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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book IV Chapter 22: Thoughts of Dido | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Soon fell the night, and peaceful slumbers breathed on all earth's weary creatures; the loud seas and babbling forests entered on repose; now midway in their heavenly course the stars wheeled silent on; the outspread lands below lay voiceless; all the birds of tinted wing, and flocks that haunt the merge of waters wide or keep the thorny wold, oblivious lay beneath the night so still; the stings of care ceased troubling, and no heart its burden knew. Not so the Tyrian Queen's deep-grieving soul! To sleep she could not yield; her eyes and heart refused the gift of night; her suffering redoubled, and in full returning tide her love rebelled, while on wild waves of rage she drifted to and fro. So, ceasing not from sorrow, thus she brooded on her wrongs: What refuge now? Shall I invite the scorn of my rejected wooers, or entreat of some disdainful, nomad blackamoor to take me to his bed -- though many a time such husbands I made mock of. Shall I sail on Ilian ships away, and sink to be the Trojans' humble thrall? Do they rejoice that once I gave them bread? Lives gratitude in hearts like theirs for bygone kindnesses? O, who, if so I stooped, would deign to bear on yon proud ships the scorned and fallen Queen? Lost creature! Woe betide thee! Knowest thou not the perjured children of Laomedon? What way is left? Should I take flight alone and join the revelling sailors? Or depart with Tyrians, the whole attending train of my own people? Hard the task to force their hearts from Sidon's towers; how once more compel to sea, and bid them spread the sail? Nay, perish! Thou hast earned it. Let the sword from sorrow save thee! Sister [Note 1] of my blood -- who else but thee, -- my own tears borne down, didst heap disaster on my frantic soul, and fling me to this foe? [Note 2] Why could I not pass wedlock by, and live a blameless life as wild things do, nor taste of passion's pain? But I broke faith! I cast the vows away made at Sichaeus' grave. Note 1: Sister = Anna Event: Love and Death of Dido |
522-552 Nox erat et placidum carpebant fessa soporem corpora per terras, siluaeque et saeua quierant aequora, cum medio uoluuntur sidera lapsu, cum tacet omnis ager, pecudes pictaeque uolucres, quaeque lacus late liquidos quaeque aspera dumis rura tenent, somno positae sub nocte silenti. at non infelix animi Phoenissa, neque umquam soluitur in somnos oculisue aut pectore noctem accipit: ingeminant curae rursusque resurgens saeuit amor magnoque irarum fluctuat aestu. sic adeo insistit secumque ita corde uolutat: 'en, quid ago? rursusne procos inrisa priores experiar, Nomadumque petam conubia supplex, quos ego sim totiens iam dedignata maritos? Iliacas igitur classis atque ultima Teucrum iussa sequar? quiane auxilio iuuat ante leuatos et bene apud memores ueteris stat gratia facti? quis me autem, fac uelle, sinet ratibusue superbis inuisam accipiet? nescis heu, perdita, necdum Laomedonteae sentis periuria gentis? quid tum? sola fuga nautas comitabor ouantis? an Tyriis omnique manu stipata meorum inferar et, quos Sidonia uix urbe reuelli, rursus agam pelago et uentis dare uela iubebo? quin morere ut merita es, ferroque auerte dolorem. tu lacrimis euicta meis, tu prima furentem his, germana, malis oneras atque obicis hosti. non licuit thalami expertem sine crimine uitam degere more ferae, talis nec tangere curas; non seruata fides cineri promissa Sychaeo.' |