Aeneid 12.287–310

Aen. 12.287Īnfrēnant aliī currūs aut corpora saltū
subiciunt in equōs et strictīs ēnsibus adsunt.

Others bridle their chariots or vault up onto their horses and are there with drawn swords.

Note. Īnfrēnant: here 'harness', make ready. corpora saltū subiciunt in equōs: 'they throw their bodies up onto their horses with a leap'. adsunt: 'are at hand, stand ready'.

Aen. 12.289Messāpus rēgem rēgisque īnsigne gerentem,
290Tyrrhēnum Aulestēn, avidus cōnfundere foedus,
adversō prōterret equō: ruit ille recēdēns
et miser oppositīs ā tergō involvitur ārīs
in caput inque umerōs.

Messapus, eager to wreck the treaty, drives his horse at Aulestes the Etruscan, a king who wore a king's insignia, and terrifies him: he falls backward as he retreats and, poor man, is rolled over the altars that stood behind him, head and shoulders first.

Note. Messāpus is the subject; avidus cōnfundere foedus, 'eager to wreck the treaty', describes him. rēgem … gerentem … Aulestēn: the object, Aulestes the Etruscan king, wearing the royal insignia. adversō … equō: 'with his horse driven straight at him'. in caput inque umerōs: he falls backwards over the altars 'head and shoulders first'.

Aen. 12.293At fervidus advolat hastā
Messāpus tēlōque ōrantem multa trabālī
295dēsuper altus equō graviter ferit atque ita fātur:
Hoc habet, haec melior magnīs data victima dīvīs.

But Messapus flies up, blazing, with his spear, and high on his horse he strikes him hard from above with a beam-like shaft as he begs for mercy, and says: 'He has it: this is a better victim given to the great gods.'

Note. advolat: 'flies at him'. ōrantem multa: 'begging much', i.e. pleading for his life. trabālī: 'like a beam', a huge spear. Hoc habet: the gladiators' cry, 'he has it!', when a fighter is hit. melior … victima: a grim joke; Aulestes is a 'better victim' for the gods than the animals of the treaty sacrifice.

Aen. 12.297Concurrunt Ītalī spoliantque calentia membra.

The Italians run together and strip the warm limbs.

Note. calentia membra: 'the still-warm limbs'; they strip the armour from the body.

Aen. 12.298Obvius ambūstum torrem Corynaeus ab ārā
corripit et venientī Ebusō plāgamque ferentī
300occupat ōs flammīs: ollī ingēns barba relūxit
nīdōremque ambūsta dedit.

Corynaeus, in his path, snatches a charred brand from the altar, and as Ebusus came at him to deal a blow, he fills his face with flames: his great beard blazed up and, singed, gave off a smell of burning.

Note. Obvius: 'in his way', meeting him. ambūstum torrem: a 'charred brand' from the altar fire. Ebusō … venientī … ferentī: datives, 'for Ebusus as he came on and aimed a blow'. occupat ōs flammīs: 'gets in first and fills his face with flames'. ollī: old form of illī (dative), 'his'.

Aen. 12.301Super ipse secūtus
caesariem laevā turbātī corripit hostis
inpressōque genū nītēns terrae adplicat ipsum:
sīc rigidō latus ēnse ferit.

Following up, Corynaeus himself seizes the hair of the confused enemy with his left hand, and pressing down with his knee planted on him, pins him to the ground: so he strikes his side with his unbending sword.

Note. Super … secūtus: Corynaeus 'following up from above'. laevā: supply manū. turbātī … hostis: genitive, 'of the confused enemy'. impressōque genū: ablative absolute, 'with his knee pressed down'. terrae: dative, 'to the earth'.

Aen. 12.304Podalīrius Alsum
305pāstōrem prīmāque aciē per tēla ruentem,
ēnse sequēns nūdō superimminet: ille secūrī
adversī frontem mediam mentumque reductā
disicit et sparsō lātē rigat arma cruōre.

Podalirius, pursuing with naked sword, towers over Alsus, a shepherd, as he rushes through the weapons in the front line: Alsus, swinging his axe back, splits the middle of his opponent's forehead and his chin, and drenches his armour with blood spattered far and wide.

Note. Podalīrius … superimminet: he 'towers over' Alsus as he pursues him. ille: now Alsus, who turns and strikes first: secūrī … reductā, 'with his axe swung back'. adversī: genitive, 'of his opponent (facing him)'. rigat: 'drenches'.

Aen. 12.309Ollī dūra quiēs oculōs et ferreus urget
310somnus, in aeternam conduntur lūmina noctem.

Harsh rest and iron sleep press upon his eyes; his eyes close in everlasting night.

Note. Ollī: Podalirius. dūra quiēs … ferreus somnus: death described as 'hard rest' and 'iron sleep'. The line is repeated from Book 10.