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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book V Chapter 16: A second participant | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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But with a brow severe Acestes to Entellus at his side addressed upbraiding words, where they reclined on grassy bank and couch of pleasant green: O my Entellus, in the olden days bravest among the mighty, but in vain! Endurest thou to see yon reward won without a blow? Where, prithee, is that god who taught thee? Are thy tales of Eryx vain? Does all Sicilia praise thee? Is thy roof with trophies hung? The other in reply: My jealous honor and good name yield not to fear. But age, so cold and slow to move, makes my blood laggard, and my ebbing powers in all my body are but slack and chill. O, if I had what yonder ruffian boasts -- my own proud youth once more! I would not ask the fair bull for a prize, nor to the lists in search of gifts come forth. So saying, he threw into the mid-arena a vast pair of ponderous gauntlets, which in former days fierce Eryx for his fights was wont to bind on hand and arm, with the stiff raw-hide thong. All marvelled; for a weight of seven bulls' hides was pieced with lead and iron. Dares stared astonished, and step after step recoiled; high-souled Anchises' son, this way and that, turned o'er the enormous coil of knots and thongs; then with a deep-drawn breath the veteran spoke: O, that thy wondering eyes had seen the arms of Hercules, and what his gauntlets were! Would thou hadst seen the conflict terrible upon this self-same shore! These arms were borne by Eryx. Look; thy brother's! -- spattered yet with blood, with dashed-out brains! In these he stood when he matched Hercules. I wore them oft when in my pride and prime, ere envious age shed frost upon my brows. But if these arms be of our Trojan Dares disapproved, if good Aeneas rules it so, and king Acestes wills it, let us offer fight on even terms. Let Eryx' bull's-hide go. Tremble no more! But strip those gauntlets off -- fetched here from Troy. |
387-420 Hic grauis Entellum dictis castigat Acestes, proximus ut uiridante toro consederat herbae: 'Entelle, heroum quondam fortissime frustra, tantane tam patiens nullo certamine tolli dona sines? ubi nunc nobis deus ille, magister nequiquam memoratus, Eryx? ubi fama per omnem Trinacriam et spolia illa tuis pendentia tectis?' ille sub haec: 'non laudis amor nec gloria cessit pulsa metu; sed enim gelidus tardante senecta sanguis hebet, frigentque effetae in corpore uires. si mihi quae quondam fuerat quaque improbus iste exsultat fidens, si nunc foret illa iuuentas, haud equidem pretio inductus pulchroque iuuenco uenissem, nec dona moror.' sic deinde locutus in medium geminos immani pondere caestus proiecit, quibus acer Eryx in proelia suetus ferre manum duroque intendere bracchia tergo. obstipuere animi: tantorum ingentia septem terga boum plumbo insuto ferroque rigebant. ante omnis stupet ipse Dares longeque recusat, magnanimusque Anchisiades et pondus et ipsa huc illuc uinclorum immensa uolumina uersat. tum senior talis referebat pectore uoces: 'quid, si quis caestus ipsius et Herculis arma uidisset tristemque hoc ipso in litore pugnam? haec germanus Eryx quondam tuus arma gerebat (sanguine cernis adhuc sparsoque infecta cerebro), his magnum Alciden contra stetit, his ego suetus, dum melior uiris sanguis dabat, aemula necdum temporibus geminis canebat sparsa senectus. sed si nostra Dares haec Troius arma recusat idque pio sedet Aeneae, probat auctor Acestes, aequemus pugnas. Erycis tibi terga remitto (solue metus), et tu Troianos exue caestus.' |