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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book II Chapter 22: Death of Priam | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
But, lo! 'just 'scaped of Pyrrhus murderous hand, Polites, one of Priam's sons, fled fast along the corridors, through thronging foes and a thick rain of spears. Wildly he gazed across the desolate halls, wounded to death. Fierce Pyrrhus followed after, pressing hard with mortal stroke, and now his hand and spear were close upon: -- when the lost youth leaped forth into his father's sight, and prostrate there lay dying, while his life-blood ebbed away. Then Priam, though on all sides death was nigh, quit not the strife, nor from loud wrath refrained: Thy crime and impious outrage, may the gods (if Heaven to mortals render debt and due) justly reward and worthy honors pay! My own son's murder thou hast made me see, blood and pollution impiously throwing upon a father's head. Not such was he, not such, Achilles, thy pretended sire, when Priam was his foe. With flush of shame he nobly listened to a suppliant's plea in honor made. He rendered to the tomb my Hector's body pale, and me did send back to my throne a king. With this proud word the aged warrior hurled with nerveless arm his ineffectual spear, which hoarsely rang rebounding on the brazen shield, and hung piercing the midmost boss,- but all in vain. Then Pyrrhus: Take these tidings, and convey message to my father, Peleus' son! tell him my naughty deeds! Be sure and say how Neoptolemus hath shamed his sires. Now die! With this, he trailed before the shrines the trembling king, whose feet slipped in the stream of his son's blood. Then Pyrrhus' left hand clutched the tresses old and gray; a glittering sword his right hand lifted high, and buried it far as the hilt in that defenceless heart. So Priam's story ceased. Such final doom fell on him, while his dying eyes surveyed Troy burning, and her altars overthrown, though once of many an orient land and tribe the boasted lord. In huge dismemberment his severed trunk lies tombless on the shore, the head from shoulder torn, the corpse unknown. Event: The fall of Troy |
526-558 Ecce autem elapsus Pyrrhi de caede Polites, unus natorum Priami, per tela, per hostis porticibus longis fugit et uacua atria lustrat saucius. illum ardens infesto uulnere Pyrrhus insequitur, iam iamque manu tenet et premit hasta. ut tandem ante oculos euasit et ora parentum, concidit ac multo uitam cum sanguine fudit. hic Priamus, quamquam in media iam morte tenetur, non tamen abstinuit nec uoci iraeque pepercit: 'at tibi pro scelere,' exclamat, 'pro talibus ausis di, si qua est caelo pietas quae talia curet, persoluant grates dignas et praemia reddant debita, qui nati coram me cernere letum fecisti et patrios foedasti funere uultus. at non ille, satum quo te mentiris, Achilles talis in hoste fuit Priamo; sed iura fidemque supplicis erubuit corpusque exsangue sepulcro reddidit Hectoreum meque in mea regna remisit.' sic fatus senior telumque imbelle sine ictu coniecit, rauco quod protinus aere repulsum, et summo clipei nequiquam umbone pependit. cui Pyrrhus: 'referes ergo haec et nuntius ibis Pelidae genitori. illi mea tristia facta degeneremque Neoptolemum narrare memento. nunc morere.' hoc dicens altaria ad ipsa trementem traxit et in multo lapsantem sanguine nati, implicuitque comam laeua, dextraque coruscum extulit ac lateri capulo tenus abdidit ensem. haec finis Priami fatorum, hic exitus illum sorte tulit Troiam incensam et prolapsa uidentem Pergama, tot quondam populis terrisque superbum regnatorem Asiae. iacet ingens litore truncus, auulsumque umeris caput et sine nomine corpus. |