by Virgil
tandem liber equus, campoque potitus aperto
Set free at last, and, having won the unfenced open mead,
aut ille in pastus armentaque tendit equarum
Now runneth to the grassy grounds wherein the mare-kind feed;
aut adsuetus aquae perfundi flumine noto 495
Or, wont to water, speedeth him in well-known stream to wash,
emicat, arrectisque fremit ceruicibus alte
And, wantoning, with uptossed head about the world doth dash,
luxurians luduntque iubae per colla, per armos.
While wave his mane-locks o’er his neck, and o’er his shoulders play.
Obuia cui Volscorum acie comitante Camilla
But, leading on the Volscian host, there comes across his way
occurrit portisque ab equo regina sub ipsis
Camilla now, who by the gate leapt from her steed adown,
desiluit, quam tota cohors imitata relictis 500
And in likewise her company, who left their horses lone,
ad terram defluxit equis; tum talia fatur:
And earthward streamed: therewith the Queen such words as this gave forth:
‘Turne, sui merito si qua est fiducia forti,
“Turnus, if any heart may trust in manly might and worth,
audeo et Aeneadum promitto occurrere turmae
I dare to promise I will meet Æneas’ war array,
solaque Tyrrhenos equites ire obuia contra.
And face the Tyrrhene knights alone, and deal them battle-play.
me sine prima manu temptare pericula belli, 505
Let my hand be the first to try the perils of the fight,
tu pedes ad muros subsiste et moenia serua.’
The while the foot-men townward bide, and hold the walls aright.”
Turnus ad haec oculos horrenda in uirgine fixus:
Then Turnus answered, with his eyes fixed on the awful maid:
‘o decus Italiae uirgo, quas dicere grates
“O glory of Italian land, how shall the thanks be paid
quasue referre parem? sed nunc, est omnia quando
Worthy thy part? but since all this thy great soul overflies,
iste animus supra, mecum partire laborem. 510
To portion out our work today with me indeed it lies.
Aeneas, ut fama fidem missique reportant
Æneas, as our spies sent out and rumour saith for sure,
exploratores, equitum leuia improbus arma
The guileful one, his light-armed horse hath now sent on before
praemisit, quaterent campos; ipse ardua montis
To sweep the lea-land, while himself, high on the hilly ground,
per deserta iugo superans aduentat ad urbem.
Across the desert mountain-necks on for our walls is bound.
furta paro belli conuexo in tramite siluae, 515
But I a snare now dight for him in woodland hollow way
ut biuias armato obsidam milite fauces.
Besetting so the straitened pass with weaponed war-array.
tu Tyrrhenum equitem conlatis excipe signis;
But bear thy banners forth afield to meet the Tyrrhene horse,
tecum acer Messapus erit turmaeque Latinae
With fierce Messapus joined to thee, the Latin battle-force,
Tiburtique manus, ducis et tu concipe curam.’
Yea, and Tiburtus: thou thyself the leader’s care shalt take.”
sic ait, et paribus Messapum in proelia dictis 520
So saith he, and with such-like words unto the war doth wake
hortatur sociosque duces et pergit in hostem.
Messapus and his brother-lords; then ‘gainst the foeman fares.
Est curuo anfractu ualles, accommoda fraudi
There was a dale of winding ways, most meet for warlike snares
armorumque dolis, quam densis frondibus atrum
And lurking swords: with press of leaves the mountain bent is black
urget utrimque latus, tenuis quo semita ducit
That shutteth it on either side: thence leads a scanty track;
angustaeque ferunt fauces aditusque maligni. 525
By strait-jawed pass men come thereto, a very evil road:
hanc super in speculis summoque in uertice montis
But thereabove, upon the height, lieth a plain abode,
planities ignota iacet tutique receptus,
A mountain-heath scarce known of men, a most safe lurking-place,
seu dextra laeuaque uelis occurrere pugnae
Whether to right hand or to left the battle ye will face,
siue instare iugis et grandia uoluere saxa.
