturae iacet atra palus gelidusque per imas

  Where Satura’s black marish lies, where chilly Ufens glides,

  quaerit iter uallis atque in mare conditur Vfens.

  Seeking a way through lowest dales, till in the sea he hides.

  Hos super aduenit Volsca de gente Camilla

  And after these from Volscian folk doth fair Camilla pass,

  agmen agens equitum et florentis aere cateruas,

  Leading a mighty host of horse all blossoming with brass;

  bellatrix, non illa colo calathisue Mineruae 805

  A warrior maid, whose woman’s hands unused to ply the rock,

  femineas adsueta manus, sed proelia uirgo

  Unused to bear Minerva’s crate, were wise in battle’s shock.

  dura pati cursuque pedum praeuertere uentos.

  The very winds might she outgo with hurrying maiden feet,

  illa uel intactae segetis per summa uolaret

  Or speed across the topmost blades of tall unsmitten wheat,

  gramina nec teneras cursu laesisset aristas,

  Nor ever hurt the tender ears below her as she ran;

  uel mare per medium fluctu suspensa tumenti 810

  Or she might walk the middle sea, and cross the welter wan,

  ferret iter celeris nec tingeret aequore plantas.

  Nor dip the nimble soles of her amid the wavy ways.

  illam omnis tectis agrisque effusa iuuentus

  From house and field the youth pours forth to wonder and to gaze;

  turbaque miratur matrum et prospectat euntem,

  The crowd of mothers stands at stare all marvelling, and beholds

  attonitis inhians animis ut regius ostro

  Her going forth; how kingly cloak of purple dye enfolds

  uelet honos leuis umeros, ut fibula crinem 815

  Her shining shoulders, how the clasp of gold knots up her hair,

  auro internectat, Lyciam ut gerat ipsa pharetram

  And how a quiver Lycian-wrought the Queen herself doth bear,

  et pastoralem praefixa cuspide myrtum.

  And shepherd’s staff of myrtle-wood steel-headed to a spear.

  ‘Aeneas in the Court of Latinus’ by Ferdinand Bol, 1663

  LIBER VIII

  BOOK VIII.

  Vt belli signum Laurenti Turnus ab arce

  When Turnus from Laurentum’s burg the battle-sign upreared,

  extulit et rauco strepuerunt cornua cantu,

  When with their voices hard and shrill the gathering trumpets blare,

  utque acris concussit equos utque impulit arma,

  When he had stirred his war-steeds on and clashed his weed of war,

  extemplo turbati animi, simul omne tumultu

  All troubled were the minds of men, and midst of tumult sore

  coniurat trepido Lat
ium saeuitque iuuentus 5

  All Latium swore the battle oath, and rage of men outbroke;

  effera. ductores primi Messapus et Vfens

  Messapus then, and Ufens great, the dukes of warring folk,

  contemptorque deum Mezentius undique cogunt

  Mezentius, scorner of the Gods, these drive from every side

  auxilia et latos uastant cultoribus agros.

  The folk to war, and waste the fields of tillers far and wide.

  mittitur et magni Venulus Diomedis ad urbem

  And Venulus is sent withal to Diomedes’ town

  qui petat auxilium, et Latio consistere Teucros, 10

  To pray for aid, and tell him how the Teucrians are come down

  aduectum Aenean classi uictosque penatis

  On Latium: how Æneas comes with ship-host, carrying

  inferre et fatis regem se dicere posci

  His vanquished House-Gods, calling him the Fate-ordainèd King;

  edoceat, multasque uiro se adiungere gentis

  How many a folk of Italy hath joined the Dardan lord,

  Dardanio et late Latio increbrescere nomen:

  How that his name in Latin land is grown a mighty word —

  quid struat his coeptis, quem, si fortuna sequatur, 15

  ‘What thing the man will build from this, what way the prize of fight,

  euentum pugnae cupiat, manifestius ipsi

  If Fortune aid him he shall turn — through this thou see’st more light

  quam Turno regi aut regi apparere Latino.

  Than cometh to King Turnus yet or King Latinus eyes.

  Talia per Latium. quae Laomedontius heros

  So goes the world in Latium now, and noting how all lies,

  cuncta uidens magno curarum fluctuat aestu,

  The Trojan hero drifts adown a mighty tide of care,

  atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc diuidit illuc 20

  And hither now his swift thought speeds, now thither bids it fare,

  in partisque rapit uarias perque omnia uersat,

  And sends it diversely about by every way to slip:

  sicut aquae tremulum labris ubi lumen aenis

  As quivering light of water is in brazen vessel’s lip,

  sole repercussum aut radiantis imagine lunae

  Smit by the sun, or casting back the image of the moon.

  omnia peruolitat late loca, iamque sub auras

  It flitteth all about the place, and rising upward soon

  erigitur summique ferit laquearia tecti. 25

  Smiteth the fashioned ceiling spread beneath the tiling steep.

  nox erat et terras animalia fessa per omnis

  Night fell, and over all the world the earthly slumber deep

  alituum pecudumque genus sopor altus habebat,