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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book IX Chapter 28: Turnus is stopped | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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At last the Teucrian chiefs had heard the tale of so much slaughter; and in council met are Mnestheus and Serestus bold, who see their comrades routed and the conquering foe within the gates. Cries Mnestheus, Whither fly? What open way is yonder or what wall? Beyond these ramparts lost what stronger lie? Shall one lone man here in your walls confined, make havoc unavenged and feed the grave with your best warriors? O cowards vile! For your sad country and her ancient gods and for renowned Aeneas, can ye feel no pity and no shame? Enflamed to fight by words like these, they close the line, and stand in strong array. So Turnus for a space out of the battle step by step withdrew to make the river-bank his rearguard strong; whereat the Teucrians, shouting loud, swept on the fiercer, and in solid mass pressed round. as when a troop of hunters with keen spears encircle a wild lion, who in fear, but glaring grim and furious, backward falls, valor and rage constrain him ne'er to cease fronting the foe; yet not for all his ire can he against such serried steel make way: so Turnus backward with a lingering step unwilling drew, and wrath his heart overflowed. for twice already had he cloven a path into the foe's mid-press, and twice had driven their flying lines in panic through the town. But now the whole throng from the camp he sees massed to the onset. Nor will Juno now dare give him vigor to withstand, for Jove had sent aerial Iris out of heaven with stern commandment to his sister-queen that Turnus from the Teucrian walls retire. Therefore the warrior's shield avails no more, nor his strong arm; but he is overthrown by general assault. Around his brows his smitten helmet rings; the ponderous mail cracks under falling stones; the haughty plumes are scattered from his head, nor can the boss of his stout shield endure; the Trojans hurl redoubled rain of spears; and with them speeds Mnestheus like thunderbolt. The hero's flesh dissolves in sweat; no room to breathe has he; his limbs are spent and weary; his whole frame shakes with his gasping breath: then bounding fort with all his harness on, headlong he plunged into the flowing stream; its yellow tide embraced him as he fell, and gentle waves restored him smiling to his friends in arms, with all the gore and carnage washed away. |
778-818 Tandem ductores audita caede suorum conueniunt Teucri, Mnestheus acerque Serestus, palantisque uident socios hostemque receptum. et Mnestheus: 'quo deinde fugam, quo tenditis?' inquit. 'quos alios muros, quaeue ultra moenia habetis? unus homo et uestris, o ciues, undique saeptus aggeribus tantas strages impune per urbem ediderit? iuuenum primos tot miserit Orco? non infelicis patriae ueterumque deorum et magni Aeneae, segnes, miseretque pudetque?' talibus accensi firmantur et agmine denso consistunt. Turnus paulatim excedere pugna et fluuium petere ac partem quae cingitur unda. acrius hoc Teucri clamore incumbere magno et glomerare manum, ceu saeuum turba leonem cum telis premit infensis; at territus ille, asper, acerba tuens, retro redit et neque terga ira dare aut uirtus patitur, nec tendere contra ille quidem hoc cupiens potis est per tela uirosque. haud aliter retro dubius uestigia Turnus improperata refert et mens exaestuat ira. quin etiam bis tum medios inuaserat hostis, bis confusa fuga per muros agmina uertit; sed manus e castris propere coit omnis in unum nec contra uiris audet Saturnia Iuno sufficere; aeriam caelo nam Iuppiter Irim demisit germanae haud mollia iussa ferentem, ni Turnus cedat Teucrorum moenibus altis. ergo nec clipeo iuuenis subsistere tantum nec dextra ualet, iniectis sic undique telis obruitur. strepit adsiduo caua tempora circum tinnitu galea et saxis solida aera fatiscunt discussaeque iubae, capiti nec sufficit umbo ictibus; ingeminant hastis et Troes et ipse fulmineus Mnestheus. tum toto corpore sudor liquitur et piceum (nec respirare potestas) flumen agit, fessos quatit aeger anhelitus artus. tum demum praeceps saltu sese omnibus armis in fluuium dedit. ille suo cum gurgite flauo accepit uenientem ac mollibus extulit undis et laetum sociis abluta caede remisit. |