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Notes Do not display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VII Chapter 24: The people want war | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Forthwith the sovereign hands of Juno haste to consummate the war. The shepherds bear back from the field of battle to the town the bodies of the slain: young Almo's corse and gray Galaesus' bleeding head. They call just gods in heaven to look upon their wrong, and bid Latinus see it. Turnus comes, and, while the angry mob surveys the slain, adds fury to the hour. “Shall the land have Trojan lords? Shall Phrygian marriages debase our ancient, royal blood -- and I be spurned upon the threshold?” Then drew near the men whose frenzied women-folk had held bacchantic orgies in the pathless grove, awed by Amata's name: these, gathering, sued loud for war. Yea, all defied the signs and venerable omens; all withstood divine decrees, and clamored for revenge, prompted by evil powers. They besieged the house of king Latinus, shouting-loud with emulous rage. But like a sea-girt rock unmoved he stood; like sea-girt rock when surge of waters o'er it sweeps, or howling waves surround; it keeps a ponderous front of power, though foaming cliffs around it vainly roar; from its firm base the broken seaweeds fall. But when authority no whit could change their counsels blind, and each event fulfilled dread Juno's will, then with complaining prayer the aged sire cried loud upon his gods and on th' unheeding air: “Alas,” said he, “My doom is shipwreck, and the tempest bears my bark away! O wretches, your own blood shall pay the forfeit for your impious crime. O Turnus! O abominable deed! Avenging woes pursue thee; to deaf gods thy late and unavailing prayer shall rise. Now was my time to rest. But as I come close to my journey's end, thou spoilest me of comfort in my death.” With this the king fled to his house and ceased his realm to guide. |
572-600 Nec minus interea extremam Saturnia bello imponit regina manum. ruit omnis in urbem pastorum ex acie numerus, caesosque reportant Almonem puerum foedatique ora Galaesi, implorantque deos obtestanturque Latinum. Turnus adest medioque in crimine caedis et igni terrorem ingeminat: Teucros in regna uocari, stirpem admisceri Phrygiam, se limine pelli. tum quorum attonitae Baccho nemora auia matres insultant thiasis (neque enim leue nomen Amatae) undique collecti coeunt Martemque fatigant. ilicet infandum cuncti contra omina bellum, contra fata deum peruerso numine poscunt. certatim regis circumstant tecta Latini; ille uelut pelago rupes immota resistit, ut pelagi rupes magno ueniente fragore, quae sese multis circum latrantibus undis mole tenet; scopuli nequiquam et spumea circum saxa fremunt laterique inlisa refunditur alga. uerum ubi nulla datur caecum exsuperare potestas consilium, et saeuae nutu Iunonis eunt res, multa deos aurasque pater testatus inanis 'frangimur heu fatis' inquit 'ferimurque procella! ipsi has sacrilego pendetis sanguine poenas, o miseri. te, Turne, nefas, te triste manebit supplicium, uotisque deos uenerabere seris. nam mihi parta quies, omnisque in limine portus funere felici spolior.' nec plura locutus saepsit se tectis rerumque reliquit habenas. |