by Virgil
Obuius huic primum fatis adductus iniquis 380
Whom Lagus met the first of all, by Fate’s unrighteousness
fit Lagus. hunc, uellit magno dum pondere saxum,
Drawn thitherward: him, while a stone huge weighted he upheaves,
intorto figit telo, discrimina costis
He pierceth with a whirling shaft just where the backbone cleaves
per medium qua spina dabat, hastamque receptat
The ribs atwain, and back again he wrencheth forth the spear
ossibus haerentem. quem non super occupat Hisbo,
Set mid the bones: nor him the more did Hisbo take unware,
ille quidem hoc sperans; nam Pallas ante ruentem, 385
Though that he hoped; for Pallas next withstood him, rushing on
dum furit, incautum crudeli morte sodalis
All heedless-wild at that ill death his fellow fair had won,
excipit atque ensem tumido in pulmone recondit.
And buried all his sword deep down amid his wind-swelled lung.
hinc Sthenium petit et Rhoeti de gente uetusta
Then Sthenelus he meets, and one from ancient Rhoetus sprung,
Anchemolum thalamos ausum incestare nouercae.
Anchemolus, who dared defile his own stepmother’s bed.
uos etiam, gemini, Rutulis cecidistis in aruis, 390
Ye also on Rutulian lea twin Daucus’ sons lay dead,
Daucia, Laride Thymberque, simillima proles,
Larides, Thymber; so alike, O children, that by nought
indiscreta suis gratusque parentibus error;
Your parents knew you each from each, and sweet the error thought.
at nunc dura dedit uobis discrimina Pallas.
But now to each did Pallas give a cruel marking-sign;
nam tibi, Thymbre, caput Euandrius abstulit ensis;
For, Thymber, the Evandrian sword smote off that head of thine:
te decisa suum, Laride, dextera quaerit 395
And thy lopped right, Larides, seeks for that which was its lord,
semianimesque micant digiti ferrumque retractant.
The half-dead fingers quiver still and grip unto the sword.
Arcadas accensos monitu et praeclara tuentis
But now the Arcadians cheered by words, beholding his great deed,
facta uiri mixtus dolor et pudor armat in hostis.
The mingled shame and sorrow arm and ‘gainst the foeman lead.
Tum Pallas biiugis fugientem Rhoetea praeter
Then Pallas thrusteth Rhoeteus through a-flitting by in wain;
traicit. hoc spatium tantumque morae fuit Ilo; 400
And so much space, so much delay, thereby did Ilus gain,
Ilo namque procul ualidam derexerat hastam,
For ’twas at Ilus from afar that he his spear had cast
quam medius Rhoeteus intercipit, optime Teuthra,
But Rhoeteus met it on the road fleeing from you full fast,
te fugiens fratremque Tyren, curruque uolutus
Best brethren, Teuthras, Tyres there: down from the car rolled he,
caedit semianimis Rutulorum calcibus arua.
And with the half-dead heel of him beat the Rutulian lea.
ac uelut optato uentis aestate coortis 405
As when amidst the summer-tide he gains the wished-for breeze,
dispersa immittit siluis incendia pastor,
The shepherd sets the sparkled flame amid the thicket trees,
correptis subito mediis extenditur una
The wood’s heart catches suddenly, the flames spread into one,
horrida per latos acies Volcania campos,
And fearful o’er the meadows wide doth Vulcan’s army run,
ille sedens uictor flammas despectat ouantis:
While o’er the flames the victor sits and on their joy looks down.
non aliter socium uirtus coit omnis in unum 410
No less the valour of thy folk unto a head was grown
teque iuuat, Palla. sed bellis acer Halaesus
To help thee, Pallas: but behold, Halesus, fierce in field,
tendit in aduersos seque in sua colligit arma.
Turns on the foe, and gathers him ‘neath cover of his shield.
hic mactat Ladona Pheretaque Demodocumque,
Ladon, Pheres, Demodocus, all these he slaughtered there;
Strymonio dextram fulgenti deripit ense
With gleaming sword he lopped the hand Strymonius did uprear
elatam in iugulum, saxo ferit ora Thoantis 415
Against his throat: in Thoas’ face withal a stone he sent,
ossaque dispersit cerebro permixta cruento.
