The Aeneid, Book Two
Lines 1-56, Aeneas’ Prologue and the Trojan Horse
1
Conticuere omnes, intentique ora
tenebant.
2
Inde toro pater Aeneas sic orsus ab alto:
3
Infandum, regina, iubes renovare dolorem,
4
Troianas ut opes et lamentabile regnum
5
eruerint Danai; quaeque ipse miserrima
vidi,
6
et quorum pars magna fui. Quis talia fando
Aeneid, Book II
conticuo, conticuere, conticui = to fall silent
conticuēre = conticuērunt
omnis, omne = all, every
intendo, -ere, intendi, intentus = stretch out
intenti = middle voice/passive reflexive
os, oris n. = mouth, face
All fell silent, and having stretched themselves out,
held their mouths.
Inde = then
pater, patris m. = father
Many editors note that pater is a well-chosen word
because Aeneas is not about to talk as an individual
but as a leader and father of his people
Aenēas, Aenēnae m. = Aeneas
torus, tori m. = couch, bed
sic = thus
ordior, ordiri, orsus sum = to begin , commence
orsus [understand an est] = he began
altus, -a -um = high, deep
Then father Aeneas from his lofty couch thus began:
infandus -a -um = unutterable, unspeakable
regina, -ae = queen
iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussus = to order, bid
renovo, renovare = to renew, to repeat
dolor, doloris m. = pain, grief
O queen, you order [me] to repeat unutterable grief,
ut = how [ut here introduces an indirect question
which makes eruerint perfect subjunctive]
ops, opis f. = aid, help, comfort, succor
Troianus -a -um = Trojan
lamentabilis -e = woeful, sad, lamentabile
regnum, regni n. = kingdom
eruo, -ere, erui -rutum = to tear out, demolish
Danai, - orum = the Greeks
miser, misera, miserum = sad, wretched
quaeque = quae + que
video, videre, vidi, visum = to see
how the Greeks destroyed the Trojan wealth and
lamentable kingdom; and I myself saw all these most
tragic events,
pars, partis f. = part, share, portion
for, fari, fatus sum = to speak, say, tell
fando is a gerund in the ablative = by telling
and of which I was a great part. Who by telling such
things...
Page 1
7
Myrmidonum Dolopumve aut duri miles
Ulixi
8
temperet a lacrimis? Et iam nox umida
caelo
9
praecipitat, suadentque cadentia sidera
somnos.
10
Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere
nostros
11
et breviter Troiae supremum audire
laborem,
12
(quamquam animus meminisse horret,
luctuque refugit),
13
Incipiam. Fracti bello fatisque repulsi
Aeneid, Book II
Myrmidones, -um = Greeks of Thessaly (of Achilles)
Dolopes, -um = (also) Greeks of Thessaly
durus -a -um = harsh, bitter, cruel
miles, militis m. = soldier, soldiery
Ulixes, Ulixis m. = Ulysses
of the Myrmidons or Dolopians or soldier of cruel
Ulysses
tempero (1) = to restrain, control, refrain
lacrima, lacrimae f. = tear
nox noctis f. = night
umidus -a -um = moist, dewy, damp
caelum, caeli = sky, heaven(s)
would refrain from tears?
praecipito (1) throw headlong, hurl, fall
suadeo, -ere, suasi, suasum = advise, urge, invite
cado, cadere, cecidi, casus = fall, sink,
sidus, sideris n. = star, group of stars, heavens
somnus, somni m. = sleep
And now the damp night falls from the heavens, and
the sinking stars invite sleep.
Both images indicate a time after midnight: the
forming of the dew and night personified in her
chariot, as having passed her zenith as the stars
recede towards the morning sky
amor, amoris m. = love
tantus -a -um = such
cognosco, -ere = to learn, know
casus, casus m. = a falling, downfall, destruction
supply an est "if there is such love"
But if [there is] such love to know our downfall
breviter = shortly, briefly
Troia, Troiae = Troy
supremus -a -um = highest, final, last
labor, labor m. = work, toil, agony
and to briefly listen to the final agony of Troy,
quamquam = although
animus, animi m. = mind
memini, meminisse = to remember, recall
horreo, horrere, horrui = bristle, shudder, tremble
luctus, luctus m. = grief, mourning, sorrow
refugio, -ere = to flee, retreat
(eventhough my mind shudders to remember and
recoils in grief),
incipio, incipere, incepi, inceptus = to begin
frango, frangere, fregi, fractus = to break
bellum, belli n. = war
fatum, fati n. = prophetic utterance, oracle, fate
repello, -ere, repulsi, -pulsus = to repel
I will begin. Broken in war and repulsed by the fates
Page 2
14
ductores Danaum, tot iam labentibus
annis,
15
instar montis equum divina Palladis arte
16
aedificant, sectaque intexunt abiete
costas:
votum pro reditu simulant; ea fama
vagatur.
17
vōtūm | prō rĕdĭ | tū sĭmŭ | lānt ĕă |fāmă
vă l gātŭr
18
Huc delecta virum sortiti corpora furtim
19
includunt caeco lateri, penitusque
cavernas
20
ingentis uterumque armato milite
complent.
Aeneid, Book II
ductor, ductoris, m. = leader, chief,
Danai -orum = Greeks (Danaum = gen pl)
tot = so many
iam = now
labor, labi, lapsus sum = to glide, slip, pass
annus, anni m. = year
labentibus tot annis = ablative absolute (of cause)
the leaders of the Greeks, now with so many years
slipping by,
instar (indeclinable) = likeness, image, size
mons, montis m. = mountain
equus, equi m. = horse
divinus -a -um = divine
Pallas, Palladis f. = Minerva (Athena)
ars, artis f. = art, skill
a horse, the size of a mountain by the divine skill of
Athena
seco, secare, secui, sectus = to cut, slice, cleave
intexo, -ere, -ui, intextus = to weave, cover
abies, abietis f. = fir, pine
costa, costae f. = rib, side
they built and wove its sides its sides with cut fir:
votum, voti n. = vow, prayer, offering
reditus, reditus m. = a return (home)
simulo (1) = to pretend, imitate, feign
fama, famae f. = story, tale
vagor, vagari, vagatus sum = to wander, spread
They pretended [that it was] an offering for their
return home; the story was spread about.
simulant [equum esse] votum pro reditu
huc = here
deligo, -ere, delexi, delectum = to choose, pick out
sortior, sortiri, sortitus sum = to choose by lot
vir, viri = man (here virum = virorum, gen. pl.)
corpus, corporis n. = body,
furtim = stealthily
includo, -ere, inclusi, = to enclose, confine, fill
caecus -a -um = blind, dark, hidden
latus, lateris n. = side, flank
Here within its hidden side they steathily allotted and
enclosed the chosen bodies of men,
penitus = deep(ly), within, completely
caverna, caverna f. = hollow, cavity, cavern
ingens, ingentis = huge, immense
note ingentis is acc. pl. modifying cavernas
uterus, uteri m. = belly, paunch
armatus -a -um = armed
miles, militis, m. = soldier (here collective = soldiery)
compleo, complere, complevi = to fill
and they completely filled the immense cavern and
the belly with armed soldiery.
Page 3
21
Est in conspectu Tenedos, notissima famā
22
insula, dives opum, Priami dum regna
manebant,
23
nunc tantum sinus et statio male fida
carinis:
24
huc se provecti deserto in litore condunt.
25
Nos abiisse rati et vento petiisse Mycenas:
26
ergo omnis longo solvit se Teucria luctu;
Aeneid, Book II
Est in conspectus = there is in sight
conspectus, conspectus m = sight, view
Tenedos – the island of Tenedos lay about four miles
off the Trojan coast.
notus –a –um = known (notissima = well known)
fama, famae = talk, rumor; fame reputation
insula, insulae f. = island
dives, divitis = rich, wealthy
ops, opis f. = help, wealth, power, resources
Priamus, Priami m. = the king of Troy
regnum, regni n. = royal power, kingdom, realm
maneo, -ere, mansi, mansus = to remain
There is in sight Tenedos, an island of very well known
fame, rich with resources, while the kingdom of Priam
remained.
nunc = now
tantum (adverb form) = only
sinus, sinus m. = fold, hollow, breast, bosom, bay
statio, stationis f. = station, anchorage
male fide = infide = unsafe, dangerous
carina, carinae f. = keel, ship
now only a bay and anchorage unsafe for ships:
huc = hither, here, to this place
proveho, -ere, -vexi, -vectus = to carry, convey
provecti = middle voice
desertus -a -um = deserted, forsaken
litus, litoris n. = shore, shoreline
condo, condere = to found, establish, hide
hither they betook themselves and hid on the
deserted shoreline.
reor, rati, ratus sum = to think, reckon suppose
supply sumus for rati
abeo, abire, abivi = to go away
Nos rati (sumus) eos abiisse Indirect statement
ventus, venti m. = wind, air, breeze
peto, petere, petivi, petitus = to seek, look for
Mycenae -arum = Mycenae, a city in Greece
We thought that they gone away and had sought
Mycaene with the wind
or
use the idiom: set sail for Myceane
ergo = therefore
omnis, omne = all, every
Teucria, -ae = Teucria, Troy, the land of Troy
solvo, solvere, solvi = to loose, free, pay
luctus, luctus m. = grief, sorrow
Therefore all the Trojian land freed itself from its long
sorrow;
Page 4
27
28
panduntur portae; iuvat ire et Dorica
castra
pando, -ere, pandi, passus = spread, open, loosen
porta, portae f. = gate
iuvo, iuvare, iuvi, iutus = to help, to please
iuvat [nos] ire = it pleased us to go
Doricus -a -um = Doric, Spartan, Greek
castra, -orum n. pl. = camp
The gates were thrown open; it pleased [us] to go
and...
desertosque videre locos litusque relictum.
locus, loci m. = place
litus, litoris n. = shore
relinquo, -ere, reliqui, relictus = to abandon
to see the Doric camp and the desterted places and
the abandoned shore.
29
Hic Dolopum manus, hic saevus tendebat
Achilles;
30
classibus hic locus; hic acie certare
solebant.
31
Pars stupet innuptae donum exitiale
Minervae,
32
et molem mirantur equi; primusque
Thymoetes
33
duci intra muros hortatur et arce locari,
Aeneid, Book II
hic = here
Dolopes, -um = the Greeks (of Thessaly)
manus, -us f. = hand, band, troop
saevus -a -um = cruel, savage, fierce, raging
tendo, -ere, tenui, tentus = hold sway, encamp
Here the band of Dolopians, here the cruel Achilles
encamped.
classis, classis f. = fleet
acies, -ei f. = edge, battle line, army
certo, (1) = strive, fight, battle, struggle
soleo, solere = to be wont, to be accustomed
Here [was] the place for the fleet; here they were
wont to fight with their army.
pars, partis f. = part, share, portion
understand nostrum after pars = some of us
stupeo, -ere = to be dazed (at), stand agape
innuptus -a -um = unwed, virgin
donum, doni n. = gift
exitialis, -e = fatal, destructive, deadly
Some [of us] stood amazed at the deadly gift of the
unwed Athena,
moles, molis f. = mass, structure,
miror, mirari, miratus sum = to marvel at
equus, equi m. = horse
Thymoetes, -is = a Trojan leader
and marveled at the size of the horse; (and)
Thymoetes first
duci is passive infinitive of ducere = to be led
intra + acc = within
hortor, hortari, hortatus sum = to urge
arx, arcis f. = citadel, fort, height, hill
loco (1) = to place, establish, locate
urged that [the horse] be led within our walls and
placed on the citadel,
Page 5
34
sive dolo, seu iam Troiae sic fata ferebant.
35
At Capys, et quorum melior sententia
menti,
36
aut pelago Danaum insidias suspectaque
dona
37
praecipitare iubent, subiectisque urere
flammis,
38
aut terebrare cavas uteri et temptare
latebras.
39
Scinditur incertum studia in contraria
vulgus.
40
Primus ibi ante omnis, magna comitante
caterva,
Aeneid, Book II
dolus, doli m. = deceit, trick, treachery, fraud
sive…seu = whether…or
fatum, fati n. = fate
fero, ferre, tuli, latum = to bear, carry
whether by treachery or thus now [they] carried the
fate(s) of Troy.
