Aeneid 12.54–80

Aen. 12.54At rēgīna, novā pugnae conterrita sorte,
55flēbat et ārdentem generum monitūra tenēbat:
Turne, per hās ego tē lacrimās, per sīquis Amātae
tangit honōs animum (spēs tū nunc ūna, senectae
tū requiēs miserae, decus imperiumque Latīnī
tē penes, in tē omnis domus inclīnāta recumbit).

But the queen, terrified by the new terms of the fight, was weeping and held her burning son-in-law back, ready to die: 'Turnus, by these tears, by any regard for Amata that touches your heart (you are now my one hope, you the rest of my unhappy old age, the honour and power of Latinus are in your hands, the whole house leans and rests on you):

Note. Amata's appeal. moritūra: future participle, 'ready to die, about to die'. per hās … lacrimās, per … honōs: the double per, 'by these tears, by any honour', is the formula of entreaty; sīquis = sī quis, 'if any'. tē penes: 'in your power'; the preposition penes follows its noun. in tē … inclīnāta recumbit: 'the whole house leans and rests on you', like a building propped on a beam.

Aen. 12.60ūnum ōrō: dēsiste manum committere Teucrīs.

one thing I beg: stop joining battle with the Trojans.

Note. ūnum ōrō: 'one thing I beg'. dēsiste … committere: 'stop joining (battle)'; manum committere means 'engage in a fight'.

Aen. 12.61Quī tē cumque manent istō certāmine cāsūs,
et mē, Turne, manent: simul haec invīsa relinquam
lūmina nec generum Aenēān captīva vidēbō.

Whatever fate awaits you in that fight awaits me too, Turnus: I will leave this hateful light with you, and I will not see Aeneas as my son-in-law while I am his captive.'

Note. Quī tē cumque … cāsūs: tmesis, a word cut in two: quīcumque is split into quī … cumque, 'whatever misfortunes'. haec invīsa … lūmina: 'this hateful light', i.e. life. captīva: Amata will not live to be a prisoner and see Aeneas as her son-in-law.

Aen. 12.64Accēpit vōcem lacrimīs Lāvīnia mātris
65flagrantīs perfūsa genās, quoi plūrimus ignem
subiēcit rubor et calefacta per ōra cucurrit.

Lavinia heard her mother's words, her burning cheeks wet with tears; a deep blush lit a fire in her and ran across her heated face.

Note. flagrantīs perfūsa genās: 'her burning cheeks drenched', a Greek-style accusative of respect with the passive participle. quoi = cui, an archaic spelling. plūrimus … rubor: 'a deep blush'. Lavinia never speaks in the whole poem; her blush is all we are given.

Aen. 12.67Indum sanguineō velutī violāverit ostrō
sīquis ebur, aut mīxta rubent ubi līlia multa
alba rosā: tālis virgō dabat ōre colōrēs.

As when someone has stained Indian ivory with blood-red purple, or when white lilies blush mixed with many roses: such colours the girl showed in her face.

Note. Another simile. Indum … ebur: 'Indian ivory'. violāverit: perfect subjunctive in a general comparison, 'as when someone has stained'. ostrō: 'with purple dye'. mixta … rosā: 'mixed with rose'. Vergil does not say why she blushes; readers have argued over it ever since.

Aen. 12.70Illum turbat amor, fīgitque in virgine voltūs:
ārdet in arma magis paucīsque adfātur Amātam.

Love troubles him, and he fixes his eyes on the girl; he burns for battle all the more and speaks a few words to Amata:

Note. Illum: Turnus. figit … vultūs: 'fixes his gaze'; vultūs is plural for singular. paucīs: 'with a few (words)'.

Aen. 12.72Nē, quaesō, nē mē lacrimīs nēve ōmine tantō
prōsequere in dūrī certāmina Mārtis euntem,
Ō māter;

'Do not, I beg you, do not send me off with tears and so great an omen as I go into the contests of harsh Mars, mother;

Note. Nē … prōsequere: a negative command with nē and the imperative, poetic for nōlī prōsequī. prōsequere is the present imperative of the deponent prōsequor, 'escort, send off'. ōmine tantō: tears at a departure were a bad omen.

Aen. 12.74neque enim Turnō mora lībera mortis.

for Turnus is not free to delay death.

Note. neque … Turnō mora lībera mortis: 'Turnus is not free to delay death', i.e. if he must die, he cannot put it off. A grim, fatalistic line.

Aen. 12.75Nūntius haec Idmōn Phrygiō mea dicta tyrannō
haud placitūra refer: cum prīmum crāstina caelō
pūniceīs invecta rotīs Aurōra rubēbit,
nōn Teucrōs agat in Rutulōs, Teucrum arma quiēscant
et Rutulī;

Idmon, be my messenger and take these words of mine to the Phrygian tyrant, words that will not please him: when first tomorrow's Dawn, riding in her crimson wheels, reddens in the sky, let him not lead the Trojans against the Rutulians; let the arms of the Trojans and the Rutulians rest;

Note. Nūntius … Idmōn … refer: Turnus addresses the herald Idmon. Phrygiō … tyrannō: 'the Phrygian tyrant', a contemptuous name for Aeneas. placitūra: future participle, 'that will not please'. cum prīmum … rubēbit: 'as soon as Dawn reddens'. agat … quiēscant: jussive subjunctives, 'let him not lead … let the arms rest'. Teucrum = Teucrōrum.

Aen. 12.79nostrō dirimāmus sanguine bellum,
80illō quaerātur coniūnx Lāvīnia campō.

let us settle the war with our own blood; on that field let Lavinia be sought as a wife.'

Note. dirimāmus: jussive, 'let us settle'. illō … campō: 'on that field'.