Saturday, November 28, 2009

Aeneid 2.679-729

Shouting such things, the whole house filled with groaning, when a sudden portent, wondrous to speak of, arises. For between the hands and faces of his sad parents, look! a thin peak seemed to pour out light from the top of Iulus' head, and harmless flames (seemed) to lick his soft hair with a touch and to feed around his temples. We, terrified, rush around with fear both to cast off the burning hair and and to put out the sacred fires from their sources. But father Anchises happily lifted his eyes to the stars and held his hands to the sky (along) with his voice: 'All-powerful Jupiter, if you are bent by any prayers, see us, this so great thing, and, if we earn (it) by our piety, then give us help and confirm all these things, father.'

(692) Hardly had the too-old man said these things, and suddenly with a crash the left sounded, and from the sky a star, having slipped through the shadows, leading a fiery tail, ran with much light. We see that, sinking over the highest tops of the house, bury itself bright in the forest of Mt. Ida and marking the ways; then from the long path the trail gives light and widely around the places smoke with sulphur. Here indeed, my conquered father lifted himself to the airs and speaks to the gods and worships the holy star: 'Now, now there is no delay; I follow and where you lead I am there, gods of my fathers; save this house, save my grandson. Yours is this portent, in your power is Troy. I yield indeed a, child, I do not refuse to go as companion to you.' That man had spoken, and now a clearer fire is heard through the walls, and nearer the fires roll the heat waves.

(707) Therefore come, dear father, clasp our neck; I myself will place (you) on my shoulders and that labor will not weigh me down; wherever things will fall, one and common danger, one safety will be for us both. Little Iulus will be a companion to me, and my wife will guard my steps at a distance. You, household slaves, turn your thoughts to what I say. There is for those having left the city a mound and an old temple of deserted Ceres, and nearby an ancient Cypress, protected through the many years by the religion of my fathers; we will come into the one seat from diverse (directions). You, father, take the sacred items and our fathers' Penates in your hand; it is wrong that I touch (them) having come from such war and fresh slaughter until I have cleansed myself in flowing water.' Having said these things, I covered over my broad shoulders and lowered neck with a cloak and the tawny pelt of a lion, and advance to the burden; little Iulus joins himself to my right hand and follows his father with unequal steps; my wife comes up behind. We are born through the shadows of the places, and whom recently not any thrown weapon and not collected Greeks with hostile swarm, now every breeze terrifies me, every sound excites, anxious and fearing equally for my companion and my burden.

Aeneid 2.624-678

Then indeed all Ilium seemed to settle into fires and Neptunian Troy (seemed) to be turned from the bottom: and just as when in the tops of the mountains farmers in rivalry press to fell an ancient ash tree, cut by the iron and thick axe (blows), that (tree) threatens and, made to tremble, sways its foliage with shaken top, until, conquered little by little by its wounds, it groaned its last and dragged ruin, torn from the ridges. I descend and, with a god leading, I am sped among the flame and enemies: the weapons give way and the flames recede.

(634) And when now it had been arrived at the thresholds of my paternal seat and ancient homes, my father, whom I first hoped to lift into high mountains and first sought, he declined to lead on life with Troy destroyed and to endure exile. 'O you, who have blood untouched by age,' he says, 'and whose solid strength stands with its oak, you pursue flight. If the gods had wished me to lead on my life, they would have saved these abodes for me. We have seen one destruction, enough and more, and we have survived a captured city. Depart, o thus having addressed this corpse placed thus. I myself will find death by my hand; the enemy will pity (me) and seek spoils. The loss of burial is easy. For a long time now hated by the gods and, useless, I have delayed the years, from which the father of the gods and king of men breathed upon me with the winds of lightening and touched (me) with fire.'

(650) Recalling such things he stood firm and remained fixed. We, in response, drenched with tears, both my wife Creusa and Ascanius and the whole house, lest my father wish to turn over everything with him and add his weight to pressing doom. He refused and clings to his undertaking and the seats themselves. Again I am born into armor and most wretched hope for death. For what plan or what fortune was now given? 'Did you believe that I could retreat with you abandoned, father, and does such wrong fall from a father's mouth? If it pleases the gods that nothing be left from such a city and this sits in your mind and it pleases to add yourself and yours to ruined Troy, the door lies open to that death, and now Pyrrhus will be here from the copious blood of Priam, who kills a son before the face (lit. pl.) of a father and a father before the altars. This it was, dear parent, (for) what you snatch me through the weapons, through the fires, to see the enemy in the inner recesses and to see Ascanius and my father and Creusa nearby, (all) slaughtered, the one in the blood of the other? Arms, men, take arms; the last light calls the beaten. Return me to the Danaans; allow that I revisit renewed battles. Never will we all die unavenged today.

