Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. His goddess-mother in Aeneas' mind
  2. now stirred the purpose to make sudden way
  3. against the city-wall, in swift advance
  4. of all his line, confounding Latium so
  5. with slaughter and surprise. His roving glance,
  6. seeking for Turnus through the scattered lines
  7. this way and that, beholds in distant view
  8. the city yet unscathed and calmly free
  9. from the wide-raging fight. Then on his soul
  10. rushed the swift vision of a mightier war.
  11. Mnestheus, Sergestus, and Serestus brave,
  12. his chosen chiefs, he summons to his side,
  13. and stands upon a hillock, whither throng
  14. the Teucrian legions, each man holding fast
  15. his shield and spear. He, towering high,
  16. thus from the rampart to his people calls:
  17. “Perform my bidding swiftly: Jove's own hand
  18. sustains our power. Be ye not slack, because
  19. the thing I do is sudden. For this day
  20. I will pluck out th' offending root of war,—
  21. yon city where Latinus reigns. Unless
  22. it bear our yoke and heed a conqueror's will,
  23. will lay low in dust its blazing towers.
  24. Must I wait Turnus' pleasure, till he deign
  25. to meet my stroke, and have a mind once more,
  26. though vanquished, to show fight? My countrymen,
  27. see yonder stronghold of their impious war!
  28. Bring flames; avenge the broken oath with fire!”
  29. Scarce had he said, when with consenting souls,
  30. they speed them to the walls in dense array,
  31. forming a wedge. Ladders now leap in air,
  32. and sudden-blazing fires. In various war
  33. some troops run charging at the city-gates,
  34. and slay the guards; some fling the whirling spear
  35. and darken heaven with arrows. In their van,
  36. his right hand lifted to the wails and towers,
  37. Aeneas, calling on the gods to hear,
  38. loudly upbraids Latinus that once more
  39. conflict is thrust upon him; that once more
  40. Italians are his foes and violate
  41. their second pledge of peace. So blazes forth
  42. dissension 'twixt the frighted citizens:
  43. some would give o'er the city and fling wide
  44. its portals to the Trojan, or drag forth
  45. the King himself to parley; others fly
  46. to arms, and at the rampart make a stand.
  47. 'T is thus some shepherd from a caverned crag
  48. stirs up the nested bees with plenteous fume
  49. of bitter smoke; they, posting to and fro,
  50. fly desperate round the waxen citadel,
  51. and whet their buzzing fury; through their halls
  52. the stench and blackness rolls; within the caves
  53. noise and confusion ring; the fatal cloud
  54. pours forth incessant on the vacant air.