Capys, Capyos m. = a Trojan leader
sententia, -ae f. = opinion, purpose, view, thought
mens, mentis f. = mind, counsel, feeling, thought
et [ei] quorum sententia melior [erat] menti
menti is a dative of possession
But Capys, and those whose mind had better of
counsel
pelagus, pelagi m. = sea, flood, waves
insidiae, -arum f. pl. = treachery
suscipio, -ere, suscepi, susceptus = to suspect
donum, doni n. = gift
praecipito, -are = to hurl (headlong)
iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussus = to order, command
que = ve
subicio, -ere, subjeci, subjectus = place under
uro, urere, ussi, ustus = to burn, consume
flamma -ae f. = flame
ordered [us] to hurl the treachery of the Greeks and
their suspect gift into the sea or burn [it] with flames
placed underneath,
terebro, (1) = to bore into, pierce
cavus -a -um = hollow, vaulted
uterus, uteri m. = belly, womb
tempto (1) = to try, test, examine, explore
latebra, latebrae f. = hiding place, cavern, lair
or to pierce and examine the hollow caverns of its
belly.
scindo, -ere, scidi, scisus = to split, divide
incertus -a -um = uncertain, wavering
studium, -ii n. = zeal, study, desire, pursuit
contrarius -a -um = opposite, opposing
vulgus, vulgi n. = rabble, crowd, herd
The wavering crowd was torn into opposite desires
(factions).
ibi = there
primus ante omnis = foremost of all
comito (1) = to accompany, escort, attend, follow
caterva, -ae f. = crowd, band, troop
omnis = omnēs, acc pl = everybody
There, formost of all, and with a great crowd
following,
Page 6
41
42
43
44
45
Laocoön ardens summa decurrit ab arce,
Laocoön, Laocoöntis = Trojan priest of Neptune
ardeo, ardere, arsi, arsus = to burn, be eager
decurro, -ere = to run down
Laocoön eagerly ran down from the top of the
citadel,
et procul: “O miseri, quae tanta insania,
cives?
procul = from afar
civis, civis c. = citizen
supply an est after quae
and from afar [shouted], "O wretched citizens,
what is this [so] great insanity?
Creditis avectos hostis? Aut ulla putatis
credo, credere, credidi, creditus = to believe
hostis, hostis = enemy (here acc. pl.)
aveho, -ere, avexi, avectus = carry, convey (away)
creditis[ne] hostis avectos [esse]
Do you believe that the enemy has been
carried away?
puto (1) = to think, reckon, suppose
dona carere dolis Danaum? Sic notus Ulixes?
donum, doni n. = gift
careo, carere + abl = to be free from, lack
dolus, doli m. = trick, deceit, wiles, fraud
Danauus -i = Greek
sic = thus
notus -a -um = well known, familiar
Ulixes, -is = Ulysses, Odysseus
Sic notus [est vobis] Ulixes?
Or do you think that any gifts of the Greeks
lack treachery? Is Ulysses thus known to you?
aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi,
includo, -ere, inclusi, = to enclose, confine, fill
lignum, ligni n. = wood, timber
occulto (1) = to hide, conceal
Archivi - orum = Achaeans, Greeks
either enclosed in this wood Achaeans are
concealed,
aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina
46
muros,
Aeneid, Book II
fabrico (1) = to fashion, make, construct
murus, muri m. = wall, city wall, rampart
machina, machinae f. = machine, engine, device
or this device has been built against our walls,
Page 7
47
48
inspectura domos venturaque desuper urbi,
inspicio -ere, -spexi, -spectus = to look into
venio, venire, veni, ventus = to come
desuper = from above
urbs, urbis f. = city
inspectura and ventura are future participles
used to indicate purpose
urbi is a dative of direction; prose = in urbem
to look into our homes and come against our
city from above,
aut aliquis latet error; equo ne credite,
Teucri.
aliquis, aliquid = someone, something
lateo, -ere, latui = lie hidden, lie, lurk
error, erroris m. = error, deceit, trick
equus, equi m. = horse
or some trickery lies hidden therein; Teucrians,
do not trust the horse.
49
Quicquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona
ferentes.”
50
Sic fatus, validis ingentem viribus hastam
Quisquid, Quicquid = whoever, whatever
fero, ferre, tuli, latus = to bear, carry
et = etiam = even
Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even bearing
gifts.
for, fari, fatus sum = to say, speak, utter, tell
ingens, ingentis = huge, enormous
validus -a -um = strong, stout, mighty
vis, viris f. = force; pl. = violence, energy
viribus validis = ablative of manner
hasta, hastae f. = spear
51
in latus inque feri curvam compagibus alvum
latus, lateris n. = side, flank
ferus, feri m. = beast, monster
curvus -a -um = curved crooked
compages, compagis f. = joint, seam, fastening
compagibus = ablative of location
alvus, alvi f. = belly, body
52
contorsit: stetit illa tremens, uteroque
recusso
contorqueo, -ere, contorsi = to hurl, twirl
Having thus spoken, he hurled his great spear
with mighty force into the side of the beast
and the curved belly at its seams:
sto, stare, steti, status = to stand
tremo -ere, tremui, = tremble, quiver, shake
uterus, -i = womb, belly
recutio, -ere, recussi, recussus = strike back, shake
utero recusso = ablative of separation
Aeneid, Book II
Page 8
53
54
55
56
insonuere cavae gemitumque dedēre
cavernae.
insono (1) = resound, roar, echo
insonuēre = insonuērunt
cavus -a -um = hollow, vaulted
gemitus -us = groan, roar, moan
dedēre = dedērunt = gave
caverna -ae = hollow place, cavity, cave
the spear (illa) stood quivering, and from the
shaking belly the hollow cavity roared and
gave a moan.
Et, si fata deum, si mens non laeva fuisset,
deum = deorum = of the gods
mens, mentis = mind
laevus -a -um = left, foolish, unlucky, perverse
And, if the fate of the gods, if our mind had not
been perverse,
impulerat ferro Argolicas foedare latebras,
impello -ere, impuli, impulsus = to impel, drive
ferrum, ferri = iron, steel, tool, sword
Argolicus -a -um = Argive, Greek
foedo (1) = befoul, defile, mangle
latebra -ae f. = hiding place, lair, cavern
had driven [us] by steel to mangle the Greek
lair,
Troiaque nunc staret, Priamique arx alta,
maneres.
nunc = now
sto, stare, steti, status = stand
arx, arcis f. = tower, citadel
altus -a -um = high, lofty
maneo, manere = to remain
Troy, would now be standing and you, o tall
citadel of Priam, would remain.
Lines 57 – 199, the Treachery of Sinon
See, meanwhile, some Trojan shepherds, shouting loudly,
dragging a youth, his hands tied behind his back, to the king.
In order to contrive this, and lay Troy open to the Greeks,
he had placed himself in their path, calm in mind, and ready
for either course: to engage in deception, or find certain death.
The Trojan youth run, crowding round, from all sides,
to see him, and compete in mocking the captive.
Listen now to Greek treachery, and learn of all their crimes
from just this one. Since, as he stood, looking troubled,
unarmed, amongst the gazing crowd,
and cast his eyes around the Phrygian ranks,
he said: ‘Ah! What land, what seas would accept me now?
What’s left for me at the last in my misery, I who have
no place among the Greeks, when the hostile Trojans,
themselves, demand my punishment and my blood?
Aeneid, Book II
Page 9
At this the mood changed and all violence was checked.
We urged him to say what blood he was sprung from,
and why he suffered: and tell us what trust could be placed
in him as a captive. Setting fear aside at last he speaks:
“O king, I’ll tell you the whole truth, whatever happens,
and indeed I’ll not deny that I’m of Argive birth:
this first of all: if Fortune has made me wretched,
she’ll not also wrongly make me false and a liar.
If by any chance some mention of Palamedes’s name
has reached your ears, son of Belus, and talk
of his glorious fame, he whom the Pelasgians,
on false charges of treason, by atrocious perjury,
because he opposed the war, sent innocent to his death,
and who they mourn, now he’s taken from the light:
well my father, being poor, sent me here to the war
when I was young, as his friend, as we were blood relatives.
While Palamades was safe in power, and prospered
in the kings’ council, I also had some name and respect.
But when he passed from this world above, through
the jealousy of plausible Ulysses (the tale’s not unknown)
I was ruined, and spent my life in obscurity and grief,
inwardly angry at the fate of my innocent friend.
Maddened I could not be silent, and I promised, if chance allowed,
and if I ever returned as a victor to my native Argos,
to avenge him, and with my words stirred bitter hatred .
The first hint of trouble came to me from this, because of it
Ulysses was always frightening me with new accusations,
spreading veiled rumours among the people, and guiltily
seeking to defend himself. He would not rest till, with Calchas
as his instrument – but why I do unfold this unwelcome story?
Why hinder you? If you consider all Greeks the same,
and that’s sufficient, take your vengeance now: that’s what
the Ithacan wants, and the sons of Atreus would pay dearly for.”
Then indeed we were on fire to ask, and seek the cause,
ignorant of such wickedness and Pelasgian trickery.
Trembling with fictitious feelings he continued, saying:
“The Greeks, weary with the long war, often longed
to leave Troy and execute a retreat: if only they had!
Often a fierce storm from the sea land-locked them,
and the gale terrified them from leaving:
once that horse, made of maple-beams, stood there,
especially then, storm-clouds thundered in the sky.
Anxious, we send Eurypylus to consult Phoebus’s oracle,
and he brings back these dark words from the sanctuary:
‘With blood, and a virgin sacrifice, you calmed the winds,
O Greeks, when you first came to these Trojan shores, seek your
return in blood, and the well-omened sacrifice of an Argive life.’
When this reached the ears of the crowd, their minds were stunned,
and an icy shudder ran to their deepest marrow:
who readies this fate, whom does Apollo choose?
Aeneid, Book II
Page 10
At this the Ithacan thrust the seer, Calchas, into their midst,
demanding to know what the god’s will might be,
among the uproar. Many were already cruelly prophesying
that ingenious man’s wickedness towards me, and silently saw
what was coming. For ten days the seer kept silence, refusing
to reveal the secret by his words, or condemn anyone to death.
But at last, urged on by Ulysses’s loud clamour, he broke
into speech as agreed, and doomed me to the altar.
All acclaimed it, and what each feared himself, they endured
when directed, alas, towards one man’s destruction.
Now the terrible day arrived, the rites were being prepared
for me, the salted grain, and the headbands for my forehead.
I confess I saved myself from death, burst my bonds,
and all that night hid by a muddy lake among the reeds,
till they set sail, if as it happened they did.
And now I’ve no hope of seeing my old country again,
or my sweet children or the father I long for:
perhaps they’ll seek to punish them for my flight,
and avenge my crime through the death of these unfortunates.
But I beg you, by the gods, by divine power that knows the truth,
by whatever honour anywhere remains pure among men, have pity
on such troubles, pity the soul that endures undeserved suffering.
With these tears we grant him his life, and also pity him.
Priam himself is the first to order his manacles and tight bonds
removed, and speaks these words of kindness to him:
“From now on, whoever you are, forget the Greeks, lost to you:
you’ll be one of us. And explain to me truly what I ask:
Why have they built this huge hulk of a horse? Who created it?
What do they aim at? What religious object or war machine is it?”
He spoke: the other, schooled in Pelasgian art and trickery,
raised his unbound palms towards the stars, saying:
“You, eternal fires, in your invulnerable power, be witness,
you altars and impious swords I escaped,
you sacrificial ribbons of the gods that I wore as victim:
with right I break the Greek’s solemn oaths,
with right I hate them, and if things are hidden
bring them to light: I’m bound by no laws of their country.
Only, Troy, maintain your assurances, if I speak truth, if I repay
you handsomely: kept intact yourself, keep your promises intact.
All the hopes of the Greeks and their confidence to begin the war
always depended on Pallas’ aid. But from that moment
when the impious son of Tydeus, Diomede, and Ulysses
inventor of wickedness, approached the fateful Palladium to snatch
it from its sacred temple, killing the guards on the citadel’s heights,
and dared to seize the holy statue, and touch the sacred ribbons
of the goddess with blood-soaked hands: from that moment
the hopes of the Greeks receded, and slipping backwards ebbed:
their power fragmented, and the mind of the goddess opposed them.
Pallas gave sign of this, and not with dubious portents,
for scarcely was the statue set up in camp, when glittering flames
Aeneid, Book II
Page 11
shone from the upturned eyes, a salt sweat ran over its limbs,
and (wonderful to tell) she herself darted from the ground
with shield on her arm, and spear quivering.
Calchas immediately proclaimed that the flight by sea must be
attempted, and that Troy cannot be uprooted by Argive weapons,
unless they renew the omens at Argos, and take the goddess home,
whom they have indeed taken by sea in their curved ships.
And now they are heading for their native Mycenae with the wind,
obtaining weapons and the friendship of the gods, re -crossing
the sea to arrive unexpectedly, So Calchas reads the omens.
Warned by him, they’ve set up this statue of a horse
for the wounded goddess, instead of the Palladium,
to atone severely for their sin. And Calchas ordered them
to raise the huge mass of woven timbers, raised to the sky,
so the gates would not take it, nor could it be dragged
inside the walls, or watch over the people in their ancient rites.
