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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VIII Chapter 20: Crimes of Mezentius | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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> Great leader of the Teucrians, while thy life in safety stands, I call not Trojan power vanquished or fallen. But to help thy war my small means match not thy redoubled name. Yon Tuscan river is my bound. That way Rutulia thrusts us hard and chafes our wall with loud, besieging arms. But I propose to league with thee a numerous array of kings and mighty tribes, which fortune strange now brings to thy defence. Thou comest here because the Fates intend. Not far from ours a city on an ancient rock is seen, Agylla, which a warlike Lydian clan built on the Tuscan hills. It prospered well for many a year, then under the proud yoke of king Mezentius it came and bore his cruel sway. Why tell the loathsome deeds and crimes unspeakable the despot wrought? May Heaven requite them on his impious head and on his children! For he used to chain dead men to living, hand on hand was laid and face on face, -- torment incredible! Till, locked in blood-stained, horrible embrace, a lingering death they found. But at the last his people rose in furious despair, and while he blasphemously raged, assailed his life and throne, cut down his guards and fired his regal dwellings; he, the while, escaped immediate death and fled away to the Rutulian land, to find defence in Turnus hospitality. To-day Etruria, to righteous anger stirred, demands with urgent arms her guilty king. To their large host, Aeneas, I will give an added strength, thyself. For yonder shores re-echo with the tumult and the cry of ships in close array; their eager lords are clamoring for battle. But the song of the gray omen-giver thus declares their destiny: O goodly princes hell-born of old Maeonian lineage! Ye that are the bloom and glory of an ancient race, whom just occasions now and noble rage enflame against Mezentius your foe, it is decreed that yonder nation proud shall never submit to chiefs Italian-born. Seek ye a king from far! So in the field inert and fearful lies Etruria's force, disarmed by oracles. Their Tarchon sent envoys who bore a sceptre and a crown even to me, and prayed I should assume the sacred emblems of Etruria's king, and lead their host to war. But unto me cold, sluggish age, now barren and outworn, denies new kingdoms, and my slow-paced powers run to brave deeds no more. Nor could I urge my son, who by his Sabine mother's line is half Italian-born. Thyself art he, whose birth illustrious and manly prime fate favors and celestial powers approve. Therefore go forth, O bravest chief and king of Troy and Italy! To thee I give the hope and consolation of our throne, Pallas, my son, and bid him find in thee a master and example, while he learns the soldier's arduous toil. With thy brave deeds let him familiar grow, and reverence thee with youthful love and honor. In his train two hundred horsemen of Arcadia, our choicest men-at-arms, shall ride; and he in his own name an equal band shall bring to follow only thee. Event: Aeneas visits Evander |
470-519 'maxime Teucrorum ductor, quo sospite numquam res equidem Troiae uictas aut regna fatebor, nobis ad belli auxilium pro nomine tanto exiguae uires; hinc Tusco claudimur amni, hinc Rutulus premit et murum circumsonat armis. sed tibi ego ingentis populos opulentaque regnis iungere castra paro, quam fors inopina salutem ostentat: fatis huc te poscentibus adfers. haud procul hinc saxo incolitur fundata uetusto urbis Agyllinae sedes, ubi Lydia quondam gens, bello praeclara, iugis insedit Etruscis. hanc multos florentem annos rex deinde superbo imperio et saeuis tenuit Mezentius armis. quid memorem infandas caedes, quid facta tyranni effera? di capiti ipsius generique reseruent! mortua quin etiam iungebat corpora uiuis componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora, tormenti genus, et sanie taboque fluentis complexu in misero longa sic morte necabat. at fessi tandem ciues infanda furentem armati circumsistunt ipsumque domumque, obtruncant socios, ignem ad fastigia iactant. ille inter caedem Rutulorum elapsus in agros confugere et Turni defendier hospitis armis. ergo omnis furiis surrexit Etruria iustis, regem ad supplicium praesenti Marte reposcunt. his ego te, Aenea, ductorem milibus addam. toto namque fremunt condensae litore puppes signaque ferre iubent, retinet longaeuus haruspex fata canens: "o Maeoniae delecta iuuentus, flos ueterum uirtusque uirum, quos iustus in hostem fert dolor et merita accendit Mezentius ira, nulli fas Italo tantam subiungere gentem: externos optate duces." tum Etrusca resedit hoc acies campo monitis exterrita diuum. ipse oratores ad me regnique coronam cum sceptro misit mandatque insignia Tarchon, succedam castris Tyrrhenaque regna capessam. sed mihi tarda gelu saeclisque effeta senectus inuidet imperium seraeque ad fortia uires. natum exhortarer, ni mixtus matre Sabella hinc partem patriae traheret. tu, cuius et annis et generi fatum indulget, quem numina poscunt, ingredere, o Teucrum atque Italum fortissime ductor. hunc tibi praeterea, spes et solacia nostri, Pallanta adiungam; sub te tolerare magistro militiam et graue Martis opus, tua cernere facta adsuescat, primis et te miretur ab annis. Arcadas huic equites bis centum, robora pubis lecta dabo, totidemque suo tibi nomine Pallas.' |