(671) Hence I put on my sword again and I inserted my left hand to the shield, fitting (it), and I bore myself outside my home. But look, my wife, having embraced my feet at the threshold and holding little Iulus to his father: 'If you go t die take us also into everything with you; but if having tried you put some hope in arms taken up, protect this home first. To whom little Iulus, to whom your father and I, once called your wife, am left?

Aeneid 2.559-623

But then first a savage horror surrounded me. I stood silent; the image of my dear father steals in as I saw a king of like age with a cruel wound, breathing out his life; abandoned Creusa steals in and my plundered home and the downfall of little Iulus. I look back and scan what force is around me. Everyone, weary, has left, and with a wretched leap gave sick bodies to the earth or to the fires.

(567) And now indeed I was one left, when I catch sight of Tyndareus' daughter watching over the thresholds of Vesta and, silent, hiding in the hidden abode; bright fires give light to one wandering and everywhere bearing eyes through everything. That one fearing Teucrians hostile to her on account of overturned Pergama and the punishment of the Danaans and the rages of her deserted husband, the common Erinys of Troy and her fatherland, she had hidden herself and hated was sitting upon the altars. Fires burned in my mind. Anger enters to avenge my falling fatherland and to exact criminal punishments. 'Surely this one will look upon Sparta, safe, and paternal Mycenae, she will go, a queen, with triumph won? She will see both husband and home, fathers and children, accompanied by a crowd of Trojan women and Phrygian ministers? Priam will have fallen by the sword? Troy will have burned with fire? The Dardanian shore will have been soaked so many times with blood? Not so. For even if there is no memorable name in the punishment of a woman and (this) victory has no praise, but I will be praised having killed (this) wrong and having taken merited punishments, and it will please to have filled my mind with avenging flame and to have satisfied the ashes of my people.'

(588) I was considering such things and with a crazed mind I was born, when my dear parent brought herself to me, not before so clear to my eyes, to be seen, and she gleamed in pure light through the night, revealed as a goddess and such and as great as she is accustomed to be seen by the gods, she held me, seized with her right hand, and with rosy mouth she adds these things in addition, 'Child, what such great grief rouses untamable angers? Why do you rage? Or to what place does your care for ours retreat you? WIll you not first see where you left Anchises, your parent weary with age, does your wife Creusa and the boy Ascanius survive? Around all of whom the Greek battle-lines wander and unless my care makes a stand now flames would have born (away) and a hostile sword would have drained. The face of the Laconian daughter of Tyndareus is not hateful to you nor is Paris to blame, the harshness of the gods, of the gods, overturns these resources and lays low Troy from the zenith. Look--for I will tear away the whole cloud which now having covered the one viewing dim your mortal sights and, damp, make clouds around; you do not fear any orders of your parent not refuse to obey her commands--here, when you see the divided masses and rocks torn from rocks, surging smoke with mingled dust, Neptune shakes the walls and foundations moved with his great trident and overthrows the whole city from its seats. Here Scaean Juno, most savage, girt with a sword, first holds the gates and, raging, calls the allied line from the ships. Now Tritonian Pallas sits on the highest citadels, look, gleaming from a cloud and savage with her Gorgon. The father himself gives courage to the Danaans and second strength, he himself stirs the gods against Dardanian arms. Seize flight, child, and put an end to your work; I will never be absent and I will set you safe on your father's threshold.' She had spoken and hid herself in the thick shadows of the night. Harsh faces appear and the great powers of the gods, hostile to Troy.

Aeneid 2.506-58

Perhaps you also ask what were the fates of Priam. When he saw the fall of his captured city and the uprooted thresholds of his homes and the enemy amidst in the innermost chambers, long too old in vain he puts unaccustomed arms and useless sword on shoulders trembling with age, and is born about to die into the dense enemy. In the middle of the shrines and under the bare axle of the sky was an altar, huge and encircled close by the Penates. Here Hecuba and her daughters around the altars in vain, like doves headlong from the dark storm, sat crowded together and clinging to the images of the gods. But with youthful arms having been taken up, as she saw Priam himself, she said 'what so hard a mind, most wretched husband, forced (you) to put on these weapons? or to where do you rush? The time is not needing such aid nor such defenders: not if now my Hector himself were present. To this at least yield: this altar will protect all, or you will die simultaneously (with us).' This having spoken with his mouth, she received him to herself and put the old man on the sacred seat.

