Myths, Gods, and Men
Fall 2006 Readings - Week 9
Fall of Troy 1 of 2
Virgil's Aeneid 2.250 - 2.267 and 2.298 - 2.369
To be translated November 7, 2006
| "Vertitur interea caelum et ruit oceano nox, involvens umbra magna terramque polumque Myrmidonumque dolos; fusi per moenia Teucri conticuere, sopor fessos complectitur artus: et iam Argiva phalanx instructis navibus ibat a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae [255] litora nota petens, flammas cum regia puppis extulerat, fatisque deum defensus iniquis inclusos utero Danaos et pinea furtim laxat claustra Sinon. Illos patefactus ad auras reddit equus, laetique cavo se robore promunt [260] Thessandrus Sthenelusque duces, et dirus Ulixes, demissum lapsi per funem, Acamasque, Thoasque, Pelidesque Neoptolemus, primusque Machaon, et Menelaus, et ipse doli fabricator Epeos. Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam; [265] caeduntur vigiles, portisque patentibus omnis accipiunt socios atque agmina conscia iungunt. |
The skies rolled on; and o'er the ocean fell the veil of night, till utmost earth and heaven and all their Myrmidonian stratagems were mantled darkly o'er. In silent sleep the Trojan city lay; dull slumber chained its weary life. But now the Greek array of ordered ships moved on from Tenedos, their only light the silent, favoring moon, on to the well-known strand. The King displayed torch from his own ship, and Sinon then, whom wrathful Heaven defended in that hour, let the imprisoned band of Greeks go free from that huge womb of wood; the open horse restored them to the light; and joyfully emerging from the darkness, one by one, princely Thessander, Sthenelus, and dire Ulysses glided down the swinging cord. Closely upon them Neoptolemus, the son of Peleus, came, and Acamas, King Menelaus, Thoas and Machaon, and last, Epeus, who the fabric wrought. Upon the town they fell, for deep in sleep and drowsed with wine it lay; the sentinels they slaughtered, and through gates now opened wide let in their fellows, and arrayed for war th' auxiliar legions of the dark design. |
| Diverso interea miscentur moenia luctu, et magis atque magis, quamquam secreta parentis Anchisae domus arboribusque obtecta recessit, [300] clarescunt sonitus, armorumque ingruit horror. Excutior somno, et summi fastigia tecti ascensu supero, atque arrectis auribus adsto: in segetem veluti cum flamma furentibus austris incidit, aut rapidus montano flumine torrens [305] sternit agros, sternit sata laeta boumque labores, praecipitisque trahit silvas, stupet inscius alto accipiens sonitum saxi de vertice pastor. Tum vero manifesta fides, Danaumque patescunt insidiae. Iam Deiphobi dedit ampla ruinam [310] Volcano superante domus; iam proxumus ardet Ucalegon; Sigea igni freta lata relucent. Exoritur clamorque virum clangorque tubarum. Arma amens capio; nec sat rationis in armis, sed glomerare manum bello et concurrere in arcem [315] cum sociis ardent animi; furor iraque mentem praecipitant, pulchrumque mori succurrit in armis. Ecce autem telis Panthus elapsus Achivom, Panthus Othryades, arcis Phoebique sacerdos, sacra manu victosque deos parvumque nepotem [320] ipse trahit, cursuque amens ad limina tendit. |
Now shrieks and loud confusion swept the town; and though my father's dwelling stood apart embowered deep in trees, th' increasing din drew nearer, and the battle-thunder swelled. I woke on sudden, and up-starting scaled the roof, the tower, then stood with listening ear: 't was like an harvest burning, when wild winds uprouse the flames; 't was like a mountain stream that bursts in flood and ruinously whelms sweet fields and farms and all the ploughman's toil, whirling whole groves along; while dumb with fear, from some far cliff the shepherd hears the sound. Now their Greek plot was plain, the stratagem at last laid bare. Deiphobus' great house sank vanquished in the fire. Ucalegon's hard by was blazing, while the waters wide around Sigeum gave an answering glow. Shrill trumpets rang; Ioud shouting voices roared; wildly I armed me (when the battle calls, how dimly reason shines!); I burned to join the rally of my peers, and to the heights defensive gather. Frenzy and vast rage seized on my soul. I only sought what way with sword in hand some noble death to die. When Panthus met me, who had scarce escaped the Grecian spears,--Panthus of Othrys' line, Apollo's priest within our citadel; his holy emblems, his defeated gods, and his small grandson in his arms he bore, while toward the gates with wild, swift steps he flew. |
