Home Introduction Persons Geogr. Sources Events Mijn blog(Nederlands)
Religion Subjects Images Queries Links Contact Do not fly Iberia
This is a non-commercial site. Any revenues from Google ads are used to improve the site.

Custom Search
Quote of the day: Tiberius too thoroughly understood the a
Notes
Display Latin text
The Aeneid by Virgil
translated by Theodore C. Williams
Book XI Chapter 16: Aeneas marches
Next chapter
Return to index
Previous chapter
Thus in their doubtful cause the chieftains strove.
Meanwhile Aeneas his assaulting line
moved forward. The ill tidings wildly sped
from royal hall to hall, and filled the town
with rumors dark: for now the Trojan host
o'er the wide plains from Tiber's wave was spread
in close array of war. The people's soul
was vexed and shaken, and its martial rage
rose to the stern compulsion. Now for arms
their terror calls; the youthful soldiery
clamor for arms; the sires of riper days
weep or repress their tears. On every side
loud shouts and cries of dissonant acclaim
trouble the air, as when in lofty grove
legions of birds alight, or by the flood
of Padus' fishy stream the shrieking swans
far o'er the vocal marish fling their song.
Then, seizing the swift moment, Turnus cried:
Once more, my countrymen, -- ye sit in parle,
lazily praising peace, while yonder foe
speeds forth in arms our kingdom to obtain.
He spoke no more, but hied him in hot haste,
and from the housetop called, Volusus, go!
Equip the Volscian companies! Lead forth
my Rutules also! O'er the spreading plain,
ye brothers Coras and Messapus range
our host of cavalry! Let others guard
the city's gates and hold the walls and towers:
I and my followers elsewhere oppose
the shock of arms.

Event: Aeneas marches against Laurentum

445-467
Illi haec inter se dubiis de rebus agebant
certantes: castra Aeneas aciemque mouebat.
nuntius ingenti per regia tecta tumultu
ecce ruit magnisque urbem terroribus implet:
instructos acie Tiberino a flumine Teucros
Tyrrhenamque manum totis descendere campis.
extemplo turbati animi concussaque uulgi
pectora et arrectae stimulis haud mollibus irae.
arma manu trepidi poscunt, fremit arma iuuentus,
flent maesti mussantque patres. hic undique clamor
dissensu uario magnus se tollit in auras,
haud secus atque alto in luco cum forte cateruae
consedere auium, piscosoue amne Padusae
dant sonitum rauci per stagna loquacia cycni.
'immo,' ait 'o ciues,' arrepto tempore Turnus,
'cogite concilium et pacem laudate sedentes;
illi armis in regna ruunt.' nec plura locutus
corripuit sese et tectis citus extulit altis.
'tu, Voluse, armari Volscorum edice maniplis,
duc' ait 'et Rutulos. equitem Messapus in armis,
et cum fratre Coras latis diffundite campis.
pars aditus urbis firment turrisque capessant;
cetera, qua iusso, mecum manus inferat arma.'
Ilicet in muros tota discurritur urbe.