(526) But look, Polites having slipped from the slaughter of Pyrrhus through the weapons, through the weapons, one of the sons of Priam flees from the long porticos and, wounded, seeks the empty atriums. Pyrrhus, burning, attacks that man with a hostile wound, now and already he holds by hand and presses with the spear. When at last he escaped before the eyes and faces of his parents he fell and poured out his life with much blood. Here Priam, although held already in the middle of death, however did not hold back and did not spare his voice and anger; he shouts, 'But for the crime for such reckless acts may the gods pay you back worthy thanks and return owed rewards, if there is any piety in the sky which cares for such things, who made me openly see the death of my child and befouled a fathers face (lit. pl.). But that Achilles, from whom you falsely claim you were born, was not such to Priam in enmity; but he blushed at the rights and faith of a suppliant and returned the bloodless body of Hector to a tomb and sent me back into my kingdoms.' Thus the too old man spoke and threw his feeble spear without a blow, which was straightway repulsed by the raucous bronze and in vain hung from the high boss of the shield. To whom Pyrrhus: ' Therefore you will bear back these (words) and a messenger you will go to my father, son of Peleus. Remember to tell that man my sad deeds and (of) the degenerate Neoptolemus. Now die.' Saying this, he drug him trembling to the altars himself and slipping in the plentiful (lit. much) blood of his son, and wound his hair in his left hand, and with his right he brought out his flashing sword and buried (it) as far as the hilt in his side. This was the end of the fates of Priam, this end bore him away by lot, seeing Troy burned and Pergama collapsed, once the proud ruler of so many peoples and lands of Asia. He throws the huge trunk on the shore and the head torn from his shoulders and the body without a name.

Aeneid 2.453-505

There was a threshold and hidden doors and a utility passage between (lit. among themselves) the homes of Priam, and doorposts remote in the back, by which unlucky Andromache more often was accustomed to bear herself, unaccompanied, while the royal powers remained, to her in-laws and used to bring the boy Astyanax to his grandfather. I escape to the steps of the high summit, whence the wretched Teucrians were throwing vain weapons by hand. With my sword having attacked around the turret standing at the precipice and rising up under the stars from the highest roofs, whence all Troy and the ships of the Danaans and the Achaean camps were accustomed to be seen, by which the highest floors give shaky joints, we uproot from the high seats and overthrew (it); this, having slipped suddenly brought ruin and a sound and fell over the lines of the Danaans widely. But others come up; neither the rocks nor any tribe of weapons meanwhile cease.

(469) Before the vestibule itself and on the first threshold, Pyrrhus exults, flashing with spears ad bright bronze: as when a snake, having fed on evil grasses, which winter covered, swollen, under the cold earth, now, new with skins put aside and shining with youthfulness, rolls slippery backs, lofty with chest lifted to the sun, and flickers with forked tongues in his mouth. Together huge Periphas and driver of Achilles' horses, armor-bearer Automedon together with the whole Scyrian youth advance to the roof and throw flames to the gables. He himself among the first bursts the hard thresholds wiht a snatched double-axe and tears the bronze doorposts from the hinge; and now, with the beam split, he cuts through stout oak and gave a huge window with a wide mouth. The inner home appears and the long atriums are revealed; the innermost recesses of Priam and your kings are exposed and they see armed men standing in the first threshold. But the inner home is mixed with groaning and wretched tumult, and deep within the hollow rooms howl with womanly lamentations; the clamor strikes the golden stars. Then fearful mothers wander in the huge homes and, having embraces the doorposts, hold on and press kisses. Pyrrhus presses on the fatherland with violence; neither the bolts nor guards themselves prevail to endure; the door slips with bronze ram, and the dislodged doorposts lean forward on the hinge. The way is made by force; the admitted Danaans burst the approaches and slaughter the first men and fill places with extensive soldiery. Not thus, when a frothy stream goes out of broken banks and overwhelms opposing barriers with the whirlpool, raging with a wave it is born into the fields and through all the plains and drags the hers with the stables. I myself saw Neoptolemus raging with slaughter and the twin sons of Atreus on the threshold, I saw Hecuba and the hundred daughters-in-law and Priam amid altars befouled with blood, which fires he himself had consecrated. Those fifty bedchambers, such great hope of descendants, doorposts with barbarian gold and proud with spoils lean down; the Danaans hold where fire falls short.

