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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book XII Chapter 31: Jupiter and Juno agree on Rome's future | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Meanwhile th' Olympian sovereign supreme to Juno speaks, as from an amber cloud the strife she views: My Queen, what end shall be? What yet remains? Thou seest Aeneas' name numbered with tutelary gods of power; and well thou know'st what station in the sky his starward destiny intends. What scheme vexes thy bosom still? What stubborn hope, fostered in cloud and cold? O, was it well to desecrate a god with mortal wound; or well (what were a nymph unhelped by thee?) to give back Turnus his lost sword, and lend strength unavailing to the fallen brave? Give o'er, and to our supplication yield; let not such grief thy voiceless heart devour; nor from thy sweet lips let thy mournful care so oft assail my mind. For now is come the last decisive day. Thy power availed to vex the Trojans upon land and sea, to wake abominable war, bring shame upon a royal house, and mix the songs of marriage and the grave: but further act I thee refuse. Such was the word of Jove. Thus Saturn's daughter answered, drooping low her brows divine: Because, great Jove, I knew thy pleasure, I from yonder earth retired and Turnus' cause, tho, with unwilling mind. Else shouldst thou not behold me at this hour Upon my solitary throne of air enduring fair and foul; I should be found flame-girded on the battle's deadly verge, tempting the Teucrians to a hated war. Yea, t was my motion thrust Juturna forth to help her hapless brother. I approved -- to save his life -- that she should be too bold; but bade no whirl of spear nor bending bow: I swear it by th' inexorable fount whence flow the Stygian rivers, the sole seat where gods of light bow down in awful prayer. I yield me now; heart-sick I quit the war. But ask one boon, which in the book of fate is not denied; for Latium's good I sue, and high prerogatives of men that be thy kith and kin: when happy wedlock vows (aye, be it so!) shall join them by strong laws of chartered peace, let not the Latins lose their ancient, native name. Bid them not pass for Trojans, nor be hailed as Teucer's sons; no alien speech, no alien garb impose. Let it be Latium ever; let the lords of Alba unto distant ages reign; let the strong, master blood of Rome receive the manhood and the might of Italy. Troy perished: let its name and glory die! The Author of mankind and all that is, smiling benignant, answered thus her plea: Jove's sister true, and Saturn's second child, what seas of anger vex thy heart divine! But come, relinquish thy rash, fruitless rage: I give thee this desire, and yield to thee free submission. The Ausonian tribes shall keep the speech and customs of their sires; the name remains as now; the Teucrian race, abiding in the land, shall but infuse the mixture of its blood. I will bestow a league of worship, and to Latins give one language only. From the mingled breed a people shall come forth whom thou shalt see surpass all mortal men and even outvie the faithfulness of gods; for none that live shall render to thy name an equal praise. So Juno bowed consent, and let her will be changed, as with much comfort in her breast she left Olympus and her haunt of cloud. |
791-842 Iunonem interea rex omnipotentis Olympi adloquitur fulua pugnas de nube tuentem: 'quae iam finis erit, coniunx? quid denique restat? indigetem Aenean scis ipsa et scire fateris deberi caelo fatisque ad sidera tolli. quid struis? aut qua spe gelidis in nubibus haeres? mortalin decuit uiolari uulnere diuum? aut ensem (quid enim sine te Iuturna ualeret?) ereptum reddi Turno et uim crescere uictis? desine iam tandem precibusque inflectere nostris, ne te tantus edit tacitam dolor et mihi curae saepe tuo dulci tristes ex ore recursent. uentum ad supremum est. terris agitare uel undis Troianos potuisti, infandum accendere bellum, deformare domum et luctu miscere hymenaeos: ulterius temptare ueto.' sic Iuppiter orsus; sic dea summisso contra Saturnia uultu: 'ista quidem quia nota mihi tua, magne, uoluntas, Iuppiter, et Turnum et terras inuita reliqui; nec tu me aeria solam nunc sede uideres digna indigna pati, sed flammis cincta sub ipsa starem acie traheremque inimica in proelia Teucros. Iuturnam misero (fateor) succurrere fratri suasi et pro uita maiora audere probaui, non ut tela tamen, non ut contenderet arcum; adiuro Stygii caput implacabile fontis, una superstitio superis quae reddita diuis. et nunc cedo equidem pugnasque exosa relinquo. illud te, nulla fati quod lege tenetur, pro Latio obtestor, pro maiestate tuorum: cum iam conubiis pacem felicibus (esto) component, cum iam leges et foedera iungent, ne uetus indigenas nomen mutare Latinos neu Troas fieri iubeas Teucrosque uocari aut uocem mutare uiros aut uertere uestem. sit Latium, sint Albani per saecula reges, sit Romana potens Itala uirtute propago: occidit, occideritque sinas cum nomine Troia.' olli subridens hominum rerumque repertor: 'es germana Iouis Saturnique altera proles, irarum tantos uoluis sub pectore fluctus. uerum age et inceptum frustra summitte furorem: do quod uis, et me uictusque uolensque remitto. sermonem Ausonii patrium moresque tenebunt, utque est nomen erit; commixti corpore tantum subsident Teucri. morem ritusque sacrorum adiciam faciamque omnis uno ore Latinos. hinc genus Ausonio mixtum quod sanguine surget, supra homines, supra ire deos pietate uidebis, nec gens ulla tuos aeque celebrabit honores.' adnuit his Iuno et mentem laetata retorsit; interea excedit caelo nubemque relinquit. |