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Quote of the day: A woman easily excited by trifles.
Notes
Display Latin text
The Aeneid by Virgil
translated by Theodore C. Williams
Book VII Chapter 15: Juno sends Alecto
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So saying, with aspect terrible she sped
earthward her way; and called from gloom of hell
Alecto, woeful power, from cloudy throne
among the Furies, where her heart is fed
with horrid wars, wrath, vengeance, treason foul,
and fatal feuds. Her father Pluto loathes
the creature he engendered, and with hate
her hell-born sister-fiends the monster view.
A host of shapes she wears, and many a front
of frowning black brows viper-garlanded.
Juno to her this goading speech addressed:
“O daughter of dark Night, arouse for me
thy wonted powers and our task begin!
Lest now my glory fail, my royal name
be vanquished, while Aeneas and his crew
cheat with a wedlock bond the Latin king [Note 1]
and seize Italia's fields. Thou canst thrust on
two loving brothers to draw sword and slay,
and ruin homes with hatred, calling in
the scourge of Furies and avenging fires.
A thousand names thou bearest, and thy ways
of ruin multiply a thousand-fold.
Arouse thy fertile breast! Go, rend in twain
this plighted peace! Breed calumnies and sow
causes of battle, till yon warrior hosts
cry out for swords and leap to gird them on."

Note 1: king = Latinus

Event: The Gods interfere in the Aeneid

323-340
Haec ubi dicta dedit, terras horrenda petiuit;
luctificam Allecto dirarum ab sede dearum
infernisque ciet tenebris, cui tristia bella
iraeque insidiaeque et crimina noxia cordi.
odit et ipse pater Pluton, odere sorores
Tartareae monstrum: tot sese uertit in ora,
tam saeuae facies, tot pullulat atra colubris.
quam Iuno his acuit uerbis ac talia fatur:
'hunc mihi da proprium, uirgo sata Nocte, laborem,
hanc operam, ne noster honos infractaue cedat
fama loco, neu conubiis ambire Latinum
Aeneadae possint Italosue obsidere finis.
tu potes unanimos armare in proelia fratres
atque odiis uersare domos, tu uerbera tectis
funereasque inferre faces, tibi nomina mille,
mille nocendi artes. fecundum concute pectus,
dissice compositam pacem, sere crimina belli;
arma uelit poscatque simul rapiatque iuuentus.'