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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book XII Chapter 22: The city is attacked | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
His goddess-mother in Aeneas' mind now stirred the purpose to make sudden way against the city-wall, in swift advance of all his line, confounding Latium so with slaughter and surprise. His roving glance, seeking for Turnus through the scattered lines this way and that, beholds in distant view the city yet unscathed and calmly free from the wide-raging fight. Then on his soul rushed the swift vision of a mightier war. Mnestheus, Sergestus, and Serestus brave, his chosen chiefs, he summons to his side, and stands upon a hillock, whither throng the Teucrian legions, each man holding fast his shield and spear. He, towering high, thus from the rampart to his people calls: Perform my bidding swiftly: Jove's own hand sustains our power. Be ye not slack, because the thing I do is sudden. For this day I will pluck out th' offending root of war, -- yon city where Latinus reigns. Unless it bear our yoke and heed a conqueror's will, will lay low in dust its blazing towers. Must I wait Turnus' pleasure, till he deign to meet my stroke, and have a mind once more, though vanquished, to show fight? My countrymen, see yonder stronghold of their impious war! Bring flames; avenge the broken oath with fire! Scarce had he said, when with consenting souls, they speed them to the walls in dense array, forming a wedge. Ladders now leap in air, and sudden-blazing fires. In various war some troops run charging at the city-gates, and slay the guards; some fling the whirling spear and darken heaven with arrows. In their van, his right hand lifted to the wails and towers, Aeneas, calling on the gods to hear, loudly upbraids Latinus that once more conflict is thrust upon him; that once more Italians are his foes and violate their second pledge of peace. So blazes forth dissension 'twixt the frighted citizens: some would give o'er the city and fling wide its portals to the Trojan, or drag forth the King himself to parley; others fly to arms, and at the rampart make a stand. T is thus some shepherd from a caverned crag stirs up the nested bees with plenteous fume of bitter smoke; they, posting to and fro, fly desperate round the waxen citadel, and whet their buzzing fury; through their halls the stench and blackness rolls; within the caves noise and confusion ring; the fatal cloud pours forth incessant on the vacant air. Event: Renewal of the war. |
554-592 Hic mentem Aeneae genetrix pulcherrima misit iret ut ad muros urbique aduerteret agmen ocius et subita turbaret clade Latinos. ille ut uestigans diuersa per agmina Turnum huc atque huc acies circumtulit, aspicit urbem immunem tanti belli atque impune quietam. continuo pugnae accendit maioris imago: Mnesthea Sergestumque uocat fortemque Serestum ductores, tumulumque capit quo cetera Teucrum concurrit legio, nec scuta aut spicula densi deponunt. celso medius stans aggere fatur: 'ne qua meis esto dictis mora, Iuppiter hac stat, neu quis ob inceptum subitum mihi segnior ito. urbem hodie, causam belli, regna ipsa Latini, ni frenum accipere et uicti parere fatentur, eruam et aequa solo fumantia culmina ponam. scilicet exspectem libeat dum proelia Turno nostra pati rursusque uelit concurrere uictus? hoc caput, o ciues, haec belli summa nefandi. ferte faces propere foedusque reposcite flammis.' dixerat, atque animis pariter certantibus omnes dant cuneum densaque ad muros mole feruntur; scalae improuiso subitusque apparuit ignis. discurrunt alii ad portas primosque trucidant, ferrum alii torquent et obumbrant aethera telis. ipse inter primos dextram sub moenia tendit Aeneas, magnaque incusat uoce Latinum testaturque deos iterum se ad proelia cogi, bis iam Italos hostis, haec altera foedera rumpi. exoritur trepidos inter discordia ciuis: urbem alii reserare iubent et pandere portas Dardanidis ipsumque trahunt in moenia regem; arma ferunt alii et pergunt defendere muros, inclusas ut cum latebroso in pumice pastor uestigauit apes fumoque impleuit amaro; illae intus trepidae rerum per cerea castra discurrunt magnisque acuunt stridoribus iras; uoluitur ater odor tectis, tum murmure caeco intus saxa sonant, uacuas it fumus ad auras. |