Since if your hands violated Minerva’s gift,
then utter ruin (may the gods first turn that prediction
on themselves!) would come to Priam and the Trojans:
yet if it ascended into your citadel, dragged by your hands,
Asia would come to the very walls of Pelops, in mighty war,
and a like fate would await our children.””
Through these tricks and the skill of perjured Sinon, the thing was
credited, and we were trapped, by his wiliness, and false tears,
we, who were not conquered by Diomede, or Larissan Achilles,
nor by the ten years of war, nor those thousand ships.
Then something greater and more terrible befalls
us wretches, and stirs our unsuspecting souls.
201-249, Punishment of Laocoon and the Horse enters the City
201
202
Laocoön, ductus Neptuno sorte sacerdos,
Laocoön, Laocoöntis = Laocoön
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus = to lead; choose
sors, sortis f. = lot
sacerdos, sacerdotis m. = priest
Neptunus -i = Neptune;
Neptuno = dative of reference
Laocoön, chosen priest of Neptune by lot,
literally: chosen priest by lot for Neptune
sollemnes taurum ingentem mactabat ad
aras.
sollemnis -e = annual, customary, solemn
taurus -i = bull
ingens, ingentis = huge, large
macto (1) = sacrifice, slaughter; honor
ara, arae f. = altar
solemnis = acc. pl. to agree with aras.
was sacrificing a huge bull on the solemn altars.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 12
Ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per
203
alta
204
205
206
207
208
gemini, -ae -a = twin
tranquillus -a -um = tranquil, calm
altus -a -um = high, deep
(horresco referens) immensis orbibus
angues
horresco, -ere, horrui = to shudder, tremble
refero, referre = bear back, restore; relate; say
immensus -a -um = huge, immense
orbis, orbis m. = circle, coil, fold; earth
anguis, -is f. = snake, serpent
(Moreover) behold twin snakes from Tenedos
through the tranquil deep with huge coils (I
shudder to relate)
incumbunt pelago, pariterque ad litora
tendunt;
incumbo, -ere = lean upon, overhang, ride + dative
pelagus -i = sea
pariter (adv) = equally, side by side
litus, litoris n. = shore, shoreline
tendo, tendere = stretch, hasten, strive
rode upon the sea and side by side hastened
toward the shore.
pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta
iubaeque
pectus, pectoris n. = breast, heart, bosom, soul
fluctus -us m. = wave, billow, cloud
arrigo, -ere, arrexi, arrectus = to raise, rear, lift high
iuba, -ae f. = mane, crest
whose breasts having been lifted high between
the waves and their crests
sanguineae superant undas; pars cetera
pontum
sanguineus -a -um = bloody, blood-red
supero (1) = to overcome, dominate, ride on
unda, undae f. = wave
blood red overcome the waves;
pars, partis f. = part
ceterus -a -um = other, rest
pontus, ponti m. = sea, waves
pone legit, sinuatque immensa volumine
terga.
pone (adv) = after, behind
lego, -ere, legi, lectus = read, pick out, choose; skim
sinuo (1) = fold, curve, twist, wind
tergum -i n. = back, body, rear
volumen, voluminis n. = fold, coil, roll
volumine is an ablative of manner
the remaining part skims the sea from behind,
and their immense backs twist with coils.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 13
209
210
211
Fit sonitus spumante salo; iamque arva
tenebant,
fio, fieri, factus sum = to become, arise
sonitus, sonitus m. = sound
spumo (1) = to foam, froth, spray
salum, sali n. = salt, sea, brine
spumante salo = ablative absolute
arvum -i n. = plowed land, field, region
the sound arose with the brine foaming; and
then they held the fields,
ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine et igni,
ardens, ardentis = burning
oculus -i = eye
sufficio, -ere = to supply, suffuse, color, tinge
note that suffecti is middle voice/passive
reflexive and oculos is its direct object
sanguinis -is m. = blood, race, descendent
ignis, ignis m. = fire
and having colored their burning eyes with
blood and fire,
sibila lambebant linguis vibrantibus ora.
sibilus -a -um = hissing
lambo, lambere = to lick, lap
lingua, -ae f. = tongue
virbro (1) = to quiver, vibrate, dart,
os, oris n. = mouth
they licked their hissing mouths with their
quivering tongues.
diffugio, -ere = to flee
visus -us m. = sight
(4th part of video)
visu = supine in –u; used with adj; translate as inf.
212
Diffugimus visu exsangues: illi agmine certo
exsanguinis -e = bloodless, lifeless; pale
Pale at the sight we fled:
agmen, agminis n. = army, line, troops; course
certus -a -um = sure, certain
Laocoön, Laocoöntis = Laocoön
Laocoönta is a Greek accusative
213
214
Laocoönta petunt; et primum parva duorum
corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque
peto, petere = to seek, seek out, look for
they with certain course seek Laocoon;
primum (adv) = at first
parvus -a -um = small
duo, duae, duo = two
corpus, corporis n. = body
natus, -i m. = son, child, youth
serpens, serpentis c. = serpent, snake
amplector, -i, amplexus = to embrace, enfold
uterque, utraque, utrumque = each, both
Aeneid, Book II
Page 14
215
implicat, et miseros morsu depascitur artus;
implico (1) = to entwine, enfold
and at first each serpent enfolds and entwines
the small bodies of the two sons,
miser, misera, miserum = sad, pitiful, wretched
morsus, -us m. = bite, biting, jaws, fangs
depascor, -i, depastus = to feed on, devour
artus, artus m. = joint, limb, body
and with their fangs feed upon the wretched
bodies;
post = after - but here adverb = afterward
216
post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela
ferentem
ipse, ipsa, ipsum = himself, herself, itself
subeo, subire = to go under, come, approach, enter
auxilium -ii n. = help, aid
auxilio = dat of purpose, coming to help
telum, teli = dart, weapon, wound, blow
fero, ferre, tuli, latus = to bear, carry
217
corripiunt spirisque ligant ingentibus; et iam
corripio -ere, corripui, correptus = seize, snatch up
afterwards they seized him [himself] coming to
help and bearing weapons,
spira, -ae f. = spiral, fold, coil
ligo (1) = to tie, bind
ingens, ingentis = huge, large, mighty
and bound [him] with their enormous coils;
iam = now, then
bis = twice
218
bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea
circum
medium = medium illum (or Laocoom, the middle
one between his two sons) or it could be translated
waist, i.e., having encircled his waist.
amplector, -i, amplexus = to embrace, enfold
and then twice having encircled his waist,
collum, colli n. = neck, throat
squameus -a -um = scaly
circum (around) goes with dati = tmesis (cutting)
219
terga dati, superant capite et cervicibus
altis.
Aeneid, Book II
circumdo, -dare = give around, encircle,
tergum -i = back
twice having encircled their scaly backs around
his throat,
supero (1) = to surmount, overcome, tower up
caput, capitis n. = head
cervix, cervicis f. = neck
altus -a -um = high, deep, lofty, towering
they tower up with their heads and lofty necks.
Page 15
220
Ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos,
simul = at the same time
manus, manus f. = hand, band, troop
tendo -ere = to stretch, hasten, strive
divello -ere = to tear apart
nodus, -i m. = knot, fold, coil
At the same time he hastens to tear apart their
knots with his hands,
perfundo, -ere, -fudi, -fusus = to soak, drench
perfusus is middle voice/reflexive = having soaked
221
222
223
224
225
perfusus sanie vittas atroque veneno,
sanies -ie f. = blood, gore
vitta -ae f. = fillet, headband
ater, atra, atrum = black, dark, death black
venenum -i n. = poison, venum, drug
having soaked his fillets with gore and black
venum,
clamores simul horrendos ad sidera :
clamor, clamoris m. = shout, roar
simul = at the same time
horrendus -a -um = horrible, terrifying, hideous
sidus, -eris n. = sky, stars
tollo, tollere, sustuli, sublatus = to raise, lift
at the same time he raises hideous cries to the
sky:
quales mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram
qualis, -e = just like
mugitus, -us m. = bellow, bellowing, roar
saucius -a -um = wounded, stricken
fugio, -ere = to flee
ara, arae f. = altar, place of sacrifice
taurus, et incertam excussit cervice securim.
taurus, -i m. = bull
just as the bellowing, when a wounded bull flees
the altar,
intertus -a -um = uncertain, ill-aimed
excutio, -ere, excussi = to shake off
cervix, cervicis f. = neck
securis, -is f. = axe
and shakes off the ill-aimed axe from its neck.
At gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones
gemini -orum = twin
lapsus, lapsus = slipping, gliding, swoop, flight
delubrum -i n. = shrine, temple
draco, draconis m. = dragon, serpent
Aeneid, Book II
Page 16
226
227
228
229
effugiunt saevaeque petunt Tritonidis
arcem,
effugio, -ere = flee away, escape, dart off
But the twin serpents by their gliding darted off
to the top of the temple
saevus -a -um = cruel, savage
Tritonis, Tritonidis f. = Athena, Minerva
peto, petere, petivi = seek, aim, make for
arx, arcis f. = tower, citadel
and made for the citadel of cruel Minerva,
sub pedibusque deae clipeique sub orbe
teguntur.
sub = under
pes, pedis m. = foot
dea, deae f. = goddess
clipeus, clipei m. = shield, buckler
orbis, orbis m. = circle, coil, fold; earth
tego, tegere, texi, tectus = to cover, hide
teguntur is middle voice
and hid themselves under the feet of the
goddess and the circle of her shield.
Tum vero tremefacta novus per pectora
cunctis
Tum vero = but then indeed
tremefacio, -ere = to tremble, appall, alarm
novus -a -um = new, strange
pectus, pectoris n. = breast, heart, soul
cunctus -a -um = all, whole, entire
cunctis is a dative of reference = of all
insinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse
merentem
insinuo (1) = to wind, creep, coil
pavor, pavoris m. = terror, shuddering, alarm
But then indeed a strange [new] terror crept
through the trembling hearts of all,
scelus, sceleris n. = crime, impiety, sin
expendo, -ere, expendi = to expiate, pay (for)
mereo, -ere, -ui, meritus = to deserve, merit, earn
Laocoön, Laocoöntis = Laocoön
fero, ferre, tuli, latus = to bear, carry, report, say
and they said that Laocoön had rightly
230
Laocoönta ferunt, sacrum qui cuspide robur
(merentem) paid for his crime
sacer, sacra, sacrum = holy, sacred
cuspis, cuspidis f. = point, spear, lance
robur, roboris n. = oak, strength
231
laeserit, et tergo sceleratam intorserit
hastam.
Aeneid, Book II
laedo, -ere, laesi, laesus = to strike, hurt, offend
tergum, tergi n. = back, body, rear
sceleratus -a -um = criminal, wicked
intorqueo, -ere, intorsi = to hurl (against) + dative
hasta, hastae f. = spear
who (when) struck the sacred oak with his lance,
et hurled his wicked spear against its back.
Page 17
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus = to lead, drag, draw
ducendum = pass. periphrastic = must be led
232
Ducendum ad sedes simulacrum orandaque
divae
sedes, -is = seat, abode, shine, habitation
simulacrum, -i n. = image, statue, likeness
oro (1) = entreat, pray for, beseech
oranda = pass. periphrastic = must be entreated
233
234
numina conclamant.
Dividimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis.
diva, -ae f. = goddess
numen, numinis n. = divinity, divine power
conclamo (1) = cry, shout, exclaim
They cried that the image must be led to shrine
and that divinity of the goddess must be
entreated.
There are more than 50 uncompleted lines in the
Aeneid, showing the unfinished state of the
poem – and why Vergil wanted it destroyed.
divido, -ere = to divide, separate
murus, muri m. = wall, city wall, rampart
moenia, ium n.pl. = walls, city, structure
pando, -ere, passus = to spread, open, loosen
urbs, urbis f. city
We separated the ramparts and opened the
walls of the city.
accingo, -ere, -cinxi, -cinctus = to gird (on), equip
omnis, -e = all, every
opus, operis n. = work, task, deed, labor
235 Accingunt omnes operi, pedibusque rotarum All girded themselves for the work,
accingunt = middle voice; operi = dative of purpose
pes, pedis m. foot, sheet-rope, sheet
rota, rotae f. = wheel
subicio, -ere = to place under + dative
lapsus, -us m. = gliding, rolling, sinking
lapsus rotarum = rollings of wheels = rolling wheels
236
237
subiciunt lapsus, et stuppea vincula collo
intendunt: scandit fatalis machina muros,
Aeneid, Book II
They placed rolling wheels under its feet,
stuppeus -a -um = hempen, of hemp
vinculum -i n = chain, bond, cable
collum, -i m. = neck
intendo, -ere, intendi, intentus = to stretch, extend
and stretched hempen ropes abound its neck
sacndo, -ere, scandi, scansus = to climb, mount
fatalis, -e = fatal, deadly
machina, -ae f. = machine, engine, device
murus, -i m. = wall
the deadly machine climbed the city walls,
Page 18
238
239
240
241
242
feta armis. Pueri circum innuptaeque
puellae
fetus -a -um = teeming, pregnant, filled
arma, -orum = arms, equipment, tools
filled with arms.
