Aeneid 12.216–237

Aen. 12.216At vērō Rutulīs inpār ea pugna vidērī
iamdūdum et variō miscērī pectora mōtū;

But to the Rutulians the fight had long seemed unequal, and their hearts were stirred by shifting feelings;

Note. The two armies are watching as Latinus and Aeneas swear the treaty that will settle the war by a single combat between Aeneas and Turnus. vidērī and miscērī are historic infinitives, used like imperfect indicatives in lively narrative: 'the fight seemed … hearts were stirred'. Rutulīs: dative with vidērī, 'seemed to the Rutulians'. inpār (= impār) agrees with pugna.

Aen. 12.218tum magis, ut propius cernunt nōn vīribus aequīs.

and all the more now, as they see more closely that the strength is not matched.

Note. Supply 'it seemed so'. ut: 'as', with the indicative cernunt. nōn vīribus aequīs: ablative of description, 'with strength not equal'; the Rutulians see Aeneas and Turnus side by side.

Aen. 12.219Adiuvat incessū tacitō prōgressus et āram
220suppliciter venerāns dēmissō lūmine Turnus
tābentēsque genae et iuvenālī in corpore pallor.

Turnus adds to this, coming forward with silent step and humbly worshipping at the altar with downcast eyes, and his wasted cheeks and the pallor on his young body.

Note. adiuvat: 'helps (the feeling along)', its subjects are Turnus and then genae and pallor. prōgressus is from the deponent prōgredior, so it is active in meaning: 'having come forward'. dēmissō lūmine: ablative absolute, 'with lowered eyes'. tābentēs: 'wasting, hollow'.

Aen. 12.222Quem simul ac Iūturna soror crēbrēscere vīdit
sermōnem et volgī variāre labantia corda,
in mediās aciēs, fōrmam adsimulāta Camertī,
225cui genus ā proavīs ingēns clārumque paternae
nōmen erat virtūtis, et ipse ācerrimus armīs,
in mediās dat sēsē aciēs haud nescia rērum
rūmōrēsque serit variōs ac tālia fātur:
Nōn pudet, Ō Rutulī, prō cūnctīs tālibus ūnam
230obiectāre animam?

As soon as Juturna, his sister, saw this talk spreading and the hearts of the crowd wavering and changing, she enters the middle of the battle-lines, taking the form of Camers (who had a great family from his ancestors, the famous name of his father's courage, and was himself most fierce in arms); into the middle of the lines she goes, well aware of what she is doing, sows various rumours and speaks like this: 'Are you not ashamed, Rutulians, to put up one life for all men such as you?

Note. Quem … sermōnem: the relative is joined to its noun, 'and when she saw this talk …'. simul ac: 'as soon as'. Iūturna, Turnus' sister, is a water-nymph; Juno has sent her to save him. fōrmam adsimulāta Camertī: 'having made her shape like Camers', a Greek-style accusative of respect (fōrmam) with the passive participle. The parenthesis about Camers' family runs to armīs. haud nescia rērum: 'not unaware of the situation' (litotes): she knows exactly what she is doing. Her speech begins with the scornful question Nōn pudet …?: 'Are you not ashamed …?', with the infinitive obiectāre.

Aen. 12.230Numerōne an vīribus aequī
nōn sumus?

Are we not equal to them in numbers or in strength?

Note. -ne on the first word asks the question; an introduces the alternative: 'are we not equal either in numbers or in strength?' aequī agrees with the subject 'we'.

Aen. 12.231Ēn omnēs et Trōēs et Arcadēs hī sunt
fātālēsque manūs, īnfēnsa Etrūria Turnō:
vix hostem, alternī sī congrediāmur, habēmus.

Look: here they all are, Trojans and Arcadians, and the band brought by fate, Etruria hostile to Turnus; if we fight them one against one, we have scarcely an enemy each.

Note. ēn: 'look!' fātālēsque manūs: the band 'sent by fate', said with contempt for the Trojans' claim to a destiny. Etrūria īnfēnsa Turnō: the Etruscans have joined Aeneas because they hate their exiled king Mezentius, Turnus' ally. alternī sī congrediāmur: 'if we were to fight man against man' (present subjunctive in a future-less-vivid condition); there would barely be one enemy for each of us.

Aen. 12.234Ille quidem ad superōs, quōrum sē dēvovet ārīs,
235succēdet fāma vīvusque per ōra ferētur:
nōs patriā āmissā dominīs pārēre superbīs
cōgēmur, quī nunc lentī cōnsēdimus arvīs.

He indeed will go up in fame to the gods, at whose altars he devotes himself, and will be carried alive on men's lips; we, our country lost, will be forced to obey proud masters, we who now sit idle in the fields.'

Note. Ille: Turnus. quōrum … ārīs: 'at whose altars he devotes himself', as a willing victim. succēdet … ad superōs: 'he will go up to the gods (in fame)'. vīvusque per ōra ferētur: 'and will be carried alive on men's lips', a phrase from Ennius' epitaph. patriā āmissā: ablative absolute. lentī: 'idle'; the soldiers are sitting in the fields watching the ceremony.