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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book X Chapter 34: Lament of Mezentius | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Meanwhile Mezentius by the Tiber's wave with water staunched his wound, and propped his weight against a tree; upon its limbs above his brazen helmet hung, and on the sward his ponderous arms lay resting. Round him watched his chosen braves. He, gasping and in pain, clutched at his neck and let his flowing beard loose on his bosom fall; he questions oft of Lausus, and sends many a messenger to bid him back, and bear him the command of his sore-grieving sire. But lo! his peers bore the dead Lausus back upon his shield, and wept to see so strong a hero quelled by stroke so strong. From long way off the sire, with soul prophetic of its woe, perceived what meant their wail and cry. On his gray hairs the dust he flung, and, stretching both his hands to heaven, he cast himself the corpse along. O son, he cried, was life to me so sweet, that I to save myself surrendered o'er my own begotten to a foeman's steel? Saved by these gashes shall thy father be, and living by thy death? O wretched me, how foul an end have I! Now is my wound deep! deep! t was I, dear son, have stained thy name with infamy -- to exile driven from sceptre and hereditary throne by general curse. Would that myself had borne my country's vengeance and my nation's hate! Would my own guilty life my debt had paid -- yea, by a thousand deaths! But, see, I live! Not yet from human kind and light of day have I departed. But depart I will. So saying, he raised him on his crippled thigh, and though by reason of the grievous wound his forces ebbed, yet with unshaken mien he bade them lead his war-horse forth, his pride, his solace, which from every war victorious bore him home. The master then to the brave beast, which seemed to know his pain, spoke thus: My Rhoebus, we have passed our days long time together, if long time there be for mortal creatures. Either on this day thou shalt his bloody spoils in triumph bear and that Aeneas' head, -- and so shalt be avenger of my Lausus' woe; or else, if I be vanquished, thou shalt sink and fall beside me. For, my bravest, thou wouldst spurn a stranger's will, and Teucrian lords to bear. He spoke and, mounting to his back, disposed his limbs the wonted way and filled both hands with pointed javelins; a helm of brass with shaggy horse-hair crest gleamed o'er his brow. Swift to the front he rode: a mingled flood surged in his heart of sorrow, wrath, and shame; and thrice with loud voice on his foe he called. |
833-871 Interea genitor Tiberini ad fluminis undam uulnera siccabat lymphis corpusque leuabat arboris acclinis trunco. procul aerea ramis dependet galea et prato grauia arma quiescunt. stant lecti circum iuuenes; ipse aeger anhelans colla fouet fusus propexam in pectore barbam; multa super Lauso rogitat, multumque remittit qui reuocent maestique ferant mandata parentis. at Lausum socii exanimem super arma ferebant flentes, ingentem atque ingenti uulnere uictum. agnouit longe gemitum praesaga mali mens. canitiem multo deformat puluere et ambas ad caelum tendit palmas et corpore inhaeret. 'tantane me tenuit uiuendi, nate, uoluptas, ut pro me hostili paterer succedere dextrae, quem genui? tuane haec genitor per uulnera seruor morte tua uiuens? heu, nunc misero mihi demum exitium infelix, nunc alte uulnus adactum! idem ego, nate, tuum maculaui crimine nomen, pulsus ob inuidiam solio sceptrisque paternis. debueram patriae poenas odiisque meorum: omnis per mortis animam sontem ipse dedissem! nunc uiuo neque adhuc homines lucemque relinquo. sed linquam.' simul hoc dicens attollit in aegrum se femur et, quamquam uis alto uulnere tardat, haud deiectus equum duci iubet. hoc decus illi, hoc solamen erat, bellis hoc uictor abibat omnibus. adloquitur maerentem et talibus infit: 'Rhaebe, diu, res si qua diu mortalibus ulla est, uiximus. aut hodie uictor spolia illa cruenti et caput Aeneae referes Lausique dolorum ultor eris mecum, aut, aperit si nulla uiam uis, occumbes pariter; neque enim, fortissime, credo, iussa aliena pati et dominos dignabere Teucros.' dixit, et exceptus tergo consueta locauit membra manusque ambas iaculis onerauit acutis, aere caput fulgens cristaque hirsutus equina. sic cursum in medios rapidus dedit. aestuat ingens uno in corde pudor mixtoque insania luctu. |