Puer, pueri m. = boy, young man
innuptus -a -um = unmarried
circum = around
understand an it
Around [it] boys and unwed girls
sacra canunt, funemque manu contingere
gaudent.
sacer, sacra, sacrum = sacred, holy
understand songs (carmina) with sacra
cano, candere, cecini, cantus = to sing
sang sacred songs,
funis, -is m. = rope, cable
manus -us f. = hand, band, troop, deed
contingo -ere, -tigi, -tactus = to touch, befall
gaudeo, -ere, gavisus sum = to rejoice, exult
and rejoiced to touch the rope with their hands.
Illa subit, mediaeque minans inlabitur urbi.
illa = machina = equus
subeo, -ire, = to go under, bear, approach, enter
medius -a -um = middle, middle of
minor, minari, minatus = to threaten, tower over
inlabor, -labi, -lapsus = to glide (into) + dative
The machine entered and threateningly glided
into the middle of the city.
O patria, O divum domus Ilium, et incluta
bello,
patria, -ae f. = fatherland, country
divum = divorum, gen. pl. of deus = god, divinity
domus -us f. = house, home, abode, race
Ilium, -ii n. = Ilium, Troy
inclutus -a -um = famous, renowned
bellum -i n. = war
O fatherland, O Ilium home of the gods, and
renowned in war,
moenia Dardanidum; quater ipso in limine
portae
moenia, -ium = walls, city, structures
Dardanides, Dardanidae m. = Dardanian, Trojan
O walls of Troy;
quarter = four times
ipse, ipsa, ipsum = himself, herself, itself
limen, liminis n. = threshold, doorway, entrance
porta -ae f. = gate
Aeneid, Book II
Page 19
243
244
245
246
247
substitit, atque utero sonitum quater arma
dedere:
subsisto, -ere, substiti = to stop, halt, resist
four times it halted at the very threshold of the
gate,
atque = and
uterus -i m. = womb, belly
sonitus -us m. = sound, roar, crash, noise
do, dare, dedi, datus = to give
(dedēre = dedērunt)
and four times arms gave a crash from the belly:
instamus tamen immemores caecique
furore,
insto, instare, institi = to press on, pursue
tamen = however, moreover
immemor, immemoris = unmindful, heedless
caecus -a -um = blind
furor, furoris m. = madness, frenzy, fury
however we press on heedless and blind with
frenzy
et monstrum infelix sacratā sistimus arce.
monstrum, monstri, n = monster
infelix, infelicis = ill-omened, unlucky, cursed
sacro (1) = to dedicate, consecrate, hallow
sisto, -ere, steti, status = to set, stand, stop, stay
arx, arcis f. = tower, citadel
and we set the unholy monster in our hallowed
citadel.
Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris
tunc etiam = even then
Cassandra -ae = Trojan prophetess (never believed)
fatum -i = fate, destiny, gloom, oracle
aperio, -ire = to open
sum, esse, fui, futurus = to be
fatis futuris = doom about to be = coming doom
ora, dei iussu non umquam credita Teucris.
os, oris n. = mouth, face, speech
Even then Cassandra opened her mouth for the
coming doom
deus, dei m. = god
iussus, -us m. = command, order, behest
credo, -ere, -didi, creditus = to believe, trust + dat
Teucrus -a -um = Teucrian, Trojan
not ever believed by the Torjans by the
command of a god.
Nos delubra deum miseri, quibus ultimus
248
esset
Aeneid, Book II
delubrum, -i n. = shrine, temple, fane
deus, dei m. = god - deum = deorum
miser, misera, miserum = sad, wretched
ultimus -a -um = last
Page 20
249
ille dies, festa velamus fronde per urbem.
illa dies = that day
festus -a -um = festal, festive
velo (1) = to veil, cover, clothe, deck
frons, frondis f. = branch, foilage
urbs, urbis f. = city
We wretched ones, for whom that day was our
last, covered the temples of the gods with festive
branches through the city.
Lines 250-267 – the Greeks take the City
Meanwhile the heavens turn, and night rushes from the Ocean,
wrapping the earth, and sky, and the Myrmidons’ tricks,
in its vast shadow: through the city the Trojans
fall silent: sleep enfolds their weary limbs.
And now the Greek phalanx of battle-ready ships sailed
from Tenedos, in the benign stillness of the silent moon,
seeking the known shore, when the royal galley raised
a torch, and Sinon, protected by the gods’ unjust doom,
sets free the Greeks imprisoned by planks of pine,
in the horses’ belly. Opened, it releases them to the air,
and sliding down a lowered rope, Thessandrus, and Sthenelus,
the leaders, and fatal Ulysses, emerge joyfully
from their wooden cave, with Acamas, Thoas,
Peleus’s son Neoptolemus, the noble Machaon,
Menelaus, and Epeus who himself devised this trick.
They invade the city that’s drowned in sleep and wine,
kill the watchmen, welcome their comrades
at the open gates, and link their clandestine ranks.
268
269
Tempus erat, quo prima quies mortalibus
aegris
tempus erat = it was the hour
quo = when (ablative of time)
primus -a -um = first
quies, quietis f = quiet, rest, sleep, peace
mortalis, -is c. = mortal, man, human
aeger, aegra, aegrum = sick, weary, wretched
incipit, et dono divum gratissima serpit.
incipio, incipere, incepi, inceptus = to begin
It was the hour, when first rest begins for weary
mortals,
donum -i = gift, offering, prize, reward
divum = divorum = of the gods
gratus -a -um = welcome, pleasing, grateful
serpo, -ere, serpsi, serptus = to creep (on), crawl
and by the gift of the gods, that sweetest sleep
creeps [over them].
Aeneid, Book II
Page 21
270
271
272
273
274
275
In somnis, ecce, ante oculos maestissimus
Hector
somnus -i = dream
ante + acc = before
oculus -i = eye
maestus -a -um = sad
visus adesse mihi, largosque effundere
fletus,
video, videre, visi, visus = to see (passive = appear)
adsum, adesse = to be present
visus [est] adesse = appeared to be present
mihi = to me
Behold in a dream before my eyes a very sad
Hector appeared to be present to me,
largus -a -um = abundunt, copious
effundo, -ere = to pour (out)
fletus, fletus m. = tear
and to pour out copious tears,
raptatus bigis, ut quondam, aterque cruento
rapto (1) = to snatch, drag, carry off
bigae, -arum f.pl. = two-horse chariot
ut quondam = as formerly; as once of old
having been dragged by the chariot as once of
old
ater, atera, aterum = black, death black
cruentus -a -um = bloody, cruel
pulvere, perque pedes traiectus lora
tumentes.
pulvus, pulveris n. = dust
and death black with bloody dust
pes, pedis m. = foot
traiicio, -ere, traieci, -iectus = to pierce
traiectus = middle voice
lorum, lori n. = thong, leather strap, rein, belt
tumeo, -ere, -ui, = to swell, be swollen
having pierced thongs through his swollen feet.
or
his swollen feet pierced through with thongs.
Ei mihi, qualis erat, quantum mutatus ab illo
Ei mihi = Ah me! [interjection + dat. of
reference]
qualis -e = (such) as, of what sort
Ah me! Of what sort (of apparation) was this,
quantus -a -um = how great, how much
muto (1) to change, transform, alter
how (much) changed from that Hector,
Hectore, qui redit exuvias indutus Achilli,
redeo -ire = to return
exuviae, -arum = spoils, booty
induo, -ere, indui, indutus = to put on, clothe, don
indutus = middle voice perfect active patriciple
who returned having put on the spoils of
Achilles,
Aeneid, Book II
Page 22
276
277
278
279
280
vel Danaum Phrygios iaculatus puppibus
ignis,
Danai -um = Greeks
Phrygius -a -um = Phrygian
iacculor, -ari, iaculatus = to throw, cast, hurl
iaculatus = having hurled [middle voice]
puppis, puppis f. = stern (of ship), poop; ship
ignis, ignis m. = fire
or having hurled Phyrgian flames on Greek ships.
squalentem barbam et concretos sanguine
crinis
squaleo, -ere = to be stiff, rigid, rough, matted
barba, -ae f. = beard
concerno, -ere, -crevi, cretus = mix, mix together
sanguinis -is m = blood
crinis -is m. = hair
vulneraque illa gerens, quae circum plurima
muros
vulnus -eris n. = wound
gero, -ere = to bear
circum = around
plurima = very many
murus -i = wall
accepit patrios. Ultro flens ipse videbar
accipio, -ere = to accept, receive, welcome
patrius -a-um = Fatherland's, of the Fatherland
bearing his stiff beard and hair matted with
blood and those many wounds which he
received at his fatherland's walls,
Ultro = beyond, moreover, voluntarily
fleo, flere = to weep, cry, shed tears
videor, videri, visus = to apprear
Moreover I myself appeared weeping
compellare virum et maestas expromere
voces:
compello -ere = to address, speak to
vir, viri = man
maestus -a -um = sad, mournful, gloomy
expromo, -ere = bring forth, express
vox, vocis f. = voice; word
as I addressed (lit, to address and express) this man
and expressed my gloomy words.
One editor points out that Aeneas seems forget
Hector’s death and his wounds – details so often
lacking in dreams
281
“O lux Dardaniae, spes O fidissima Teucrum,
Aeneid, Book II
lux, lucis f. = light
Dardania, -ae f. = city of Dardania, Troy
spes, spei f. = hope
fidus -a -um = faithful, trustworthy, safe
Teucrus -a -um = Teucrian, Trojan
Teucrum = Teucrorum = of the Trojans
O light of Dardania, O most faithful hope of
Trojans,
Page 23
tantus -a -um = so great, so much
teneo, tenere, tenui, tentus = to hold
282
283
284
quae tantae tenuēre morae? Quibus Hector
ab oris
exspectate venis? Ut te post multa tuorum
funera, post varios hominumque urbisque
labores
tenuēre = tenuērunt
mora, morae f = delay
what so great delays held (you)?
ora, orae f. = shore, seashore
exspecto (1) = to await, expect
venio, venire, veni, ventus = to come
From what shores, O long awaited Hector, do
you come?
Ut = how (translate = how gladly)
understand a word like kinfolk with tuorum
funus, funeris n. = funeral, death, disaster
How gladly after the many deaths of your
kinsfolk,
varius -a -um = various, manifold, diverse
homo, hominis m. = person, man, human
urbs, urbis f. = city
labor, laboris m. = work, hardship, task, sorrow
after the various sorrows of the people of the
city
[lit: of the people and of the city]
285
286
287
defessi aspicimus! Quae causa indigna
serenos
defessus - a-um = weary, tired
aspicio, aspicere, -exi, -ectus = to see, look at
we wearily behold you! (or our tired eyes…)
causa -ae f = cause
indignus -a -um = shameful, unworthy, undeserved
serenus -a -um = serene, calm. clear
foedavit vultus? Aut cur haec vulnera
cerno?”
foedo (1) = to defile, mare, mangle
vultus, -us m. = face, countenance, aspect
What undeserved cause has mared your gentle
face?
[lit: your serene aspects]
Cur = why
vulnus, vulneris n. = wound
cerno, -ere = to see
Or why do I see these wounds?
Ille nihil, nec me quaerentem vana moratur,
Ille = he; then understand dicit.
He says nothing,
quaero, -ere, quaesivi, = to seek, question
vanus -a -um = vain, idle , useless, false
moror, morari, moratus sum = to delay, tarry, heed
nor heeds me questioning vainly
(he pays no attention to my vain questions)
Aeneid, Book II
Page 24
288
289
290
sed graviter gemitus imo de pectore ducens,
graviter = heavily, greviously
gemitus -us m. = groan, moan, lament
imus -a -um = inmost
pectus, pectoris n. = breast, chest, heart
duco, ducere, duxi, ductus = to lead
but greviously leading a groan from his inmost
heart,
“Heu fuge, nate deā, teque his, ait, eripe
flammis.
fugio, -ere, fugi, fugiturus = to flee
natus -a -um = born of
dea, deae f. = goddess (= Venus, Aeneas' mother)
eripio, -ere = to snatch
flamma, -ae = flame
Alas flee, O you born of Venus, he said, snatch
yourself from these flames.
