Aeneid 12.346–382

Aen. 12.346Parte aliā media Eumēdēs in proelia fertur,
antīquī prōlēs bellō praeclāra Dolōnis,
nōmine avum referēns, animō manibusque parentem,
quī quondam, castra ut Danaum speculātor adīret,
350ausus Pēlīdae pretium sibi poscere currūs;

In another part Eumedes is carried into the middle of the fighting, the son of old Dolon, renowned in war, recalling his grandfather in his name, his father in spirit and hand: Dolon who once, to go as a spy to the Greek camp, dared to ask for the chariot of Achilles as his reward;

Note. Eumēdēs is the son of Dolon, the Trojan spy of Iliad 10. nōmine avum referēns: he 'recalls his grandfather in his name' (Eumedes was also the name of Dolon's father). quī quondam …: Dolon dared to ask for Achilles' chariot as his reward for spying on the Greeks. ut … adīret: purpose clause. Pēlīdae: 'of the son of Peleus', Achilles.

Aen. 12.351illum Tȳdīdēs aliō prō tālibus ausīs
adfēcit pretiō, nec equīs adspīrat Achillis.

the son of Tydeus paid him a different reward for such daring, and he does not aspire to Achilles' horses.

Note. Tȳdīdēs: Diomedes, son of Tydeus, who caught and killed Dolon. aliō … pretiō: 'with another reward', death; a dry irony. nec … adspīrat: 'and he does not (now) aspire to' Achilles' horses.

Aen. 12.353Hunc procul ut campō Turnus prōspexit apertō,
ante levī iaculō longum per ināne secūtus
355sistit equōs biiugīs et currū dēsilit atque
sēmianimī lāpsōque supervēnit et pede collō
impressō dextrae mūcrōnem extorquet et altō
fulgentem tinguit iugulō atque haec īnsuper addit:
Ēn agrōs et quam bellō, Trōiāne, petīstī,
360Hesperiam mētīre iacēns: haec praemia quī mē
ferrō ausī temptāre ferunt, sīc moenia condunt.

When Turnus caught sight of him far off on the open plain, first following him with a light javelin through the long empty space, he halts his two-horse team, leaps down from the chariot, comes upon the fallen, dying man, and with his foot pressed on his neck wrenches the sword from his right hand, dyes the gleaming blade deep in his throat, and adds these words as well: 'Look, Trojan, lie there and measure out the fields and the Hesperia you sought in war: this is the reward of those who dare to test me with the sword; this is how they found their walls.'

Note. ut … prōspexit: 'when he caught sight of him'. ante: adverb, 'first'. sēmianimī lāpsōque: datives with supervēnit, 'he comes upon the half-dead, fallen man'. pede collō impressō: ablative absolute. Turnus' taunt: Hesperiam mētīre iacēns, 'measure out Hesperia (Italy) lying down', i.e. the only land you will get is your own length of it. haec praemia … ferunt: 'they carry off these rewards'; sīc moenia condunt, 'this is how they found their walls', mocking the Trojans' destiny to found a city.

Aen. 12.362Huic comitem Asbytēn coniectā cuspide mittit.

He sends Asbytes to join him with a cast of his spear,

Note. Huic comitem: 'as a companion for him', in death. cōniectā cuspide: 'with a spear thrown'.

Aen. 12.363Chloreaque Sybarimque Darētaque Thersilochumque
et sternācis equī lāpsum cervīce Thymoetēn.

and Chloreus and Sybaris and Dares and Thersilochus, and Thymoetes, who had fallen from the neck of his rearing horse.

Note. The list continues as objects of mittit (to death). sternācis equī: 'of a horse that throws its rider'. Thymoetēn: Greek accusative.

Aen. 12.365Ac velut Ēdōnī Boreae cum spīritus altō
īnsonat Aegaeō sequiturque ad lītora flūctūs,
quā ventī incubuēre, fugam dant nūbila caelō:
sīc Turnō, quācumque viam secat, agmina cēdunt
conversaeque ruunt aciēs;

And as when the blast of the Edonian North Wind roars on the deep Aegean and the swell follows it to the shore, where the winds have pressed down the clouds flee from the sky: so wherever Turnus cuts his way, the columns give way before him and the lines turn and run;

Note. Another simile: Turnus is like the north wind sweeping over the Aegean. Ēdōnī: 'Edonian', i.e. Thracian, where Boreas lives. quā ventī incubuēre: 'where the winds have pressed down'. Turnō … cēdunt: 'give way to Turnus'. quācumque viam secat: 'wherever he cuts his way'.

Aen. 12.369fert impetus ipsum,
370et cristam adversō currū quatit aura volantem.

his own momentum carries him, and the breeze shakes his flying crest as his chariot meets it.

Note. fert impetus ipsum: 'his own momentum carries him'. adversō currū: 'with the chariot facing (the wind)', i.e. as it speeds forward.

Aen. 12.371Nōn tulit īnstantem Phēgeus animīsque frementem:
obiēcit sēsē ad currum et spūmantia frēnīs
ōra citātōrum dextrā dētorsit equōrum.

Phegeus could not bear him as he pressed on, roaring in his rage: he threw himself at the chariot and with his right hand wrenched aside the mouths of the galloping horses, foaming at their bits.

Note. Nōn tulit: 'did not endure'. īnstantem … frementem: Turnus 'pressing on and raging in his spirit'. ōra … equōrum: the horses' 'mouths', foaming at their bits; Phegeus grabs them and wrenches them aside.

Aen. 12.374Dum trahitur pendetque iugīs, hunc lāta retēctum
375lancea cōnsequitur rumpitque īnfīxa bilīcem
lōrīcam et summum dēgustat volnere corpus.

While he is dragged along hanging from the yoke, the broad lance reaches him where he is exposed, fixes in him and bursts the double-woven breastplate, and grazes the surface of his body with a wound.

Note. Dum trahitur: Phegeus is dragged along, hanging from the yoke. hunc … retectum: 'him, exposed'. lāta … lancea: Turnus' 'broad lance'. bilīcem lōrīcam: a breastplate 'of double mail'. summum dēgustat … corpus: it only 'grazes the surface of his body', a vivid verb, 'tastes'.

Aen. 12.377Ille tamen clipeō obiectō conversus in hostem
ībat et auxilium ductō mūcrōne petēbat:
cum rota praecipitem et prōcursū concitus axis
380impulit effunditque solō, Turnusque secūtus
īmam inter galeam summī thōrācis et ōrās
abstulit ēnse caput truncumque relīquit harēnae.

Yet he, turning his shield to face the enemy, was going at him and seeking help from his drawn sword, when the wheel and the axle, driven on by the charge, struck him headlong and threw him to the ground, and Turnus, following, took his head off with his sword between the bottom of the helmet and the edge of the breastplate, and left the trunk on the sand.

Note. Ille: Phegeus, still fighting back. clipeō obiectō: ablative absolute. ductō mūcrōne: 'with drawn sword'. cum rota …: 'when the wheel and the axle … struck him'. imam inter galeam … et ōrās: 'between the bottom of the helmet and the edge of the breastplate', the neck. harēnae: dative, 'on the sand'.