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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VII Chapter 21: Alecto causes a chasing incident | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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While Turnus stirred Rutulia's valiant souls, Alecto on her Stygian pinions sped to where the Teucrians lay. She scanned the ground with eager guile, where by the river's marge fair-browed Iulus with his nets and snares rode fiercely to the chase. Then o'er his hounds that hell-born virgin breathed a sudden rage, and filled each cunning nostril with the scent of stags, till forth in wild pursuit they flew. Here all the woe began, and here awoke in rustic souls the swift-enkindling war. For a fair stag, tall-antlered, stolen away even from its mother's milk, had long been kept by Tyrrhus and his sons -- the shepherd he of all the royal flocks, and forester of a wide region round. With fondest care their sister Silvia entwined its horns with soft, fresh garlands, tamed it to run close, and combed the creature, or would bring to bathe at a clear, crystal spring. It knew the hands of all its gentle masters, and would feed from their own dish; or wandering through the wood, come back unguided to their friendly door, though deep the evening shade. Iulus' dogs now roused this wanderer in their ravening chase, as, drifted down-stream far from home it lay, on a green bank a-cooling. From bent bow Ascanius, eager for a hunter's praise, let go his shaft; nor did Alecto fail his aim to guide: but, whistling through the air, the light-winged reed pierced deep in flank and side. Swift to its cover fled the wounded thing, and crept loud-moaning to its wonted stall, where, like a blood-stained suppliant, it seemed to fill that shepherd's house with plaintive prayer. Then Silvia the sister, smiting oft on breast and arm, made cry for help, and called the sturdy rustics forth in gathering throng. These now (for in the silent forest couched the cruel Fury) swift to battle flew. One brandished a charred stake, another swung a knotted cudgel, as rude anger shapes its weapon of whate'er the searching eye first haps to fall on. Tyrrhus roused his clans, just when by chance he split with blows of wedge an oak in four; and, panting giant breath, shouldered his woodman's axe. Events: Preparations for war between the Trojans and Latium., Ascanius and the stag of Silvia |
475-510 Dum Turnus Rutulos animis audacibus implet, Allecto in Teucros Stygiis se concitat alis, arte noua, speculata locum, quo litore pulcher insidiis cursuque feras agitabat Iulus. hic subitam canibus rabiem Cocytia uirgo obicit et noto naris contingit odore, ut ceruum ardentes agerent; quae prima laborum causa fuit belloque animos accendit agrestis. ceruus erat forma praestanti et cornibus ingens, Tyrrhidae pueri quem matris ab ubere raptum nutribant Tyrrhusque pater, cui regia parent armenta et late custodia credita campi. adsuetum imperiis soror omni Siluia cura mollibus intexens ornabat cornua sertis, pectebatque ferum puroque in fonte lauabat. ille manum patiens mensaeque adsuetus erili errabat siluis rursusque ad limina nota ipse domum sera quamuis se nocte ferebat. hunc procul errantem rabidae uenantis Iuli commouere canes, fluuio cum forte secundo deflueret ripaque aestus uiridante leuaret. ipse etiam eximiae laudis succensus amore Ascanius curuo derexit spicula cornu; nec dextrae erranti deus afuit, actaque multo perque uterum sonitu perque ilia uenit harundo. saucius at quadripes nota intra tecta refugit successitque gemens stabulis, questuque cruentus atque imploranti similis tectum omne replebat. Siluia prima soror palmis percussa lacertos auxilium uocat et duros conclamat agrestis. olli (pestis enim tacitis latet aspera siluis) improuisi adsunt, hic torre armatus obusto, stipitis hic grauidi nodis; quod cuique repertum rimanti telum ira facit. uocat agmina Tyrrhus, quadrifidam quercum cuneis ut forte coactis scindebat rapta spirans immane securi. |