| "Quo res summa, loco, Panthu? Quam prendimus arcem?" Vix ea fatus eram, gemitu cum talia reddit: "Venit summa dies et ineluctabile tempus Dardaniae: fuimus Troes, fuit Ilium et ingens [325] gloria Teucrorum; ferus omnia Iuppiter Argos transtulit; incensa Danai dominantur in urbe. Arduus armatos mediis in moenibus adstans fundit equus, victorque Sinon incendia miscet insultans; portis alii bipatentibus adsunt, [330] milia quot magnis umquam venere Mycenis; obsedere alii telis angusta viarum oppositi; stat ferri acies mucrone corusco stricta, parata neci; vix primi proelia temptant portarum vigiles, et caeco Marte resistunt." [335] Talibus Othryadae dictis et numine divom in flammas et in arma feror, quo tristis Erinys, ullo fremitus vocat et sublatus ad aethera clamor. Addunt se socios Rhipeus et maximus armis Epytus oblati per lunam Hypanisque Dymasque, [340] et lateri adglomerant nostro, iuvenisque Coroebus, Mygdonides: illis ad Troiam forte diebus venerat, insano Cassandrae incensus amore, et gener auxilium Priamo Phrygibusque ferebat, infelix, qui non sponsae praecepta furentis [345] audierit. |
"How fares the kingdom, Panthus? What strong place is still our own?" But scarcely could I ask when thus, with many a groan, he made reply:-- "Dardania's death and doom are come to-day, implacable. There is no Ilium now; our Trojan name is gone, the Teucrian throne Quite fallen. For the wrathful power of Jove has given to Argos all our boast and pride. The Greek is Iord of all yon blazing towers. yon horse uplifted on our city's heart disgorges men-at-arms. False Sinon now, with scorn exultant, heaps up flame on flame. Others throw wide the gates. The whole vast horde that out of proud Mycenae hither sailed is at us. With confronting spears they throng each narrow passage. Every steel-bright blade is flashing naked, making haste for blood. Our sentries helpless meet the invading shock and give back blind and unavailing war." By Panthus' word and by some god impelled, I flew to battle, where the flames leaped high, where grim Bellona called, and all the air resounded high as heaven with shouts of war. Rhipeus and Epytus of doughty arm were at my side, Dymas and Hypanis, seen by a pale moon, join our little band; and young Coroebus, Mygdon's princely son, who was in Troy that hour because he loved Cassandra madly, and had made a league as Priam's kinsman with our Phrygian arms: ill-starred, to heed not what the virgin raved! |
| Quos ubi confertos audere in proelia vidi, incipio super his: "Iuvenes, fortissima frustra pectora, si vobis audentem extrema cupido certa sequi, quae sit rebus fortuna videtis: [350] excessere omnes, adytis arisque relictis, di, quibus imperium hoc steterat; succurritis urbi incensae; moriamur et in media arma ruamus. Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem." Sic animis iuvenum furor additus: inde, lupi ceu [355] raptores atra in nebula, quos improba ventris exegit caecos rabies, catulique relicti faucibus exspectant siccis, per tela, per hostis vadimus haud dubiam in mortem, mediaeque tenemus urbis iter; nox atra cava circumvolat umbra. [360] Quis cladem illius noctis, quis funera fando explicet, aut possit lacrimis aequare labores? Urbs antiqua ruit, multos dominata per annos; plurima perque vias sternuntur inertia passim corpora, perque domos et religiosa deorum [365] limina. Nec soli poenas dant sanguine Teucri; quondam etiam victis redit in praecordia virtus victoresque cadunt Danai: crudelis ubique luctus, ubique pavor, et plurima mortis imago. |
When these I saw close-gathered for the fight, I thus addressed them: "Warriors, vainly brave, if ye indeed desire to follow one who dares the uttermost brave men may do, our evil plight ye see: the gods are fled from every altar and protecting fire, which were the kingdom's stay. Ye offer aid unto your country's ashes. Let us fight unto the death! To arms, my men, to arms! The single hope and stay of desperate men is their despair." Thus did I rouse their souls. Then like the ravening wolves, some night of cloud, when cruel hunger in an empty maw drives them forth furious, and their whelps behind wait famine-throated; so through foemen's steel we flew to surest death, and kept our way straight through the midmost town . The wings of night brooded above us in vast vault of shade. But who the bloodshed of that night can tell? What tongue its deaths shall number, or what eyes find meed of tears to equal all its woe? The ancient City fell, whose throne had stood age after age. Along her streets were strewn the unresisting dead; at household shrines and by the temples of the gods they lay. Yet not alone was Teucrian blood required: oft out of vanquished hearts fresh valor flamed, and the Greek victor fell. Anguish and woe were everywhere; pale terrors ranged abroad, and multitudinous death met every eye. |
Source Information
Latin: Vergil. Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics Of Vergil. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900.
[Via Perseus]
English: Vergil. Aeneid. Theodore C. Williams. trans. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1910.
[Via Perseus]