Aeneid 1.441–463

Aen. 1.441Lūcus in urbe fuit mediā, laetissimus umbrā,
quō prīmum iactātī undīs et turbine Poenī
effodere locō signum, quod rēgia Iūnō
mōnstrārat, caput ācris equī;

There was a grove in the middle of the city, very glad with shade, where the Carthaginians, first tossed by the waves and the whirlwind, dug up the sign that royal Juno had shown them, the head of a spirited horse;

Note. laetissimus umbrā: 'most glad with shade', i.e. very shady (ablative of respect). The horse's head found by the Carthaginians appears on Punic coins. ācris equī: genitive.

Aen. 1.444sīc nam fore bellō
445ēgregiam et facilem vīctū per saecula gentem.

for so, it meant, the race would be outstanding in war and rich in living through the ages.

Note. fore: future infinitive in indirect statement, depending on the idea of 'showing' in the sign. facilem vīctū: 'easy in living', i.e. prosperous; vīctū is the ablative of vīctus, 'livelihood'.

Aen. 1.446Hīc templum Iūnōnī ingēns Sīdōnia Dīdō
condēbat, dōnīs opulentum et nūmine dīvae,
aerea cui gradibus surgēbant līmina, nexaeque
aere trabēs, foribus cardō strīdēbat aēnīs.

Here Sidonian Dido was building a huge temple to Juno, rich with gifts and with the goddess's presence; its bronze threshold rose on steps, its beams were bound with bronze, and the hinge creaked on bronze doors.

Note. Sīdōnia Dīdō: Sidon and Tyre were the two great Phoenician cities, so 'Sidonian' means Phoenician. nūmine dīvae: 'the goddess's divine presence'. cui: dative of reference, 'whose threshold'. nexaeque aere trabēs [erant].

Aen. 1.450Hōc prīmum in lūcō nova rēs oblāta timōrem
lēniit, hīc prīmum Aenēās spērāre salūtem
ausus, et adflīctīs melius cōnfīdere rēbus.

In this grove, for the first time, a new sight that met him calmed his fear; here for the first time Aeneas dared to hope for safety and to trust better in his battered fortunes.

Note. Hōc … in lūcō: the temple scene begins. melius cōnfīdere: 'to trust more'.

Aen. 1.453Namque sub ingentī lūstrat dum singula templō,
rēgīnam opperiēns, dum, quae fortūna sit urbī,
455artificumque manūs inter sē operumque labōrem
mīrātur, videt Īliacās ex ōrdine pugnās,
bellaque iam fāmā tōtum volgāta per orbem,
Atrīdās, Priamumque, et saevum ambōbus Achillem.

For while, waiting for the queen, he looks over each thing under the huge temple, while he marvels at the city's fortune, the hands of the craftsmen vying together and the labour of their works, he sees the battles of Troy in order, the wars now spread by fame through the whole world, the sons of Atreus, and Priam, and Achilles, savage to both.

Note. dum … lūstrat … dum … mīrātur: dum with the present tense, 'while'. Note the indirect question quae fortūna sit urbī. Iliacās ex ōrdine pugnās: the Trojan War in sequence, like a series of reliefs or paintings. Atrīdās: Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus. saevum ambōbus Achillem: Achilles was savage to both sides, quarrelling with Agamemnon and killing Trojans.

Aen. 1.459Cōnstitit, et lacrimāns, Quis iam locus inquit Achātē,
460quae regiō in terrīs nostrī nōn plēna labōris?

He stopped, and weeping said: 'What place now, Achates, what region on earth is not full of our suffering?

Note. Achātē: vocative of Achātēs. nostrī … labōris: 'of our suffering' (labor in the sense of hardship).

Aen. 1.461Ēn Priamus!

Look, Priam!

Note. Ēn: 'look!', an interjection.

Aen. 1.461Sunt hīc etiam sua praemia laudī;

Even here glory has its own rewards;

Note. sua praemia laudī: 'glory has its own rewards' — laudī is dative of possession.

Aen. 1.462sunt lacrimae rērum et mentem mortālia tangunt.

there are tears for things, and mortal sorrows touch the mind.

Note. sunt lacrimae rērum: one of Vergil's most famous half-lines, much debated. rērum is an objective genitive: 'there are tears for things (for human affairs)'. mentem mortālia tangunt: 'mortal sufferings touch the heart'.

Aen. 1.463Solve metūs;

Put away your fears;

Note. Solve metūs: imperative of solvō; metūs is accusative plural.

Aen. 1.463feret haec aliquam tibi fāma salūtem.

this fame will bring you some safety.'