Or hold the heights, and roll a storm of mighty rocks adown.
huc iuuenis nota fertur regione uiarum 530
Thither the war-lord wends his way by country road well known,
arripuitque locum et siluis insedit iniquis.
And takes the place, and bideth there within the wood accursed.
Velocem interea superis in sedibus Opim,
Meanwhile within the heavenly house Diana speaketh first
unam ex uirginibus sociis sacraque caterua,
To Opis of the holy band, the maiden fellowship,
compellabat et has tristis Latonia uoces
And words of grief most sorrowful Latonia’s mouth let slip:
ore dabat: ‘graditur bellum ad crudele Camilla, 535
“Unto the bitter-cruel war the maid Camilla wends,
o uirgo, et nostris nequiquam cingitur armis,
O maid: and all for nought indeed that dearest of my friends
cara mihi ante alias. neque enim nouus iste Dianae
Is girding her with arms of mine.” Nought new-born was the love
uenit amor subitaque animum dulcedine mouit.
Diana owned, nor sudden-sweet the soul in her did move:
pulsus ob inuidiam regno uirisque superbas
When Metabus, by hatred driven, and his o’erweening pride,
Priuerno antiqua Metabus cum excederet urbe, 540
Fled from Privernum’s ancient town, his fathers’ country-side,
infantem fugiens media inter proelia belli
Companion of his exile there, amid the weapon-game,
sustulit exsilio comitem, matrisque uocauit
A babe he had with him, whom he called from her mother’s name
nomine Casmillae mutata parte Camillam.
Casmilla, but a little changed, and now Camilla grown.
ipse sinu prae se portans iuga longa petebat
He, bearing her upon his breast, the woody ridges lone
solorum nemorum: tela undique saeua premebant 545
Went seeking, while on every side the sword-edge was about,
et circumfuso uolitabant milite Volsci.
And all around were scouring wide the weaponed Volscian rout.
ecce fugae medio summis Amasenus abundans
But big lay Amasenus now athwart his very road,
spumabat ripis, tantus se nubibus imber
Foaming bank-high, such mighty rain from out of heaven had flowed.
ruperat. ille innare parans infantis amore
There, as he dight him to swim o’er, love of his babe, and fear
tardatur caroque oneri timet. omnia secum 550
For burden borne so well-beloved, his footsteps back did bear.
uersanti subito uix haec sententia sedit:
At last, as all things o’er he turned, this sudden rede he took:
telum immane manu ualida quod forte gerebat
The huge spear that in mighty hand by hap the warrior shook,
bellator, solidum nodis et robore cocto,
A close-knit shaft of seasoned oak with many a knot therein,
huic natam libro et siluestri subere clausam
Thereto did he his daughter bind, wrapped in the cork-tree’s skin,
implicat atque habilem mediae circumligat hastae; 555
quam dextra ingenti librans ita ad aethera fatur:
Then, shaking it in mighty hand, thus spoke unto the sky:
“alma, tibi hanc, nemorum cultrix, Latonia uirgo,
“O kind, O dweller in the woods, Latonian Virgin fair,
ipse pater famulam uoueo; tua prima per auras
A father giveth thee a maid, who holds thine arms in air
tela tenens supplex hostem fugit. accipe, testor,
As from the foe she flees to thee: O Goddess, take thine own,
diua tuam, quae nunc dubiis committitur auris.” 560
That now upon the doubtful winds by this mine arm is thrown!”
dixit, et adducto contortum hastile lacerto
He spake, and from his drawn-back arm cast forth the brandished wood;
immittit: sonuere undae, rapidum super amnem
Sounded the waves; Camilla flew across the hurrying flood,
infelix fugit in iaculo stridente Camilla.
A lorn thing bound to whistling shaft, and o’er the river won.
at Metabus magna propius iam urgente caterua
But Metabus, with all the band of chasers pressing on,
dat sese fluuio, atque hastam cum uirgine uictor 565
Unto the river gives himself, and reaches maid and spear,
gramineo, donum Triuiae, de caespite uellit.
