Aeneid 12.383–410

Aen. 12.383Atque ea dum campīs victor dat fūnera Turnus,
intereā Aenēān Mnēstheus et fīdus Achātēs
385Ascaniusque comes castrīs statuēre cruentum,
alternōs longā nītentem cuspide gressūs.

And while Turnus, victorious on the plain, deals out these deaths, meanwhile Mnestheus and faithful Achates, and Ascanius with them, set Aeneas down in the camp, bleeding, supporting every other step on his long spear.

Note. ea … fūnera: 'those deaths'. dum … dat: 'while … deals out'. castrīs: dative of direction, 'to the camp'. statuēre = statuērunt, 'set him down'. alternōs … gressūs: 'every other step', supported on his spear.

Aen. 12.387Saevit et īnfrāctā luctātur arundine tēlum
ēripere auxiliōque viam, quae proxima, poscit
ēnse secent lātō vulnus tēlīque latebram
390rescindant penitus sēsēque in bella remittant.

He rages and struggles to pull out the weapon from the broken shaft, and asks for the nearest way to help: that they cut open the wound with a broad sword, lay open the hiding-place of the weapon deep inside, and send him back to the fighting.

Note. Saevit: Aeneas 'rages'. īnfrāctā … harundine: the arrow's shaft has broken off, leaving the head in the wound. viam, quae proxima: supply est, 'the nearest way'. secent … rescindant … remittant: subjunctives in indirect command after poscit (without ut).

Aen. 12.391Iamque aderat Phoebō ante aliōs dīlēctus Iāpyx
Iasidēs, ācrī quondam cui captus amōre
ipse suās artēs, sua mūnera, laetus Apollo
augurium citharamque dabat celerīsque sagittās.

And now Iapyx, son of Iasus, came, dear to Phoebus above all others; once, seized by a fierce love for him, Apollo himself gladly offered him his own arts, his own gifts: prophecy, the lyre and swift arrows.

Note. Iāpyx Iasidēs: 'Iapyx, son of Iasus', Aeneas' healer. Phoebō … dīlēctus: 'loved by Phoebus (Apollo)'. cui … dabat: Apollo, in love with him, offered him his own arts: augury, the lyre and archery.

Aen. 12.395Ille ut dēpositī prōferret fāta parentis,
scīre potestātēs herbārum ūsumque medendī
māluit et mūtās agitāre inglōrius artēs.

He, to put off the death of his father, who had been laid out to die, chose rather to know the powers of herbs and the practice of healing, and to pursue without glory the silent arts.

Note. ut … prōferret fāta: 'to put off the death' of his father, who had been 'laid out' (dēpositī) as dying. māluit: 'preferred'. mūtās … artēs: 'the silent arts' of medicine, as opposed to the 'loud' arts of song and prophecy; inglōrius, 'without fame'.

Aen. 12.398Stābat acerba fremēns, ingentem nīxus in hastam
Aenēās magnō iuvenum et maerentis Iūlī
400concursū, lacrimīs immōbilis.

Aeneas was standing, roaring bitterly, leaning on his huge spear, amid a great crowd of young men and grieving Iulus, unmoved by their tears.

Note. acerba fremēns: 'roaring bitterly', adverbial neuter plural. nīxus in hastam: 'leaning on his spear', from the deponent nītor. lacrimīs immōbilis: 'unmoved by their tears'.

Aen. 12.400Ille retortō
Paeōnium in mōrem senior succīnctus amictū
multa manū medicā Phoebīque potentibus herbīs
nēquīquam trepidat, nēquīquam spīcula dextrā
sollicitat prēnsatque tenācī forcipe ferrum.

The old man, his cloak pulled back and tucked up in the manner of Paeon, busies himself in vain with many things with his healing hand and the potent herbs of Phoebus; in vain he works at the arrowhead with his right hand and grips the iron with clinging pincers.

Note. retortō … amictū: his robe 'pulled back' and tucked up, 'in the Paeonian manner', like Paeon, healer of the gods. multa … trepidat: 'busies himself with many things'. nēquīquam … nēquīquam: 'in vain … in vain', repeated for emphasis. forcipe: 'with pincers'.

Aen. 12.405Nūlla viam Fortūna regit, nihil auctor Apollo
subvenit;

No Fortune guides the way, Apollo his teacher does not help at all;

Note. Nūlla … Fortūna: chance does not guide his way. nihil: adverbial, 'not at all'. auctor Apollō: Apollo, 'the founder' of the art.

Aen. 12.406et saevus campīs magis ac magis horror
crēbrēscit propiusque malum est.

and more and more the savage horror grows across the plain and disaster is closer.

Note. magis ac magis: 'more and more'. propius: comparative adverb, 'nearer'.

Aen. 12.407Iam pulvere caelum
stāre vident: subeunt equitēs, et spīcula castrīs
dēnsa cadunt mediīs.

Now they see the sky standing thick with dust: the cavalry come up, and arrows fall thickly in the middle of the camp.

Note. pulvere caelum stāre: 'the sky stands (thick) with dust', a vivid phrase. castrīs … mediīs: 'in the middle of the camp'.

Aen. 12.409It trīstis ad aethera clāmor
410bellantum iuvenum et dūrō sub Mārte cadentum.

The grim cry goes up to the heavens of young men fighting and falling under harsh Mars.

Note. bellantum … cadentum: present participles with the shorter genitive plural -um: 'of men fighting and falling'. sub Marte: 'under harsh war'.