Complete Works of Virgil

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Complete Works of Virgil Page 372

by Virgil


  uulneris impatiens arrecto pectore crura,

  The legs of him and breast aloft: his master flung away,

  uoluitur ille excussus humi. Catillus Iollan 640

  Rolls on the earth: Catillus there doth swift Iolas slay;

  ingentemque animis, ingentem corpore et armis

  Yea, and Herminius, big of soul, and big of limbs and gear,

  deicit Herminium, nudo cui uertice fulua

  Who went with head by nothing helmed save locks of yellow hair,

  caesaries nudique umeri nec uulnera terrent;

  Who went with shoulders all unarmed, as one without a dread,

  tantus in arma patet. latos huic hasta per armos

  So open unto fight was he; but through his shoulders sped

  acta tremit duplicatque uirum transfixa dolore. 645

  The quivering spear, and knit him up twi-folded in his pain.

  funditur ater ubique cruor; dant funera ferro

  So black blood floweth everywhere; men deal out iron bane,

  certantes pulchramque petunt per uulnera mortem.

  And, struggling, seek out lovely death amid the wounds and woe.

  At medias inter caedes exsultat Amazon

  But through the middle of the wrack doth glad Camilla go,

  unum exserta latus pugnae, pharetrata Camilla,

  The quivered war-maid, all one side stripped naked for the play;

  et nunc lenta manu spargens hastilia denset, 650

  And now a cloud of limber shafts she scattereth wide away,

  nunc ualidam dextra rapit indefessa bipennem;

  And now with all unwearied hand catcheth the twi-bill strong.

  aureus ex umero sonat arcus et arma Dianae.

  The golden bow is at her back, and Dian’s arrow-song.

  illa etiam, si quando in tergum pulsa recessit,

  Yea, e’en and if she yielded whiles, and showed her back in flight,

  spicula conuerso fugientia derigit arcu.

  From back-turned bow the hurrying shaft she yet would aim aright.

  at circum lectae comites, Larinaque uirgo 655

  About her were her chosen maids, daughters of Italy,

  Tullaque et aeratam quatiens Tarpeia securim,

  Larina, Tulla, and Tarpeia, with brazen axe on high,

  Italides, quas ipsa decus sibi dia Camilla

  Whom that divine Camilla chose for joy and fame’s increase,

  delegit pacisque bonas bellique ministras:

  Full sweet and goodly hand-maidens in battle and in peace:

  quales Threiciae cum flumina Thermodontis

  E’en as the Thracian Amazons thresh through Thermodon’s flood,

  pulsant et pictis bellantur Amazones armis, 660

  When they in painted war-gear wend to battle and to blood:

  seu circum Hippolyten seu cum se Martia curru

  Or those about Hippolyta, or round the wain of Mars

  Penthesilea refert, magnoque ululante tumultu

  Wherein Panthesilea wends, when hubbub of the wars

  feminea exsultant lunatis agmina peltis.

  The maiden-folk exulting raise, and moony shields uprear.

  Quem telo primum, quem postremum, aspera uirgo,

  Whom first, whom last, O bitter Maid, didst thou overthrow with spear?

  deicis? aut quot humi morientia corpora fundis? 665

  How many bodies of the slain laidst thou upon the field?

  Eunaeum Clytio primum patre, cuius apertum

  Eunæus, Clytius’ son, was first, whose breast for lack of shield

  aduersi longa transuerberat abiete pectus.

  The fir-tree long smit through and through, as there he stood in face;

  sanguinis ille uomens riuos cadit atque cruentam

  He poureth forth a sea of blood, and, falling in his place,

  mandit humum moriensque suo se in uulnere uersat.

