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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book V Chapter 26: Jove sends rain | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
But none the less the burning and indomitable flames raged without stay; beneath the ships' smeared sides the hempen fuel puffed a lingering smoke, as, through the whole bulk creeping, the slow fire devoured its way; and little it availed that strong men fought the fire with stream on stream. Then good Aeneas from his shoulder rent his garment, and with lifted hands implored the help of Heaven. O Jove omnipotent! If thou not yet thy wrath implacable on every Trojan pourest, if thou still hast pity, as of old, for what men bear, O, grant my fleet deliverance from this flame! From uttermost destruction, Father, save our desperate Trojan cause! Or even now -- last cruelty! thy fatal thunders throw. If this be my just meed, let thy dread arm confound us all. But scarce the prayer is said, when with a bursting deluge a dark storm falls, marvellous to see; while hills and plains with thunder shake, and to each rim of heaven spreads swollen cloud-rack, black with copious rain and multitudinous gales. The full flood pours on every ship, and all the smouldering beams are drenched, until the smoke and flames expire and (though four ships be lost) the burning fleet rides rescued from its doom. Events: Aeneas on Sicily, Fire to Aeneas' fleet, The Gods interfere in the Aeneid |
680-699 Sed non idcirco flamma atque incendia uiris indomitas posuere; udo sub robore uiuit stuppa uomens tardum fumum, lentusque carinas est uapor et toto descendit corpore pestis, nec uires heroum infusaque flumina prosunt Tum pius Aeneas umeris abscindere uestem auxilioque uocare deos et tendere palmas: 'Iuppiter omnipotens, si nondum exosus ad unum Troianos, si quid pietas antiqua labores respicit humanos, da flammam euadere classi nunc, pater, et tenuis Teucrum res eripe leto. uel tu, quod superest, infesto fulmine morti, si mereor, demitte tuaque hic obrue dextra.' uix haec ediderat cum effusis imbribus atra tempestas sine more furit tonitruque tremescunt ardua terrarum et campi; ruit aethere toto turbidus imber aqua densisque nigerrimus Austris, implenturque super puppes, semusta madescunt robora, restinctus donec uapor omnis et omnes quattuor amissis seruatae a peste carinae. |