Hostis habet muros; ruit alto a culmine
Troia.
hostis, hostis m. = the enemy
murus, -i = wall
ruo, -ere, rui = to fall, rush, sink
altus -a -um = high, deep
culmen, culminis n. = top, summit, peak
The enemy has our walls; Troy has fallen from
her lofty summit.
sat = satis = enough, sufficiently
291
292
293
Sat patriae Priamoque datum: si Pergama
dextra
patria -ae = fatherland, country
Priamus -i = Priam, king of Troy
do, dare, dedi, datus = to give
Enough has been given to Priam and the
fatherland:
si = if
Pergama -orum = the citadel of Troy
dexter, -ra -rum = right, favorable
understand manu with dextera
defendi possent, etiam hac defensa fuissent.
defendo, -ere, -di, defensus = to defend
hac refers to dextera [manu]
if the tower of Troy were able to be defended by
my right hand, it would have been defended
even by this hand.
Sacra suosque tibi commendat Troia
penatis:
sacer, sacra, sacrum = sacred, holy
suus -a -um = his own, her own, its own
commendo (1) = commend, entrust
penates -ium = household gods
Troy entrusts to you her sacred things and her
[own] household gods:
Aeneid, Book II
Page 25
294
295
296
297
hos cape fatorum comites, his moenia
quaere
capio, capere, cepi, captus = to take, seize
comes, comitis c. = comrade, follower
fatum -i = fate, destiny, gloom, oracle
take these [as] comrades of your destiny,
moenia (wall) = urbem (city)
quaero, -ere = to seek,
magna, pererrato statues quae denique
ponto.”
magnus -a -um = great = great, mighty
seek for them the great city,
pererro (1) = to wander through, traverse
pererrato ponto = ablative absolute
statuo, -ere = to set up, establish
denique = at last, finally
pontus -i = sea
which you will finally establish when you have
traversed many seas.
Sic ait, et manibus vittas Vestamque
potentem
sic = thus
ait, = he speaks, he spoke
manus -us f. = hand, band
vitta -ae f. = fillet, garland, headband, band
Vesta -ae = goddess of the hearth
potens, potentis = strong, powerful, mighty
aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus
ignem.
aeternus -a -um = eternal, undying
adytum -i n. = inner shrine, sanctuary
effero, effere, extuli, elatus = carry forth, lift
penetralis -e = innermost, interior
ignis, ignis m. = fire
Thus he spoke, and in his hands brought forth
from the inner shrine the fillets, powerful Vesta
and the eternal fire.
Lines 298-354, Aeneas gathers his Comrades
Meanwhile the city is confused with grief, on every side,
and though my father Anchises’s house is remote, secluded
and hidden by trees, the sounds grow clearer and clearer,
and the terror of war sweeps upon it.
I shake off sleep, and climb to the highest roof-top,
and stand there with ears strained:
as when fire attacks a wheat-field when the south-wind rages,
or the rushing torrent from a mountain stream covers the fields,
drowns the ripe crops, the labour of oxen,
and brings down the trees headlong, and the dazed shepherd,
unaware, hears the echo from a high rocky peak.
Now the truth is obvious, and the Greek plot revealed.
Now the vast hall of Deiphobus is given to ruin
the fire over it: now Ucalegon’s nearby blazes:
the wide Sigean straits throw back the glare.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 26
Then the clamour of men and the blare of trumpets rises.
Frantically I seize weapons: not because there is much use
for weapons, but my spirit burns to gather men for battle
and race to the citadel with my friends: madness and anger
hurl my mind headlong, and I think it beautiful to die fighting.
Now, see, Panthus escaping the Greek spears,
Panthus, son of Othrys, Apollo’s priest on the citadel,
dragging along with his own hands the sacred relics,
the conquered gods, his little grandchild, running frantically
to my door: “Where’s the best advantage, Panthus, what position
should we take?” I’d barely spoken, when he answered
with a groan: “The last day comes, Troy’s inescapable hour.
Troy is past, Ilium is past, and the great glory of the Trojans:
Jupiter carries all to Argos: the Greeks are lords of the burning city.
The horse, standing high on the ramparts, pours out warriors,
and Sinon the conqueror exultantly stirs the flames.
Others are at the wide-open gates, as many thousands
as ever came from great Mycenae: more have blocked
the narrow streets with hostile weapons:
a line of standing steel with naked flickering blades
is ready for the slaughter: barely the first few guards
at the gates attempt to fight, and they resist in blind conflict.”
By these words from Othrys’ son, and divine will, I’m thrust
amongst the weapons and the flames, where the dismal Fury
sounds, and the roar, and the clamour rising to the sky.
Friends joined me, visible in the moonlight, Ripheus,
and Epytus, mighty in battle, Hypanis and Dymas,
gathered to my side, and young Coroebus, Mygdon’s son:
by chance he’d arrived in Troy at that time,
burning with mad love for Cassandra, and brought help,
as a potential son-in-law, to Priam, and the Trojans,
unlucky man, who didn’t listen to the prophecy
of his frenzied bride! When I saw them crowded there
eager for battle, I began as follows: “Warriors, bravest
of frustrated spirits, if your ardent desire is fixed
on following me to the end, you can see our cause ’s fate.
All the gods by whom this empire was supported
have departed, leaving behind their temples and their altars:
you aid a burning city: let us die and rush into battle.
The beaten have one refuge, to have no hope of refuge.”
355-401, Aeneas and his friends resist
So their young spirits were roused to fury. Then, like ravaging
wolves in a dark mist, driven blindly by the cruel rage
of their bellies, leaving their young waiting with thirsty jaws,
we pass through our enemies, to certain death, and make our way
to the heart of the city: dark night envelops us in deep shadow.
Who could tell of that destruction in words, or equal our pain
with tears? The ancient city falls, she who ruled for so many years:
crowds of dead bodies lie here and there in the streets,
Aeneid, Book II
Page 27
among the houses, and on the sacred thresholds of the gods.
Nor is it Trojans alone who pay the penalty with their blood:
courage returns at times to the hearts of the defeated
and the Greek conquerors die. Cruel mourning is everywhere,
everywhere there is panic, and many a form of death.
First, Androgeos, meets us, with a great crowd of Greeks
around him, unknowingly thinking us allied troops,
and calls to us in friendly speech as well:
“Hurry, men! What sluggishness makes you delay so?
The others are raping and plundering burning Troy:
are you only now arriving from the tall ships?”
He spoke, and straight away (since no reply given was
credible enough) he knew he’d fallen into the enemy fold.
He was stunned, drew back, and stifled his voice.
Like a man who unexpectedly treads on a snake in rough briars,
as he strides over the ground, and shrinks back in sudden fear
as it rears in anger and swells its dark-green neck,
so Androgeos, shuddering at the sight of us, drew back.
We charge forward and surround them closely with weapons,
and ignorant of the place, seized by terror, as they are, we slaughter
them wholesale. Fortune favours our first efforts.
And at this Coroebus, exultant with courage and success, cries:
“Oh my friends, where fortune first points out the path to safety,
and shows herself a friend, let us follow. Let’s change our shields
adopt Greek emblems. Courage or deceit: who’ll question it in war?
They’ll arm us themselves.” With these words, he takes up
Androgeos’s plumed helmet, his shield with its noble markings,
and straps the Greek’s sword to his side. Ripheus does likewise,
Dymas too, and all the warriors delight in it. Each man
arms himself with the fresh spoils. We pass on
mingling with the Greeks, with gods that are not our known,
and clash, in many an armed encounter, in the blind night,
and we send many a Greek down to Orcus.
Some scatter to the ships, and run for safer shores,
some, in humiliated terror, climb the vast horse again
and hide in the womb they know.
Lines 402-437, Cassandra is taken captive
“Ah, put no faith in anything the will of the gods opposes!
See, Priam’s virgin daughter dragged, with streaming hair,
from the sanctuary and temple of Minerva,
lifting her burning eyes to heaven in vain:
her eyes, since cords restrained her gentle hands.
Coroebus could not stand the sight, maddened in mind,
and hurled himself among the ranks, seeking death.
We follow him, and, weapons locked, charge together.
Here, at first, we were overwhelmed by Trojan spears,
hurled from the high summit of the temple,
and wretched slaughter was caused by the look of our armour,
and the confusion arising from our Greek crests.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 28
Then the Danaans, gathering from all sides, groaning with anger
at the girl being pulled away from them, rush us,
Ajax the fiercest, the two Atrides, all the Greek host:
just as, at the onset of a tempest, conflicting winds clash, the west,
the south, and the east that joys in the horses of dawn:
the forest roars, brine-wet Nereus rages with his trident,
and stirs the waters from their lowest depths.
Even those we have scattered by a ruse, in the dark of night,
and driven right through the city, re-appear: for the first time
they recognise our shields and deceitful weapons,
and realise our speech differs in sound to theirs .
In a moment we’re overwhelmed by weight of numbers:
first Coroebus falls, by the armed goddess’s altar, at the hands
of Peneleus: and Ripheus, who was the most just of all the Trojans,
and keenest for what was right (the gods’ vision was otherwise):
Hypanis and Dymas die at the hands of allies:
and your great piety, Panthus, and Apollo’s sacred headband
can not defend you in your downfall.
Ashes of Ilium, death flames of my people, be witness
that, at your ruin, I did not evade the Danaan weapons,
nor the risks, and, if it had been my fate to die,
I earned it with my sword. Then we are separated,
Iphitus and Pelias with me, Iphitus weighed down by the years,
and Pelias, slow-footed, wounded by Ulysses:
immediately we’re summoned to Priam’s palace by the clamor.
Here’s a great battle indeed, as if the rest of the war were nothing,
as if others were not dying throughout the whole city,
so we see wild War and the Greeks rushing to the palace,
and the entrance filled with a press of shields.
Ladders cling to the walls: men climb the stairs under the very
doorposts, with their left hands holding defensive shields
against the spears, grasping the sloping stone with their right.
In turn, the Trojans pull down the turrets and roof-tiles
of the halls, prepared to defend themselves even in death,
seeing the end near them, with these as weapons:
and send the gilded roof-beams down, the glory
of their ancient fathers. Others with naked swords block
the inner doors: these they defend in massed ranks.
Our spirits were reinspired, to bring help to the king’s palace,
to relieve our warriors with our aid, and add power to the beaten.
There was an entrance with hidden doors, and a passage in use
between Priam’s halls, and a secluded gateway beyond,
which the unfortunate Andromache, while the kingdom stood,
often used to traverse, going, unattended, to her husband’s parents,
taking the little Astyanax to his grandfather.
I reached the topmost heights of the pediment from which
the wretched Trojans were hurling their missiles in vain.
A turret standing on the sloping edge, and rising from the roof
to the sky, was one from which all Troy could be seen,
the Danaan ships, and the Greek camp: and attacking its edges
Aeneid, Book II
Page 29
with our swords, where the upper levels offered weaker mortar,
we wrenched it from its high place, and sent it flying:
falling suddenly it dragged all to ruin with a roar,
and shattered far and wide over the Greek ranks.
But more arrived, and meanwhile neither the stones
nor any of the various missiles ceased to fly.
In front of the courtyard itself, in the very doorway of the palace,
Pyrrhus exults, glittering with the sheen of bronze:
like a snake, fed on poisonous herbs, in the light,
that cold winter has held, swollen, under the ground,
and now, gleaming with youth, its skin sloughed,
ripples its slimy back, lifts its front high towards the sun,
and darts its triple-forked tongue from its jaws.
Huge Periphas, and Automedon the armour -bearer,
driver of Achilles’s team, and all the Scyrian youths,
advance on the palace together and hurl firebrands onto the roof.
Pyrrhus himself among the front ranks, clutching a double -axe,
breaks through the stubborn gate, and pulls the bronze doors
from their hinges: and now, hewing out the timber, he breaches
the solid oak and opens a huge window with a gaping mouth.
The palace within appears, and the long halls are revealed:
the inner sanctums of Priam, and the ancient kings, appear,
and armed men are seen standing on the very threshold.
But, inside the palace, groans mingle with sad confusion,
and, deep within, the hollow halls howl
with women’s cries: the clamour strikes the golden stars.
Trembling mothers wander the vast building, clasping
the doorposts, and placing kisses on them. Pyrrhus drives forward,
with his father Achilles’s strength, no barricades nor the guards
themselves can stop him: the door collapses under the ram’s blows,
and the posts collapse, wrenched from their sockets.
Strength makes a road: the Greeks, pour through, force a passage,
slaughter the front ranks, and fill the wide space with their men.
A foaming river is not so furious, when it floods,
bursting its banks, overwhelms the barriers against it,
and rages in a mass through the fields, sweeping cattle and stables
across the whole plain. I saw Pyrrhus myself, on the threshold,
mad with slaughter, and the two sons of Atreus:
I saw Hecuba, her hundred women, and Priam at the altars,
polluting with blood the flames that he himself had sanctified.
