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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book V Chapter 20: Acestes declared winner | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Acestes now remained, last rival, though the victor's palm to him was lost; yet did the aged sire, to show his prowess and resounding bow, hurl forth one shaft in air; then suddenly all eyes beheld such wonder as portends events to be (but when fulfilment came, too late the fearful seers its warning sung): for, soaring through the stream of cloud, his shaft took fire, tracing its bright path in flame, then vanished on the wind, -- as oft a star will fall unfastened from the firmament, while far behind its blazing tresses flow. Awe-struck both Trojan and Trinacrian stood, calling upon the gods. Nor came the sign in vain to great Aeneas. But his arms folded the blest Acestes to his heart, and, loading him with noble gifts, he cried: Receive them, sire! The great Olympian King [Note 1] some peerless honor to thy name decrees by such an omen given. I offer thee this bowl with figures graven, which my sire, good gray Anchises, for proud gift received of Thracian Cisseus, for their friendship's pledge and memory evermore. Thereon he crowned his brows with garland of the laurel green, and named Acestes victor over all. Nor could Eurytion, noble youth, think ill of honor which his own surpassed, though he, he only, pierced the bird in upper air. Next gift was his whose arrow cut the cord; last, his whose light shaft clove the lofty pine. Note 1: King = Jupiter |
519-544 ast ipsam miserandus auem contingere ferro non ualuit; nodos et uincula linea rupit quis innexa pedem malo pendebat ab alto; illa Notos atque atra uolans in nubila fugit. tum rapidus, iamdudum arcu contenta parato tela tenens, fratrem Eurytion in uota uocauit, iam uacuo laetam caelo speculatus et alis plaudentem nigra figit sub nube columbam. decidit exanimis uitamque reliquit in astris aetheriis fixamque refert delapsa sagittam. Amissa solus palma superabat Acestes, qui tamen aerias telum contendit in auras ostentans artemque pater arcumque sonantem. hic oculis subitum obicitur magnoque futurum augurio monstrum; docuit post exitus ingens seraque terrifici cecinerunt omina uates. namque uolans liquidis in nubibus arsit harundo signauitque uiam flammis tenuisque recessit consumpta in uentos, caelo ceu saepe refixa transcurrunt crinemque uolantia sidera ducunt. attonitis haesere animis superosque precati Trinacrii Teucrique uiri, nec maximus omen abnuit Aeneas, sed laetum amplexus Acesten muneribus cumulat magnis ac talia fatur: 'sume, pater, nam te uoluit rex magnus Olympi talibus auspiciis exsortem ducere honores. ipsius Anchisae longaeui hoc munus habebis, cratera impressum signis, quem Thracius olim Anchisae genitori in magno munere Cisseus ferre sui dederat monimentum et pignus amoris.' sic fatus cingit uiridanti tempora lauro et primum ante omnis uictorem appellat Acesten. nec bonus Eurytion praelato inuidit honori, quamuis solus auem caelo deiecit ab alto. proximus ingreditur donis qui uincula rupit, extremus uolucri qui fixit harundine malum. |