And drave apart the riven bones with blood and brains all blent
fata canens siluis genitor celarat Halaesum;
Halesus’ sire, the wise of Fate, in woods had hidden him;
ut senior leto canentia lumina soluit,
But when that elder’s whitening eyes at last in death did swim,
iniecere manum Parcae telisque sacrarunt
Fate took Halesus, hallowing him to King Evander’s blade:
Euandri. quem sic Pallas petit ante precatus: 420
For Pallas aimeth at him now, when such wise he had prayed:
‘da nunc, Thybri pater, ferro, quod missile libro,
“O Father Tiber, grant this spear, that herewithal I shake,
fortunam atque uiam duri per pectus Halaesi.
Through hard Halesus’ breast forthwith a happy way may take;
haec arma exuuiasque uiri tua quercus habebit.’
So shall thine oak-tree have the arms, the warrior’s battle-spoil.”
audiit illa deus; dum texit Imaona Halaesus,
The God heard: while Halesus shields Imaon in the broil,
Arcadio infelix telo dat pectus inermum. 425
To that Arcadian shaft he gives his luckless body bared.
At non caede uiri tanta perterrita Lausus,
But nought would Lausus, lord of war, let all his host be scared,
pars ingens belli, sinit agmina: primus Abantem
E’en at the death of such a man: first Abas doth he slay,
oppositum interimit, pugnae nodumque moramque.
Who faces him, the very knot and holdfast of the play.
sternitur Arcadiae proles, sternuntur Etrusci
Then fall Arcadia’s sons to field; felled is Etruria’s host,
et uos, o Grais imperdita corpora, Teucri. 430
And ye, O Teucrian bodies, erst by Grecian death unlost.
agmina concurrunt ducibusque et uiribus aequis;
Then meet the hosts with lords well-matched and equal battle-might;
extremi addensent acies nec turba moueri
The outskirts of the battle close, nor ‘mid the press of fight
tela manusque sinit. hinc Pallas instat et urget,
May hand or spear move: busy now is Pallas on this side,
hinc contra Lausus, nec multum discrepat aetas,
Lausus on that; nor is the space between their ages wide,
egregii forma, sed quis Fortuna negarat 435
Those noble bodies: and both they were clean forbid of Fate
in patriam reditus. ipsos concurrere passus
Return unto their lands: but he who rules Olympus great
haud tamen inter se magni regnator Olympi;
Would nowise suffer them to meet themselves to end the play,
mox illos sua fata manent maiore sub hoste.
The doom of each from mightier foe abideth each today.
Interea soror alma monet succedere Lauso
But Turnus’ sister warneth him to succour Lausus’ war,
Turnum, qui uolucri curru medium secat agmen. 440
The gracious Goddess: straight he cleaves the battle in his car,
ut uidit socios: ‘tempus desistere pugnae;
And when he sees his folk, cries out: “’Tis time to leave the fight!
solus ego in Pallanta feror, soli mihi Pallas
Lone against Pallas do I fare, Pallas is mine of right;
debetur; cuperem ipse parens spectator adesset.’
I would his sire himself were here to look upon the field.”
haec ait, et socii cesserunt aequore iusso.
He spake, and from the space forbid his fellow-folk did yield,
at Rutulum abscessu iuuenis tum iussa superba 445
But when the Rutuli were gone, at such a word of pride
miratus stupet in Turno corpusque per ingens
Amazed, the youth on Turnus stares, and lets his gaze go wide
lumina uoluit obitque truci procul omnia uisu,
O’er the huge frame, and from afar with stern eyes meets it all,
talibus et dictis it contra dicta tyranni:
And ‘gainst the words the tyrant spake such words from him there fall:
‘aut spoliis ego iam raptis laudabor opimis
“Now shall I win me praise of men for spoiling of a King,
aut leto insigni: sorti pater aequus utrique est. 450
Or for a glorious death: my sire may outface either thing:
tolle minas.’ fatus medium procedit in aequor;
Forbear thy threats.” He spake, and straight amid the war-field drew;
frigidus Arcadibus coit in praecordia sanguis.
