II. 469 to 502

II. 469 to 502
469 “Vestibulum ante ipsum primoque in limine Pyrrhus
Before the entry itself and on the first doorway Pyrrhus
470 exsultat telis et luce coruscus aena:
leaps forth flashing with weapons and bronze light:
471 qualis ubi in lucem coluber mala gramina pastus,
just as when the snake, having eaten bad plants,
472 frigida sub terra tumidum quem bruma tegebat,
which [snake], swollen, the cold midwinter was hiding under the earth,
473 nunc, positis novus exuviis nitidusque iuventa,
now, new, its skin having been set aside and shining with youth,
474 lubrica convoluit sublato pectore terga
rolled slimy backs into the light, with chest raised
475 arduus ad solem, et linguis micat ore trisulcis.
to the sun, tall, and flashing from [its] mouth with a three forked tongue.
476 Una ingens Periphas et equorum agitator Achillis,
At the same time huge Periphas and the driver of the horses of Achilles,
477 armiger Automedon, una omnis Scyria pubes
Automedon the armorbearer, at the same time all Scyrian young men
478 succedunt tecto et flammas ad culmina iactant.
approach the house and throw flames to the roofs.
479 ipse inter primos correpta dura bipenni
Among the first [men] he himself, a double ax having been snatched up,
interlocked order
480 limina perrumpit postesque a cardine vellit
breaks through the hard doorways and tears bronze posts from the hinge;
481 aeratos; iamque excisa trabe firma cavavit
and now the beam having been destroyed he hollowed out the strong
482 robora et ingentem lato dedit ore fenestram.
oak and gave [created] a huge opening with a wide mouth .
483 Apparet domus intus et atria longa patescunt;
The house within appears and they open up the long atria;
484 apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum,
the chambers of Priam and of the old kings appear,
485 armatosque vident stantes in limine primo.
and they see armed men standing in the first threshold.
486 At domus interior gemitu miseroque tumultu
But the inner house is confused with groaning and miserable uproar,
487 miscetur, penitusque cavae plangoribus aedes
and within the hollow halls they wail with feminine shrieks;
488 femineis ululant; ferit aurea sidera clamor.
the clamor strikes the golden stars.
489 Tum pavidae tectis matres ingentibus errant
Then the fearful mothers wander in the huge houses
490 amplexaeque tenent postes atque oscula figunt.
and having embraced the posts they hold [them] and they fasten kisses.
491 Instat vi patria Pyrrhus; nec claustra nec ipsi
Pyrrhus presses on with fatherly strength; neither barriers nor guardians themselves
492 custodes sufferre valent; labat ariete crebro
are able to endure [him]; the gate was wavered with the repeated battering ram,
493 ianua, et emoti procumbunt cardine postes.
and posts fall forward moved from the hinge.
494 Fit via vi; rumpunt aditus primosque trucidant
The way is made by force; the Greeks having been let in break the entrances and
slaughter the first men
495 immissi Danai et late loca milite complent.
and fill places far and wide with military.
496 Non sic, aggeribus ruptis cum spumeus amnis
Not so [furiously] when, a foaming river rushes onward with the dams having erupted
litotes/
simile
497 exiit oppositasque evicit gurgite moles,
and it has overcome the opposite structures with a whirlpool,
498 fertur in arva furens cumulo camposque per omnes
it is carried in the fields raging in a mass and through all the fields it drags
double alliteration
499 cum stabulis armenta trahit. Vidi ipse furentem
the flock with the stables. I myself saw Neoptolemus raging
500 caede Neoptolemum geminosque in limine Atridas,
with slaughter and the twin sons of Atrides in a threshold,
501 vidi Hecubam centumque nurus Priamumque per aras
I saw Hecuba and a hundred daughters in law and Priam by the altars
502 sanguine foedantem quos ipse sacraverat ignes.
he was defiling the fires which he himself had sanctified with blood.