LIBER VIII Ur belli signum Laurenti Turnus ab arce mittitur et magni Venulus Diomedis ad urbem, MPR 5 10 edoceat, multasque viro se adiungere gentis Dardanio et late Latio increbrescere nomen. [MPRV quid struat his coeptis, quem, si Fortuna sequatur, eventum pugnae cupiat, manifestius ipsi 16 quam Turno regi aut regi apparere Latino. Talia per Latium. quae Laomedontius heros cuncta videns magno curarum fluctuat aestu atque animum nunc huc celerem, nunc dividit illuc 20 in partisque rapit varias perque omnia versat: 2 sonuerunt P1. 10 considere Pay. 20-21 IV. 285, 286. BOOK VIII SOON as Turnus raised up the flag of war from Laurentum's citadel, and the horns rang with their hoarse notes, soon as he roused his fiery steeds and clashed his arms, straightway men's hearts were troubled; all Latium at once is leagued in startled uprising, and her sons rage madly. The chief captains, Messapus and Ufens, with Mezentius, scorner of the gods, from all sides muster forces and strip the wide fields of husbandmen. Venulus too is sent to mighty Diomede's city1 to seek aid, and announce that Teucrians set foot in Latium; that Aeneas is come with his fleet, bringing to them his vanquished gods, and proclaiming himself a king summoned by Fate; that many tribes are joining the Dardan hero and his name spreads far and wide in Latium. What end he compasses with these beginnings, what outcome of the feud he craves, should Fortune attend him, would be more clearly seen by Diomede's self than by King Turnus or King Latinus.2 18 Thus it was throughout Latium. And the hero of Laomedon's line, seeing it all, tosses on a mighty sea of troubles; and now hither, now thither he swiftly throws his mind, casting it in diverse ways, and turning it to every shift; 3 as when in brazen 1 Argyripa or Arpi, in Apulia. 2 Knowing the Trojans as he did, Diomede could judge best as to their plans and aspirations. 3 cf. Aen. IV. 285, 286. 61 sicut aquae tremulum labris ubi lumen aënis sole repercussum aut radiantis imagine lunae omnia pervolitat late loca iamque sub auras erigitur summique ferit laquearia tecti. Nox erat et terras animalia fessa per omnis alituum pecudumque genus sopor altus habebat, cum pater in ripa gelidique sub aetheris axe Aeneas, tristi turbatus pectora bello, procubuit seramque dedit per membra quietem. "O sate gente deum, Troianam ex hostibus urbem qui revehis nobis aeternaque Pergama servas, exspectate solo Laurenti arvisque Latinis, hic tibi certa domus, certi (ne absiste) Penates; neu belli terrere minis; tumor omnis et irae concessere deum. MPR 41 iamque tibi, ne vana putes haec fingere somnum, litoreis ingens inventa sub ilicibus sus triginta capitum fetus enixa iacebit, alba, solo recubans, albi circum ubera nati. 45 [hic locus urbis erit, requies ea certa laborum.] ex quo ter denis urbem redeuntibus annis haud incerta cano. nunc qua ratione quod instat 29 pectore M1. 43-46 III. 390-393. 50 bowls a flickering light from water, flung back by the sun or the moon's glittering form, flits far and wide o'er all things, and now mounts high and smites the fretted ceiling of the roof aloft. 26 It was night, and over all lands deep sleep held wearied creatures, birds and beasts alike, when father Aeneas, his heart troubled by woeful war, stretched him on the bank under the sky's chill cope, and let late sleep steal over his limbs. Before him the very god of the place, Tiberinus of the pleasant stream, seemed to raise his aged head amid the poplar leaves; thin lawn draped him in mantle of grey, and shady reeds crowned his hair. Then thus he spake to him, and with these words took away his cares: 36"O seed of a race divine, thou who from foemen's hands bringest back to us our Trojan city,1 and preservest her towers for ever, thou long looked for on Laurentine ground and Latin fields, here thy home is sure-draw not back-and sure are thy gods! Nor be scared by threats of war; all the swelling wrath of Heaven has abated. Even now, lest thou deem these words the idle feigning of sleep, thou shalt find a huge sow lying under the oaks on the shore, just delivered of a litter of thirty young, the mother reclining on the ground white-white, too, the young about her teats. By this token in thirty revolving years shall Ascanius found a city, Alba of glorious name. Not doubtful is my prophecy. Now on what wise thou mayest make thy triumphant way through this present ill, in few words-pay thou heed-I will explain. On these coasts Arcadians, a race sprung from Pallas, who were the company of King Evander and followed his banner, have chosen a site and set their city on the hills, from their forefather Pallas 1 Dardanus came from Italy. Pallantis proavi de nomine Pallanteum. 55 60 hic mihi magna domus, celsis caput urbibus exit." 65 Dixit, deinde lacu fluvius se condidit alto, ima petens; nox Aenean somnusque reliquit. unde est, 70 FMPR tuque, o Thybri tuo genitor cum flumine sancto, semper honore meo, semper celebrabere donis, 56 foedere Py, known to Servius. 63 pinguia singula M1. 67 relinquit R. 78 proprius P1, known to Servius. 65 magna] certa Py1. 75 tenent FR. 75 80 |