And, conquering, from the grassy bank Diana’s gift doth tear.
non illum tectis ullae, non moenibus urbes
To roof and wall there took him thence no city of the land,
accepere (neque ipse manus feritate dedisset),
Nay, he himself, a wild-wood thing, to none had given the hand;
pastorum et solis exegit montibus aeuum.
Upon the shepherd’s lonely hills his life thenceforth he led;
hic natam in dumis interque horrentia lustra 570
His daughter mid the forest-brake, and wild deers’ thicket-stead,
armentalis equae mammis et lacte ferino
He nourished on the milk that flowed from herd-mare’s untamed breast,
nutribat teneris immulgens ubera labris.
And to the maiden’s tender lips the wild thing’s udder pressed;
utque pedum primis infans uestigia plantis
Then from the first of days when she might go upon her feet,
institerat, iaculo palmas armauit acuto
The heft of heavy sharpened dart her hand must learn to meet,
spiculaque ex umero paruae suspendit et arcum. 575
And from the little maiden’s back he hung the shaft and bow;
pro crinali auro, pro longae tegmine pallae
While for the golden hair-clasp fine and long-drawn mantle’s flow
tigridis exuuiae per dorsum a uertice pendent.
Down from her head, along her back, a tiger’s fell there hung.
tela manu iam tum tenera puerilia torsit
E’en then too from her tender hand a childish shot she flung,
et fundam tereti circum caput egit habena
The sling with slender smoothened thong she drave about her head
Strymoniamque gruem aut album deiecit olorem. 580
To bring the crane of Strymon down, or lay the white swan dead.
multae illam frustra Tyrrhena per oppida matres
Then many a mother all about the Tyrrhene towns in vain
optauere nurum; sola contenta Diana
Would wed her to their sons; but she, a maid without a stain,
aeternum telorum et uirginitatis amorem
Alone in Dian’s happiness the spear for ever loved,
intemerata colit. uellem haud correpta fuisset
For ever loved the maiden life.— “O had she ne’er been moved
militia tali conata lacessere Teucros: 585
By such a war, nor dared to cross the Teucrian folk in fight!
cara mihi comitumque foret nunc una mearum.
Then had she been a maid of mine, my fellow and delight.
uerum age, quandoquidem fatis urgetur acerbis,
But since the bitterness of fate lies round her life and me,
labere, nympha, polo finisque inuise Latinos,
Glide down, O maiden, from the pole, and find the Latin lea,
tristis ubi infausto committitur omine pugna.
Where now, with evil tokens toward, sad battle they awake;
haec cape et ultricem pharetra deprome sagittam: 590
Take these, and that avenging shaft from out the quiver take,
hac, quicumque sacrum uiolarit uulnere corpus,
Wherewith whoso shall wrong with wound my holy-bodied may,
Tros Italusque, mihi pariter det sanguine poenas.
Be he of Troy or Italy, see thou his blood doth pay:
post ego nube caua miserandae corpus et arma
And then will I her limbs bewept, unspoiled of any gear,
inspoliata feram tumulo patriaeque reponam.’
Wrap in a hollow cloud, and lay in kindred sepulchre.”
dixit, at illa leuis caeli delapsa per auras 595
She spoke; the other slipped adown the lightsome air of heaven,
insonuit nigro circumdata turbine corpus.
With wrapping cloak of mirky cloud about her body driven.
At manus interea muris Troiana propinquat,
But in meanwhile the Trojan folk the city draw anigh,
Etruscique duces equitumque exercitus omnis
The Tuscan dukes and all their horse in many a company
compositi numero in turmas. fremit aequore toto
Well ordered: over all the plain neighing the steed doth fare,
insultans sonipes et pressis pugnat habenis 600
Prancing, and champing on the bit that turns him here and there,
huc conuersus et huc; tum late ferreus hastis
And far and wide the lea is rough with iron harvest now.
horret ager campique armis sublimibus ardent.