Those fifty chambers, the promise of so many offspring,
the doorposts, rich with spoils of barbarian gold,
crash down: the Greeks possess what the fire spares.
And maybe you ask, what was Priam’s fate.
When he saw the end of the captive city, the palac e doors
wrenched away, and the enemy among the inner rooms,
the aged man clasped his long-neglected armour
on his old, trembling shoulders, and fastened on his useless sword,
and hurried into the thick of the enemy seeking death.
In the centre of the halls, and under the sky’s naked arch,
Aeneid, Book II
Page 30
was a large altar, with an ancient laurel nearby, that leaned
on the altar, and clothed the household gods with shade.
Here Hecuba, and her daughters, like doves driven
by a dark storm, crouched uselessly by the shrines,
huddled together, clutching at the statues of the gods.
And when she saw Priam himself dressed in youthful armour
she cried: “What mad thought, poor husband, urges you
to fasten on these weapons? Where do you run?
The hour demands no such help, nor defence s such as these,
not if my own Hector were here himself. Here, I beg you,
this altar will protect us all or we’ll die together.”
So she spoke and drew the old man towards her,
and set him down on the sacred steps.
See, Polites, one of Priam’s sons, escaping Pyrrhus’s slaughter,
runs down the long hallways, through enemies and spears,
and, wounded, crosses the empty courts.
Pyrrhus chases after him, eager to strike him,
and grasps at him now, and now, with his hand, at spear-point.
When finally he reached the eyes and gaze of his parents,
he fell, and poured out his life in a river of blood.
Priam, though even now in death’s clutches,
did not spare his voice at this, or hold back his anger:
“If there is any justice in heaven, that cares about such things,
may the gods repay you with fit thanks, and due reward
for your wickedness, for such acts, you who have
made me see my own son’s death in front of my face,
and defiled a father’s sight with murder.
Yet Achilles, whose son you falsely claim to be, was no
such enemy to Priam: he respected the suppliant’s rights,
and honor, and returned Hector’s bloodless corpse
to its sepulchre, and sent me home to my kingdom.”
So the old man spoke, and threw his ineffectual spear
without strength, which immediately spun from the clanging bronze
and hung uselessly from the centre of the shield’s boss.
Pyrrhus spoke to him: “Then you can be messenger, carry
the news to my father, to Peleus’s son: remember to tell him
of degenerate Pyrrhus, and of my sad actions:
now die.” Saying this he dragged him, trembling,
and slithering in the pool of his son’s blood, to the very altar,
and twined his left hand in his hair, raised the glittering sword
in his right, and buried it to the hilt in his side.
This was the end of Priam’s life: this was the death that fell to him
by lot, seeing Troy ablaze and its citadel toppled, he who was
once the magnificent ruler of so many Asian lands and peoples.
A once mighty body lies on the shore, the head
shorn from its shoulders, a corpse without a name.
Lines 559 – 620; Aeneas sees Helen; Venus appears to her son
Aeneid, Book II
Page 31
559
560
At me tum primum saevus circumstetit
horror.
At = but, yet, however
tum = then,
primum = first, at first
saevus -a -um = cruel, awful
circumsto -are -steti = to encircle, stand around
horror, horroris m. = horror, alarm, shudder(ing)
But then first an awful horror surrounded me.
Obstipui; subiit cari genitoris imago,
obstipesco, -ere, obstipui = to be dazed
subeo, subire, subii = to rise, go under, approach
carus -a -um = dear, beloved, fond
genitor, genitoris m = father
imago, imaginis f. = image, picture, likeness
I was stunned; an image of my dear father arose,
ut = as, when
rex, regis m. = king
aequaevus -a -um = of equal age
561
ut regem aequaevum crudeli vulnere vidi
regem aequaevum = Priam and Anchises were about
the same age
crudelis -e = cruel, bloody, bitter
vulnus, vulnere n. = wound
562
vitam exhalantem; subiit deserta Creüsa,
vita, vitae f = life
exhalo (1) = breathe out, exhale
when I saw the king of equal age with a bloody
wound breathing out his life;
desertus -a -um = abandoned, forlorn
Creüsa -ae = wife of Aeneas
There arose (the vision of) forlorn Cruesa,
563
et direpta domus, et parvi casus Iuli.
diripio, -ere, -ui, depreptus = to plunder, ravage
domus -us f. = home
parvus -a -um = small
casus -us = chance, misfortune, fall
Iulus -i = the son of Aeneas
and a plundered house, and the fall of little Iulus.
564
Respicio, et quae sit me circum copia
lustro.
Aeneid, Book II
respicio, -ere = to look back
lustro, (1) = purify; here = survey, see
quae = what (goes with copia)
copia, -ae = supply, abundance; forces
sit is the subjunctive verb of an indirect question
I look back, and survey what forces are around
me.
Page 32
desero, -ere, deserui = to desert, forsake
deseruere = deseruernt
565
566
Deseruere omnes defessi, et corpora saltu
ad terram misere aut ignibus aegra
dedere.
omnis -e = all, every
defessus -a -um = tired,
wearied they all deserted [me],
corpus, corporis n. = body
saltus -us m = leap,
terra, -ae = earth, land
misere = wretchedly
aeger, aegra, aegrum = sick, weary
do (1) give
dedere = dederunt
and gave their bodies with a wretched leap to
the earth or wearily to the fires.
iamque = and now
adeo = so far, so much, much more
iamque adeo = and by this time
super = over, above; here = on the roof
567
Iamque adeo super unus eram, cum limina
unus –a –um = one, alone
Vestae
And by this time on the roof I was alone,
cum = when
limen, liminis n. = threshold, doorway, temple
Vesta, Vestae = Vesta, goddess of hearth and home
568
servantem et tacitam secreta in sede
latentem
servo (1) = watch over, watch, save; cling to
tacitus –a –um = quiet, silent
sedes, sedis f. = seat, home; temple, shrine
lateo, -ere = hide
Tyndaris, Tyndaridis = Helen (daughter of Tyndarius)
Tyndaria = Greek accusative, singular
569
Tyndarida aspicio; dant claram incendia
lucem
aspicio, -ere = catch sight of
when I caught sight of Helen clinging to the
doorway of Vesta and hiding quietly in her
sacred shrine;
do, dare = to give
incendium, -ii = flame, fire
lux, lucis f. = light
erro (1) = wander
erranti [mihi] to me wandering
570
erranti passimque oculos per cuncta
ferenti.
571
illa sibi infestos eversa ob Pergama
Teucros
Aeneid, Book II
the fires gave me clear light as I wandered
passim = here and there, in all directions
oculus, oculi = eye
fero, ferre – to bear, carry
and in all directions carrying my eyes over
everything.
Illa = that woman, she
sibi = for herself
everto, -ere, -verti, -versus = overturn
Pergamum –i = Troy
Page 33
Danaum = of the Greeks
572
573
poena, poenae = punishment
et Danaum poenam et deserti coniugis iras desertus a um = deserted
coniux, coniugis c. = spouse, wife, husband
ira, irae - anger
permetuo, -ere = fear (in advance)
patria, patriae = fatherland, homeland
communis –e = common
Erinys – the Fury
praemetuens, Troiae et patriae communis
She, fearing for herself the hostile Trojans
Erinys,
because of the fall of Pergamum and both the
punishment of the Greeks and the anger of her
deserted husband, she the common Fury of Troy
and her own fatherland,
abdido, abdidere, abdidi = to hide
sese = se
574
abdiderat sese atque aris invisa sedebat.
575
exarsere ignes animo; subit ira cadentem
576
ulcisci patriam et sceleratas sumere
poenas.
577
'scilicet haec Spartam incolumis
patriasque Mycenas
578
aspiciet, partoque ibit regina triumpho?
ara, area = altar
invisus a um = hated
sedeo, sedere = to sit
she had hidden herself and was sitting by the
altars – a hated woman.
exardeo, -ere, -arsi – to burn
(-ere = -erunt)
ignis, ignis m. = fire
animus, animi = mind, spirit, soul
Fire blazed in my spirit;
subeo, subire = to enter
ira, irae = anger
cado, cadere, cecidi, casus = to fall
ulciscor, ulcisci = to avenge
sceleratus a um = accursed
sumo, sumere = to take; to punish
anger entered [my heart] to avenge my falling
fatherland and to exact [take] punishment for
her wickedness.
scilicet = doubtless [lines 577 to 587 are a soliloquy
where Aeneas speaks to himself about punishment that
he will meet out to Helen]
haec = this women = Helen
Sparta, -ae = Sparta
incolumis, -e = safe
pario, -ere, peperi, partus = bring forth, obtain
regina, -ae = queen
triumphum, triumphi = triumph
parto…triumpho = ablative absolute
Doubtless this woman will safely see Sparta and
her Mycenaean homeland, and with her triumph
secured she will go a queen?
Aeneid, Book II
Page 34
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
coniugium, -ii – marriage (by metonymy = spouse)
domus, domus f. = house, home
coniugiumque domumque patris natosque pater, patris m. = father
videbit
natus, nati = child
[Doubtless] she will see her husband and the
home of her father and her children
Ilias, Iliadis = Ilium, Trojan
turba, -ae = throng, crowd
Phrygius a um = Phrygian
Iliadum turbā et Phrygiis comitata
comito (1) = to accompany
ministris?
minister, ministry = servant,
attended by a throng of Trojans with Phrygian
servants?
Occido, -ere – to destroy, die, kill
ferrum, ferri = iron, sword
occiderit ferro Priamus? Troia arserit igni? ardeo, ardere, arsi = to burn
[And] Priam has died by the sword? [And] Troy
has burned with fire?
Dardanius a um = Dardanian
totiens = so many times, again and again
sudo, sudare = sweat, perspire, be drenched
Dardanium totiens sudarit sanguine litus? sanguinis, sanguinis = blood
litus, litoris n. = shore
[And] the Dardanian shore so many times soaked
with blood?
non ita = no!
namque = for
non ita. namque etsi nullum memorabile
etsi = even if
nomen
nullus a um = no
memorabilis –e = memorable
nomen, nominis n. = name, reputation
feminea = of a female, female, of a woman
poena, -ae = punishment
feminea in poena est, habet haec victoria
laus, laudis f. = praise
laudem;
No! For even if there was no memorable
reputation in a woman’s punishment, this victory
has praise;
exstinguo, -ere, -stinxi, -stinctum = quench
nefas [indecl] = crime, impiety, unholy thing
exstinxisse nefas tamen et sumpsisse
tamen = nevertheless
merentis
sumo, -ere, sumpsi, sumptum = take
mereo –ere = deserve
laudo, (1) = to praise
nevertheless, I shall be praised for quenching this
laudabor poenas, animumque explesse
impiety and exacting deserving punishment,
iuvabit
expleo, -lere, explevi (note syncopation) = to fill + gen
iuvo (1) – to help, assist; delight; gratify
Aeneid, Book II
Page 35
587
ultricis flammae et cineres satiasse
meorum.'
588
tālĭă │ iāctā│bam ēt fŭrĭ│ātā │ mēntĕ
fĕ│rēbār,
589
cum mihi se, non ante oculis tam clara,
videndam
590
obtulit et pura per noctem in luce refulsit
591
alma parens, confessa deam qualisque
videri
ultrix, ultricis = avenging
flamma, -ae = flame
cinis, cineris = ash, ashes
satio (1) = satisfy, appease (note syncopation)
and it will gratify my soul to have filled [itself]
with the avenging flame and appease the ashes
of my [ancestors].
Iacto (1) = to throw
I was throwing such things = Thus I spoke
furiatus a um = furious, raging, enraged
mens, mentis f. = mind
fero, ferro = to carry, bear,
I hurled out such words and was carried along in
my raging mind,
cum = when
mihi (dative) = to me
clarus a um = clear, bright
not before my eyes so clear = never before so bright
to my eyes
obfero, ferre = to carry to; present
purus a um = pure
nox, noctis f = night
lux, lucis f. = light
refulgeo, -ere, refulsi = shine brightly, gleam
almus a um = nourishing, dear
parens, parentis = parent
(here = Venus)
when my dear mother presented herself to me –
never before so bright to my eyes to be seen and
shone with pure light in the night,
confiteor, -eri, confessus = admit, confess
confessa deam = confessing the goddess = revealing
her divine nature
quailsque = of such a kind
caelicola –ae = dwellers in the heavens, god
caelicolis = dat of agent
592
caelicolis et quanta solet, dextraque
prehensum
593
continuit roseoque haec insuper addidit
ore:
Aeneid, Book II
revealing her divine nature and of such a kind to
be seen by the gods even as she was accustomed,
dextraque = and by the right hand
prehendo, -ere, -hensi, -hensum = grab
contineo, -ere = to hold, take hold of
roseus a um = rosey
insuper = in addition
addo, -ere, addidi = to add
os, oris n. = mouth, lips, voice
and having grabbed me, she took me by the right
[hand]; and in addition added these things with
her rosey lips:
Page 36
natus,nati = offspring, child, son
quis normally means who but often (as here) = what
594
'nate, quis indomitas tantus dolor excitat
iras?
indomitus a um = uncontrollable, untamed
tantus a um = great, so great
dolor, doloris m. = sorrow, grief, sadness
excito(1) = arouse, stir up
My son, what great sorrow stirs up this
uncontrollable anger?