But cold in that Arcadian folk therewith the heart-blood grew;
desiluit Turnus biiugis, pedes apparat ire
While Turnus from his war-wain leapt to go afoot to fight:
comminus; utque leo, specula cum uidit ab alta
And as a lion sees afar from off his watch burg’s height
stare procul campis meditantem in proelia taurum, 455
A bull at gaze amid the mead with battle in his thought,
aduolat, haud alia est Turni uenientis imago.
And flies thereto, so was the shape of coming Turnus wrought.
hunc ubi contiguum missae fore credidit hastae,
But now, when Pallas deemed him come within the cast of spear,
ire prior Pallas, si qua fors adiuuet ausum
He would be first, if Fate perchance should help him swift to dare,
uiribus imparibus, magnumque ita ad aethera fatur:
And his less might, and thus he speaks unto the boundless sky:
‘per patris hospitium et mensas, quas aduena adisti, 460
“Now by my father’s guesting-tide and board thou drew’st anigh,
te precor, Alcide, coeptis ingentibus adsis.
A stranger, O Alcides, help this great deed I begin!
cernat semineci sibi me rapere arma cruenta
His bloody gear from limbs half-dead let Turnus see me win;
uictoremque ferant morientia lumina Turni.’
And on the dying eyes of him be victor’s image pressed.”
audiit Alcides iuuenem magnumque sub imo
Alcides heard the youth, and ‘neath the inmost of his breast
corde premit gemitum lacrimasque effundit inanis. 465
He thrust aback a heavy groan, and empty tears he shed:
tum genitor natum dictis adfatur amicis:
But to his son in kindly wise such words the Father said:
‘stat sua cuique dies, breue et inreparabile tempus
“His own day bideth every man; short space that none may mend
omnibus est uitae; sed famam extendere factis,
Is each man’s life: but yet by deeds wide-spreading fame to send,
hoc uirtutis opus. Troiae sub moenibus altis
Man’s valour hath this work to do: ‘neath Troy’s high-builded wall
tot gnati cecidere deum, quin occidit una 470
How many sons of God there died: yea there he died withal,
Sarpedon, mea progenies; etiam sua Turnum
Sarpedon my own progeny. Yea too and Turnus’ Fates
fata uocant metasque dati peruenit ad aeui.’
Are calling him: he draweth nigh his life’s departing-gates.”
sic ait, atque oculos Rutulorum reicit aruis.
He spake and turned his eyes away from fields of Rutuli:
At Pallas magnis emittit uiribus hastam
But Pallas with great gathered strength the spear from him let fly,
uaginaque caua fulgentem deripit ensem. 475
And drew therewith from hollow sheath his sword all eager-bright.
illa uolans umeri surgunt qua tegmina summa
The spear flew gleaming where the arms rise o’er the shoulder’s height,
incidit, atque uiam clipei molita per oras
Smote home, and won its way at last through the shield’s outer rim,
tandem etiam magno strinxit de corpore Turni.
And Turnus’ mighty body reached and grazed the flesh of him.
hic Turnus ferro praefixum robur acuto
Long Turnus shook the oak that bore the bitter iron head,
in Pallanta diu librans iacit atque ita fatur: 480
Then cast at Pallas, and withal a word he cast and said:
‘aspice num mage sit nostrum penetrabile telum.’
“Let see now if this shaft of mine may better win a pass!”
dixerat; at clipeum, tot ferri terga, tot aeris,
He spake; for all its iron skin and all its plates of brass,
quem pellis totiens obeat circumdata tauri,
For all the swathing of bull-hides that round about it went,
uibranti cuspis medium transuerberat ictu
The quivering spear smote through the shield and through its midmost rent
loricaeque moras et pectus perforat ingens. 485
And through the mailcoat’s staying fence the mighty breast did gain.
ille rapit calidum frustra de uulnere telum:
Then at the spear his heart-blood warmed did Pallas clutch in vain;
una eademque uia sanguis animusque sequuntur.
