Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. At last the Teucrian chiefs had heard the tale
  2. of so much slaughter; and in council met
  3. are Mnestheus and Serestus bold, who see
  4. their comrades routed and the conquering foe
  5. within the gates. Cries Mnestheus, “Whither fly?
  6. What open way is yonder or what wall?
  7. Beyond these ramparts lost what stronger lie?
  8. Shall one lone man here in your walls confined,
  9. make havoc unavenged and feed the grave
  10. with your best warriors? 0 cowards vile!
  11. For your sad country and her ancient gods
  12. and for renowned Aeneas, can ye feel
  13. no pity and no shame?” Enflamed to fight
  14. by words like these, they close the line, and stand
  15. in strong array. So Turnus for a space
  16. out of the battle step by step withdrew
  17. to make the river-bank his rearguard strong;
  18. whereat the Teucrians, shouting loud, swept on
  19. the fiercer, and in solid mass pressed round.
  20. as when a troop of hunters with keen spears
  21. encircle a wild lion, who in fear,
  22. but glaring grim and furious, backward falls,
  23. valor and rage constrain him ne'er to cease
  24. fronting the foe; yet not for all his ire
  25. can he against such serried steel make way:
  26. so Turnus backward with a lingering step
  27. unwilling drew, and wrath his heart oterflowed.
  28. for twice already had he cloven a path
  29. into the foe's mid-press, and twice had driven
  30. their flying lines in panic through the town.
  31. But now the whole throng from the camp he sees
  32. massed to the onset. Nor will Juno now
  33. dare give him vigor to withstand, for Jove
  34. had sent aerial Iris out of heaven
  35. with stern commandment to his sister-queen
  36. that Turnus from the Teucrian walls retire.
  37. Therefore the warrior's shield avails no more,
  38. nor his strong arm; but he is overthrown
  39. by general assault. Around his brows
  40. his smitten helmet rings; the ponderous mail
  41. cracks under falling stones; the haughty plumes
  42. are scattered from his head, nor can the boss
  43. of his stout shield endure; the Trojans hurl
  44. redoubled rain of spears; and with them speeds
  45. Mnestheus like thunderbolt. The hero's flesh
  46. dissolves in sweat; no room to breathe has he;
  47. his limbs are spent and weary; his whole frame
  48. shakes with his gasping breath: then bounding fort
  49. with all his harness on, headlong he plunged
  50. into the flowing stream; its yellow tide
  51. embraced him as he fell, and gentle waves
  52. restored him smiling to his friends in arms,
  53. with all the gore and carnage washed away.
  1. Meanwhile Olympus, seat of sovereign sway,
  2. threw wide its portals, and in conclave fair
  3. the Sire of gods and King of all mankind
  4. summoned th' immortals to his starry court,
  5. whence, high-enthroned, the spreading earth he views—
  6. and Teucria's camp and Latium's fierce array.
  7. Beneath the double-gated dome the gods
  8. were sitting; Jove himself the silence broke:
  9. “O people of Olympus, wherefore change
  10. your purpose and decree, with partial minds
  11. in mighty strife contending? I refused
  12. such clash of war 'twixt Italy and Troy.
  13. Whence this forbidden feud? What fears
  14. seduced to battles and injurious arms
  15. either this folk or that? Th' appointed hour
  16. for war shall be hereafter—speed it not!—
  17. When cruel Carthage to the towers of Rome
  18. shall bring vast ruin, streaming fiercely down
  19. the opened Alp. Then hate with hate shall vie,
  20. and havoc have no bound. Till then, give o'er,
  21. and smile upon the concord I decree!”