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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book IX Chapter 23: Apollo warns Ascanius | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Then from heaven the flowing-haired Apollo bent his gaze upon Ausonia's host, and cloud-enthroned looked downward o'er the city, speaking thus to fair Iulus in his victory: Hail to thy maiden prowess, boy! This way the starward path to dwelling-place divine. O sire of gods and sire of gods to come, all future storms of war by Fate ordained shall into peace and lawful calm subside beneath the offspring of Assaracus. No Trojan destinies thy glory bound. So saying, from his far, ethereal seat he hied him down, and, cleaving the quick winds drew near Ascanius. He wore the guise of aged Butes, who erewhile had borne Anchises, armor and kept trusty guard before his threshold, but attended now Ascanius, by commandment of his sire. Clad in this graybeard's every aspect, moved Apollo forth, -- his very voice and hue, his hoary locks and grimly sounding shield, -- and to the flushed Iulus spoke this word: Child of Aeneas, be content that now Numanus unavenged thine arrows feels. Such dawn of glory great Apollo's will concedes, nor envies thee the fatal shaft so like his own. But, tender youth, refrain hereafter from this war! So said divine Apollo, who, while yet he spoke, put by his mortal aspect, and before their eyes melted to viewless air. The Teucrians knew the vocal god with armament divine of arrows; for his rattling quiver smote their senses as he fled. Obedient to Phoebus' voice they held back from the fray Iulus' fury, and their eager souls faced the fresh fight and danger's darkest frown. From tower to tower along the bastioned wall their war-cry flew: they bend with busy hand the cruel bow, or swing the whirling thong of javelins. The earth on every side is strewn with spent shafts, the reverberant shield and hollow helmet ring with blows; the fight more fiercely swells; not less the bursting storm from watery Kid-stars in the western sky lashes the plain, or multitudinous hail beats upon shallow seas, when angry Jove flings forth tempestuous and boundless rain, and splits the bellied clouds in darkened air. |
638-671 Aetheria tum forte plaga crinitus Apollo desuper Ausonias acies urbemque uidebat nube sedens, atque his uictorem adfatur Iulum: 'macte noua uirtute, puer, sic itur ad astra, dis genite et geniture deos. iure omnia bella gente sub Assaraci fato uentura resident, nec te Troia capit.' simul haec effatus ab alto aethere se mittit, spirantis dimouet auras Ascaniumque petit; forma tum uertitur oris antiquum in Buten. hic Dardanio Anchisae armiger ante fuit fidusque ad limina custos; tum comitem Ascanio pater addidit. ibat Apollo omnia longaeuo similis uocemque coloremque et crinis albos et saeua sonoribus arma, atque his ardentem dictis adfatur Iulum: 'sit satis, Aenide, telis impune Numanum oppetiisse tuis. primam hanc tibi magnus Apollo concedit laudem et paribus non inuidet armis; cetera parce, puer, bello.' sic orsus Apollo mortalis medio aspectus sermone reliquit et procul in tenuem ex oculis euanuit auram. agnouere deum proceres diuinaque tela Dardanidae pharetramque fuga sensere sonantem. ergo auidum pugnae dictis ac numine Phoebi Ascanium prohibent, ipsi in certamina rursus succedunt animasque in aperta pericula mittunt. it clamor totis per propugnacula muris, intendunt acris arcus amentaque torquent. sternitur omne solum telis, tum scuta cauaeque dant sonitum flictu galeae, pugna aspera surgit: quantus ab occasu ueniens pluuialibus Haedis uerberat imber humum, quam multa grandine nimbi in uada praecipitant, cum Iuppiter horridus Austris torquet aquosam hiemem et caelo caua nubila rumpit. |