Aeneid 2.402-52

Alas it is not at all right for anyone to trust unwilling gods! Look! Cassandra, the maiden daughter of Priam was being dragged, with her hair spread out, from the temple and shrines of Minerva, holding fiery eyes to the sky in vain, eyes, for bonds confine her tender palms. Coroebus did not bear this sight, with a crazed mind, and throws himself into the middle of the line of battle, about to die; we all follow and rush into the dense weapons. Here first from the high summit of the shrine we are ruined by the weapons of our men and a most wretched slaughter arises because of the form of our arms and the error of the Greek crests. Then the Danaans attack, with a lament and anger over the stolen maiden, having gathered from all over, most fierce Ajax and the twin sons of Atreus and the whole army of the Dolopians: as once opposing winds with a burst whirlwind clash, both the Zephyr and the Notus and the fertile Eurus with eastern horses; the woods shriek and foamy Nereus rages with his trident and stirs the seas from the lowest depth(s). Those also appear, if we rout and rouse anyone from ambush in the dark night through the shadow in the whole city; the first recognize the shields and lying spears and notice different voices by the tone. Immediately we are rushed upon by the number, and Coroebus first falls upon the right hand of Peneleus at the altar of the warlike goddess; and Rhipeus falls, who was the most just one among the Teucrians and the greatest protector of right (it seemed to the gods otherwise); both Hypanis and Dymas die, pierced by their allies; and your very great piety and the fillets of Apollo did not protect you, dying, Panthus. Trojan ashes and last fires of my people, I swear, in your fall I avoided neither spears nor any exchanges of the Danaans, and if the fates had been that I fall, I had earned it by (my) hand. Then we were torn away, Iphitus and Pelias with me (of whom Iphitus heavier now with age, and Pelias slow with a wound of Ulysses) called straightaway to the homes of Priam by a clamor.

(438) Here indeed we saw a huge battle, as if other battles were nowhere, in the whole city no one linger, (we saw) untamed Mars and Danaans rushing tot he roofs and the threshold besieged with driven tortoise. Ladders cling to the walls, and under the posts themselves they strive on the steps; they put up shields against the spears, covered by their left hands, they grasp the gables with their right hands. The Dardanians in return pluck up the towers and the whole roofs of the houses; with these weapons, because they see the last things, they prepare to defend themselves now at the brink of death, and they roll down golden beams, high glories of old ancestors; others with drawn swords sit on the lowest gates, they preserve these with a dense line. Renewed spirits run to help the houses of the king and to relieve men with aid and add force to the beaten.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Aeneid 2.356-401

Thus fury has been added to the spirits of the youths. Then as plundering wolves in a black cloud, whom a wicked hunger of the belly has driven out and the abandoned pups await with dry jaws, through spears, through enemies we forge into hardly dubious death and we hold a journey for the middle of the city. Black night encircles with empty shadow. Who in telling might unfold the slaughter of that night, the deaths, or who could equal the labors with tears? The ancient city rushes down, having ruled through many years; very many lifeless bodies are strewn through the streets everywhere and through the homes and the sacred thresholds of the gods. And not only Teucrians give punishment with blood; sometimes also courage returns in the hearts of the conquered (dat. pos.) and conquering Danaans fall. Cruel grief is everywhere, everywhere is panic and very great image of death.

(370) First Androgeos offers himself to us, with a great crowd of Danaans accompanying, trusting allied bands unknowing, and he addresses voluntarily with friendly words: 'Hurry, men! For what so late sluggishness delays? Others seize and carry burn Pergama: do you come now first from the lofty ships?' He spoke and immediately (for not faithful enough responses were given) he sensed that he had slipped into the middle of the enemies. He stood silent ad pressed his foot backward with his voice. As one who has pressed upon an unseen snake in the rough briars, stepping upon the ground, and fearful immediately flees back from the one lifting his ires and swelling his greenish-blue necks; hardly otherwise does Androgeos, trembling at the sight, went back. We rush in and are surrounded by the dense arms, and we lay low everywhere those ignorant of the place and captured by fear: Fortune breathes upon our first labor. And here Corobeus, reveling in success and his spirits, says, 'O allies, where first Fortune shows the way for safety, and where a right/favorable hand offers itself, let us follow: let us change shields and let us fit the emblems of the Danaans to ourselves. Trick or courage, who asks in war (lit. enemy)? They themselves will give the weapons.' Thus having spoken, then he puts on the plumed helmet of Androgeos and the noble emblem of his shield and he fits the Argive sword to his side. Rhipeus does this, Dymas himself and the whole happy band of youth does this: each arms himself with recent spoils. We advance, mixed with the Danaans, hardly by our own power, and through the blind night we join many battles, having attacked, we send many of the Danaans to Orcus. Some flee to the ships and seek trusted shores at a run; others (lit. some) climb the huge horse again with shameful fear and hide in the known belly.