  Bites the red earth, and dying writhes about the bitter bane.

  tum Lirim Pagasumque super, quorum alter habenas 670

  Liris and Pagasus she slays; one, catching at the rein

  suffuso reuolutus equo dum colligit, alter

  Of his embowelled steed rolls o’er, the other as he ran

  dum subit ac dextram labenti tendit inermem,

  To aid, and stretched his swordless hand unto the fallen man,

  praecipites pariterque ruunt. his addit Amastrum

  Fell headlong too, and there they lie: with these Amastus wends,

  Hippotaden, sequiturque incumbens eminus hasta

  The son of Hippotas; her spear in chase of men she sends,

  Tereaque Harpalycumque et Demophoonta Chromimque; 675

  Harpalycus, Demophoön, Tereus, and Chromis stout

  quotque emissa manu contorsit spicula uirgo,

  As many as her maiden hand the whirling darts send out

  tot Phrygii cecidere uiri. procul Ornytus armis

  So many Phrygian falls there are. Far off, in uncouth gear,

  ignotis et equo uenator Iapyge fertur,

  The hunter Ornytus upon Apulian steed doth fare,

  cui pellis latos umeros erepta iuuenco

  Whose warring shoulders bigly wrought with stripped-off bullock’s hide

  pugnatori operit, caput ingens oris hiatus 680

  Are covered; but his head is helmed with wood-wolf’s gaping wide,

  et malae texere lupi cum dentibus albis,

  A monstrous mouth, wherein are left the teeth all gleaming white:

  agrestisque manus armat sparus; ipse cateruis

  A wood-spear arms the hand of him, he wheels amid the fight,

  uertitur in mediis et toto uertice supra est.

  And by the head he overtops all other men about.

  hunc illa exceptum (neque enim labor agmine uerso)

  Him she o’ertakes, no troublous deed amid the fleeing rout,

  traicit et super haec inimico pectore fatur: 685

  And, slaying him, from bitter heart this word withal she spake:

  ‘siluis te, Tyrrhene, feras agitare putasti?

  “Tuscan, thou deem’dst thee hunting still the deer amid the brake;

  aduenit qui uestra dies muliebribus armis

  The day has come when women’s arms have cast thy boasting back:

  uerba redargueret. nomen tamen haud leue patrum

  Yet going to thy fathers’ ghosts a word thou shalt not lack

  manibus hoc referes, telo cecidisse Camillae.’

  To praise thy life; for thou mayst say, Camilla was my bane.”

  Protinus Orsilochum et Buten, duo maxima Teucrum 690

  Orsilochus and Butes next, two huge-wrought Trojans, gain

  corpora, sed Buten auersum cuspide fixit

  Death at her hands: Butes aback she smit through with the spear

  loricam galeamque inter, qua colla sedentis

  Betwixt the mail-coat and the helm, wherethrough the neck doth peer

  lucent et laeuo dependet parma lacerto;

  As there he sits, and on his left hangs down the target round;

  Orsilochum fugiens magnumque agitata per orbem

  But from Orsilochus she flees, wide circling o’er the ground,

  eludit gyro interior sequiturque sequentem; 695

  Then, slipping inward of the ring, chaseth the chaser there,

  tum ualidam perque arma uiro perque ossa securim

  And, rising high, her mighty axe driveth through bones and gear.

  altior exsurgens oranti et multa precanti

  With blow on blow, mid all his prayers and crying out for grace,

  congeminat; uulnus calido rigat ora cerebro.

  Until his hot and bloody brain is flooding all his face.

  incidit huic subitoque aspectu territus haesit

  A man haps on her now, and stands afeard such sight to see;

  Appenninicolae bellator filius Auni, 700

  Of Aunus of the Apennines the warring son was he,

  haud L
igurum extremus, dum fallere fata sinebant.

  Great of Ligurians, while the Fates his guile would yet allow:

  isque ubi se nullo iam cursu euadere pugnae

  But he, since fleeing out of fight, would nought avail him now,

  posse neque instantem reginam auertere cernit,

  Nor knew he how in any wise to turn the Queen away,

  consilio uersare dolos ingressus et astu

  With rede of guile and cunning words began to play the play:

  incipit haec: ‘quid tam egregium, si femina forti 705

  “What deed of fame, for woman’s heart to trust a horse’s might?

  fidis equo? dimitte fugam et te comminus aequo

  Wilt thou not set thy speed aside, and ‘gainst me dare the fight

  mecum crede solo pugnaeque accinge pedestri:

  On equal ground, and gird thyself for foot-fight face to face?

  iam nosces uentosa ferat cui gloria fraudem.’

  See then to whom the windy fame shall bring the victory’s grace!”

  dixit, at illa furens acrique accensa dolore

  He spake; but she, in bitter rage, and stung to her heart’s root,

  tradit equum comiti paribusque resistit in armis 710

  Unto her fellow gave her steed and faced him there afoot,

  ense pedes nudo puraque interrita parma.

