LIBER XII MPR 5 TURNUS ut infractos adverso Marte Latinos defecisse videt, sua nunc promissa reposci, se signari oculis, ultro implacabilis ardet attollitque animos. Poenorum qualis in arvis, saucius ille gravi venantum volnere pectus, tum demum movet arma leo, gaudetque comantis excutiens cervice toros fixumque latronis impavidus frangit telum et fremit ore cruento: haud secus accenso gliscit violentia Turno. tum sic adfatur regem atque ita turbidus infit : ❝nulla mora in Turno; nihil est, quod dicta retractent ignavi Aeneadae, nec quae pepigere recusent: congredior. fer sacra, pater, et concipe foedus. aut hac Dardanium dextra sub Tartara mittam, desertorem Asiae, (sedeant spectentque Latini) 15 et solus ferro crimen commune refellam, aut habeat victos, cedat Lavinia coniunx.” Olli sedato respondit corde Latinus : 10 "o praestans animi iuvenis, quantum ipse feroci virtute exsuperas, tanto me impensius aequum est 20 consulere atque omnis metuentem expendere casus. sunt tibi regna patris Dauni, sunt oppida capta 16 crimen ferro Rc. BOOK XII WHEN Turnus sees the Latins crushed and faint of heart through war's reverse, his own pledge now claimed, and himself the mark of every eye, forthwith he blazes with wrath unappeasable and raises high his spirit. As in Punic fields a lion, when wounded, lo! with grievous stroke of huntsmen in the breast, then only wakes to war, joyously tosses from his neck his shaggy main, and snaps, undaunted, the robber's implanted dart, roaring with blood-stained mouth: even so in Turnus' kindling soul the fury swells. Then thus he accosts the king, and with these wild words begins: 11" With Turnus lies no delay! no need is there for the coward sons of Aeneas to recall their words or to renounce their pact! I go to meet him. Bring the holy rites, sire, and frame the covenant. Either with this arm will I hurl to hell the Dardan, the Asian runaway- let the Latins sit and see itand with my single sword refute the nation's shame ; 1 or let him be lord of the vanquished, let Lavinia pass to him as bride!” 18 To him Latinus with unruffled soul replied: "O youth of matchless spirit, the more in fierce valour thou dost excel, all the more heedfully is it meet that I ponder and with fear weigh every chance. Thou hast thy father Daunus' realms, hast 1 All are under the slur of cowardice. > fitting as don multa manu, nec non aurumque animusque Latino est. fas erat, idque omnes divique hominesque canebant. victus amore tui, cognato sanguine victus, coniugis et maestae lacrimis, vincla omnia rupi: promissam eripui genero, arma impia sumpsi. ex illo qui me casus, quae, Turne, sequantur bella vides, quantos primus patiare labores. bis magna victi pugna vix urbe tuemur spes Italas; recalent nostro Tiberina fluenta sanguine adhuc campique ingentes ossibus albent. where am quo referor totiens? quae mentem insania mutat? si Turno exstincto socios sum adscire paratus, cur non încolumi potius certamina tollo Paman quid consanguinei Rutuli, quid cetera dicet Italia, ad mortem si te (Fors dicta refutet!) prodiderim, natam et conubia nostra petentem? respice res bello varias; miserere parentis longaevi, quem nunc maestum patria Ardea longe dividit." haudquaquam dictis violentia Turni flectitur; exsuperat magis acgrescitque medendo. primum fari potuit, sic institit ore: quam pro me curam geris, hanc precor, optime, 24 arvis M, Servius: agris PRybc. 46 ardescitque tuendo (on margin aegrescit) M. 30 35 40 45 MR Lance many a town thy hand has taken; Latinus, too, has gold and good will. Other unwed maids there are in Latium and Laurentum's fields, and of no ignoble birth. Suffer me to utter this hard saying, stripped of all disguise, and withal drink this into thy soul: for me to ally my child to any of her old-time wooers, was forbidden, and this all gods and men foretold.1 Overborne by love of thee, overborne by kindred blood 2 and tears of my sorrowing queen, I broke all fetters, snatched the betrothed from her promised husband, and the unholy sword.ama From that day, Turnus, thou seest what perils, what wars pursue me, what heavy burdens thou above all dost bear. Twice vanquished in mighty battle, we scarce guard within our walls the hopes of Italy; Tiber's streams are still warm with our blood, the boundless plains still white with our bones. Why drift I back so often? 3 What madness turns my purpose? If, with Turnus dead, I am ready to link. them to me as allies, why not rather end the strife while he still lives? What will thy Rutulian kinsmen say, what the rest of Italy, if-Fortune refute the word!—I should betray thee to death, while thou wooest our daughter in marriage? Think on war's changes and chances; pity thine aged father, whom now his native Ardea parts far away from us in sorrow!" 45 In no wise do his words bend the fury of Turnus ; still higher it mounts, more inflamed with the healing. Soon as he could speak he thus began:." The care thou hast on my behalf, most gracious lord, on my 1 cf. VII. 95 above. 2 Amata, wife of Latinus, was sister to Venilia, mother of Turnus. 3 i.e. from what must be his inevitable decision. as te Premit do to dangain et nos tela, pater, ferrumque haud debile dextra. 50 At regina, nova pugnae conterrita sorte, K hear flagrantis perfusa genas, cui plurimus ignem ག་མ me si quis ebur, aut mixta rubent ubi lilia multă 1 cf. v. 230. 55 60 65 70 75 2 In the Iliad (at v. 311 ff.) Aeneas is rescued by Aphrodite who spreads before him a fold of her garment. Else |