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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book X Chapter 2: Speech of Venus | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Thus briefly, Jove. But golden Venus made less brief reply. O Father, who dost hold o'er Man and all things an immortal sway! Of what high throne may gods the aid implore save thine? Behold of yonder Rutuli th' insulting scorn! Among them Turnus moves in chariot proud, and boasts triumphant war in mighty words. Nor do their walls defend my Teucrians now. But in their very gates, and on their mounded ramparts, in close fight they breast their foes and fill the moats with blood. Aeneas knows not, and is far away. Will ne'er the siege have done? A second time above Troy's rising walls the foe impends; another host is gathered, and once more from his Aetolian Arpi wrathful speeds a Diomed. I doubt not that for me wounds are preparing. Yea, thy daughter dear awaits a mortal sword! If by thy will unblest and unapproved the Trojans came to Italy, for such rebellious crime give them their due, nor lend them succor, thou, with thy strong hand! But if they have obeyed unnumbered oracles from gods above and sacred shades below, who now has power to thwart thy bidding, or to weave anew the web of Fate? Why speak of ships consumed along my hallowed Erycinian shore? Or of the Lord of Storms, [Note 1] whose furious blasts were summoned from Aeolia? Why tell of Iris sped from heaven? Now she moves the region of the shades (one kingdom yet from her attempt secure) and thence lets loose Alecto on the world above, who strides in frenzied wrath along th' Italian hills. No more my heart now cherishes its hope of domination, though in happier days such was thy promise. Let the victory fall to victors of thy choice! If nowhere lies the land thy cruel Queen [Note 2] would deign accord unto the Teucrian people, -- O my sire, I pray thee by yon smouldering wreck of Troy to let Ascanius from the clash of arms escape unscathed. Let my own offspring live! Yea, let Aeneas, tossed on seas unknown, find some chance way; let my right hand avail to shelter him and from this fatal war in safety bring. For Amathus is mine, mine are Cythera and the Paphian hills and temples in Idalium. Let him drop the sword, and there live out inglorious days. By thy decree let Carthage overwhelm Ausonia's power; nor let defence be found to stay the Tyrian arms! What profits it that he escaped the wasting plague of war and fled Argolic fires? or that he knew so many perils of wide wilderness and waters rude? the Teucrians seek in vain new-born Troy in Latium. Better far crouched on their country's ashes to abide, and keep that spot of earth where once was Troy! Give back, O Father, I implore thee, give Xanthus and Simois back! Let Teucer's sons unfold once more the tale of Ilium's woe! Note 1: Lord of Storms = Aeolus Events: The Gods interfere in the Aeneid, The Council of the Gods regarding Aeneas |
16-61 Iuppiter haec paucis; at non Venus aurea contra pauca refert: 'o pater, o hominum rerumque aeterna potestas (namque aliud quid sit quod iam implorare queamus?), cernis ut insultent Rutuli, Turnusque feratur per medios insignis equis tumidusque secundo Marte ruat? non clausa tegunt iam moenia Teucros; quin intra portas atque ipsis proelia miscent aggeribus murorum et inundant sanguine fossae. Aeneas ignarus abest. numquamne leuari obsidione sines? muris iterum imminet hostis nascentis Troiae nec non exercitus alter, atque iterum in Teucros Aetolis surgit ab Arpis Tydides. equidem credo, mea uulnera restant et tua progenies mortalia demoror arma. si sine pace tua atque inuito numine Troes Italiam petiere, luant peccata neque illos iuueris auxilio; sin tot responsa secuti quae superi manesque dabant, cur nunc tua quisquam uertere iussa potest aut cur noua condere fata? quid repetam exustas Erycino in litore classis, quid tempestatum regem uentosque furentis Aeolia excitos aut actam nubibus Irim? nunc etiam manis (haec intemptata manebat sors rerum) mouet et superis immissa repente Allecto medias Italum bacchata per urbes. nil super imperio moueor. sperauimus ista, dum fortuna fuit. uincant, quos uincere mauis. si nulla est regio Teucris quam det tua coniunx dura, per euersae, genitor, fumantia Troiae excidia obtestor: liceat dimittere ab armis incolumem Ascanium, liceat superesse nepotem. Aeneas sane ignotis iactetur in undis et quacumque uiam dederit Fortuna sequatur: hunc tegere et dirae ualeam subducere pugnae. est Amathus, est celsa mihi Paphus atque Cythera Idaliaeque domus: positis inglorius armis exigat hic aeuum. magna dicione iubeto Karthago premat Ausoniam; nihil urbibus inde obstabit Tyriis. quid pestem euadere belli iuuit et Argolicos medium fugisse per ignis totque maris uastaeque exhausta pericula terrae, dum Latium Teucri recidiuaque Pergama quaerunt? non satius cineres patriae insedisse supremos atque solum quo Troia fuit? Xanthum et Simoenta redde, oro, miseris iterumque reuoluere casus da, pater, Iliacos Teucris.' Tum regia Iun |