Aeneid 1.81–101

Aen. 1.81Haec ubi dicta, cavum conversā cuspide montem
impulit in latus: ac ventī, velut agmine factō,
quā data porta, ruunt et terrās turbine perflant.

When this was said, he turned his spear and struck the hollow mountain on its side: and the winds, as if in battle line, rush out where a gate has been given them and blow across the lands in a whirlwind.

Note. Haec ubi dicta: supply sunt, 'when these words were spoken'. conversā cuspide: ablative absolute, 'with his spear turned round', striking with the butt. velut agmine factō: 'as if in battle line'. quā data porta: 'where a gate is given', data (est). The rush of short syllables in the second half of the line imitates the winds bursting out.

Aen. 1.84Incubuēre marī, tōtumque ā sēdibus īmīs
85ūnā Eurusque Notusque ruunt crēberque procellīs
Āfricus, et vāstōs volvunt ad lītora flūctūs.

They fell upon the sea, and together the East wind and the South wind and the African wind, thick with squalls, churn it all up from its lowest depths and roll huge waves to the shore.

Note. Incubuēre = incubuērunt, the alternative perfect ending -ēre. tōtum … ā sēdibus īmīs: 'the whole sea from its lowest depths'. ūnā: 'together'. The three winds named are the east (Eurus), south (Notus) and south-west (Āfricus). crēber procellīs: 'thick with squalls'.

Aen. 1.87Īnsequitur clāmorque virum strīdorque rudentum.

There follows the shouting of men and the creaking of ropes.

Note. virum = virōrum. rudentum: genitive plural of rudēns, 'rope'. The sounds of men and ships are paired, each with its -que.

Aen. 1.88Ēripiunt subitō nūbēs caelumque diemque
Teucrōrum ex oculīs;

Suddenly the clouds snatch sky and daylight from the eyes of the Teucrians;

Note. Ēripiunt … nūbēs: the subject is nūbēs; caelumque diemque, 'both sky and daylight', is the object.

Aen. 1.89pontō nox incubat ātra.

black night broods over the sea.

Note. pontō: dative with incubat, 'broods over the sea'. A short, heavy sentence for the darkness.

Aen. 1.90Intonuēre polī, et crēbrīs micat ignibus aethēr,
praesentemque virīs intentant omnia mortem.

The heavens thundered, the sky flashes with continual lightning, and everything threatens the men with instant death.

Note. Intonuēre = intonuērunt. polī: literally 'the poles', i.e. the heavens. crēbrīs … ignibus: 'with constant flashes'. praesentem … mortem: 'death close at hand'. intentant: 'threaten (something at someone)', with mortem as object and virīs as indirect object.

Aen. 1.92Extemplō Aenēae solvuntur frīgore membra:
ingemit, et duplicīs tendēns ad sīdera palmās
tālia vōce refert: Ō terque quaterque beātī,
95quīs ante ōra patrum Troiae sub moenibus altīs
contigit oppetere!

At once Aeneas' limbs go slack with cold: he groans, stretches both hands to the stars and cries out: 'O three and four times blessed, those whose lot it was to die before their fathers' eyes beneath the high walls of Troy!

Note. Aenēae: dative of reference, 'Aeneas' limbs'. Our first sight of the hero shows him afraid and despairing, as Odysseus is in the corresponding storm in the Odyssey (5.306). duplicīs … palmās: 'both hands', accusative plural in -īs. terque quaterque beātī: 'three and four times blessed'. quīs = quibus, dative with contigit: 'to whom it fell to die'. ante ōra patrum: 'before their fathers' eyes', a death with honour and burial.

Aen. 1.96Ō Danaum fortissime gentis
Tȳdīdē!

O son of Tydeus, bravest of the Greek race!

Note. Tȳdīdē: vocative of Tȳdīdēs, son of Tydeus, i.e. Diomedes, who nearly killed Aeneas in Iliad 5. fortissime: vocative of the superlative. Danaum = Danaōrum.

Aen. 1.97Mēne Īliacīs occumbere campīs
nōn potuisse, tuāque animam hanc effundere dextrā,
saevus ubi Aeacidae tēlō iacet Hector, ubi ingēns
100Sarpēdōn, ubi tot Simoīs correpta sub undīs
scūta virum galeāsque et fortia corpora volvit?

Why could I not have fallen on the plains of Ilium and poured out this life by your right hand, where fierce Hector lies, killed by the spear of Achilles, where huge Sarpedon lies, where the Simois seizes and rolls beneath its waters so many shields and helmets of men and so many brave bodies?'

Note. Mēne … nōn potuisse: exclamatory infinitive again: 'that I could not have fallen'. tuā … dextrā: 'by your right hand'. Aeacidae: 'of the descendant of Aeacus', Achilles. Hector, Sarpedon and the river Simois recall the great deaths of the Iliad. correpta: agrees with scūta, galeās and corpora together, as often with mixed nouns. virum = virōrum.