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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book XII Chapter 23: Suicide of Amata | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
But now a new adversity befell the weary Latins, which with common woe shook the whole city to its heart. The queen, [Note 1] when at her hearth she saw the close assault of enemies, the walls beset, and fire spreading from roof to roof, but no defence from the Rutulian arms, nor front of war with Turnus leading, -- she, poor soul, believed her youthful champion in the conflict slain; and, mad with sudden sorrow, shrieked aloud against herself, the guilty chief and cause of all this ill; and, babbling her wild woe in endless words, she rent her purple pall, and with her own hand from the rafter swung a noose for her foul death. The tidings dire among the moaning wives of Latium spread, and young Lavinia's frantic fingers tore her rose-red cheek and hyacinthine hair. Then all her company of women shrieked in anguish, and the wailing echoed far along the royal seat; from whence the tale of sorrow through the peopled city flew; hearts sank; Latinus rent his robes, appalled to see his consort's doom, his falling throne; and heaped foul dust upon his hoary hair. Note 1: queen = Amata Events: Renewal of the war., Suicide of Amata |
593-611 Accidit haec fessis etiam fortuna Latinis, quae totam luctu concussit funditus urbem. regina ut tectis uenientem prospicit hostem, incessi muros, ignis ad tecta uolare, nusquam acies contra Rutulas, nulla agmina Turni, infelix pugnae iuuenem in certamine credit exstinctum et subito mentem turbata dolore se causam clamat crimenque caputque malorum, multaque per maestum demens effata furorem purpureos moritura manu discindit amictus et nodum informis leti trabe nectit ab alta. quam cladem miserae postquam accepere Latinae, filia prima manu flauos Lauinia crinis et roseas laniata genas, tum cetera circum turba furit, resonant late plangoribus aedes. hinc totam infelix uulgatur fama per urbem: demittunt mentes, it scissa ueste Latinus coniugis attonitus fatis urbisque ruina, canitiem immundo perfusam puluere turpans. |