Aeneid 2.298-355

Meanwhile, the walls are mixed with diverse grief, and more and more, although the home of his parent Anchises, secluded and covered by trees, is set back, sounds grow loud and the horror of weapons threatens. Shaken from sleep, I both go up to the gables of the top of the house by climbing and stand with alert ears: as when flame falls upon a field of wheat with the raging South Winds, or a rapid torrent lays low the fields with mountain river, it lays low rich crops and the labors of the oxen and drags the forests headlong; the unknowing shepherd stands silent at the high peak of a rock, taking in the sound. Then indeed faith is clearly visible, the tricks of the Danaans are evident. Now spacious home of Deiphobus gave to ruin with Vulcan conquering, now neighboring Ucalegon burns; the wide Sigean straits light up with fire. both a clamor of men and a crying of crowds arise. Out of my mind, I take arms and there is not enough reason in weapons, but minds burn to join bands in war and run together in the citadel with allies; madness and anger cast down the mind, and it occurs that it is beautiful to die in arms.

(318) But look, Panthus, having slipped from the weapons of the Acheans, Panthus son of Othryas, priest of the citadel and of Phoebus, himself drags the sacred items with his hand and conquered gods and his little grandson and, out of his mind, he clings to the threshold in his run. 'In what place is the decisive struggle, Panthus? What stronghold do we hold?' Hardly had I spoken these things, when with a groan her responds: 'The final day and inescapable time of Dardania has come. We were Trojans, Ilium was and the huge glory of the Teucrians; savage Jupiter has turned everything over to Argos; the Danaans are in control in the kindled city. The lofty horse, standing in the middle of the walls, pours out armed men, and the victorious Sinon scatters fires, jeering. Some are at the wide open gates, as many thousands ever came from great Mycenae; others besiege the narrows of the streets with opposed spears; the line of battle, stripped of iron, stands with shaking sword-point, prepared to die; hardly do the first watchmen of the gates try battles and resit blind Mars.'

(336) With such words of the son of Othryas and with the will of the gods I am born into flames and into weapons, where the sad Erinys, where the roar calls and the clamor lifted tot he airs. Rhipeus and Epytus, greatest in arms, add themselves as allies, presented through the moon, both Hypanis and Dymas alson join our side, and the youth Coroebus, son of Mygdon--in those days by chance he had come to Troy, burned by mad love for Cassandra, and he was bringing aid as a son-in-law to Priam and the Phrygians, the unlucky fellow who did not hear the orders of his promised! To whom, when I saw those gathered and daring for battle, I began moreover with these (words): 'Youths, bravest hearts in vain, if you have a certain eagerness to follow me daring last thing, you see what fortune the circumstances have, the gods by whom this power had stood have all left, with the shrines and altars having been left; you run to aid a kindled city. Let us die and let us rush into the middle of the weapons. The one safety for the beaten is to hope for no safety.'

Aeneid 2.250-297

Meanwhile the sky turns and night rushes from the Ocean, covering both the earth and the sky and the tricks of the Myrmidons with a great shadow; spread out through the walls, the Teucrians were silent; sleep embraces their weary limbs. And now the Argive phalanx, with the ships drawn up, went from Tenedos through the friendly silence(s) of the quiet moon, seeking known shores, when the royal ship had lifted the torches, and Sinon, defended by the unfair fates of the gods secretly frees the Danaans, shut in the belly, and the pine bolts. The horse, laid open, returns those men to the airs and happily they bring themselves forth from the hollow oak, Thessandrus and Sthenelus, the leaders, and hard Ulysses, having slipped along the let-down rope, and Acamas and Thoas and the son of Peleus, Neoptolemus, and first Machaon and Menelaus and Epeos himself, the builder of the horse. They invade a city buried in sleep and wine; the watchmen are slaughtered, and with the gates having been opened, they receive all their allies and join knowing lines of battle.

