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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book IV Chapter 3: Bad omens | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
So saying, she stirred a passion-burning breast to love more madly still; her words infused a doubting mind with hope, and bade the blush of shame begone. First to the shrines they went and sued for grace; performing sacrifice, choosing an offering of unblemished ewes, to law-bestowing Ceres, to the god of light, to sire Lyeus, Lord of wine; but chiefly unto Juno, patroness of nuptial vows. There Dido, beauteous Queen held forth in her right hand the sacred bowl and poured it full between the lifted horns of the white heifer; or on temple floors she strode among the richly laden shrines, the eyes of gods upon her, worshipping with many a votive gift; or, peering deep into the victims' cloven sides, she read the fate-revealing tokens trembling there. How blind the hearts of prophets be! Alas! Of what avail be temples and fond prayers to change a frenzied mind? Devouring ever, love's fire burns inward to her bones; she feels quick in her breast the viewless, voiceless wound. Ill-fated Dido ranges up and down the spaces of her city, desperate her life one flame -- like arrow-stricken doe through Cretan forest rashly wandering, pierced by a far-off shepherd, who pursues with shafts, and leaves behind his light-winged steed, not knowing; while she scours the dark ravines of Dicte and its woodlands; at her heart the mortal barb irrevocably clings. around her city's battlements she guides Aeneas, to make show of Sidon's gold, and what her realm can boast; full oft her voice essays to speak and trembling dies away: or, when the daylight fades, she spreads anew a royal banquet, and once more will plead mad that she is, to hear the Trojan sorrow; and with oblivious ravishment once more hangs on his lips who tells; or when her guests are scattered, and the wan moon's fading horn bedims its ray, while many a sinking star invites to slumber, there she weeps alone in the deserted hall, and casts her down on the cold couch he pressed. Her love from far beholds her vanished hero and receives his voice upon her ears; or to her breast, moved by a father's image in his child, she clasps Ascanius, seeking to deceive her unblest passion so. Her enterprise of tower and rampart stops: her martial host no longer she reviews, nor fashions now defensive haven and defiant wall; but idly all her half-built bastions frown, and enginery of sieges, high as heaven. Event: Love and Death of Dido |
54-89 His dictis impenso animum flammauit amore spemque dedit dubiae menti soluitque pudorem. principio delubra adeunt pacemque per aras exquirunt; mactant lectas de more bidentis legiferae Cereri Phoeboque patrique Lyaeo, Iunoni ante omnis, cui uincla iugalia curae. ipsa tenens dextra pateram pulcherrima Dido candentis uaccae media inter cornua fundit, aut ante ora deum pinguis spatiatur ad aras, instauratque diem donis, pecudumque reclusis pectoribus inhians spirantia consulit exta. heu, uatum ignarae mentes! quid uota furentem, quid delubra iuuant? est mollis flamma medullas interea et tacitum uiuit sub pectore uulnus. uritur infelix Dido totaque uagatur urbe furens, qualis coniecta cerua sagitta, quam procul incautam nemora inter Cresia fixit pastor agens telis liquitque uolatile ferrum nescius: illa fuga siluas saltusque peragrat Dictaeos; haeret lateri letalis harundo. nunc media Aenean secum per moenia ducit Sidoniasque ostentat opes urbemque paratam, incipit effari mediaque in uoce resistit; nunc eadem labente die conuiuia quaerit, Iliacosque iterum demens audire labores exposcit pendetque iterum narrantis ab ore. post ubi digressi, lumenque obscura uicissim luna premit suadentque cadentia sidera somnos, sola domo maeret uacua stratisque relictis incubat. illum absens absentem auditque uidetque, aut gremio Ascanium genitoris imagine capta detinet, infandum si fallere possit amorem. non coeptae adsurgunt turres, non arma iuuentus exercet portusue aut propugnacula bello tuta parant: pendent opera interrupta minaeque murorum ingentes aequataque machina caelo. |