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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book V Chapter 24: Iris inspires the women to set fire to the ships | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
O ye ill-starred, that were not seized and slain by Grecian foes under your native walls! O tribe accursed, what death is Fate preparing? Since Troy fell the seventh summer flies, while still we rove o'er cruel rocks and seas, from star to star, from alien land to land, as evermore we chase, storm-tossed, that fleeting Italy across the waters wide. Behold this land of Eryx, of Acestes, friend and kin; what hinders them to raise a rampart here and build a town? O city of our sires! O venerated gods from haughty foes rescued in vain! Will nevermore a wall rise in the name of Troy? Shall I not see a Xanthus or a Simois, the streams to Hector dear? Come now! I lead the way. Let us go touch their baneful ships with fire! I saw Cassandra in a dream. Her shade, prophetic ever, gave me firebrands, and cried, Find Ilium so! The home for thee is where thou art. Behold, the hour is ripe for our great act! No longer now delay to heed the heavenly omen. Yonder stand four altars unto Neptune.T is the god, the god himself, gives courage for the deed, and swift-enkindling fire. So having said, she seized a dreadful brand; then, lifting high, waved it all flaming, and with furious arm hurled it from far. The Ilian matrons gazed, bewildered and appalled. But one, of all the eldest, Pyrgo, venerated nurse of Priam's numerous sons, exclaimed, Nay, nay! This is no Beroe, my noble dames. Doryclus knew her not. Behold and see her heavenly beauty and her radiant eyes! What voice of music and majestic mien, what movement like a god! Myself am come from Beroe sick, and left her grieving sore that she, she only, had no gift to bring of mournful honor to Anchises' shade. She spoke. The women with ill-boding eyes looked on the ships. Their doubting hearts were torn 'twixt tearful passion for the beauteous isle their feet then trod, and that prophetic call of Fate to lands unknown. Then on wide wings soared Iris into heaven, and through the clouds clove a vast arch of light. With wonder dazed, the women in a shrieking frenzy rose, took embers from the hearth-stones, stole the fires upon the altars -- faggots, branches, brands -- and rained them on the ships. The god of fire, through thwarts and oars and bows of painted fir, ran in unbridled flame. Events: Aeneas on Sicily, Fire to Aeneas' fleet, The Gods interfere in the Aeneid |
623-662 'o miserae, quas non manus' inquit 'Achaica bello traxerit ad letum patriae sub moenibus! o gens infelix, cui te exitio Fortuna reseruat? septima post Troiae excidium iam uertitur aestas, cum freta, cum terras omnis, tot inhospita saxa sideraque emensae ferimur, dum per mare magnum Italiam sequimur fugientem et uoluimur undis. hic Erycis fines fraterni atque hospes Acestes: quis prohibet muros iacere et dare ciuibus urbem? o patria et rapti nequiquam ex hoste penates, nullane iam Troiae dicentur moenia? nusquam Hectoreos amnis, Xanthum et Simoenta, uidebo? quin agite et mecum infaustas exurite puppis. nam mihi Cassandrae per somnum uatis imago ardentis dare uisa faces: "hic quaerite Troiam; hic domus est" inquit "uobis." iam tempus agi res, nec tantis mora prodigiis. en quattuor arae Neptuno; deus ipse faces animumque ministrat.' Haec memorans prima infensum ui corripit ignem sublataque procul dextra conixa coruscat et iacit. arrectae mentes stupefactaque corda Iliadum. hic una e multis, quae maxima natu, Pyrgo, tot Priami natorum regia nutrix: 'non Beroe uobis, non haec Rhoeteia, matres, est Dorycli coniunx; diuini signa decoris ardentisque notate oculos, qui spiritus illi, qui uultus uocisque sonus uel gressus eunti. ipsa egomet dudum Beroen digressa reliqui aegram, indignantem tali quod sola careret munere nec meritos Anchisae inferret honores.' haec effata. at matres primo ancipites oculisque malignis ambiguae spectare rates miserum inter amorem praesentis terrae fatisque uocantia regna, cum dea se paribus per caelum sustulit alis ingentemque fuga secuit sub nubibus arcum. tum uero attonitae monstris actaeque furore conclamant, rapiuntque focis penetralibus ignem, pars spoliant aras, frondem ac uirgulta facesque coniciunt. |