(268) It was the time in which first rest begins for weary mortals and by gift of the gods most pleasingly winds. Behold, in dreams most sad Hector seemed to me to be present before my eyes and to pour our great tears, snatched by the two-horse chariot as once (he was), and black with bloody dust and pierced through his swelling feet (by) thongs—ah me, such as he was so much was he changed from that Hector who returns clothed in the spoils of Achilles or having thrown Phrygian fires at the ships of the Danaans!—bearing a dirty beard and hair stiff with blood and those very many wounds which he received around the paternal walls. Weeping, voluntarily he himself seemed to address the man and to bring out sad voices: o light of Dardania, o most faithful hope of the Teucrians, what such great delays have held (you)? From what shores, awaited Hector, do you come? How weary do we behold you after many deaths of your people, after changing labors of the men and city! What unworthy cause befouled your calm face (lit. faces)? Or why do I see these wounds? That man (responds) nothing, and does not delay over me asking empty things, but gravely leading groans from his deepest chest says, ‘Alas, flee, one born from a goddess, and snatch yourself from these flames. The enemy has the walls; Troy rushes from her high summit. Enough has been given to the fatherland and to Priam: if Pergama could have been defended by a right hand, it would have been defended even by this one, Troy entrusts her sacred items and her Penates to you; take these as companions of your fates, seek great walls for these which you will set up finally with the sea having been wandered over.’ Thus he speaks and brings with his hands the fillets and powerful Vesta and the eternal fire form the innermost shrines.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Aeneid 2.199-249

Here something greater and much more to be trembled at is presented to the wretched and disturbs unforeseeing hearts. Laocoon, priest of Neptune, chosen by lot, was sacrificing a huge bull at the traditional altars. But look! twin snakes with huge coils—I shudder in recalling—press upon the sea from Tenedos through the tranquil deep and the strive equally for the shore; whose raised chests and bloody crests tower over the waves, part skims over the sea in the rear and winds backs immense with the roll. A sound arises from the salty foam; and now they make for the fields and, suffused with blood and fire in respect to their burning eyes, they lick hissing mouths with vibrating tongues. We flee, bloodless at the sight. Those in a certain battle line seek Laocoon; and first having embraced the little bodies of his two sons, each serpent enfolds and feeds upon their wretched limbs with a bite; afterwards they seize and with huge coils bind him coming up with aid and bearing spears; and now having embraced twice around the middle, having put scaly backs twice around his neck, they tower over with their head(s) and high necks. That one at the same time struggles to rip away the knots with his hands, drenched at his fillets with bloody gore and black venom, at the same time he lifts terrible shouts to the stars—like bellowing(s) when a wounded bull flees the altar and has shaken the unsure axe from its neck. But the twin dragons with a slip flee to the high shrines and seek the citadel of savage Tritona, protected under the feet of the goddess and under the orb of her shield.

(228) Then a new fear winds its way into trembling hearts, and they say Laocoon, deserving, paid for his crime, who harmed the sacred oak with the spear-point and hurled the criminal spear into its back. They shout that the image must be lead into the shrines and the powers of the goddess must be entreated. We divide the walls and open the fortifications of the city. All gird themselves for the work and put the slipping of wheels under the feet, and stretch flaxen ropes to the neck; the deadly machine climbs the walls, pregnant with weapons. Boys and unwed girls sing sacred (songs) around it and rejoice to touch the rope with a hand; that (machine) steals in and threatening slips into the middle of the city. O fatherland, o home of the gods, Ilium, and walls of the Dardanians, famous in war! Four times it stuck on the very threshold of the gate and four times the weapons gave a sound in the belly; yet we press on, heedless and blind with madness, and we set the unhappy monster upon the sacred citadel. Then even Cassandra opens her mouth(s) to future fates, by the order of the god never believed by the Teucrians. We, wretched ones, for whom that day was the last, veil the shrines of the gods with festive foliage throughout the city.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Aeneid 2.152-198

He had spoken. That man, instructed by tricks and Greek art, he lifted palms stripped of chains to the stars, “I swear to you, eternal fires, and your inviolable divine power,” she says, “you altars and unspeakable swords which I fled, and fillets of the gods, which I endured as a sacrifice: it is right for me to break the sacred oaths of the Greeks, it is right to hate the men and bear everything to the airs, if they cover anything, and I am not held by the fatherland or any laws. You, saved Troy, only abide by your promises and serve faith, if I will tell the truth, if I will weigh out great things. All hope of the Danaans and the faith of the begun war always stood in the aid of Pallas. But for from which (time) impious Diomedes and Ulysses the inventor of the crimes proceeded to tear away the deadly Paladium from the sacred temple, the guards of the highest citadel having been killed, they snatched the sacred image with bloody hands, having dared to touch the maiden fillets of the goddess, from that (time) the collapsed hope of the Danaans flowed and was born back, the mind of the goddess was hostile. Nor Tritonia gave these signals with unambiguous signs. Scarcely was the image placed in the camp, flashing fires burned from her excited eyes, and a salty sweat went through its limbs, and three times—wondrous to say—it sprang to the ground itself, bearing its shield and trembling spear. Immediately Calchas sings that the sea must be tried by flight and that Pergama cannot be destroyed by Argive spears unless they recover everything in Argos and bring back the divine power (which they carried with them on the sea in ships and now as to that fact they have sought paternal Mycenas by the wind, they prepare weapons and gods as companions, and with the sea re-traversed, they will be present unforeseen); thus Calchas interprets everything.