  Most unafeard, with naked glaive and target bare and white.

  at iuuenis uicisse dolo ratus auolat ipse

  Thereat the youth deemed guile had won, and turned at once to flight;

  (haud mora), conuersisque fugax aufertur habenis

  Nought tarrying but to turn the reins, he fleeth on his road,

  quadripedemque citum ferrata calce fatigat.

  And ever with his iron heel the four-foot thing doth goad.

  ‘uane Ligus frustraque animis elate superbis, 715

  “Empty Ligurian, all in vain thine high heart dost thou raise,

  nequiquam patrias temptasti lubricus artis,

  And all in vain thou triest today thy father’s crafty ways.

  nec fraus te incolumem fallaci perferet Auno.’

  Nor shall thy lying bring thee safe to lying Aunus’ head.”

  haec fatur uirgo, et pernicibus ignea plantis

  So spake the maid, and all afire on flying feet she sped,

  transit equum cursu frenisque aduersa prehensis

  Outwent the horse and crossed his road, and catching at the rein,

  congreditur poenasque inimico ex sanguine sumit: 720

  There made her foeman pay for all with bloody steel-wrought bane,

  quam facile accipiter saxo sacer ales ab alto

  As easily the holy hawk from craggy place on high

  consequitur pennis sublimem in nube columbam

  In winged chase follows on the dove aloft along the sky,

  comprensamque tenet pedibusque euiscerat uncis;

  And taketh her in hookèd hold with bitter feet to tear,

  tum cruor et uulsae labuntur ab aethere plumae.

  While blood and riven feathers fall from out the upper air.

  At non haec nullis hominum sator atque deorum 725

  Nathless the Sower of manfolk and all the Godly Kind,

  obseruans oculis summo sedet altus Olympo.

  Upon Olympus set aloft, to this was nothing blind,

  Tyrrhenum genitor Tarchonem in proelia saeua

  And Tarchon of the Tyrrhene folk he stirreth up to war,

  suscitat et stimulis haud mollibus inicit iras.

  And stingeth all the heart of him with anger bitter-sore;

  ergo inter caedes cedentiaque agmina Tarchon

  Who, borne on horse ‘twixt death of men and faltering war-array,

  fertur equo uariisque instigat uocibus alas 730

  Goads on his bands unto the fight, and many a word doth say,

  nomine quemque uocans, reficitque in proelia pulsos.

  And calleth each man by his name, and bids the beaten stand:

  ‘quis metus, o numquam dolituri, o semper inertes

  “What fear, O hearts that nought may shame, O folk of deedless hand,

  Tyrrheni, quae tanta animis ignauia uenit?

  What dastardy, O Tyrrhene folk, hath now so caught your souls?

  femina palantis agit atque haec agmina uertit!

  A woman drives us scattering wide, and back our war-wall rolls.

  quo ferrum quidue haec gerimus tela inrita dextris? 735

  Why bear our hands these useless spears, this steel not made for fight?

  at non in Venerem segnes nocturnaque bella,

  Ye are not slack in Venus’ play or battle of the night,

  aut ubi curua choros indixit tibia Bacchi.

  Or when the crookèd fife gives sign that Bacchus’ dance is toward

  exspectate dapes et plenae pocula mensae

  Well wait ye onset of the feast and cups of plenteous board:

  (hic amor, hoc studium) dum sacra secundus haruspex

  Your love, your hearts, are there, whereas the lucky priest doth bid

  nuntiet ac lucos uocet hostia pinguis in altos!’ 740

  The holy words, and victims fat call to the thickets hid.”

  haec effatus equum in medios moriturus et ipse

  He spake, and, fain of death himself, against the foemen spurs,

  concitat, et Venulo aduersum se turbidus infert

  And full in face of Venulus his eager body bears,

  dereptumque ab equo dextra complectitur hostem

  And catcheth him by arm about, and tears him from his horse,

  et gremium ante suum multa ui concitus aufert.

