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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VII Chapter 23: Alecto returns home | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
While o'er the battle-field thus doubtful swung the scales of war, the Fury (to her task now equal proven) having dyed the day a deep - ensanguined hue, and opened fight with death and slaughter, made no tarrying within Hesperia, but skyward soared, and, loud in triumph, insolently thus to Juno called: “See, at thy will, their strife full-blown to war and woe! Could even thyself command them now to truce and amity? But I, that with Ausonia's blood befoul their Trojan hands, yet more can do, if thou shift not thy purpose. For with dire alarms I will awake the bordering states to war enkindling in their souls the frenzied lust the war-god [Note 1] breathes; till from th' horizon round the reinforcement pours -- I scattering seeds of carnage through the land.” In answer spoke Juno: “Enough of artifice and fear! Thy provocation works. Now have they joined in close and deadly combat, and warm blood those sudden-leaping swords incarnadines, which chance put in their hands. Such nuptial joys, such feast of wedlock, let the famous son [Note 2] of Venus with the King Latinus share! But yon Olympian Sire and King [Note 3] no more permits thee freely in our skies to roam. Go, quit the field! Myself will take control of hazards and of labors yet to be.” Thus Saturn's daughter spoke. Alecto then, unfolding far her hissing, viperous wings, turned toward her Stygian home, and took farewell of upper air. Deep in Italia lies a region mountain-girded, widely famed, and known in olden songs from land to land: the valley of Amsanctus; deep, dark shades enclose it between forest-walls, whereby through thunderous stony channel serpentines a roaring fall. Here in a monstrous cave are reathing-holes of hell, a vast abyss where Acheron opes wide its noisome jaws: in this Alecto plunged, concealing so her execrable godhead, while the air of earth and heaven felt the curse removed. Note 1: war-god = Mars Events: Preparations for war between the Trojans and Latium., The Gods interfere in the Aeneid |
540-571 Atque ea per campos aequo dum Marte geruntur, promissi dea facta potens, ubi sanguine bellum imbuit et primae commisit funera pugnae, deserit Hesperiam et caeli conuersa per auras Iunonem uictrix adfatur uoce superba: 'en, perfecta tibi bello discordia tristi; dic in amicitiam coeant et foedera iungant. quandoquidem Ausonio respersi sanguine Teucros, hoc etiam his addam, tua si mihi certa uoluntas: finitimas in bella feram rumoribus urbes, accendamque animos insani Martis amore undique ut auxilio ueniant; spargam arma per agros.' tum contra Iuno: 'terrorum et fraudis abunde est: stant belli causae, pugnatur comminus armis, quae fors prima dedit sanguis nouus imbuit arma. talia coniugia et talis celebrent hymenaeos egregium Veneris genus et rex ipse Latinus. te super aetherias errare licentius auras haud pater ille uelit, summi regnator Olympi. cede locis. ego, si qua super fortuna laborum est, ipsa regam.' talis dederat Saturnia uoces; illa autem attollit stridentis anguibus alas Cocytique petit sedem supera ardua linquens. est locus Italiae medio sub montibus altis, nobilis et fama multis memoratus in oris, Amsancti ualles; densis hunc frondibus atrum urget utrimque latus nemoris, medioque fragosus dat sonitum saxis et torto uertice torrens. hic specus horrendum et saeui spiracula Ditis monstrantur, ruptoque ingens Acheronte uorago pestiferas aperit fauces, quis condita Erinys, inuisum numen, terras caelumque leuabat. |