Book+2.735-802


 * Aeneid 2.735-802

Hic mihi nescio quod trepido male numen amicum** **735** dum sequor et nota excedo regione viarum, heu misero coniunx fatone erepta Creusa substitit, errauitne uia seu lapsa resedit, incertum; nec post oculis est reddita nostris.** **740**
 * confusam eripuit mentem. Namque avia cursu

An unfriendly force, I don't know which, snatches the confused mind from me, alarmed. For while I follow the pathless course, and while I depart from the known region of the roads, alas Creusa, my wife, taken away from me by wretched fate, or perhaps she wandered from the road or, having slipped, fell back, it is uncertain; nor was she restored to our eyes afterward.

//NOTE: He's saying he's lost sight of Creusa and lost her while fleeing, and has never seen her [alive] again.//

quam tumulum antiquae Cereris sedemque sacratam uenimus: hic demum collectis omnibus una defuit, et comites natumque virumque fefellit. Quem non incusavi amens hominumque deorumque,** **745**
 * Nec prius amissam respexi animumve reflexi
 * aut quid in eversa vidi crudelius urbe?**

Nor sooner did I look back at the lost [Creusa] or turn back my mind until we came to the mound of ancient Ceres and the sacred seat: here at last with everyone collected, one was absent, and she deceived her comrades and her son and her husband. Whom of men and gods did I not blame in my insanity, or what crueler thing did I see in this destroyed city?

commendo sociis et curua ualle recondo; ipse urbem repeto et cingor fulgentibus armis. Stat casus renouare omnis omnemque reuerti** **750** Principio muros obscuraque limina portae, qua gressum extuleram, repeto et vestigia retro observata sequor per noctem et lumine lustro: horror ubique animo, simul ipsa silentia terrent.** **755** I entrust Ascanius and Anchise [my] father and the Trojan gods and I hide them in the curved valley; I myself seek out the city again and surround myself with arms. It is decided [by me] to renew all the mishaps and to turn back through all Troy and to expose my head to dangers (put my life in danger). First I revisit the walls and the darkened thresholds of the gate, through which I had carried my step, and through the night I follow my obvious tracks backward and I survey things with my eye: there is terror everywhere in my mind, the silences themselves scare me.
 * Ascanium Anchisenque patrem Teucrosque penatis
 * per Troiam et rursus caput obiectare periclis.

me refero: inruerant Danai et tectum omne tenebant. ilicet ignis edax summa ad fastigia vento voluitur; exsuperant flammae, furit aestus ad auras.**
 * Inde domum, si forte pedem, si forte tulisset,

From there I carry myself home, [wondering] if by chance she had carried her foot (walked) home: the Greeks had rushed in and held the whole house. At once the devouring flame was turned by the wind to the top of the roof; the flames overcome [the roof], and the heat rages into the air.

custodes lecti Phoenix et dirus Vlixes praedam adservabant. Huc undique Troia gaza incensis erepta adytis, mensaeque deorum crateresque auro solidi, captiuaque vestis** **765** stant circum.**
 * Procedo et Priami sedes arcemque reuiso:** **760**
 * et iam porticibus vacuis Iunonis asylo
 * congeritur. Pueri et pauidae longo ordine matres

I advance and revisit the seat of Priam and the citadel: and now the chosen guardians, Phoenix and dire Ulysses, were preserving the spoils at the empty halls at Juno's refuge. To this place on all sides [was] the Trojan wealth, snatched away from their burning shrines and the tables of the gods, and the mixing bowls solid with gold, and captured clothes were heaped up. The boys and terrified mothers stand around in a long line.

implevi clamore vias, maestusque Creusam nequiquam ingeminans iterumque iterumque vocavi.** **770** infelix simulacrum atque ipsius umbra Creusae visa mihi ante oculos et nota maior imago.**
 * Ausus quin etiam voces iactare per umbram
 * quaerenti et tectis urbis sine fine ruenti

Having of course dared to throw my voice through the shadows, I filled the roads with a shout and, sad, redoubling (my voice), I called Creusa in vain again and again. The unhappy image and the shade of Creusa herself is shown to me before my eyes and the image was greater than the Creusa that I knew.

Tum sic adfari et curas his demere dictis:** **775** o dulcis coniunx? Non haec sine numine divum eveniunt; nec te comitem hinc portare Creusam fas, aut ille sinit superi regnator Olympi.**
 * Obstipui, steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit.
 * 'Quid tantum insano iuvat indulgere dolori,

I stood agape, and my hair stood up and my voice stuck in my throat. Then thus ([she began]) to speak and to remove cares with these words: "Why does it please you so much to indulge in frantic pains, o sweet husband? These things are happening not without the power of the gods; nor is it right that you carry Creusa as a comrade from here, nor does that ruler of great Olympus allow it.

inter opima virum leni fluit agmine Thybris. illic res laetae regnumque et regia coniunx parta tibi; lacrimas dilectae pelle Creusae.**
 * Longa tibi exsilia et vastum maris aequor arandum,** **780**
 * et terram Hesperiam venies, ubi Lydius arva

The long exiles and the huge expanse of the sea are to be plowed by you, and you will come to the western land, where the Lydian Tiber flows with a gentle stream among the rich fields of men. There happy things, and a kingdom, and a regal bride are waiting for you; drive away the tears for [your] beloved Creusa.

Dardanis et diuae Veneris nurus; sed me magna deum genetrix his detinet oris. Iamque uale et nati serva communis amorem.'**
 * Non ego Myrmidonum sedes Dolopumue superbas** **785**
 * aspiciam aut Grais servitum matribus ibo,

I shall not see the proud seats of the Myrmidons or the Greeks nor shall I go to be a slave to Greek mothers, I, a Trojan woman, and a daughter-in-law of the goddess Venus; but rather the great mother of the gods keeps me on these shores. Goodbye now, and preserve the love of the common son."


 * Haec ubi dicta dedit, lacrimantem et multa volentem** **790**
 * dicere deseruit, tenuisque recessit in auras.**

When she gave these words she deserted the crying one (me/speaker/Aeneas) and wishing to say much, she receded into the thin air.

ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago, par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno. Sic demum socios consumpta nocte reviso.** **795**
 * Ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia circum;

Having tried three times to give [her] my arm around [her] neck (hug) there; three times grasped in vain, the image escaped my hands, equal to light winds and most similar to a swift dream. Thus finally I revisit my friends, the night having been consumed.

invenio admirans numerum, matresque virosque, collectam exsilio pubem, miserabile vulgus.**
 * A****tque hic ingentem comitum adfluxisse novorum

Here admiring I discover that a huge number of new comrades have streamed in, of mothers and men, the youth of the nation collected by exile, a miserable crowd.

in quascumque velim pelago deducere terras.** **800** ducebatque diem, Danaique obsessa tenebant limina portarum, nec spes opis ulla dabatur. Cessi et sublato montis genitore petivi.**
 * Undique convenere animis opibusque parati
 * Iamque iugis summae surgebat Lucifer Idae

They have gathered from all sides, prepared in their minds and wealth to depart into whichever lands I might wish on the sea. And now Lucifer (the morning star) was rising on the highest peaks of Ida and it was leading the day, and the Greeks were holding the besieged thresholds of the gates, and no hope for help was given. With my father having been lifted (over my shoulder), I departed and sought the mountains.