Omnibus extemplo Teucris jubet ordine duci 280 285 290 295 300 286. Inachiis Argis. There were several cities in Greece named Argos. This was in the Peloponnese, near Mycenae. Trojans he commands the winged coursers, caparisoned with purple and embroidered trappings, to be led forth in order. Golden poitrels hang low down from their breasts; arrayed in gold, they champ the yellow gold under their teeth. For the absent hero, he orders a chariot, and a pair of harnessed steeds of ethereal breed, from their nostrils snorting fire, of the race of those which crafty Circe produced, when, having stolen horses from the chariot of her father the Sun, she raised up a spurious breed by a substituted mare. With these generous presents and friendly speeches from Latinus, the Trojans, mounted on their steeds, return, and bring back peace. But lo, the unrelenting wife of Jove was on her return from Inachian Argos, and, wafted in her chariot, possessed the aerial regions; and, from on high, at the distance of Pachynus, the Sicilian promontory, far off she spied Æneas full joyous, and the Trojan fleet. She sees the Trojans already labouring on the buildings, already settled in the land, and that they have abandoned their ships. Pierced with sharp pangs of grief she stood; then tossing her head, she poured forth these words from her enraged breast: Ah race detested, and fates of Troy still opposite to ours! how have they baffled the utmost efforts of my revenge! Was it in the compass of my power to overthrow them in the plains of Sigeum? enthralled could they be held in chains? when Troy was burned to ashes, were they consumed? through the midst of armies, through the midst of flames, have they then found their way? But, I suppose, the power of my divinity, tired out now, lies dead and inactive; or, glutted with full revenge, I have dropped my resentment. Yet, with hostile intention, I dared to pursue them over the waves, when they had been driven out of their country, and on the wide ocean to oppose myself to the exiles. The powers of heaven and sea have been spent on the Trojans. Of what avail to me were the quicksands of Afric, or Scylla, or the vast Charybdis? Now in Tyber's wished-for channel they are lodged, secure against the raging seas and me. Mars was able N 305 Immanem Lapithûm valuit: concessit in iras Vincor ab Æneâ. Quod si mea numina non sunt 310 Magna satis, dubitem haud equidem implorare quod usquam est : Flectere si nequeo Superos, Acheronta movebo. Hæc ubi dicta dedit, terras horrenda petivit. 315 320 325 330 Hunc mihi da proprium, virgo, sata Nocte, laborem, Hanc operam; ne noster honos, infractave cedat Æneada possint, Italosve obsidere fines. Tu potes unanimos armare in prœlia fratres, 335 Atque odiis versare domos; tu verbera tectis, 306. Antiquam. This adjective seems here, and in some other places, to signify, dear, favourite. 307. Scelus is here put for poena sceleris. 319. Bellona manet te pronuba. Bellona will conduct you to the husband whom they design for you. Juno herself was rightly the Pronuba, or goddess who presided over marriages. 320. Cisseis. Hecuba, the daughter of Cisseus, dreamed that she brought forth a firebrand, and she accordingly was delivered of Paris, who kindled the Trojan war. to destroy the gigantic race of the Lapithæ; the father of the gods himself gave up his beloved Calydon to Diana's resentment: what crime, either of the Lapithæ, or of Calydon, had deserved such severe punishment? But I, the great consort of Jove, who had power to leave no means untried, who have had recourse to all expedients, unhappy! am vanquished by Æneas. But, if my own divinity is not powerful enough, surely I need not hesitate to implore whatever deity any where subsists: if I cannot move the powers above, I will solicit those of hell. Grant I be not permitted to bar him from the kingdom of Latium, and Lavinia be unalterably destined his spouse by fate: yet I may protract, and throw obstacles in the way of those mighty events; yet I may with the sword of war cut off the subjects of both kings. With this costly price of their people's blood let the father and son-in-law unite. Thy dowry, virgin, shall be paid in Trojan and Rutulian blood; and Bellona waits thee for thy bridemaid: nor did teeming Hecuba alone, impregnated with a firebrand, bring forth a blazing nuptial torch to Venus too this production of hers shall prove the same, even a second Paris, and a firebrand fatal to Troy again tottering to its fall. Having uttered these words, dreadful down to earth she plunged. From the mansion of the dire sisters, and the infernal glooms, she calls up baleful Alecto; whose heart's delight are rueful wars, strifes, and deceits, and noxious crimes. Her even her father Pluto's self abhors, her hellish sisters abhor the monster; into so many shapes she turns herself, so hideous are her forms, with so many snakes the grim Fury sprouts up. Whom Juno stimulates with these words, and thus addresses: Virgin, offspring of Night, perform for me this task, this service, your own peculiar province; that our honour and wounded fame be not quite baffled, nor the Ænean race be able fawningly to circumvent Latinus by this intended match, or take possession of the Italian territories. Thou canst arm to war the most cordial brothers, and by hates and animosities embroil families; thou canst introduce into Funereasque inferre faces; tibi nomina mille, 340 345 350 Pertentat sensus, atque ossibus implicat ignem, 355 Multa super nata lacrymans Phrygiisque hymenæis: 360 365 366. Consanguineo. Turnus was the son of the nymph Venilia, the sister of Amata. |