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Notes Do not display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book V Chapter 7: Start of the game | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
Fronting the surf-beat shore, far out at sea rises a rock, which under swollen waves lies buffeted unseen, when wintry storms mantle the stars; but when the deep is calm, lifts silently above the sleeping wave its level field, -- a place where haunt and play flocks of the sea-birds, lovers of the sun. Here was the goal; and here Aeneas set a green-leaved flex-tree, to be a mark for every captain's eye, from whence to veer the courses of their ships in sweeping curves and speed them home. Now places in the line are given by lot. Upon the lofty sterns the captains ride, in beautiful array of Tyrian purple and far-flaming gold; the crews are poplar-crowned, the shoulders bare rubbed well with glittering oil; their straining arms make long reach to the oar, as on the thwarts they sit attentive, listening for the call of the loud trumpet; while with pride and fear their hot hearts throb, impassioned for renown. Soon pealed the signal clear; from all the line instant the galleys bounded, and the air rang to the rowers, shouting, while their arms pulled every inch and flung the waves in foam; deep cut the rival strokes; the surface fair yawned wide beneath their blades and cleaving keels. Not swifter scour the chariots o'er the plain, sped headlong from the line behind their teams of mated coursers, while each driver shakes loose, rippling reins above his plunging pairs, and o'er the lash leans far. With loud applause vociferous and many an urgent cheer the woodlands rang, and all the concave shores back from the mountains took the Trojan cry in answering song. |
124-150 >Est procul in pelago saxum spumantia contra litora, quod tumidis summersum tunditur olim fluctibus, hiberni condunt ubi sidera Cauri; tranquillo silet immotaque attollitur unda campus et apricis statio gratissima mergis. hic uiridem Aeneas frondenti ex ilice metam constituit signum nautis pater, unde reuerti scirent et longos ubi circumflectere cursus. tum loca sorte legunt ipsique in puppibus auro ductores longe effulgent ostroque decori; cetera populea uelatur fronde iuuentus nudatosque umeros oleo perfusa nitescit. considunt transtris, intentaque bracchia remis; intenti exspectant signum, exsultantiaque haurit corda pauor pulsans laudumque arrecta cupido. inde ubi clara dedit sonitum tuba, finibus omnes, haud mora, prosiluere suis; ferit aethera clamor nauticus, adductis spumant freta uersa lacertis. infindunt pariter sulcos, totumque dehiscit conuulsum remis rostrisque tridentibus aequor. non tam praecipites biiugo certamine campum corripuere ruuntque effusi carcere currus, nec sic immissis aurigae undantia lora concussere iugis pronique in uerbera pendent. tum plausu fremituque uirum studiisque fauentum consonat omne nemus, uocemque inclusa uolutant litora, pulsati colles clamore resultant. |