Aeneid 12.468–499

Aen. 12.468Hōc concussa metū mentem Iūturna virāgō
aurīgam Turnī media inter lōra Metiscum
470excutit et longē lāpsum tēmōne relinquit:
ipsa subit manibusque undantīs flectit habēnās,
cūncta gerēns, vōcemque et corpus et arma Metiscī.

Struck in her mind by this fear, the warrior maiden Juturna throws Metiscus, Turnus' charioteer, out from among the reins and leaves him far behind, fallen from the chariot pole: she herself takes his place and steers the rippling reins with her hands, taking on everything, the voice and the body and the armour of Metiscus.

Note. Hōc … metū: ablative of cause. concussa … mentem: 'struck in her mind', a Greek-style accusative of respect with a passive participle. virāgō: 'warrior maiden'. lāpsum: perfect participle of lābor, 'fallen'. cūncta gerēns: 'taking on everything', explained by the three accusatives that follow.

Aen. 12.473Nigra velut magnās dominī cum dīvitis aedēs
pervolat et pennīs alta ātria lūstrat hirundō,
475pābula parva legēns nīdīsque loquācibus ēscās,
et nunc porticibus vacuīs, nunc ūmida circum
stagna sonat: similis mediōs Iūturna per hostīs
fertur equīs rapidōque volāns obit omnia currū
iamque hīc germānum iamque hīc ostentat ovantem
480nec cōnferre manum patitur, volat āvia longē.

As a black swallow flies through the great house of a rich master and darts on her wings through the high halls, gathering little crumbs and food for her chattering nest, and her cry sounds now in the empty colonnades, now around the wet pools: so Juturna is carried by the horses through the midst of the enemy and, flying in the swift chariot, covers the whole field; and now here, now here she shows off her brother in his triumph, yet does not let him join battle, but flies far off the track.

Note. A swallow simile: the subject hirundō comes at the end of the second line. dīvitis: genitive with dominī, 'of a rich master'. nīdīs loquācibus: dative, 'for her chattering nest', i.e. her noisy chicks. āvia: neuter plural used as an adverb, 'off the track'. germānum: 'brother'. ovantem: 'exulting', as if in triumph.

Aen. 12.481Haud minus Aenēās tortōs legit obvius orbēs
vestīgatque virum et disiecta per agmina magnā
vōce vocat.

No less does Aeneas trace the winding circles to meet him, and tracks the man, and calls him with a loud voice through the scattered ranks.

Note. Haud minus: 'no less'. tortōs … orbēs: 'the winding circles' of the chariot's course. obvius: 'to meet him'. disiecta per agmina: preposition after its adjective, 'through the scattered ranks'.

Aen. 12.483Quotiēns oculōs coniēcit in hostem
ālipedumque fugam cursū temptāvit equōrum,
485āversōs totiēns currūs Iūturna retorsit.

As often as he cast his eyes on his enemy and tried by running to catch the flight of the wing-footed horses, so often Juturna turned the chariot away and wheeled it round.

Note. Quotiēns … totiēns: 'as often as … so often'. ālipedum … equōrum: 'of the wing-footed horses'. retorsit: perfect of retorqueō, 'turned back'.

Aen. 12.486Heu quid agat?

Alas, what is he to do?

Note. agat: deliberative subjunctive, 'what is he to do?' The narrator enters into Aeneas' thoughts.

Aen. 12.486Variō nēquīquam flūctuat aestū,
dīversaeque vocant animum in contrāria cūrae.

In vain he wavers on a shifting tide, and conflicting cares call his mind in opposite directions.

Note. fluctuat aestū: 'he wavers on a tide', a sea metaphor for indecision. in contrāria: 'in opposite directions'.

Aen. 12.488Huic Messāpus, utī laevā duo forte gerēbat
lenta levis cursū praefīxa hastīlia ferrō,
490hōrum ūnum certō contorquēns dīrigit ictū.

Messapus, as he happened to be carrying in his left hand two tough spear-shafts tipped with iron, swift in his running, whirls one of them and aims it at him with an unerring throw.

Note. Huic: dative with dīrigit, 'aims at him'. utī = ut, 'as'. laevā: 'in his left hand' (manū understood). hōrum ūnum: 'one of these' (spears). certō … ictū: 'with a sure throw'.

Aen. 12.491Substitit Aenēās et sē collēgit in arma,
poplite subsīdēns;

Aeneas stopped and gathered himself behind his shield, sinking on one knee;

Note. sē collēgit in arma: 'gathered himself behind his arms', i.e. crouched behind his shield. poplite subsīdēns: 'sinking on his knee'.

Aen. 12.492apicem tamen incita summum
hasta tulit summāsque excussit vertice cristās.

yet the rushing spear carried off the top of his helmet and knocked the topmost plumes from its crest.

Note. apicem … summum: the top of the helmet. incita: 'rushing'. vertice: 'from the top' of the helmet.

Aen. 12.494Tum vērō adsurgunt īrae;

Then indeed his anger rises;

Note. adsurgunt: 'rise up' (= assurgunt). The plural īrae, 'angers', is common in poetry.

Aen. 12.494īnsidiīsque subāctus,
495dīversōs ubi sēnsit equōs currumque referrī,
multa Iovem et laesī testātus foederis ārās
iam tandem invādit mediōs et Mārte secundō
terribilis saevam nūllō discrīmine caedem
suscitat īrārumque omnīs effundit habēnās.

overcome by the treachery, when he saw the horses and chariot turned away from him, calling again and again on Jupiter and the altars of the broken treaty, at last he charges into the midst of them and, terrible, with Mars on his side, stirs up savage slaughter without distinction, and lets loose all the reins of his anger.

Note. īnsidiīs … subāctus: 'driven by the treachery'. ubi sēnsit: 'when he perceived'. referrī: present passive infinitive, 'were being taken away'. multa: neuter plural used adverbially, 'again and again'. laesī … foederis: 'of the broken treaty'. Marte secundō: 'with Mars favouring', i.e. with the fortune of war on his side. effundit habēnās: a charioteer's metaphor, 'gives full rein'.