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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book IV Chapter 14: Aeneas refers her to the gods | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
She said. But he [Note 1] , obeying Jove's decree, gazed steadfastly away; and in his heart with strong repression crushed his cruel pain; then thus the silence broke: O Queen, not one of my unnumbered debts so strongly urged would I gainsay. Elissa's memory will be my treasure long as memory holds, or breath of life is mine. Hear my brief plea! T was not my hope to hide this flight I take, as thou hast dreamed. Nay, I did never light a bridegroom's torch, nor gave I thee the vow of marriage. Had my destiny decreed, that I should shape life to my heart's desire, and at my own will put away the weight of foil and pain, my place would now be found in Troy, among the cherished sepulchres of my own kin, and Priam's mansion proud were standing still; or these my loyal hands had rebuilt Ilium for her vanquished sons. But now to Italy Apollo's power commands me forth; his Lycian oracles are loud for Italy. My heart is there, and there my fatherland. If now the towers of Carthage and thy Libyan colony delight thy Tyrian eyes; wilt thou refuse to Trojan exiles their Ausonian shore? I too by Fate was driven, not less than thou, to wander far a foreign throne to find. Oft when in dewy dark night hides the world, and flaming stars arise, Anchises' shade looks on me in my dreams with angered brow. I think of my Ascanius, and the wrong to that dear heart, from whom I steal away Hesperia, his destined home and throne. But now the winged messenger of Heaven, sent down by Jove (I swear by thee and me!), has brought on winged winds his sire's command. My own eyes with unclouded vision saw the god within these walls; I have received with my own ears his word. No more inflame with lamentation fond thy heart and mine. T is not my own free act seeks Italy. Note 1: he = Aeneas Event: Love and Death of Dido |
331-361 Dixerat. ille Iouis monitis immota tenebat lumina et obnixus curam sub corde premebat. tandem pauca refert: 'ego te, quae plurima fando enumerare uales, numquam, regina, negabo promeritam, nec me meminisse pigebit Elissae dum memor ipse mei, dum spiritus hos regit artus. pro re pauca loquar. neque ego hanc abscondere furto speraui (ne finge) fugam, nec coniugis umquam praetendi taedas aut haec in foedera ueni. me si fata meis paterentur ducere uitam auspiciis et sponte mea componere curas, urbem Troianam primum dulcisque meorum reliquias colerem, Priami tecta alta manerent, et recidiua manu posuissem Pergama uictis. sed nunc Italiam magnam Gryneus Apollo, Italiam Lyciae iussere capessere sortes; hic amor, haec patria est. si te Karthaginis arces Phoenissam Libycaeque aspectus detinet urbis, quae tandem Ausonia Teucros considere terra inuidia est? et nos fas extera quaerere regna. me patris Anchisae, quotiens umentibus umbris nox operit terras, quotiens astra ignea surgunt, admonet in somnis et turbida terret imago; me puer Ascanius capitisque iniuria cari, quem regno Hesperiae fraudo et fatalibus aruis. nunc etiam interpres diuum Ioue missus ab ipso (testor utrumque caput) celeris mandata per auras detulit: ipse deum manifesto in lumine uidi intrantem muros uocemque his auribus hausi. desine meque tuis incendere teque querelis; Italiam non sponte sequor.' |