Aeneid 1.657–694

Aen. 1.657At Cytherēa novās artēs, nova pectore versat
Cōnsilia, ut faciem mūtātus et ōra Cupīdō
prō dulcī Ascaniō veniat, dōnīsque furentem
660incendat rēgīnam, atque ossibus implicet ignem;

But the Cytherean turns over new devices, new plans in her heart: that Cupid, his face and features changed, should come in place of sweet Ascanius, and with the gifts set the queen on fire to madness and wind the flame into her bones;

Note. Cytherēa: Venus, worshipped on Cythera. faciem mūtātus et ōra: middle participle with accusatives of respect, 'changed in face and features'. ut … veniat … incendat … implicet: noun clause of purpose. ossibus implicet ignem: love as a fire in the bones is a recurring image in Book 4.

Aen. 1.661quippe domum timet ambiguam Tyriōsque bilinguīs;

for she fears the untrustworthy house and the double-tongued Tyrians;

Note. domum … ambiguam: the untrustworthy Carthaginian house. bilinguīs: 'double-tongued'; the Romans thought Carthaginians deceitful (Punica fides).

Aen. 1.662ūrit atrōx Iūnō, et sub noctem cūra recursat.

cruel Juno burns her, and at nightfall her anxiety returns.

Note. ūrit: 'burns', i.e. torments her. sub noctem: 'at nightfall'.

Aen. 1.663Ergō hīs āligerum dictīs adfātur Amōrem:
Nāte, meae vīrēs, mea magna potentia sōlus,
665nāte, patris summī quī tēla Typhōia temnis,
ad tē cōnfugiō et supplex tua nūmina poscō.

So she speaks these words to winged Love: 'Son, my strength, my great power, you alone, son, who scorn the Typhoean weapons of the highest father, I take refuge with you and beg your divine help as a suppliant.

Note. Nāte, meae vīrēs: vocative with nouns in apposition. tēla Typhōia: Jupiter's thunderbolts, which struck down the giant Typhoeus; even these do not frighten Love.

Aen. 1.667Frāter ut Aenēās pelagō tuus omnia circum
lītora iactētur odiīs Iūnōnis inīquae,
nōta tibi, et nostrō doluistī saepe dolōre.

How your brother Aeneas is tossed on the sea round every shore through the hatred of unjust Juno is known to you, and you have often grieved at my grief.

Note. ut … iactētur: indirect question, 'how he is tossed'. nōta (sunt) tibi: 'are known to you'. Frāter: Aeneas and Cupid are both Venus' sons.

Aen. 1.670Hunc Phoenissa tenet Dīdō blandīsque morātur
vōcibus;

Phoenician Dido is holding him and delaying him with flattering words;

Note. Phoenissa: 'the Phoenician woman'. morātur: 'detains'.

Aen. 1.671et vereor, quō sē Iūnōnia vertant
hospitia;

and I fear how Juno's hospitality may turn out;

Note. quō sē … vertant: indirect question, 'how Juno's hospitality may turn out' — Carthage is Juno's city.

Aen. 1.672haud tantō cessābit cardine rērum.

she will not be idle at such a turning point of events.

Note. haud … cessābit: 'she will not sit idle'. cardine rērum: 'at such a turning point', a cardō being a door's pivot.

Aen. 1.673Quōcircā capere ante dolīs et cingere flammā
rēgīnam meditor, nē quō sē nūmine mūtet,
675sed magnō Aenēae mēcum teneātur amōre.

Therefore I mean to forestall the queen with tricks and surround her with flame, so that she may not be changed by any divine power, but may be held fast with me by a great love for Aeneas.

Note. capere ante: 'to forestall', 'take her first'. nē quō … nūmine: after nē, quō is the indefinite, 'by any divine power'. mēcum: 'as I wish', 'on my side'.

Aen. 1.676Quā facere id possīs, nostram nunc accipe mentem.

Now hear my thought about how you can do this.

Note. Quā … possīs: indirect question, 'how you can do this'.

Aen. 1.677Rēgius accītū cārī genitōris ad urbem
Sīdōniam puer īre parat, mea maxima cūra,
dōna ferēns, pelagō et flammīs restantia Troiae:
680hunc ego sōpītum somnō super alta Cythēra
aut super Īdalium sacrātā sēde recondam,
nē quā scīre dolōs mediusve occurrere possit.

The royal boy, my greatest care, is getting ready to go to the Sidonian city at his dear father's summons, bringing gifts that have survived the sea and the flames of Troy: I will lull him to sleep and hide him in a sacred place above high Cythera or above Idalium, so that he cannot in any way learn of the trick or come between us.

Note. accītū: 'at the summons'. pelagō et flammīs restantia Troiae: 'surviving the sea and the flames of Troy'. sōpītum somnō: 'lulled to sleep'. Cythēra, Īdalium: places sacred to Venus. nē quā: 'so that in no way'. mediusve occurrere: 'or come in the way'.

Aen. 1.683Tū faciem illīus noctem nōn amplius ūnam
falle dolō, et nōtōs puerī puer indue voltūs,
685ut, cum tē gremiō accipiet laetissima Dīdō
rēgālīs inter mēnsās laticemque Lyaeum,
cum dabit amplexūs atque ōscula dulcia fīget,
occultum īnspīrēs ignem fallāsque venēnō.

For no more than one night, you must imitate his appearance by guile and, a boy yourself, put on the boy's familiar face, so that when Dido, overjoyed, takes you in her lap amid the royal tables and the flowing wine, when she embraces you and plants sweet kisses on you, you may breathe a hidden fire into her and deceive her with poison.'

Note. noctem … ūnam: accusative of duration. falle: 'imitate deceitfully'. Lyaeum: Lyaeus, 'the releaser', is a name of Bacchus; latex Lyaeus is wine. ōscula dulcia fīget: 'plant sweet kisses'. occultum īnspīrēs ignem fallāsque venēnō: purpose clause; the poison is the love Cupid breathes into Dido.

Aen. 1.689Pāret Amor dictīs cārae genetrīcis, et ālās
690exuit, et gressū gaudēns incēdit Iūlī.

Love obeys his dear mother's words, takes off his wings, and walks happily with the gait of Iulus.

Note. gressū … Iūlī: 'with Iulus' walk'. Iulus is another name of Ascanius.

Aen. 1.691At Venus Ascaniō placidam per membra quiētem
inrigat, et fōtum gremiō dea tollit in altōs
Īdaliae lūcōs, ubi mollis amāracus illum
flōribus et dulcī adspīrāns complectitur umbrā.

But Venus pours peaceful rest through Ascanius' limbs, and, cherishing him in her lap, the goddess lifts him into the high groves of Idalia, where soft marjoram enfolds him with its flowers and fragrant, sweet shade.

Note. quiētem inrigat: 'pours rest over him like water'. fōtum: 'cherished'. Īdaliae lūcōs: the groves of Idalium on Cyprus. amāracus: marjoram, fragrant and soft.