Furio, furere = to rage
quid furis = what do you rage = why are you angry
aut = or
quonam (adv) = by what way, whither, where
595
quid furis? aut quonam nostri tibi cura
recessit?
nostri = of our things, of us or for us
tibi usually means to you but here = your (dat of reference)
cura, curae = care, concern,
recedo, -ere, recessi = to recede, vanish, fall away
Why are you angry? Or wither (why) does your
concern for our things vanish?
non = nonne (often used this way in poetry; expects a yes)
596
non prius aspicies ubi fessum aetate
parentem
597
liqueris Anchisen, superet coniunxne
Creusa
prius (adv) = first
aspicio, -ere = catch sight of, see
ubi = where
fessus a um = tired, weary, worn
aetas, aetatis f. = age
parens, parentis = parent, father
linquo, -ere, liqui = to leave, abandon
ubi liqueris = (perf. sub) = indirect question
supero (1) = overcome; survive
superset = present subjunctive = indirect question
coniunx, coniugis c. = spouse
Creusa, -ae = Creusa, wife of Aeneas
Ascanius = son of Aeneas
598
Ascaniusque puer? quos omnis undique
Graiae
599
circum errant acies et, ni mea cura
resistat,
puer, pueri = son
First, don’t you want to see where you have left
your father Anchises, weared by age, or whether
your wife Creusa and son Ascanius survived?
quos = et eos = and them
omnis, omne = all, every [= omnes]
undique = on all sides
Graeus –a –um = Greek
circum = around
erro (1) = wander, go astray
acies, aciei f = battle line, rank, line (pl.)
ni = nisi = unless, if not
cura, curae f. = care, protection
resisto, -ere (here = pr. sub) = resist, offer resistance, oppose
Around whom on all side the Greek ranks wander
and, unless my protection had not offered resistance,
Aeneid, Book II
Page 37
600
iam flammae tulerint inimicus et hauserit
ensis.
fero, ferre, tuli = to carry (off), bear,
haurio, -ire, hausi = draw (up), shed,
tulerint and hauserit = perfect subjunctives
the flames would now have carried them off and
hostile swords have shed [their blood].
Tyndaris, -daridis f. = daughter of Tyndareus, king of Sparta = Helen
facies, faciei f. = face
invideo, -ere, -vidi, -visus = to hate
601
non tibi Tyndaridis facies invisa Lacaenae
Lacaena, Laecanae f. = a Spartan woman, Helen
The Face of the Spartan woman, daughter of
Tyndareus, is not [to be] hated by you
tibi is a dative of reference = as far as you are concerned
602
culpatusve Paris; divum inclementia divum -
603
has evertit opes sternitque a culmine
Troiam.
604
aspice (namque omnem, quae nunc
obducta tuenti
culpo (1) = to blame, censure
-ve = or (but translate nor because it picks up non)
Paris, Paridis m. = Paris
divi, divorum = the gods
(divum = divorum)
inclementia, -ae f. = unkindness, cruelty, ruthlessness
ops, opis f. = wealth, riches (has [these] agrees with opes)
everto, -ere = to turn away, overthrow
sterno –ere = stretch out, bring down
culmen, culminis n. = top, summit, height
nor is Paris [to be] blamed; the cruelty of the
gods – of the gods – has overthrown these riches
and brought Troy down from its glory.
aspicio, -ere = to catch sight of , see
namque = for
(omnem modiefies nubem in 606)
obduco, -ere, -duxi –ductus = lead in the way of
tueor, tueri, tutus sum = to look at, behold
tuenti is the present participle in the dative singular
hebeto (1) = to make blunt, dim, [make] dull
visus, visus m. = vision, sight
605
606
607
mortalis hebetat visus tibi et umida circum tibi goes with tuenti and obducta = drawn over your sight
umidus a um = wet, moist
circum = around
[translate everything]
caligo (1) = to send out a mist, darken
nubes, nubis f. = cloud, storm, mist
caligat, nubem eripiam; tu ne qua parentis eripio, -ere, eripui, ereptus = snatch away
Look (for I will snatch away all the cloud which [quae in
604] now, drawn over your sight, dims your mortal
vision and darkens everything with moisture;
iussa time neu praeceptis parere recusa):
Aeneid, Book II
iussum, iussi n = order, command
timeo, timere = to fear, be afraid
neu = nor
praeceptum, praecepti n = command
pareo, parere = to obey + dative
recuso (1) = to refuse
do not fear any orders of your mother and do not
[nor] refuse to obey her commands.)
Page 38
608
609
hīc, ubi disiectas moles avulsaque saxis
hīc = here
ubi = where, when
disiicio –ere –ieci –iectus = scatter, demolish
moles, molis f = mass, heap, burden
avello –ere, -vulsi –vulsum = tear apart (asunder)
saxum, saxi, n = rock
saxa vides, mixtoque undantem pulvere
fumum,
misceo, -ere, miscue, mixtus = mix
undo (1) = surge, wave, undulate; rise up
pulvus, pulveris n = dust
fumus, fumi m. = smoke
Here, where you see heaps scattered and stones
torn apart from stones, and smoke rising up
mixed with dust, mixto pulvere = abl. absolute
Neptunus, Neptuni = Neptune, god of the sea
610
Neptunus muros magnoque emota
tridenti
611
fundamenta quatit totamque a sedibus
urbem
murus, muri = city wall, wall
emoveo, -ere, -movi –motus = move out, remove
tridens, tridentis m = trident
fundamentum, fundamenti n. = foundation
quatio –ere –quassi = shake, brandish
sedes, sedis f = seat; home; foundation; root
urbs, urbis f = city
totam urbem = all the city; the entire city
612
eruit. hic Iuno Scaeas saevissima portas
eruo –ere = tear out, tear down, demolish
Neptune is shaking the walls and their
foundations removed by his great trident and he
tears down the entire city from its roots.
Iuno, Iunonis = Juno
saevus a um = ferocious, cruel, fierce
Scaeus a um = Scaean, Troy’s main gate
613
614
615
prima tenet sociumque furens a navibus
agmen
porta, portae f = gate
prima = first
teneo, tenere = to hold, take,
socius a um = friendly, allied
furo –ere – to rage
navis, navis f = ship
agmen, agminis n = driving movement, army
ferrum, ferri n. = sword
accingo –ere –cinxi, cinctum = to gird, put on
ferro accincta vocat.
accincta is middle voice
fer ro ac│cinc ta vo│cat
Here the fiercest Juno first holds the Scaean Gate
and in her rage, girded with her sword, calls her
friendly army from their ships.
iam summas arces Tritonia, respice, Pallas
Aeneid, Book II
arx, arcis f. = tower, citadel
summas arces = the top of the citadel [of Troy]
Tritonia Pallas = Athena
respicio = to look back (at)
Page 39
insedo –ere = to sit on, sit upon
nimbus, nimbi m = cloud, storm cloud
effulgeo, -ere = to shine
saevus a um = terrible, cruel
616
insedit nimbo effulgens et Gorgone saevā.
Gorgon, Gorgonis f. = Gorgon one of the dreaded
Fates whose head was on the shield of Minerva.
Now look back, Tritonian Athena sits upon the
top of Troy’s citadel shining from a strom cloud
with her terrible Gorgon [shield].
Ipse pater = Jupiter
617
ipse pater Danais animos virisque
secundas
618
sufficit, ipse deos in Dardana suscitat
arma.
619
eripe, nate, fugam finemque impone
labori;
620
nusquam abero et tutum patrio te limine
sistam.'
[Father Jupiter himself]
Danai, -orum = the Greeks
animus, animi m. = mind, spirit, courage
vis, vis f = strength
[viris = acc. pl.]
secundus a um = second; favorable
sufficio, -ere = to furnish, supply
ipse = Jupiter
suscito (1) = excite, arouse
Father [Jupiter] himself furnishes courage and
favorable strength to the Greeks; he himself
arouses the gods against Trojan arms.
eripio, -ere = to snatch
fuga, fugae = flight
to snatch flight = to take flight
finis, finis m. = end
impono, -ere, imposui = to put an end
labor, laboris m. = work, toil, labor
My son, take flight and put an end to your labor;
nusquam = numquam = never
absum, abesse = be absent, leave; be away from
tueor, tueri, tutus = to look (with care); protect
patrius a um = of a father, father’s
limen, liminis n. = door, threshold;
sisto, -ere = to place, set
I will never be far way and I will set you safe(ly)
at your father’s door.
621-670; Aeneas finds his family
She spoke, and hid herself
in the dense shadows of night. Dreadful shapes appeared,
and the vast powers of gods opposed to Troy.
Then in truth all Ilium seemed to me to sink in flames,
and Neptune’s Troy was toppled from her base:
just as when foresters on the mountain heights
compete to uproot an ancient ash tree, struck
time and again by axe and blade, it threatens continually
to fall, with trembling foliage and shivering crown,
till gradually vanquished by the blows it groans at last,
and torn from the ridge, crashes down in ruin.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 40
I descend, and, led by a goddess, am freed from flames
and enemies: the spears give way, and the flames recede.
And now, when I reached the threshold of my father’s house,
and my former home, my father, whom it was my first desire
to carry into the high mountains, and whom I first sought out,
refused to extend his life or endure exile, since Troy had fallen.
“Oh, you,” he cried, “whose blood has the vigour of youth,
and whose power is unimpaired in its force, it’s for you
to take flight. As for me, if the gods had wished to lengthen
the thread of my life, they’d have spared my house. It is
more than enough that I saw one destruction, and survived
one taking of the city. Depart, saying farewell to my body
lying here so, yes so. I shall find death with my own hand:
the enemy will pity me, and look for plunder. The loss
of my burial is nothing. Clinging to old age for so long,
I am useless, and hated by the gods, ever since
the father of the gods and ruler of men breathed the winds
of his lightning-bolt onto me, and touched me with fire.”
So he persisted in saying, and remained adamant.
We, on our side, Creusa, my wife, and Ascanius, all our household,
weeping bitterly, determined that he should not destroy everything
along with himself, and crush us by urging our doom.
He refused and clung to his place and his purpose.
I hurried to my weapons again, and, miserably, longed for death,
since what tactic or opportunity was open to us now?
“ Did you think I could leave you, father, and depart?
Did such sinful words fall from your lips?
If it pleases the gods to leave nothing of our great city standing,
if this is set in your mind, if it delights you to add yourself
and all that’s yours to the ruins of Troy, the door is open
to that death: soon Pyrrhus comes, drenched in Priam’s blood,
he who butchers the son in front of the father, the father at the altar.
Kind mother, did you rescue me from fire and sword
for this, to see the enemy in the depths of my house,
and Ascanius, and my father, and Creusa, slaughtered,
thrown together in a heap, in one another’s blood?
Weapons men, bring weapons: the last day calls to the defeated.
Lead me to the Greeks again: let me revisit the battle anew.
This day we shall not all perish unavenged.”
Lines 671-704; the Omen
So, again, I fasten on my sword, slip my left arm
into the shield’s strap, adjust it, and rush from the house.
But see, my wife clings to the threshold, clasps my foot,
and holds little Iulus up towards his father:
“If you go to die, take us with you too, at all costs: but if
as you’ve proved you trust in the weapons you wear,
defend this house first. To whom do you abandon little Iulus,
and your father, and me, I who was once spoken of as your wife?”
Crying out like this she filled the whole house with her groans,
Aeneid, Book II
Page 41
when suddenly a wonder, marvellous to speak of, occurred.
See, between the hands and faces of his grieving parents,
a gentle light seemed to shine from the crown
of Iulus’s head, and a soft flame, harmless in its touch,
licked at his hair, and grazed his forehead.
Trembling with fear, we hurry to flick away the blazing strands,
and extinguish the sacred fires with water.
But Anchises, my father, lifts his eyes to the heavens, in delight,
and raises his hands and voice to the sky:
“All-powerful Jupiter, if you’re moved by any prayers,
see us, and, grant but this: if we are worthy through our virtue,
show us a sign of it, Father, and confirm your omen.”
The old man had barely spoken when, with a sudden crash,
it thundered on the left, and a star, through the darkness,
slid from the sky, and flew, trailing fire, in a burst of light.
We watched it glide over the highest rooftops,
and bury its brightness, and the sign of its passage,
in the forests of Mount Ida: then the furrow of its long track
gave out a glow, and, all around, the place smoked with sulphur.
