Aeneid

Virgil

Vergil. The Aeneid of Virgil. Williams, Theodore, C, translator. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1910.

  1. But to Rutulian eyes th' approaching joust
  2. seemed all ill-matched; and shifting hopes and fears
  3. disturbed their hearts the closer they surveyed
  4. th' unequal risks: still worse it was to see
  5. how Turnus, silent and with downcast eyes,
  6. dejectedly drew near the place of prayer,
  7. worn, pale, and wasted in his youthful bloom.
  8. The nymph Juturna, with a sister's fear,
  9. noted the growing murmur, and perceived
  10. how all the people's will did shift and change;
  11. she went from rank to rank, feigning the shape
  12. of Camers, scion of illustrious line,
  13. with heritage of valor, and himself
  14. dauntless in war; unceasingly she ran
  15. from rank to rank, spreading with skilful tongue
  16. opinions manifold, and thus she spoke:
  17. “Will ye not blush, Rutulians, so to stake
  18. one life for many heroes? Are we not
  19. their match in might and numbers? O, behold
  20. those Trojan sons of Heaven making league
  21. with exiled Arcady; see Tuscan hordes
  22. storming at Turnus. Yet we scarce could find
  23. one foe apiece, forsooth, if we should dare
  24. fight them with half our warriors. Of a truth
  25. your champion brave shall to those gods ascend
  26. before whose altars his great heart he vows;
  27. and lips of men while yet on earth he stays
  28. will spread his glory far. Ourselves, instead,
  29. must crouch to haughty masters, and resign
  30. this fatherland upon whose fruitful fields
  31. we dwell at ease.” So speaking, she inflamed
  32. the warriors' minds, and through the legions ran
  33. increasing whisper; the Laurentine host
  34. and even Latium wavered. Those who late
  35. prayed but for rest and safety, clamored loud
  36. for arms, desired annulment of the league,
  37. and pitied Turnus' miserable doom.
  38. Whereon Juturna tried a mightier stroke,
  39. a sign from heaven, which more than all beside
  40. confused the Latins and deceived their hearts
  41. with prodigy. For through the flaming skies
  42. Jove's golden eagle swooped, and scattered far
  43. a clamorous tribe of river-haunting birds;
  44. then, swiftly to the waters falling, seized
  45. one noble swan, which with keen, curving claws
  46. he ruthless bore away: th' Italians all
  47. watched eagerly, while the loud-screaming flock
  48. wheeled upward (wondrous sight!), with host of wings
  49. shadowed the sky, and in a legion-cloud
  50. chased through the air the foe; till, overborne
  51. by heavier odds, the eagle from his claws
  52. flung back his victim to the waves, and fled
  53. to the dim, distant heaven. The Rutules then
  54. hailed the good omen with consenting cry,
  55. and grasped the sword and shield. Tolumnius
  56. the augur spake first: “Lo, the sign I sought
  57. with many a prayer! I welcome and obey
  58. the powers divine. Take me for captain, me!
  59. And draw your swords, ye wretches, whom th' assault
  60. of yonder foreign scoundrel puts in fear
  61. like feeble birds, and with his violence
  62. lays waste your shore. He too shall fly away,
  63. spreading his ships' wings on the distant seas.
  64. Close up your ranks—one soul in all our breasts!
  65. Defend in open war your stolen King.”
  66. So saying, he hurled upon th' opposing foe
  67. his javelin, running forward. The strong shaft
  68. of corner whistled shrill, and clove the air
  69. unerring. Instantly vast clamor rose,
  70. and all th' onlookers at the spectacle
  71. leaped up amazed, and every heart beat high.
  72. The spear sped flying to the foeman's line,
  73. where stood nine goodly brethren, pledges all
  74. of one true Tuscan mother to her lord,
  75. Gylippus of Arcadia; it struck full
  76. on one of these at his gold-belted waist,
  77. and where the clasp clung, pierced the rib clean through.
  78. And stretched the fair youth in his glittering arms
  79. full length and lifeless on the yellow sand.
  80. His brothers then, bold band to wrath aroused
  81. by sorrow, seize the sword or snatch the spear
  82. and blindly charge. Opposing them, the host
  83. Laurentine makes advance, and close-arrayed
  84. the Trojans like a torrent pour, enforced
  85. by Tuscans and the gay-accoutred clans
  86. of Arcady. One passion moved in all
  87. to try the judgment of the sword. They tore
  88. the altars down: a very storm of spears
  89. rose angrily to heaven, in iron rain
  90. down-pouring: while the priests bore far away
  91. the sacrificial bowls and sacred fires.
  92. Even Latinus fled; his stricken gods
  93. far from his violated oath he bore.