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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book IV Chapter 10: Jove sends Mercury to Aeneas | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
As thus he [Note 1] prayed and to the altars clung, th' Omnipotent [Note 2] gave ear, and turned his gaze upon the royal dwelling, where for love the amorous pair forgot their place and name. Then thus to Mercury he gave command: Haste thee, my son, upon the Zephyrs call, and take thy winged way! My mandate bear unto that prince [Note 3] of Troy who tarries now in Tyrian Carthage, heedless utterly of empire Heaven-bestowed. On winged winds hasten with my decrees. Not such the man his beauteous mother [Note 4] promised; not for this twice did she shield him from the Greeks in arms: but that he might rule Italy, a land pregnant with thrones and echoing with war; that he of Teucer's seed a race should sire, and bring beneath its law the whole wide world. If such a glory and event supreme enkindle not his bosom; if such task to his own honor speak not; can the sire begrudge Ascanius the heritage of the proud name of Rome? What plans he now? What mad hope bids him linger in the lap of enemies, considering no more the land Lavinian and Ausonia's sons. Let him to sea! Be this our final word: this message let our herald faithful bear. Note 1: he = Iarbas Events: Love and Death of Dido, The Gods interfere in the Aeneid |
219-237 Talibus orantem dictis arasque tenentem audiit Omnipotens, oculosque ad moenia torsit regia et oblitos famae melioris amantis. tum sic Mercurium adloquitur ac talia mandat: 'uade age, nate, uoca Zephyros et labere pennis Dardaniumque ducem, Tyria Karthagine qui nunc exspectat fatisque datas non respicit urbes, adloquere et celeris defer mea dicta per auras. non illum nobis genetrix pulcherrima talem promisit Graiumque ideo bis uindicat armis; sed fore qui grauidam imperiis belloque frementem Italiam regeret, genus alto a sanguine Teucri proderet, ac totum sub leges mitteret orbem. si nulla accendit tantarum gloria rerum nec super ipse sua molitur laude laborem, Ascanione pater Romanas inuidet arces? quid struit? aut qua spe inimica in gente moratur nec prolem Ausoniam et Lauinia respicit arua? nauiget! haec summa est, hic nostri nuntius esto.' |