Custom Search
| Home | Introduction | Persons | Geogr. | Sources | Events | Mijn blog(Nederlands) |
| Religion | Subjects | Images | Queries | Links | Contact | Do not fly Iberia |
|
Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book I Chapter 37: A feast | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
|
Cupid straightway obeyed his mother's word and bore the gifts, each worthy of a king, as offerings to greet the Tyrian throne; and as he went he clasped Achates' friendly hand, and smiled. Father Aeneas now, and all his band of Trojan chivalry, at social feast, on lofty purple-pillowed couches lie; deft slaves fresh water on their fingers pour, and from reed-woven basketry renew the plenteous bread, or bring smooth napery of softest weave; fifty handmaidens serve, whose task it is to range in order fair the varied banquet, or at altars bright throw balm and incense on the sacred fires. A hundred more serve with an equal band of beauteous pages, whose obedient skill piles high the generous board and fills the bowl. The Tyrians also to the festal hall come thronging, and receive their honor due, each on his painted couch; with wondering eyes Aeneas' gifts they view, and wondering more, mark young Iulus' radiant brows divine, his guileful words, the golden pall he bears, and broidered veil with saffron lilies bound. The Tyrian Queen ill-starred, already doomed to her approaching woe, scanned ardently, with kindling cheek and never-sated eyes, the precious gifts and wonder-gifted boy. He round Aeneas' neck his arms entwined, fed the deep yearning of his seeming sire, then sought the Queen's embrace; her eyes, her soul clave to him as she strained him to her breast. For Dido knew not in that fateful hour how great a god betrayed her. He began, remembering his mother (she who bore the lovely Acidalian Graces three), to make the dear name of Sichaeus fade, and with new life, new love, to re-possess her long-since slumbering bosom's lost desire. Events: The Gods interfere in the Aeneid, Aeneas in Carthago, Dido falls in love with Aeneas |
695-722 Iamque ibat dicto parens et dona Cupido regia portabat Tyriis, duce laetus Achate. Cum venit, aulaeis iam se regina superbis aurea composuit sponda mediamque locavit. Iam pater Aeneas et iam Troiana iuventus conveniunt, stratoque super discumbitur ostro. Dant famuli manibus lymphas, Cereremque canistris expediunt, tonsisque ferunt mantelia villis. Quinquaginta intus famulae, quibus ordine longam cura penum struere, et flammis adolere Penatis; centum aliae totidemque pares aetate ministri, qui dapibus mensas onerent et pocula ponant. Nec non et Tyrii per limina laeta frequentes convenere, toris iussi discumbere pictis. Mirantur dona Aeneae, mirantur Iulum flagrantisque dei voltus simulataque verba, [pallamque et pictum croceo velamen acantho.] Praecipue infelix, pesti devota futurae, expleri mentem nequit ardescitque tuendo Phoenissa, et pariter puero donisque movetur. Ille ubi complexu Aeneae colloque pependit et magnum falsi implevit genitoris amorem, reginam petit haec oculis, haec pectore toto haeret et interdum gremio fovet, inscia Dido, insidat quantus miserae deus; at memor ille matris Acidaliae paulatim abolere Sychaeum incipit, et vivo temptat praevertere amore iam pridem resides animos desuetaque corda. |