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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book XI Chapter 15: Turnus speaks (cont.) | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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War will not save us? Fling that prophecy on the doomed Dardan's head, or on thy own, thou madman! Aye, with thy vile, craven soul disturb the general cause. Extol the power of a twice-vanquished people, and decry Latinus' rival arms. From this time forth let all the Myrmidonian princes cower before the might of Troy; let Diomed and let Achilles tremble; let the stream of Aufidus in panic backward flow from Hadria's wave. But hear me when I say that though his guilt and cunning feign to feel fear of my vengeance, much embittering so his taunts and insult -- such a life as his my sword disdains. O Drances, be at ease! In thy vile bosom let thy breath abide! But now of thy grave counsel and thy cause, O royal sire, I speak. If from this hour thou castest hope of armed success away, if we be so unfriended that one rout o'erwhelms us utterly, if Fortune's feet never turn backward, let us, then, for peace offer petition, lifting to the foe our feeble, suppliant hands. Yet would I pray some spark of manhood such as once we knew were ours once more! I count him fortunate, and of illustrious soul beyond us all, who, rather than behold such things, has fallen face forward, dead, his teeth upon the dust. But if we still have power, and men-at-arms unwasted and unscathed, if there survive Italian tribes and towns for help in war, aye! if the Trojans have but won success at bloody cost, -- for they dig graves, I ween, storm-smitten not less than we, -- O, wherefore now stand faint and shameful on the battle's edge? Why quake our knees before the trumpet call? Time and the toil of shifting, changeful days restore lost causes; ebbing tides of chance deceive us oft, which after at their flood do lift us safe to shore. If aid come not from Diomed in Arpi, our allies shall be Mezentius and Tolumnius, auspicious name, and many a chieftain sent from many a tribe; not all inglorious are Latium's warriors from Laurentian land! Hither the noble Volscian stem sends down Camilla with her beauteous cavalry in glittering brass arrayed. But if, forsooth, the Trojans call me singly to the fight, if this be what ye will, and I so much the public weal impair -- when from this sword has victory seemed to fly away in scorn? I should not hopeless tread in honor's way whate'er the venture. Dauntless will I go though equal match for great Achilles, he, and though he clothe him in celestial arms in Vulcan's smithy wrought. I, Turnus, now, not less than equal with great warriors gone, vow to Latinus, father of my bride [Note 1], and to ye all, each drop of blood I owe. Me singly doth Aeneas call? I crave that challenge. Drances is not called to pay the debt of death, if wrath from Heaven impend; nor his a brave man's name and fame to share. Note 1: bride = Lavinia |
399-444 nulla salus bello? capiti cane talia, demens, Dardanio rebusque tuis. proinde omnia magno ne cessa turbare metu atque extollere uiris gentis bis uictae, contra premere arma Latini. nunc et Myrmidonum proceres Phrygia arma tremescunt, nunc et Tydides et Larisaeus Achilles, amnis et Hadriacas retro fugit Aufidus undas. uel cum se pauidum contra mea iurgia fingit, artificis scelus, et formidine crimen acerbat. numquam animam talem dextra hac (absiste moueri) amittes: habitet tecum et sit pectore in isto. nunc ad te et tua magna, pater, consulta reuertor. si nullam nostris ultra spem ponis in armis, si tam deserti sumus et semel agmine uerso funditus occidimus neque habet Fortuna regressum, oremus pacem et dextras tendamus inertis. quamquam o si solitae quicquam uirtutis adesset! ille mihi ante alios fortunatusque laborum egregiusque animi, qui, ne quid tale uideret, procubuit moriens et humum semel ore momordit. sin et opes nobis et adhuc intacta iuuentus auxilioque urbes Italae populique supersunt, sin et Troianis cum multo gloria uenit sanguine (sunt illis sua funera, parque per omnis tempestas), cur indecores in limine primo deficimus? cur ante tubam tremor occupat artus? multa dies uariique labor mutabilis aeui rettulit in melius, multos alterna reuisens lusit et in solido rursus Fortuna locauit. non erit auxilio nobis Aetolus et Arpi: at Messapus erit felixque Tolumnius et quos tot populi misere duces, nec parua sequetur gloria delectos Latio et Laurentibus agris. est et Volscorum egregia de gente Camilla agmen agens equitum et florentis aere cateruas. quod si me solum Teucri in certamina poscunt idque placet tantumque bonis communibus obsto, non adeo has exosa manus Victoria fugit ut tanta quicquam pro spe temptare recusem. ibo animis contra, uel magnum praestet Achillem factaque Volcani manibus paria induat arma ille licet. uobis animam hanc soceroque Latino Turnus ego, haud ulli ueterum uirtute secundus, deuoui. solum Aeneas uocat? et uocet oro; nec Drances potius, siue est haec ira deorum, morte luat, siue est uirtus et gloria, tollat.' |