TRANSLATION

(By James Rhoades)

THERE was a wonted rite in Latium's realm Hesperian, holy held from age to age

ERRATA

Page 25, line 18, for "princess" read "maiden.

66

Pages 12 and 46, for Tirythius" read "Tirynthius.
Page 54, line 13, for "in Roman history" read "in early
Roman history."

Himself unbars, himself invokes the fray,
Then all the war-host follow, and with one throat
The brazen clarions blare their hoarse assent.
Now too on this wise was Latinus bidden'
War to proclaim against the sons of Troy,
Unclose the sullen portals. From their touch
The sire recoiled, turned from the loathed task
Shrinking, and shrouded him in eyeless gloom.

620 tum regina deum caelo delapsa morantis

impulit ipsa manu portas, et cardine verso belli ferratos rumpit Saturnia postis. ardet inexcita Ausonia atque immobilis ante; pars pedes ire parat campis, pars arduus altis pulverulentus equis furit; omnes arma requirunt. pars levis clipeos et spicula lucida tergent arvina pingui subiguntque in cote securis; signaque ferre iuvat sonitusque audire tubarum. quinque adeo magnae positis incudibus urbes 630 tela novant, Atina potens Tiburque superbum, Ardea Crustumerique et turrigerae Antemnae. tegmina tuta cavant capitum flectuntque salignas umbonum cratis; alii thoracas aënos

aut levis ocreas lento ducunt argento;

vomeris huc et falcis honos, huc omnis aratri cessit amor; recoquunt patrios fornacibus ensis. classica iamque sonant, it bello tessera signum. hic galeam tectis trepidus rapit, ille frementis ad iuga cogit equos, clipeumque auroque trilicem 640 loricam induitur fidoque accingitur ense.

Pandite nunc Helicona, deae, cantusque movete qui bello exciti reges, quae quemque secutae

Then, gliding from on high, the queen of heaven
With her own hand the lingering portals pushed,
And Saturn's daughter upon back-swung hinge
Asunder burst the iron-bound gates of war.
Ausonia, erst supine, immovable,

Anon takes fire. Some gird them o'er the plain
To march afoot; some, mounted on tall steeds,
Storm through a cloud of dust; all shout for arms.
Some furbish with rich lard the buckler smooth,
The javelin bright, or on the whetstone wear
Their axes to an edge: with joy they thrill
To advance the standard, hear the trumpet bray.
Five mighty cities set their anvils up
To fashion arms anew-Atina strong,
Proud Tibur, Ardea, and Crustumeri,

And turret-crowned Antemnae. For head-gear
Helmets they hollow, and for the boss of shields
Bend wicker-plait; some corslets beat from brass,
Smooth greaves from pliant silver. E'en to this
The pride of share and hook, to this hath fall'n
All passion for the plough: their father's swords
I' the furnace they re-temper. And now sounds
The clarion, speeds the watchword for the war.
One in hot hastę plucks helm from house-wall; one
Couples his snorting coursers to the yoke,
In shield and hauberk triple-twilled with gold
Arrays him, and girds trusty sword on thigh.
Now, Muses, ope the gates of Helicon

And wake the song-what kings were roused to war,
What hosts behind them following filled the plain;
Bloomed with what heroes, with what armour burned,

complerint campos acies, quibus Itala iam tum
floruerit terra alma viris, quibus arserit armis;
et meministis enim, divae, et memorare potestis;
ad nos vix tenuis famae perlabitur aura.

Primus init bellum Tyrrhenis asper ab oris
contemptor divum Mezentius agminaque armat.
filius huic iuxta Lausus, quo pulchrior alter
650 non fuit excepto Laurentis corpore Turni;
Lausus, equum domitor debellatorque ferarum,
ducit Agyllina nequiquam ex urbe secutos
mille viros, dignus patriis qui laetior esset
imperiis et cui pater haud Mezentius esset.

Post hos insignem palma per gramina currum victoresque ostentat equos satus Hercule pulchro pulcher Aventinus, clipeoque insigne paternum centum anguis cinctamque gerit serpentibus Hydram; collis Aventini silva quem Rhea sacerdos 660 furtivum partu sub luminis edidit oras, mixta deo mulier, postquam Laurentia victor Geryone exstincto Tirythius attigit arva, Tyrrhenoque boves in flumine lavit Hiberas. pila manu saevosque gerunt in bella dolones, et tereti pugnant mucrone veruque Sabello. ipse pedes, tegimen torquens immane leonis, terribili impexum saeta cum dentibus albis indutus capiti, sic regia tecta subibat,

horridus Herculeoque umeros innexus amictu.

E'en then the nursing soil of Italy:
For, being maids immortal, ye both mind
And can recount them; scarcely to our ears
Floats through the ages a thin breath of fame.
First to the field, despiser of the gods,

Speeds fierce Mezentius from the Tyrrhene coast,
And arms his ranks for battle; hard by him
Lausus his son, than whom no goodlier youth,
Save Turnus of Laurentum. At his back
Lausus, steed-tamer, beast-destroyer, leads
His thousand from Agylla's town-in vain;
Worthy of happier service as a son,

And other than Mezentius for his sire.

Behind them on the grassy sward displays His palm-crown'd chariot and victorious steeds A hero, sprung from Hercules the fair, Fair Aventinus: on his shield he bears A hundred serpents, his ancestral sign, The snake-encircled Hydra. Him by stealth The priestess Rhea on wood-clothed Aventine, Woman with god commingling, bare to light, When the Tirynthian victor, Geryon quelled, Arrived the fields Laurentian, and there bathed His kine Iberian in the Tuscan stream. Javelins and cruel pikes they wield for war, And fight with tapering-tipped Sabellian dart. Himself, swinging a lion's monstrous fell Shaggy with fearful bristles, o'er his head Flung with its flashing teeth, thus strode on foot Into the palace, grisly-rough, the garb

Of Hercules about his shoulders clasped.