Aeneid 4.296-449

But the queen--who could hope to deceive a lover--sensed the tricks, and first picked up on the future moves, fearing everything, although safe. The same impious Rumor reported to the furious one: the fleet is being armed and flight prepared. Destitute in mind and incensed she rages through the whole city, like a Maenad excited by the frenzied rites when, with Bacchus heard, they spur on the revels of alternating years and the nocturnal Cithaeron calls with a shout.

(304) At last with these voices she rebukes Aeneas of her own accord, "Did you even hope to be able to cover such wrong, faithless one, and to silently leave my land? Neither our love (holds) you nor our right hand once given nor does Dido about to die in cruel death hold you? But even with the winter star you hurry to build a fleet and in the midst of the northern winds to go through the deep, cruel one? Why, if you should not seeking foreign fields and unknown homes, and ancient Troy should remain, would Troy be sought by fleets through the wave-filled sea? Do you flee me? Through these tears and your right hand I beg you--since I myself have left myself, now wretched, nothing else--though our wedding, through our begun marriage (both lit. pl), if I have well deserved anything from you or there was anything sweet in me for you, pity (these) perishing homes and cast off that thought, if there is still any place for prayers. On account of you the Libyan tribes and the tyrants of the Nomads hate (us), the Tyrians are enraged; on account of the same you my decency is lost and my prior reputation, by which alone I was going to the stars. Guest--because this name alone remains from husband--to whom do you abandon me, dying? Why do I delay? Either until my brother Pygmalion destroys the walls or Gaetulian Iarbas leads me away as captive? At least if some offspring had been received by me from you before your flight, if some itty-bitty Aeneas were playing in my hall, who at least would bring you back in face, indeed I would not seem altogether vanquished and abandoned."

(331) She had spoken. That one held his eyes unmoved on the warnings of Jove and, resolute, was pressing his care under his heart. At last he returns a few words, "I will never deny that you, queen, deserve the very many things which you prevail to list in your speaking, and it will not displease me to remember Elissa while I myself am mindful of myself, which spirit rules these limbs. I will say a few things for my own case. Neither did I hope to conceal this flight by deceit--don't imagine it--nor did I ever extend marriage torches or come into these pacts. If the fates had allowed me to lead a life by my auspices and to settle my cares by my own will, I would first tend the city of Troy and the sweet remainders of my people, the high homes of Priam would remain, and I would have established reborn Pergama for the conquered by my hand. But now Grynean Apollo (and) Lycian lots have ordered that I seize great Italy, Italy; this is my love, this is my homeland. If the citadels of Carthage and the sight of the Libyan city detain you, a Phoenician, what is the envy that at last Trojans settle in Ausonian land? And it is right that we seek external kingdoms. The gloomy image of my father Anchises admonishes and terrifies me in my dreams as often as night covers the lands with dewy shadows, as often as the fiery stars rise; my boy Ascanius admonishes me and the wrong done to his dear head, whom I cheat of the kingdom of Hesperia and his fated fields. Now even the intermediary of the gods, sent from Jove himself--I swear on each head--has brought orders through the swift breezes: I myself saw the god in the plain light entering the walls and I drank in his voice with these ears. Stop rousing both me and yourself with your complaints; I follow Italy not by my own free will.

(362) Long before, opposite (him), she eyes the one saying such things, rolling her eyes here and there, and roaming him wholly with silent eyes and thus inflamed she speaks out, "You had neither divine parent nor was Dardanus the founder of your race, false one, but on hard reefs the rough Caucasus bore you and Hyrcanian tigers gave (you) their breasts. For why am I to pretend, or for what more am I to reserve myself? Surely he did not groan at our weeping? Surely he did not end his gaze? Surely he did not tears, beaten, or pity his lover? What things shall I put before what? Now, now neither greatest Juno nor the Saturnian father looks at these things with unbiased eyes. Faith is never safe. I took him in, a castaway on the shore, needy, and--mad woman--I placed him in part of the kingdom. I lead back his lost fleet, his allies from death--alas I am born, burned by the furies--now the augur Apollo, now the Lycian lots, and now an intermediary sent by Jove himself bears horrid orders of the gods through the breezes. Perhaps this is work for the gods, this care disturbs those quiet beings. Neither do I hold you nor do I refute your words: go, pursue Italy by the winds, seek kingdoms through the waves. I hope indeed that in the middle of the rocks, if pious powers can (do) anything, you will drink in your punishments and often call Dido by name. I, absent, will follow with black fires and when cold death separates your limbs from your spirit, I will be a shadow present in all places. You will give payment, wicked one. I will hear and this rumor will come to me under the lowest shades." She breaks off her speech in the middle with these words and, ill, flees the breezes and turns herself from his eyes and withdraws, leaving him hesitating much in fear and preparing to say many things. Her household slaves pick (her) up and carry her collapsed limbs to her marble bedchamber and place her on her couches.

(393) But pious Aeneas, although he desires to lighten her grief with solace and to avert her cares with his words, groaning much and shaken in mind by her great love, yet he follows the orders of the gods and returns to the fleet. Then indeed the Trojans press on and lead down the lofty ships along the whole shore. The greased keel swims, they carry leafy oars and, in the zeal for flight, unshaped oaks from the woods. You might see them wandering and rushing from the whole city: and as when ants, mindful of winter, plunder a huge pile of grain and place it in their home, the black column goes in the fields and transports their booty through the grasses on a narrow path; some push large grains with their shoulders, determined, others drive the line and chastise the delays, the whole path teams with work. What feeling then had you, Dido, seeing such things, or what groans were you giving, when widely you saw the shore teaming from the highest citadel, and you saw the whole sea stirred up with such clamors before your eyes! Wicked love, to what do you not drive mortal hearts! Again she is driven to go into tears, again to try by begging and as a suppliant to submit her feelings to her lover, lest in vain about to die she leave anything untried.

(416) Anna, you see things rushed all around on the whole shore: they have gathered from everywhere; the canvass now calls the winds and the happy sailors have put garlands on the sterns. If I was able to anticipate this grief so great, I will be able even to endure, sister. Seek yet this one thing for wretched me; for that false man cherished you alone, he entrusted his secret feelings even to you; you alone know the soft approaches and times of the man. Go, sister, and as a suppliant speak to our proud enemy: I did not swear with the Greeks at Aulis to cut down the Trojan race or send a fleet to Pergama, nor did I tear up the ash and shades of his father Anchises: why does he deny that my words reach his hard ears? Where does he rush? Let him give this last gift to his lover: let him await both an easy flight and favorable winds. I ask no longer for our old marriage, which he has betrayed, nor that he lack his dear Latium and leave his kingdom: I seek empty time, rest and a space for my fury, while my fortune teaches beaten me to grieve. I ask this last favor--pity a sister--which when to me he has given (it) I will repay increased at my death."

(437) She was begging with such words, and her most wretched sister carries such tears and carries (them) again. But that man is moved by no tears nor tractable does he hear any words; the fates stand in the way and the god stops the easy ears of the man. And as when the Alpine north winds strive among themselves to rip out a strong oak tree with ancient strength now here now there with the blasts; the screech rises and high leaves from the shaken trunk cover the land; the tree itself clings to the cliffs and reaches as high to the airy breezes with its top as it holds into Tartarus with its root: hardly otherwise, this way and that, is the hero pounded by these constant voices, and he feels the cares in his great heart; his mind remains unmoved, empty tears roll down.