II. 526 to 566

Book II lines 526-566
526 Ecce autem elapsus Pyrrhi de caede Polites,
Behold however wounded Polites having escaped from the slaughter of Pyrrhus,
527 unus natorum Priami, per tela, per hostes
one of the sons of Priam, flees through weapons,
asyndeton/
anaphora (per)
528 porticibus longis fugit et vacua atria lustrat
through enemies in the long corridors and he surveys the empty halls.
529 saucius. Illum ardens infesto vulnere Pyrrhus
Pyrrhus follows behind him burning with a dangerous wound,
Prolepsis
530 insequitur, iam iamque manu tenet et premit hasta.
now and now he holds (him) with his hand and pierces (him) with a spear.
Chiasmus
531 Ut tandem ante oculos evasit et ora parentum,
When at last he escaped before the eyes and the faces of his parents,
532 concidit ac multo vitam cum sanguine fudit.
he fell and he poured out life with much blood.
533 Hic Priamus, quamquam in media iam morte tenetur,
Here Priam, although he is held now in the middle of death,
534 non tamen abstinuit nec voci iraeque pepercit:
he did not however restrain nor spare his anger and voice:
Hendiadys
535 ‘At tibi pro scelere,’ exclamat, ‘pro talibus ausis
‘But to you for the crime,’ he exclaims, ‘for such daring deeds,
536 di, si qua est caelo pietas quae talia curet,
if there is any piety in the sky which regards such things,
537 persolvant grates dignas et praemia reddant
may the gods pay back worthy thanks and may they give back rewards owed,
538 debita, qui nati coram me cernere letum
(you) who made me look face to face at the death of my son
539 fecisti et patrios foedasti funere vultus.
and defiled the fatherly faces with death.
syncope
540 At non ille, satum quo te mentiris, Achilles
But that famous Achilles, from whom you falsely say you have been born, was not
541 talis in hoste fuit Priamo; sed iura fidemque
of such a kind towards his enemy Priam; but he revered the laws and faith
542 supplicis erubuit corpusque exsangue sepulcro
of the suppliant and he returned the bloodless body of Hector for burial
543 reddidit Hectoreum meque in mea regna remisit.’
and sent me back to my kingdoms.’
544 Sic fatus senior telumque imbelle sine ictu
Thus the old man spoke and hurled his harmless weapon without a blow,
545 coniecit, rauco quod protinus aere repulsum,
which immediately was repulsed by the clanging bronze,
546 et summo clipei nequiquam umbone pependit.
and it hung from the top knob of the shield harmlessly.
547 Cui Pyrrhus: ‘Referes ergo haec et nuntius ibis
Pyrrhus (said) to him: ‘Therefore you will take these things back and as a messenger
548 Pelidae genitori. Illi mea tristia facta
you will go to my father Achilles. Remember to tell him my sad deeds
549 degeneremque Neoptolemum narrare memento.
and [how] ignoble Neoptolemus [is].
550 Nunc morere.’ Hoc dicens altaria ad ipsa trementem
Now die.’ Saying this he dragged him trembling to the altars themselves
551 traxit et in multo lapsantem sanguine nati,
and slipping in much blood of the son,
552 implicuitque comam laeva, dextraque coruscum
and entwined his hair with his left hand, and with his right hand he lifted the flashing
553 extulit ac lateri capulo tenus abdidit ensem.
sword and buried (it) up to the hilt in his side.
554 Haec finis Priami fatorum, hic exitus illum
This was the end of the fates of Priam, this destruction took him
555 sorte tulit Troiam incensam et prolapsa videntem
away by lot seeing Troy burned and the citadel of Troy collapsed,
556 Pergama, tot quondam populis terrisque superbum
once the ruler of Asia proud with so many peoples
557 regnatorem Asiae. Iacet ingens litore truncus,
and lands. A huge body lies on the shore,
558 avulsumque umeris caput et sine nomine corpus.
and a head torn away from its shoulders and a corpse without a name.
559 At me tum primum saevus circumstetit horror.
But then for the first time the savage horror surrounded me.
560 Obstipui; subiit cari genitoris imago,
I stood amazed; the image of my dear father entered (my mind),
561 ut regem aequaevum crudeli vulnere vidi
as I saw the equal-aged king with a cruel wound,
562 vitam exhalantem: subiit deserta Creusa
breathing out his life: the deserted Creusa entered (my mind)
563 et direpta domus et parvi casus Iuli.
and the ransacked home and the misfortune of small Iulus.
564 Respicio et quae sit me circum copia lustro.
I look back and I survey what forces there are around me.
565 Deseruere omnes defessi, et corpora saltu
All the weary men have deserted, and they have sent their bodies with a leap
566 ad terram misere aut ignibus aegra dedere.
to the land or they have given the sick (bodies) to the fires.