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 II Chapter 31: Aeneas and family flee. Creusa is left behind | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
|
Scarce ceased his aged voice, when suddenly from leftward, with a deafening thunder-peal, cleaving the blackness of the vaulted sky, a meteor-star in trailing splendor ran, exceeding bright. We watched it glide sublime o'er tower and town, until its radiant beam in forest-mantled Ida died away; but left a furrow on its track in air, a glittering, long line, while far and wide the sulphurous fume and exhalation flowed. My father strove not now; but lifted him in prayer to all the gods, in holy awe of that auspicious star, and thus exclaimed: “Tarry no moment more! Behold, I come! Whithersoe'er ye lead, my steps obey. Gods of my fathers, O, preserve our name! Preserve my son [Note 1], and his! This augury is yours; and Troy on your sole strength relies. I yield, dear son; I journey at thy side.” He spoke; and higher o'er the blazing walls leaped the loud fire, while ever nearer drew the rolling surges of tumultuous flame. “Haste, father, on these bending shoulders climb! This back is ready, and the burden light; one peril smites us both, whate'er befall; one rescue both shall find. Close at my side let young Iulus run, while, not too nigh, my wife Creusa heeds what way we go. Ye servants of our house, give ear, I pray, to my command. Outside the city's gates lies a low mound and long since ruined fane to Ceres vowed; a cypress, ancient shade o'erhangs it, which our fathers' pious care protected year by year; by various paths be that our meeting-place. But in thy hands bring, sire, our household gods, and sanctifies: for me to touch, who come this very hour from battle and the fresh blood of the slain, were but abomination, till what time in living waters I shall make me clean.” So saying, I bowed my neck and shoulders broad, o'erspread me with a lion's tawny skin, and lifted up my load. Close at my side little Iulus twined his hand in mine and followed, with unequal step, his sire. My wife at distance came. We hastened on, creeping through shadows; I, who once had viewed undaunted every instrument of war and all the gathered Greeks in grim array, now shook at every gust, and heard all sounds with fevered trepidation, fearing both for him I bore and him who clasped my hand. Now near the gates I drew, and deemed our flight safely at end, when suddenly I heard the sounding tread of many warriors that seemed hard-by, while through the murky night my father peered, and shouted, “O my son, away, away! for surely all our foes are here upon us, and my eyes behold the glance of glittering shields and flash of arms.” O, then some evil-working, nameless god clouded my senses quite: for while I sped along our pathless way, and left behind all paths and regions known -- O wretched me! -- Creusa on some dark disaster fell; she stopped, or wandered, or sank down undone, -- I never knew what way, -- and nevermore I looked on her alive. Yet knew I not my loss, nor backward turned a look or thought, till by that hallowed hill to Ceres vowed we gathered all, -- and she alone came not, while husband, friends, and son made search in vain. What god, what man, did not my grief accuse in frenzied word? In all the ruined land what worse woe had I seen? Entrusting then my sire, my son, and all the Teucrian gods to the deep shadows of a slanting vale where my allies kept guard, I tried me back to that doomed town, re-girt in glittering arms. Resolved was I all hazards to renew, all Troy to re-explore, and once again offer my life to perils without end. Note 1: son = Aeneas Events: The Flight of Aeneas, The Sack of Troy |
692-751 Vix ea fatus erat senior, subitoque fragore intonuit laeuum, et de caelo lapsa per umbras stella facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit. illam summa super labentem culmina tecti cernimus Idaea claram se condere silua signantemque uias; tum longo limite sulcus dat lucem et late circum loca sulphure fumant. hic uero uictus genitor se tollit ad auras adfaturque deos et sanctum sidus adorat. 'iam iam nulla mora est; sequor et qua ducitis adsum, di patrii; seruate domum, seruate nepotem. uestrum hoc augurium, uestroque in numine Troia est. cedo equidem nec, nate, tibi comes ire recuso.' dixerat ille, et iam per moenia clarior ignis auditur, propiusque aestus incendia uoluunt. 'ergo age, care pater, ceruici imponere nostrae; ipse subibo umeris nec me labor iste grauabit; quo res cumque cadent, unum et commune periclum, una salus ambobus erit. mihi paruus Iulus sit comes, et longe seruet uestigia coniunx. uos, famuli, quae dicam animis aduertite uestris. est urbe egressis tumulus templumque uetustum desertae Cereris, iuxtaque antiqua cupressus religione patrum multos seruata per annos; hanc ex diuerso sedem ueniemus in unam. tu, genitor, cape sacra manu patriosque penatis; me bello e tanto digressum et caede recenti attrectare nefas, donec me flumine uiuo abluero.' haec fatus latos umeros subiectaque colla ueste super fuluique insternor pelle leonis, succedoque oneri; dextrae se paruus Iulus implicuit sequiturque patrem non passibus aequis pone subit coniunx. ferimur per opaca locorum, et me, quem dudum non ulla iniecta mouebant tela neque aduerso glomerati examine Grai, nunc omnes terrent aurae, sonus excitat omnis suspensum et pariter comitique onerique timentem. iamque propinquabam portis omnemque uidebar euasisse uiam, subito cum creber ad auris uisus adesse pedum sonitus, genitorque per umbram prospiciens 'nate,' exclamat, 'fuge, nate; propinquant. ardentis clipeos atque aera micantia cerno.' hic mihi nescio quod trepido male numen amicum confusam eripuit mentem. namque auia cursu dum sequor et nota excedo regione uiarum, heu misero coniunx fatone erepta Creusa substitit, errauitne uia seu lapsa resedit, incertum; nec post oculis est reddita nostris. nec prius amissam respexi animumue reflexi quam tumulum antiquae Cereris sedemque sacratam uenimus: hic demum collectis omnibus una defuit, et comites natumque uirumque fefellit. quem non incusaui amens hominumque deorumque, aut quid in euersa uidi crudelius urbe? Ascanium Anchisenque patrem Teucrosque penatis commendo sociis et curua ualle recondo; ipse urbem repeto et cingor fulgentibus armis. stat casus renouare omnis omnemque reuerti per Troiam et rursus caput obiectare periclis |