(183) Warned, they set up this image for the Palladium, for the injured divine power, which would expiate the sad impiety. Calchas ordered, however, that they lift this high mass with woven oak and lead (it) to the sky lest it could be taken into the gates or lead into the walls, least it protect a people under ancient religion. For if your hand would have violated the gifts of Minerva, then it would be a great ruin for the power of Priam and Phrygia (which omen may the gods first send upon himself); but if with your hands it would have climbed into your city, voluntarily with great war Asia would come to the walls of Pelops and these fates would remain for our grandsons.” With such tricks and lying art of Sinon the matter was believed, and (we were) captured by tricks and forced tears, whom neither Diomeder nor Larisaean Achilles, not ten years, not a thousand ships tamed.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Aeneid 2.105-51

Then indeed we burn to know and seek the causes, unaware of such crimes and of Greek art. He describes in detail, in a state of fear, and with pretend heart says: “Often the Greeks wanted to plan flight with Troy left behind wearily leave the long war; would that they had done so! Often harsh winter cut them off from the sea and Auster frightened them going. Especially when now this woven horse stood with maple beams, the clouds sound in the whole sky. In suspense we sent Eurypylum to learn the oracles of Phoebus, and he reports these sad words from the shrines: (116) ‘You pleased the winds with blood and slaughtered maiden, as soon as you came to Ithican shores, Danaans; returns must be sought with blood and must be atoned or with an Argive life.’ When this (lit. which) voice came to the ears of the crowd, their spirits were silent and a cold terror ran down through their inmost bones for whom the fates prepare, whom Apollo demands. Here the Ithacan with a great tumult drags the prophet Calchas forward into the middle; he demands what these powers of the gods are. And for me now many were singing the cruel wickedness of the devisor and quietly saw the things coming. Twice five days that man is silent and covered he refuses to betray with his voice or to expose anyone to death. (128) Scarcely, finally, driven by the great shouts of the Ithacan, he broke into voice as agreed and marks me for the altar. Everyone burned and what each one feared for himself, they brought the reversal upon the ruin of one wretch. And now the unspeakable day was at hand; the sacrifices were prepared for me and the salted grains and the fillets around my temples. I snatched myself from death, I admit it, and I broke the bonds, and in a reedy lake through the night I concealed myself, dark in the sedge, until they gave sails, if by chance they would have given (them). Neither was there now any hope of seeing my ancient fatherland nor my sweet children and hoped for father, from whom perhaps those men will demand punishment for our escape, and they will expiate this crime by the death of the wretched. But I beg you through the gods and divine powers conscience of truth, through if there is any pure faith which remains still ever for mortals, pity such labors, pity a spirit bearing unworthy things.”

(145) We give life to these tears and pity of our own accord. Priam himself first orders the manacles and tight chains lifted from the man and speaks thus with friendly words: "Whoever you are, from here now forget your lost Greeks--you are ours--and relate these true words to the one asking: for whom did you build this mass of a huge horse? Who is the creator? Or what do they seek? What religion? Or what machine of war?"

Aeneid 2.57-104

Look, meanwhile Trojan herdsmen with a great shout were dragging to the king a youth bound at his hands behind his back, who of his own accord had thrust himself, unknown to those coming, to set in place this very thing and to open Troy to the Argives, trusting in his courage and prepared for either outcome, whether to implement his trick or to fall to certain death. From all sides the Trojan youth, having poured around with an eagerness to see, rush in and strive to mock the captive. Receive now the tricks of the Danaans and learn about them all from one crime. For, agitated in the middle of the survey, as he stood unarmed and looked around the Phrygian battle lines with his eyes, he said, “Alas who earth now, what waters can receive me? Or what now finally remains for wretched me, for whom (there is) not any place among the Danaans and besides the hostile Trojans themselves demand punishment with blood?” With this (lit. which) groan our minds were turned, and every attack was suppressed. We urge him to tell from what blood he was born and what he endured; he should remember what faith there is for a captive.