And with the weapons tossed aloft the level meadows glow.
nec non Messapus contra celeresque Latini
Messapus and the Latins swift, lo, on the other hand;
et cum fratre Coras et uirginis ala Camillae
And Coras with his brother-lord, and maid Camilla’s band,
aduersi campo apparent, hastasque reductis 605
Against them in the field; and lo, far back their arms they fling
protendunt longe dextris et spicula uibrant,
In couching of the level spears, and shot spears’ brandishing.
aduentusque uirum fremitusque ardescit equorum.
All is afire with neigh of steeds and onfall of the men.
iamque intra iactum teli progressus uterque
And now, within a spear-shot come, short up they rein, and then
substiterat: subito erumpunt clamore furentisque
They break out with a mighty cry, and spur the maddened steeds;
exhortantur equos, fundunt simul undique tela 610
And all at once from every side the storm of spear-shot speeds,
crebra niuis ritu, caelumque obtexitur umbra.
As thick as very snowing is, and darkens down the sun.
continuo aduersis Tyrrhenus et acer Aconteus
And thereon with their levelled spears each against each they run,
conixi incurrunt hastis primique ruinam
Tyrrhenus and Aconteus fierce: in forefront of the fight
dant sonitu ingenti perfractaque quadripedantum
They meet and crash with thundering sound; wracked are the steeds outright,
pectora pectoribus rumpunt; excussus Aconteus 615
Breast beating in each breast of them: far is Aconteus flung
fulminis in morem aut tormento ponderis acti
In manner of the lightning bolt, or stone from engine slung;
praecipitat longe et uitam dispergit in auras.
/> Far off he falls, and on the air pours all his life-breath out.
Extemplo turbatae acies, uersique Latini
Then wildered is the war array; the Latins wheel about
reiciunt parmas et equos ad moenia uertunt;
And sling their targets all aback, and townward turn their steeds.
Troes agunt, princeps turmas inducit Asilas. 620
The Trojans follow; first of whom the ranks Asylas leads.
iamque propinquabant portis rursusque Latini
But when they draw anigh the gates once more the Latin men
clamorem tollunt et mollia colla reflectunt;
Raise up the cry, and turn about the limber necks again;
hi fugiunt penitusque datis referuntur habenis.
Then flee their foes, and far afield with loosened reins they ride;
qualis ubi alterno procurrens gurgite pontus
As when the sea-flood setting on with flowing, ebbing tide,
nunc ruit ad terram scopulosque superiacit unda 625
Now earthward rolling, overlays the rocks with foaming sea,
spumeus extremamque sinu perfundit harenam,
And with its bosom overwhelms the sand’s extremity,
nunc rapidus retro atque aestu reuoluta resorbens
Now swiftly fleeing back again, sucks back into its deep
saxa fugit litusque uado labente relinquit:
The rolling stones, and leaves the shore with softly-gliding sweep.
bis Tusci Rutulos egere ad moenia uersos,
Twice did the Tuscans townward drive the host of Rutuli;
bis reiecti armis respectant terga tegentes. 630
Twice, looking o’er their shielded backs, afield they needs must fly;
tertia sed postquam congressi in proelia totas
But when they joined the battle thrice knit up was all array
implicuere inter se acies legitque uirum uir,
In one great knot, and man sought man wherewith to play the play.
tum uero et gemitus morientum et sanguine in alto
Then verily the dying groans up to the heavens went;
armaque corporaque et permixti caede uirorum
Bodies and arms lie deep in blood, and with the men-folk blent,
semianimes uoluuntur equi, pugna aspera surgit. 635
The dying horses wallow there, and fearful fight arose.
Orsilochus Remuli, quando ipsum horrebat adire,
Orsilochus with Remulus had scant the heart to close,
hastam intorsit equo ferrumque sub aure reliquit;
But hurled his shaft against the horse, and smote him ‘neath the ear;
quo sonipes ictu furit arduus altaque iactat
The smitten beast bears not the wound, but, maddened, high doth rear