II. 250-297

Aeneid II. 250 to 297
250 Vertitur interea caelum et ruit Oceano nox
Meanwhile the sky is turned and night rushes from the Ocean
251 involvens umbra magna terramque polumque
wrapping both the earth and the heavens
252 Myrmidonumque dolos; fusi per moenia Teucri
and the tricks of the Myrmidons in a huge shadow; spread along the walls, the
Trojans
253 conticuere; sopor fessos complectitur artus.
grew silent; sleep embraces the tired limbs.
254 Et iam Argiva phalanx instructis navibus ibat
And now the Greek phalanx with the ships equipped was going
abl. abs.
255 a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae
from Tenedos through the friendly silence of the quiet moon
256 litora nota petens, flammas cum regia puppis
seeking the known shores, when the royal ship had lifted up flames
257 extulerat, fatisque deum defensus iniquis
and protected by the unfair fates of the gods
258 inclusos utero Danaos et pinea furtim
the enclosed Greeks from the belly and the pine bars secretly
hysteron
proteron/
zeugma
259 laxat claustra Sinon. Illos patefactus ad auras
Sinon loosens. Having been laid open, the horse returns those [men] to the breezes
personification/
animification
260 reddit equus laetique cavo se robore promunt
and joyful they bring themselves forth from the hollow oak -
261 Thessandrus Sthenelusque duces et dirus Ulixes,
the leaders Thessandrus and Sthenelus and feared Ulysses,
262 demissum lapsi per funem, Acamasque Thoasque
having descended by the dropped rope, and
263 Pelidesque Neoptolemus primusque Machaon
Acamas and Thoas and Neoptolemus Peleus and well known Machaon
264 et Menelaus et ipse doli fabricator Epeos.
and Menelaus and Epeous the creator of the trick himself.
265 Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam;
They invade the city buried in sleep and wine;
266 caeduntur vigiles, portisque patentibus omnes
the guards are slaughtered, and at the open gates
267 accipiunt socios atque agmina conscia iungunt.
they all receive their allies and join the confederate battle lines.
268 Tempus erat quo prima quies mortalibus aegris
It was the time in which the most pleasing first rest for the sick mortals begins
269 incipit et dono divum gratissima serpit.
and creeps as a gift of the gods.
270 In somnis, ecce, ante oculos maestissimus Hector
In sleep, behold, before my eyes gloomiest Hector
271 visus adesse mihi largosque effundere fletus,
seemed to appear to me and to pour out abundant tears,
272 raptatus bigis ut quondam, aterque cruento
as once [Hector] snatched by the two-horse chariot, and black with bloody dust
273 pulvere perque pedes traiectus lora tumentes.
and pierced through the swollen feet [with] reins.
274 ei mihi, qualis erat, quantum mutatus ab illo
Alas to me, he was of such a kind, how much change from that Hector
275 Hectore qui redit exuvias indutus Achilli
who returns clothed [in] the spoils of Achilles
276 vel Danaum Phrygios iaculatus puppibus ignes!
or having thrown Trojan fires on the ships of the Greeks!
277 Squalentem barbam et concretos sanguine crines
Bearing filthy beard and hair hardened with blood
278 vulneraque illa gerens, quae circum plurima muros
and those wounds, many which he received around
279 accepit patrios. Ultro flens ipse videbar
the fatherlandly walls. Further weeping I myself seemed
280 compellare virum et maestas expromere voces:
to speak to the man and to express the mournful words:
281 ‘O lux Dardaniae, spes o fidissima Teucrum,
‘Oh light of Troy, oh most loyal hope of the Trojans,
282 quae tantae tenuere morae? Quibus Hector ab oris
what so great delays hold [you]? From which shores do you come Hector eagerly
awaited?
283 exspectate venis? Ut te post multa tuorum
How [gladly] we, tired, see you after many deaths of your [people],
284 funera, post varios hominumque urbisque labores
after various labors of men and of the city!
chiasmus
285 defessi aspicimus! Quae causa indigna serenos
What unworthy cause defiled your serene faces?
286 foedavit vultus? Aut cur haec vulnera cerno?’
Or why do I see these wounds?’
287 Ille nihil, nec me quaerentem vana moratur,
He [said] nothing, nor does he delay me seeking useless things,
288 sed graviter gemitus imo de pectore ducens,
but heavily leading groans from his deep heart,
289 ‘Heu fuge, nate dea, teque his,’ ait, ‘eripe flammis.
‘Escape alas, son from a goddess, and snatch yourself from these flames,’ he says.
290 Hostis habet muros; ruit alto a culmine Troia.
The enemy holds the walls; Troy rushes from the high summit.
291 Sat patriae Priamoque datum: si Pergama dextra
Enough has been given to Priam and the fatherland: if Troy were able to be protected
292 defendi possent, etiam hac defensa fuissent.
by [my] right hand, it would have been defended by this [right hand] indeed.
293 Sacra suosque tibi commendat Troia Penates;
Troy entrusts the holy things and its Penates to you;
294 hos cape fatorum comites, his moenia quaere
seize these as comrades of the fates, seek the great walls for these
295 magna pererrato statues quae denique ponto.’
which you will establish at last with the sea having been wandered.’
296 Sic ait et manibus vittas Vestamque potentem
Thus he said and he carries forth with his hands the headbands and powerful Vesta
297 aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem.”
and the eternal fire from the interior sanctuaries.”