  And bears him off on saddle-bow in grip of mighty force:

  tollitur in caelum clamor cunctique Latini 745

  Then goes the clamour up to heaven, and all the Latin eyes

  conuertere oculos. uolat igneus aequore Tarchon

  Turn thitherward: but fiery-swift across the field he flies,

  arma uirumque ferens; tum summa ipsius ab hasta

  Bearing the weapons and the man; then from his foeman’s spear

  defringit ferrum et partis rimatur apertas,

  Breaks off the head, and searches close for opening here and there

  qua uulnus letale ferat; contra ille repugnans

  Whereby to give the deadly wound: the foe doth ever fight,

  sustinet a iugulo dextram et uim uiribus exit. 750

  Thrusting the hand from threatened throat, and puts back might with might.

  utque uolans alte raptum cum fulua draconem

  As when a yellow erne aloft skyward a dragon draws,

  fert aquila implicuitque pedes atque unguibus haesit,

  And knits him up within her feet and gripping of her claws:

  saucius at serpens sinuosa uolumina uersat

  But still the wounded serpent turns in many a winding fold,

  arrectisque horret squamis et sibilat ore

  And bristles all his spiky scales, and hissing mouth doth hold

  arduus insurgens, illa haud minus urget obunco 755

  Aloft against her; she no less through all his struggles vain

  luctantem rostro, simul aethera uerberat alis:

  Drives hookèd beak, and still with wings beats through the airy plain;

  haud aliter praedam Tiburtum ex agmine Tarchon

  E’en so from those Tiburtine ranks glad Tarchon bears the prey:

  portat ouans. ducis exemplum euentumque secuti

  And, following on their captain’s deed, fall on amid the fray

  Maeonidae incurrunt. tum fatis debitus Arruns

  Mæonia’s sons. But Arruns now, the foredoomed man of fate,

  uelocem iaculo et multa prior arte Camillam 760

  Encompassing Camilla’s ways with spear and guile, doth wait

  circuit, et quae sit fortuna facillima temptat.

  On all her goings; spying out what hap is easiest.

  qua se cumque furens me
dio tulit agmine uirgo,

  Now, wheresoe’er the hot-heart maid amid the battle pressed,

  hac Arruns subit et tacitus uestigia lustrat;

  There Arruns winds, and silently holds watch on all her ways:

  qua uictrix redit illa pedemque ex hoste reportat,

  And when from forth the foe she comes, bearing the victory’s praise,

  hac iuuenis furtim celeris detorquet habenas. 765

  Still speedily in privy wise the rein he turns about:

  hos aditus iamque hos aditus omnemque pererrat

  This way he tries, that way he tries, still wandering in and out

  undique circuitum et certam quatit improbus hastam.

  On all sides; shaking spear of doom with evil heart of guile.

  Forte sacer Cybelo Chloreus olimque sacerdos

  Now Chloreus, bond of Cybele and priest upon a while,

  insignis longe Phrygiis fulgebat in armis

  Afar as happed in Phrygian gear gleamed out upon his steed,

  spumantemque agitabat equum, quem pellis aenis 770

  Foaming and goodly: clad was he in skin-wrought battle-weed,

  in plumam squamis auro conserta tegebat.

  With brazen scales done feather-wise, and riveted with gold,

  ipse peregrina ferrugine clarus et ostro

  And grand was he in outland red and many a purple fold;

  spicula torquebat Lycio Gortynia cornu;

  Gortynian arrows from afar with Lycian horn he sped;

  aureus ex umeris erat arcus et aurea uati

  Gold rang the bow upon his back; gold-mitred was his head

  cassida; tum croceam chlamydemque sinusque crepantis 775

  In priestly wise; his saffron scarf, the crackling folds of it

  carbaseos fuluo in nodum collegerat auro

  Of linen fine, in knot about a red-gold buckle knit;

  pictus acu tunicas et barbara tegmina crurum.

  His kirtle was embroidered fair, his hosen outland-wrought.

  hunc uirgo, siue ut templis praefigeret arma

  The maiden, whether Trojan gear for temple-gate she sought,

  Troia, captiuo siue ut se ferret in auro

  Or whether she herself would wend, glorious in war-got gold,

  uenatrix, unum ex omni certamine pugnae 780

  Amidst of all the press of arms this man in chase must hold

  caeca sequebatur totumque incauta per agmen

  Blind as a hunter; all unware amidst the war-array

  femineo praedae et spoliorum ardebat amore,

  She burned with all a woman’s lust for spoil of men and prey:

  telum ex insidiis cum tandem tempore capto

  When now, the time at last being seized, from out its lurking-place

 

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