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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VI Chapter 7: Funeral of Misenus | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Aeneas then drew forth, with downcast eyes, From that dark cavern, pondering in his heart The riddle of his fate. His faithful friend Achates at his side, with paces slow, Companioned all his care, while their sad souls Made mutual and oft-renewed surmise What comrade dead, what cold and tombless clay, The Sibyl's word would show. But as they mused, Behold Misenus on the dry sea-sands, By hasty hand of death struck guiltless down! A son of Aeolus, none better knew To waken heroes by the clarion's call, With war-enkindling sound. Great Hector's friend In happier days, he oft at Hector's side Strode to the fight with glittering lance and horn. But when Achilles stripped his fallen foe, This dauntless hero to Aeneas gave Allegiance true, in not less noble cause. But, on a day, he chanced beside the sea To blow his shell-shaped horn, and wildly dared Challenge the gods themselves to rival song; Till jealous Triton, if the tale be true, Grasped the rash mortal, and out-flung him far 'mid surf-beat rocks and waves of whirling foam. Now from all sides, with tumult and loud cry, The Trojans came, -- Aeneas leading all In faithful grief; they hasten to fulfil The Sibyl's mandate, and with many a tear Build, altar-wise, a pyre, of tree on tree Heaped high as : heaven then they penetrate The tall, old forest, where wild creatures bide, And fell pitch-pines, or with resounding blows Of axe and wedge, cleave oak and ash-tree through, Or logs of rowan down the mountains roll. |
156-182 Aeneas maesto defixus lumina uultu ingreditur linquens antrum, caecosque uolutat euentus animo secum. cui fidus Achates it comes et paribus curis uestigia figit. multa inter sese uario sermone serebant, quem socium exanimum uates, quod corpus humandum diceret. atque illi Misenum in litore sicco, ut uenere, uident indigna morte peremptum, Misenum Aeoliden, quo non praestantior alter aere ciere uiros Martemque accendere cantu. Hectoris hic magni fuerat comes, Hectora circum et lituo pugnas insignis obibat et hasta. postquam illum uita uictor spoliauit Achilles, Dardanio Aeneae sese fortissimus heros addiderat socium, non inferiora secutus. sed tum, forte caua dum personat aequora concha, demens, et cantu uocat in certamina diuos, aemulus exceptum Triton, si credere dignum est, inter saxa uirum spumosa immerserat unda. ergo omnes magno circum clamore fremebant, praecipue pius Aeneas. tum iussa Sibyllae, haud mora, festinant flentes aramque sepulcri congerere arboribus caeloque educere certant. itur in antiquam siluam, stabula alta ferarum; procumbunt piceae, sonat icta securibus ilex fraxineaeque trabes cuneis et fissile robur scinditur, aduoluunt ingentis montibus ornos. |