LIBER III "POSTQUAM res Asiae Priamique evertere gentem FMP immeritam visum superis, ceciditque superbum Ilium et omnis humo fumat Neptunia Troia, diversa exsilia et desertas quaerere terras auguriis agimur divum, classemque sub ipsa Antandro et Phrygiae molimur montibus Idae, incerti, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur, contrahimusque viros. vix prima inceperat aestas, et pater Anchises dare fatis vela iubebat : litora cum patriae lacrimans portusque relinquo et campos, ubi Troia fuit. feror exsul in altum cum sociis natoque, Penatibus et magnis dis. "Terra procul vastis colitur Mavortia campis (Thraces arant), acri quondam regnata Lycurgo, hospitium antiquum Troiae sociique Penates, dum Fortuna fuit. feror huc et litore curvo moenia prima loco, fatis ingressus iniquis, Aeneadasque meo nomen de nomine fingo. 5 10 15 "Sacra Dionaeae matri divisque ferebam auspicibus coeptorum operum, superoque nitentem 20 7 ferunt P1. BOOK III "AFTER it pleased the gods above to overthrow the power of Asia and Priam's guiltless race, after proud Ilium fell, and all Neptune's Troy smokes from the ground, we are driven by heaven's auguries to seek distant scenes of exile in waste lands. Just under Antandros and the mountains of Phrygian Ida we build a fleet, uncertain whither the Fates lead or where it is granted us to settle; and there we muster our men. Scarcely had the beginning of summer come when my father Anchises bade us spread sails to Fate, and then with tears I quit my native shores and harbours, and the plains, where once was Troy. An exile, I fare forth upon the deep, with my comrades and son, and the great gods of the Penates.1 13 "At a distance lies the war-god's land, of widespread plains, tilled by Thracians, and once ruled by fierce Lycurgus; friendly of old to Troy, with allied gods, as long as Fortune was ours. Hither I pass and on the winding shore found my first city, entering on the task with untoward fates, and from my own name fashion the name Aeneadae. 19 "I was offering sacrifice to my mother, Dione's daughter, and the other gods, that they might bless 1 Some suppose that two sets of gods are here mentioned, the Penates (household gods) and the great gods (Jupiter, Juno, &c.). Varro, however, identified them; cf. 148. 25 caelicolum regi mactabam in litore taurum. forte fuit iuxta tumulus, quo cornea summo virgulta et densis hastilibus horrida myrtus. accessi, viridemque ab humo convellere silvam conatus, ramis tegerem ut frondentibus aras, horrendum et dictu video mirabile monstrum. nam quae prima solo ruptis radicibus arbos vellitur, huic atro liquuntur sanguine guttae et terram tabo maculant. mihi frigidus horror membra quatit, gelidusque coit formidine sanguis. 30 rursus et alterius lentum convellere vimen insequor et causas penitus temptare latentis; ater et alterius sequitur de cortice sanguis. multa movens animo Nymphas venerabar agrestis Gradivumque patrem, Geticis qui praesidet arvis, 35 rite secundarent visus omenque levarent. tertia sed postquam maiore hastilia nisu 40 adgredior genibusque adversae obluctor harenae (eloquar, an sileam?), gemitus lacrimabilis imo auditur tumulo, et vox reddita fertur ad auris : 'quid miserum, Aenea, laceras? iam parce sepulto, parce pias scelerare manus. non me tibi Troia externum tulit, aut cruor hic de stipite manat. heu fuge crudelis terras, fuge litus avarum. nam Polydorus ego. hic confixum ferrea texit telorum seges et iaculis increvit acutis.' tum vero ancipiti mentem formidine pressus obstipui steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit. "Hunc Polydorum auri quondam cum pondere magno infelix Priamus furtim mandarat alendum Threicio regi, cum iam diffideret armis 45 50 33 alter F. 37 nixu M. 39 eloquor P2. the work begun, and to the high king of the lords of heaven was slaying a shining white bull upon the shore. By chance, hard by there was a mound, on whose top were cornel bushes and myrtles bristling with crowded spear-shafts. I drew near; and essaying to tear up the green growth from the soil, that I might deck the altar with leafy boughs, I see an awful portent, wondrous to tell. For from the first tree, which is torn from the ground with broken roots, drops of black blood trickle and stain the earth with gore. A cold shudder shakes my limbs, and my chilled blood freezes with terror. Once more, from a second also I go on to pluck a tough shoot and probe deep the hidden cause; from the bark of the second also follows black blood. Pondering much in heart, I prayed the woodland Nymphs, and father Gradivus, who rules over the Getic fields, duly to bless the vision and lighten the omen. But when with greater effort I assail the third shafts, and with my knees wrestle against the resisting sand-should I speak or be silent? —a piteous groan is heard from the depth of the mound, and an answering voice comes to my ears. 'Woe is me! why, Aeneas, dost thou tear me? Spare me in the tomb at last; spare the pollution of thy pure hands! I, born of Troy, am no stranger to thee; not from a lifeless stock oozes this blood. Ah! flee the cruel land, flee the greedy shore! For I am Polydorus. Here an iron harvest of spears covered my pierced body, and grew up into sharp javelins.' Then, indeed, with mind borne down with perplexing dread, I was appalled, my hair stood up, and the voice clave to my throat. 49 "This Polydorus, with great weight of gold, luckless Priam had once sent in secret to be reared by the Thracian king, when he now mistrusted the Dardaniae cingique urbem obsidione videret. 56 60 fas omne abrumpit; Polydorum obtruncat et auro MP vi potitur. quid non mortalia pectora cogis, auri sacra fames! postquam pavor ossa reliquit, delectos populi ad proceres primumque parentem monstra deum refero et, quae sit sententia, posco. omnibus idem animus, scelerata excedere terra, linqui pollutum hospitium et dare classibus Austros. ergo instauramus Polydoro funus, et ingens aggeritur tumulo tellus; stant Manibus arae, caeruleis maestae vittis atraque cupresso, et circum Iliades crinem de more solutae ; inferimus tepido spumantia cymbia lacte sanguinis et sacri pateras, animamque sepulchro condimus et magna supremum voce ciemus. inde ubi prima fides pelago, placataque venti 65 dant maria et lenis crepitans vocat Auster in altum, 70 deducunt socii navis et litora complent. provehimur portu, terraeque urbesque recedunt. 75 FMP |