At this my father, truly overcome, raised himself towards the sky,
and spoke to the gods, and proclaimed the sacred star.
“Now no delay: I follow, and where you lead, there am I.
Gods of my fathers, save my line, save my grandson.
This omen is yours, and Troy is in your divine power.
I accept, my son, and I will not refuse to go with you.”
Lines 705-729; Aeneas and his Family leave Troy
He speaks, and now the fire is more audible,
through the city, and the blaze rolls its tide nearer.
“Come then, dear father, clasp my neck: I will
carry you on my shoulders: that task won’t weigh on me.
Whatever may happen, it will be for us both, the same shared risk,
and the same salvation. Let little Iulus come with me,
and let my wife follow our footsteps at a distance.
You servants, give your attention to what I’m saying.
At the entrance to the city there’s a mound, an ancient temple
of forsaken Ceres, and a venerable cypress nearby,
protected through the years by the reverence of our fathers:
let’s head to that one place by diverse paths.
You, father, take the sacred objects, and our country’s gods,
in your hands: until I’ve washed in running water,
it would be a sin for me, coming from such fighting
and recent slaughter, to touch them.” So saying, bowing my neck,
I spread a cloak made of a tawny lion’s hide over my broad
shoulders, and bend to the task: little Iulus clasps his hand
in mine, and follows his father’s longer strides.
My wife walks behind. We walk on through the shadows
of places, and I whom till then no shower of spears,
nor crowd of Greeks in hostile array, could move,
now I’m terrified by every breeze, and startled by every noise,
Aeneid, Book II
Page 42
anxious, and fearful equally for my companion and my burden.
Lines 730-796; Aeneas retruns to Troy to Find Creusa
And now I was near the gates, and thought I had completed
my journey, when suddenly the sound of approaching feet
filled my hearing, and, peering through the darkness,
my father cried: “My son, run my son, they are near us:
I see their glittering shields and gleaming bronze.”
Some hostile power, at this, scattered my muddled wits.
for while I was following alleyways, and straying
from the region of streets we knew, did my wife Creusa halt,
snatched away from me by wretched fate?
Or did she wander from the path or collapse with weariness?
Who knows? She was never restored to our sight,
nor did I look back for my lost one, or cast a thought behind me,
until we came to the mound, and ancient Ceres’s sacred place.
Here when all were gathered together at last, one was missing,
and had escaped the notice of friends, child and husband.
What man or god did I not accuse in my madness:
what did I know of in the city’s fall crueller than this?
I place Ascanius, and my father Anchises, and the gods of Troy,
in my companions’ care, and conceal them in a winding valley:
I myself seek the city once more, and take up my shining armour.
I’m determined to incur every risk again, and retrace
all Troy, and once more expose my life to danger.
First I look for the wall, and the dark threshold of the gate
from which my path led, and I retrace the landmarks
of my course in the night, scanning them with my eye.
Everywhere the terror in my heart, and the silence itself,
dismay me. Then I take myself homewards, in case
by chance, by some chance, she has made her way there.
The Greeks have invaded, and occupied, the whole house.
Suddenly eager fire, rolls over the rooftop, in the wind:
the flames take hold, the blaze rages to the heavens.
I pass by and see again Priam’s palace and the citadel.
Now Phoenix, and fatal Ulysses, the chosen guards, watch over
the spoils, in the empty courts of Juno’s sanctuary.
Here the Trojan treasures are gathered from every part,
ripped from the blazing shrines, tables of the gods,
solid gold bowls, and plundered robes.
Mothers and trembling sons stand round in long ranks.
Lines 768-795; Aeneas meets the Ghost of Creusa
Aeneid, Book II
Page 43
Ausus quin etiam voces iactare per
umbram,
audeo, audere, ausus sum = to dare, adventure
quin = nay even, (but) that, nay
etiam = even
vox, vocis f = voice, cry
iacto (1) = toss, hurl, fling, utter
umbra, -ae = cloud, shadow
Nay, having dared even to utter my cries through the
shadows,
implevi clamore vias, maestusque
Creüsam
impleo, -ere, implevi = to fill
clamor, clamoris = shout, shouting
via -ae = way, road, street,
I filled the streets with my shouting,
maestus -a -um = sad, mournful, gloomy
nequiquam ingeminans iterumque
iterumque vocavi.
nequiquam = in vain, vainly
ingemino (1) = to redouble, repeat, increase
iterum = again
and sadly in vain again and again I repeated and called for
Cruesa.
771
Quaerenti et tectis urbis sine fine
furenti
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum = to seek
tectum -i = roof, home, house
urbs, urbis f = city, town
finis, finis f = end
furo, -ere, furui = to rave, rage, be frantic
In my [search] seeking and in the houses of the city being
frantic without end
772
infelix simulacrum atque ipsius umbra
Creüsae
infelix, infelicis = unlucky, unfortunate
simulacrum -ri = image, phantom, likeness
umbra -ae = shadow, shade
visa mihi ante oculos et notā maior
imago.
video, videre, vidi, visus = to see
visa (est) = there appeared
mihi ante oculos = before my eyes
notus -a -um = well known, familiar
maior, maius = greater
imago, imaginis = image
there appeared before my eyes the unlucky image and
shade of Creusa herself, even an image greater than her
well known self.
Images of ghosts and gods were always larger than life
size.
Thus notā is an ablative of comparison
768
769
770
773
Aeneid, Book II
Page 44
774
775
776
777
Obstipui, steteruntque comae et vox
faucibus haesit.
obstipesco, -ere, -stipui = to be dazed, stand aghast
sto, stare, steti, status = to stand
coma, comae f = hair
vox, vocis f = voice
fauces, faucium = throat, jaws
haereo, haerere, haesi, haesus = to stick, cling to
I stood aghast, my hairs stood on end and my voice stuck
to my throat.
Tum sic adfari et curas his demere dictis
:
adfor, adfari, adfatus = to address, speak to
demo, -ere, dempsi, demptus = remove, take away
cura, curae f = care, concern
dictum, -i = word
adfari and demere are historical infinitives
Then she spoke thus and with these words took away my
cares:
“Quid tantum insano iuvat indulgere
dolori,
quid here = cur = why
tantum = so much
insanus -a -um = frantic, mad
(1) = to help, to please
ere = to indulge in, to yield to (+ dative)
doloris = grief, sorrow
O dulcis coniunx? Non haec sine numine
divum
dulcis -e = sweet, dear
coniunx, coniugis c = spouse, wife, husband
Why does it help [you] so much to yield to frantic grief, o
dear husband?
numen, numinis = divinity, divine power, will
divum = divorum = of the gods
iuvo
indulgo dolor,
eveniunt; nec te hinc comitem portare
778
Creüsam
evenio, -ere = to come about, to happen
not without the will of the gods do these things happen;
comes, comitis c = comrade, follower; partner
porto (1) = to carry away, carry from
779 fas, aut ille sinit superi regnator Olympi.
fas (indeclinible) = right, justice, divine will
understand est with fas
nor is it right that you take Creusa away from here as a
companion,
sino, sinere, sivi, situs = to permit, allow
remember: ille can mean famous, best,
superus -a -um = upper higher; gods
regnator, regnatoris = ruler, sovereign, lord
Olympus -i = Greek mountain, home of the gods
nor does the majestic lord of high Olympus allow it.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 45
780
781
782
Longa tibi exsilia, et vastum maris
aequor arandum,
longus -a -um = long
exsilium -ii = exile, place of exile
vastus -a -um = desotlate, vast, enormous
mare, maris n = sea
aequor, aequoris n. = flat surface, sheet, sea, waves
aro (1) = to plow, furrow, till
understand sunt with exsilia and est with arandum
Long exile is for you, and a desolate sheet of sea must be
plowed,
et terram Hesperiam venies, ubi Lydius
arva
terra -ae - land
Hesperius -a -um = western, Italian
venio, venire = to come, come upon
and you will come to the land of Hesperia
ubi = where
Lydius -a -um = Lydian
arvum, arvi = plowed land, fields
inter opima virum leni fluit agmine
Thybris:
opimus -a -um = best; rich, fertile, sumptuus
vir, viri = man, husband
lenis -e = gentle, soft, mild
fluo -ere, fluxi, fluctus = flow, ebb, stream
agmen, agminis = movement, army, line, course
leni….agmine = abl. of manner = of gentle movement
Thybris -is = Tiber River which flows through Rome
where the Lydian Tiber with its gentle movement flows
amid the rich fields of men:
illic res laetae regnumque et regia
783 coniunx
784
parta tibi. Lacrimas dilectae pelle
Creüsae.
Non ego Myrmidonum sedes
785
Dolopumve superbas
Aeneid, Book II
illic = there, in that place
res laetae = happy things, happy days
regnum -i = kingship, kingdom
regius -a -um = royal. regal, kingly
coniunx, conjugis c = spouse, husband, wife
pario, parire, peperi, partus = acquire, win, produce
lacrima -ae = tear
diligo, -ere, dilexi, dilectus = to cherish, love
pello, pellere, pepuli, pulsus = drive away, banish
In that place happy days, a kingdom and a royal wife has
been aquired for you. Banish your tears for your dear
Cruesa.
Myrmidones, -um = Myrmidons, Greeks
sedes -is = seat, abode, habitation, house,
Dolopes -um = Dolopians, Greeks
superbus -a -um = proud, haughty
Page 46
786
aspiciam, aut Graiis servitum matribus
ibo,
787 Dardanis et divae Veneris nurus;
788
789
Dardanis, -idis = a Trojan woman
divus -a -um = divine
Venus, Veneris = Venus
nurus -us f. = daughter-in-law
I, [or I am] a Trojan woman and the daughter-in-law of
divine Venus.
Sed me magna deum genetrix his
detinet oris:
deum = deorum = of the gods
genetrix, gentricis f = mother
detineo, -ere = to hold, hold back
ora, orae = shore
But the mighty mother of the gods holds me on these
shores:
iamque vale, et nati servā communis
amorem.”
natus -i = son
servo (1) = preserve, take care of
communis -e = common
amor, amoris m = love
And now farewell, and guard the love of our common
child.
Haec ubi dicta dedit, lacrimantem et
790
multa volentem
791
aspicio, -ere = to see, look upon
Graius -a -um = Greek
servio, -ire, servivi, servitus = be a slave, serve (+ dat)
servitum is a supine to show purpose
I shall not see the proud homes of the Myrmidons or the
Dolopians, nor shall I go to be the slave of Greek matrons.
dicere deseruit, tenuesque recessit in
auras.
Aeneid, Book II
dictum -i = word
when she gave her words = when she had spoken
lacrimo (1) = to weep, cry
volo, velle, volui = to wish, want
dico, dicere = to say, speak, tell
desero, -ere, deserui, desertus = to desert, forsake
tenuis -e = slight, thin, fine
recedo, -ere, recessi = to depart back, retire
aura, aurae = breeze, wind
And when she had so spoken, she left me weeping and
wishing to say more, and departed back into the gentle
breezes.
Page 47
792
793
794
795
Ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia
circum:
ter = three times
conor, conari, conatus = to try (add est = conatus est)
ibi = there
collum -i = neck
do, dare, dedi, datus = to give (here = to throw)
bracchium -ii = arm
circum = around
Three times I tried there to throw my arms around her
neck:
ter, frustra comprensa, manus effugit
imago,
frustrā = in vain
compre(he)ndo, -ere, -di, -hensus = to grasp,
manus, manus f = hand
effugio, -ere = to flee
imago, imaginis f. = image, likeness, phantom
three times her image, grasped in vain, fled my hands,
par levibus ventis volucrique simillima
somno.
par, paris = equal, like, similar (+dative)
levis -e = light, gentle
ventus -i = wind, breeze
volucer, volucris, volucre = winged, swift
similis -e = similar, like (+dative)
somnus, somni = sleep, dream
similar to light winds and [most] very much like to a
fleeting [swift] dream.
Sic demum socios consumpta nocte
reviso.
demum = at last
socius -ii = ally, comrade, companion
comsumo, -ere, -mpsi, comsumptum = to consume
nox, noctis f = night
consumpta nocta = ablative absolute
reviso, -ere = to revisit, see again
Thus at last when night was spent I saw my friends.
Lines 796-804; Aeneas and his friends leave Troy
And here, amazed, I found that a great number of new
companions had streamed in, women and men,
a crowd gathering for exile, a wretched throng.
They had come from all sides, ready, with courage and wealth,
for whatever land I wished to lead them to, across the seas.
And now Lucifer was rising above the heights of Ida,
bringing the dawn, and the Greeks held the barricaded
entrances to the gates, nor was there any hope of rescue.
I desisted, and, carrying my father, took to the hills.
Aeneid, Book II
Page 48