(76) That man says these things, at last with fear having been set aside: “I will say all true things indeed to you, king, whatever will be,” he says, “and I will not deny that I am from the Argive race. This first, and if wicked Fortune made Sinon wretched, yet she did not make him empty and lying. If by chance some name of Palamedes son of Belus has come to your ears in the telling and his glory famous by rumor, whom under a false betrayal the Greeks sent down to be killed, innocent of an unspeakable charge because he was trying to avoid the wars, now they mourn the one bereft of the light: to that man hither my poor father sent me as a companion and one close in blood-kinship into arms from the first years. While safe in kingship and the assemblies of the kings he was flourishing, we even bore some name and glory. Afterward, by the envy of deceitful Ulysses (hardly do I mention unknown things) he withdrew form the shores above, afflicted I drew out a life in shadows and grief and I resented the downfall of my innocent friend. Nor, mad one, was I silent, and if any chance had brought (it about), if ever I were to return as victor to paternal Argos, I would have offered myself an avenger, and I moved harsh hatred with my words. Hence was the first taint of evil for me, hence always Ulysses terrorized with new crimes, hence he sprinkled devious words in the crowd and guilty (aware) he sought weapons. For he did not rest until with Calchas as an accomplice—but moreover why do I go over again these unpleasant things in vain, or why do I delay? If you have all Argives in one class, and this is enough to hear, take already take your revenge: the Ithacan wants this and the sons of Atreus would buys for a great price.”

Aeneid 2.1-56

Everyone became silent and intently held their mouths; then father Aeneas from the high couch thus began to speak, “You order me to renew unspeakable grief, queen, how the Danaans rooted up the Trojan wealth and pitiable kingdom, and what most wretched things I saw and a great part of which I was. Who of the Myrmidons or the Dolopians or a soldier of hard Ulysses in telling such things might restrain (themselves) from tears? And now humid night plunges from the sky and the falling stars persuade sleep. But if there is such passion to learn of our misfortunes and briefly hear the last labor of Troy, although the mind shudders to remember and flees from the grief, I will begin.

(13) Broken by war and driven back by the fates, the leaders of the Danaans, with so many years already slipping by, build a horse like a mountain by the divine art of Pallas and weave ribs with cut fir-wood; they pretend (it is) a vow for their return; this rumor roams. Here in the gloomy flank they secretly shut in the select bodies of men, having drawn lots, and fill the huge caverns and the belly with an army. Tenedos is in site, an island most famous by reputation while the riches of power and the kingdom of Priam remained, now only a bay and a anchorage for ships, hardly trusted for ships; carried forth to this place they hide themselves on the deserted shore; we thought that they had left and had sought Mycenas by the wind.

(26) Therefore all Teucria frees itself from long grief. The gates are opened; it pleases to go and see the Doric camp and the deserted places and the abandoned shore: here (was) the band of the Dolopians, here savage Achilles held; here the place for the ships, here they were accustomed to strive in the battle line. Part were astounded at the deadly gift for unwed Minerva and wonder at the mass of the horse; first Thymoetes urges that it be lead between the walls and placed on the citadel, whether by a trick or now thus the fates of Troy were leading. But Capys, and (those) whose mind held a better thought, order either that (we) hurl down the treachery of the Danaans to the sea and (we) burn the suspected gifts with flames placed under or that (we) bore through and try the hidden hollows of the belly. The uncertain crowd is split in contrary factions.

(40) First then before all, with a great crowd attending, ardent Laocoon runs from the top of the citadel and (shouts) from afar, “O wretched citizens, what is this so geat madness? Do you believe that the enemies have sailed away? Or do you think that any gifts of the Danaans lack tricks? Thus is Ulysses known? Either Achaeans lie hidden, enclosed in this wood, or this is a siege engine built against our walls, about to observe our homes and come over the city, or some other trick lies hidden; do not trust the horse, Teucrians. Whatever it is, I fear the Danaans, even bearing gifts.” Thus having spoken, he twisted his huge spear with powerful strength into the side and into the belly curved with joins of iron. That stood quivering, with the belly having been struck the hollow caverns sounded and gave a groan. And, if the fates of the gods, if their mind had not been unfavorable, he would have driven (us) to pollute the Argive hiding-places with the sword and Troy would now stand, you, lofty citadel of Priam, would remain.