Home Introduction Persons Geogr. Sources Events Mijn blog(Nederlands)
Religion Subjects Images Queries Links Contact Do not fly Iberia
This is a non-commercial site. Any revenues from Google ads are used to improve the site.

Custom Search
Quote of the day: The passion and delight of hunting carri
Notes
Display Latin text
The Aeneid by Virgil
translated by Theodore C. Williams
Book II Chapter 1: Aeneas begins his story
Next chapter
Return to index
Previous chapter
A general silence fell; and all gave ear,
while, from his lofty station at the feast,
Father Aeneas with these words began : --
A grief unspeakable thy gracious word,
o sovereign lady [Note 1], bids my heart live o'er:
how Asia's glory and afflicted throne
the Greek flung down; which woeful scene I saw,
and bore great part in each event I tell.
But O! in telling, what Dolopian churl,
or Myrmidon, or gory follower
of grim Ulysses could the tears restrain?
T is evening; lo! the dews of night begin
to fall from heaven, and yonder sinking stars
invite to slumber. But if thy heart yearn
to hear in brief of all our evil and Troy's last throes, although the memory
makes my soul shudder and recoil in pain,
I will essay it.

Note 1: lady = Dido

1-12
Conticuere omnes intentique ora tenebant
inde toro pater Aeneas sic orsus ab alto: Infandum, regina, iubes renouare dolorem,
Troianas ut opes et lamentabile regnum
eruerint Danai, quaeque ipse miserrima uidi
et quorum pars magna fui. quis talia fando
Myrmidonum Dolopumue aut duri miles Vlixi
temperet a lacrimis? et iam nox umida caelo
praecipitat suadentque cadentia sidera somnos.
sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros
et breuiter Troiae supremum audire laborem,
quamquam animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit,
incipiam. fracti bello fatisque repuls