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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book I Chapter 22: Venus tells Aeneas about Dido's life | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Then Venus: Nay, I boast not to receive honors divine. We Tyrian virgins oft bear bow and quiver, and our ankles white lace up in purple buskin. Yonder lies the Punic power, where Tyrian masters hold Agenor's town; but on its borders dwell the Libyans, by battles unsubdued. Upon the throne is Dido, exiled there from Tyre, to flee th' unnatural enmity of her own brother. T was an ancient wrong; too long the dark and tangled tale would be; I trace the larger outline of her story: Sichaeus was her spouse, whose acres broad no Tyrian lord could match, and he was blessed by his ill-fated lady's fondest love, whose father [Note 1] gave him her first virgin bloom in youthful marriage. But the kingly power among the Tyrians to her brother came, Pygmalion, none deeper dyed in crime in all that land. Betwixt these twain there rose a deadly hatred, -- and the impious wretch, blinded by greed, and reckless utterly of his fond sister's joy, did murder foul upon defenceless and unarmed Sichaeus, and at the very altar hewed him down. Long did he hide the deed, and guilefully deceived with false hopes, and empty words, her grief and stricken love. But as she slept, her husband's tombless ghost before her came, with face all wondrous pale, and he laid bare his heart with dagger pierced, disclosing so the blood-stained altar and the infamy that darkened now their house. His counsel was to fly, self-banished, from her ruined land, and for her journey's aid, he whispered where his buried treasure lay, a weight unknown of silver and of gold. Thus onward urged, Dido, assembling her few trusted friends, prepared her flight. There rallied to her cause all who did hate and scorn the tyrant king, or feared his cruelty. They seized his ships, which haply rode at anchor in the bay, and loaded them with gold; the hoarded wealth of vile and covetous Pygmalion they took to sea. A woman wrought this deed. Then came they to these lands where now thine eyes behold yon walls and yonder citadel of newly rising Carthage. For a price they measured round so much of Afric soil as one bull's hide encircles, and the spot received its name, the Byrsa. But, I pray, what men are ye? from what far land arrived, and whither going? When she questioned thus, her son, with sighs that rose from his heart's depths, this answer gave: Note 1: father = Belus Events: The Gods interfere in the Aeneid, Pygmalion murders Sichaeus, The wanderings of Aeneas |
335-371 Tum Venus: 'Haud equidem tali me dignor honore; virginibus Tyriis mos est gestare pharetram, purpureoque alte suras vincire cothurno. Punica regna vides, Tyrios et Agenoris urbem; sed fines Libyci, genus intractabile bello. Imperium Dido Tyria regit urbe profecta, germanum fugiens. Longa est iniuria, longae ambages; sed summa sequar fastigia rerum. 'Huic coniunx Sychaeus erat, ditissimus agri Phoenicum, et magno miserae dilectus amore, cui pater intactam dederat, primisque iugarat ominibus. Sed regna Tyri germanus habebat Pygmalion, scelere ante alios immanior omnes. Quos inter medius venit furor. Ille Sychaeum impius ante aras, atque auri caecus amore, clam ferro incautum superat, securus amorum germanae; factumque diu celavit, et aegram, multa malus simulans, vana spe lusit amantem. Ipsa sed in somnis inhumati venit imago coniugis, ora modis attollens pallida miris, crudeles aras traiectaque pectora ferro nudavit, caecumque domus scelus omne retexit. Tum celerare fugam patriaque excedere suadet, auxiliumque viae veteres tellure recludit thesauros, ignotum argenti pondus et auri. His commota fugam Dido sociosque parabat: conveniunt, quibus aut odium crudele tyranni aut metus acer erat; navis, quae forte paratae, corripiunt, onerantque auro: portantur avari Pygmalionis opes pelago; dux femina facti. Devenere locos, ubi nunc ingentia cernis moenia surgentemque novae Karthaginis arcem, mercatique solum, facti de nomine Byrsam, taurino quantum possent circumdare tergo. Sed vos qui tandem, quibus aut venistis ab oris, quove tenetis iter? 'Quaerenti talibus ille suspirans, imoque trahens a pectore vocem: |