Book+2.1-56


 * Aeneid 2.1-56

Conticuere omnes intentique ora tenebant; inde toro pater Aeneas sic orsus ab alto:**

All were silent, and focused were holding their mouths (they were silent); at that point father Aeneas thus began ([to speak]) from the high couch:

Troianas ut opes et lamentabile regnum eruerint Danai, quaeque ipse miserrima uidi 5 et quorum pars magna fui. quis talia fando Myrmidonum Dolopumue aut duri miles Vlixi temperet a lacrimis? et iam nox umida caelo praecipitat suadentque cadentia sidera somnos.**
 * "Infandum, regina, iubes renouare dolorem,

"O Queen, you order ([me]) to recreate an unspeakable pain, how the Greeks destroyed the Trojan wealth and the pitiable kingdom, most wretched things which I saw myself and of which I was a great part. Who, of the Thessalians, or of the Dolopes or which soldier of harsh Ulysses, in speaking such things, could keep from tears? And now humid night falls from the sky and the falling stars urge on dreams (sleep).

et breviter Troiae supremum audire laborem, quamquam animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit, incipiam. Fracti bello fatisque repulsi ductores Danaum tot iam labentibus annis instar montis equum diuina Palladis arte 15 aedificant, sectaque intexunt abiete costas; votum pro reditu simulant; ea fama vagatur.**
 * Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros 10

But if there is such great desire to know our disasters, and to hear briefly the final grief of Troy, although [my] mind shudders to remember and flees from grief, I will begin. Broken by war, and repulsed by the fates, for so many years now slipping away, the leaders of the Greeks build a horse like a mountain by the divine art of Athena, they weave the ribs from hewn pine: they pretend it is an offering for their return (to Greece): this rumor is spread. includunt caeco lateri penitusque cauernas ingentis uterumque armato milite complent. 20 est in conspectu Tenedos, notissima fama insula, dives opum Priami dum regna manebant, nunc tantum sinus et statio male fida carinis: huc se prouecti deserto in litore condunt;**
 * Huc delecta virum sortiti corpora furtim

To this place having chosen by lot the select bodies of men, they secretly enclose them in the blind flank and they deeply fill the huge caverns and the womb by means of armed soldiers. There is in sight an island, Tenedos, most known in reputation, wealthy in riches while the kingdoms of Priam remain, now only a bay and a way-station hardly safe for ships: to this place having been carried, they (the Greeks) hide themselves on the deserted shore.

ergo omnis longo soluit se Teucria luctu; panduntur portae, iuuat ire et Dorica castra desertosque uidere locos litusque relictum: hic Dolopum manus, hic saeuus tendebat Achilles; classibus hic locus, hic acie certare solebant. 30 **
 * Nos abiisse rati et uento petiisse Mycenas. 25

We thought that they had gone and had sought Mycenae by means of the wind. Therefore all of the Trojans loosened themselves from long suffering; the gates are open, it is pleasing to go and to see the Greek camps and the forsaken places and the abandoned seashore: here was the band of the Dolopes, here savage Achilles was accustomed to attack; here was located the ships, here they were accustomed to fight in a battle line.

et molem mirantur equi; primusque Thymoetes duci intra muros hortatur et arce locari, siue dolo seu iam Troiae sic fata ferebant.**
 * Pars stupet innuptae donum exitiale Mineruae

Some are amazed at the deadly gift of unwed Minerva and gaze at the mass of the horse; and first Thymoetes encourages that the horse be led into the walls and be located in the citadel, either by trick or the fates of Troy thus were heading already.

aut pelago Danaum insidias suspectaque dona praecipitare iubent subiectisque urere flammis, aut terebrare cauas uteri et temptare latebras. scinditur incertum studia in contraria uulgus. Primus ibi ante omnis magna comitante caterua 40 Laocoon ardens summa decurrit ab arce, et procul 'o miseri, quae tanta insania, ciues?**
 * A****t Capys, et quorum melior sententia menti, 35

But Capys, and those of whom the senses of their minds were better, order [them] to throw the treacheries of the Greeks and the suspect gifts into the sea and to burn them with flames, having been placed underneath (inside), or to pierce the hollows of the womb and to test the caverns. The uncertain crowd is split into opposing desires. There first before all, with the great crowd accompanying burning Laocoon runs down from the highest citadel, and far off [says] "O miserable citizens, why so much insanity?"

dona carere dolis Danaum? sic notus Vlixes? aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achiui, 45 aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina muros, inspectura domos uenturaque desuper urbi, aut aliquis latet error; equo ne credite, Teucri. quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis.'**
 * Creditis auectos hostis? aut ulla putatis

"Do you believe that the enemies have been carried away? Or do you think that any gifts lack the tricks of the Greeks? Is Odysseus known thus? Either Greeks [are] enclosed in this wood are hidden, or this machine has been made against our walls, to be going to look into (in order to look into) our homes and to come into our city from above, our some other error lies hidden; do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bearing gifts."

in latus inque feri curuam compagibus aluum contorsit. stetit illa tremens, uteroque recusso insonuere cauae gemitumque dedere cauernae. et, si fata deum, si mens non laeua fuisset, impulerat ferro Argolicas foedare latebras, 55 Troiaque nunc staret, Priamique arx alta maneres.**
 * Sic fatus ualidis ingentem uiribus hastam 50

Thus having spoken, he hurled his huge spear with a strong force into the side and into the belly of the beast, curved by its seams She (the horse) stood there trembling, and the stomach having been struck the hollows resounded and the caverns gave a groan. And, if the fates of the gods, if the minds (of the gods) had not been unfavorable, then it would have driven him to defile the Greek hiding places with iron, and Troy now would be standing, and you, the high citadel of Priam, would be standing.