By one way and the same his blood and life, away they fare;
corruit in uulnus (sonitum super arma dedere)
But down upon the wound he rolled, and o’er him clashed his gear,
et terram hostilem moriens petit ore cruento.
And dying there his bloody mouth sought out the foeman’s sod:
quem Turnus super adsistens: 490
Whom Turnus overstrides and says:
‘Arcades, haec’ inquit ‘memores mea dicta referte
“Hearken Arcadians, bear ye back Evander words well learned:
Euandro: qualem meruit, Pallanta remitto.
Pallas I send him back again, dealt with as he hath earned,
quisquis honos tumuli, quidquid solamen humandi est,
If there be honour in a tomb, or solace in the earth,
largior. haud illi stabunt Aeneia paruo
I grudge it not — Ænean guests shall cost him things of worth.”
hospitia.’ et laeuo pressit pede talia fatus 495
So spake he, and his left foot then he set upon the dead,
exanimem rapiens immania pondera baltei
And tore the girdle thence away full heavy fashionèd,
impressumque nefas: una sub nocte iugali
And wrought with picture of a guilt; that youthful company
caesa manus iuuenum foede thalamique cruenti,
Slain foully on one wedding-night: bloody the bride-beds lie.
quae Clonus Eurytides multo caelauerat auro;
This Clonus son of Eurytus had wrought in plenteous gold,
quo nunc Turnus ouat spolio gaudetque potitus. 500
Now Turnus wears it triumphing, merry such spoil to hold. —
nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae
— O heart of man, unlearned in Fate and what the days may hide,
et seruare modum rebus sublata secundis!
Unlearned to be of measure still when swelled with happy tide!
Turno tempus erit magno cum optauerit emptum
The time shall come when Turnus wealth abundantly would pay
intactum Pallanta, et cum spolia ista diemque
For Pallas whole, when he shall loathe that spoil, that conquering day.
oderit. at socii multo gemitu lacrimisque 505
But Pallas’ folk with plenteous groans and tears about him throng,
impositum scuto referunt Pallanta frequentes.
And laid upon his battle-shield they bear the dead along.
o dolor atque decus magnum rediture parenti,
O thou, returning to thy sire, great grief and glory great,
haec te prima dies bello dedit, haec eadem aufert,
Whom one same day gave unto war and swept away to fate,
cum tamen ingentis Rutulorum linquis aceruos!
Huge heaps of death Rutulian thou leav’st the meadow still.
Nec iam fama mali tanti, sed certior auctor 510
And now no rumour, but sure word of such a mighty ill
aduolat Aeneae tenui discrimine leti
Flies to Æneas, how his folk within the deathgrip lie,
esse suos, tempus uersis succurrere Teucris.
And how time pressed that he should aid the Teucrians turned to fly.
proxima quaeque metit gladio latumque per agmen
So all things near with sword he reaps, and wide he drives the road
ardens limitem agit ferro, te, Turne, superbum
Amid the foe with fiery steel, seeking thee, Turnus proud,
caede noua quaerens. Pallas, Euander, in ipsis 515
Through death new wrought; and Pallas now, Evander, all things there
omnia sunt oculis, mensae quas aduena primas
Live in his eyes: the boards whereto that day he first drew near,
tunc adiit, dextraeque datae. Sulmone creatos
A stranger, and those plighted hands. Four youths of Sulmo wrought,
quattuor hic iuuenes, totidem quos educat Vfens,
And the like tale that Ufens erst into the world’s life brought,
uiuentis rapit, inferias quos immolet umbris
He takes alive to slay them — gifts for that great ghost’s avail,
captiuoque rogi perfundat sanguine flammas. 520
And with a shower of captive blood to slake the dead men’s bale.
inde Mago procul infensam contenderat hastam:
Then next at Magus from afar the shaft of bane he sent;
ille astu subit, at tremibunda superuolat hasta,
Deftly he cowered, and on above the quivering weapon went,
et genua amplectens effatur talia supplex:
And clasping both Æneas’ knees thus spake the suppliant one:
‘per patrios manis et spes surgentis Iuli
“O by thy father’s ghost, by hope Iulus hath begun,