Aeneid 12.554–592

Aen. 12.554Hīc mentem Aenēae genetrīx pulcherrima mīsit,
555īret ut ad mūrōs urbīque adverteret agmen
ōcius et subitā turbāret clāde Latīnōs.

At this point his most beautiful mother put it into Aeneas' mind to go to the walls, to turn his army swiftly against the city and throw the Latins into confusion with sudden disaster.

Note. mentem … mīsit: 'sent the thought', i.e. inspired. genetrīx pulcherrima: Venus. īret ut … adverteret … turbāret: purpose clause with ut placed after its first verb.

Aen. 12.557Ille ut vestīgāns dīversa per agmina Turnum
hūc atque hūc aciēs circumtulit, aspicit urbem
immūnem tantī bellī atque impūne quiētam.

As he, tracking Turnus through the different ranks, cast his eyes this way and that, he sees the city untouched by so great a war and peaceful without punishment.

Note. ut: 'when' (with the indicative circumtulit). aciēs: here 'eyes', 'glance'. immūnem tantī bellī: 'free from so great a war', genitive with immūnis.

Aen. 12.560Continuō pugnae adcendit maiōris imāgō:
Mnēsthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum
ductōrēs tumulumque capit, quō cētera Teucrum
concurrit legiō nec scūta aut spīcula dēnsī
dēpōnunt.

At once the picture of a greater battle fires him: he calls the leaders Mnestheus and Sergestus and brave Serestus, and takes a mound, where the rest of the Trojan army gathers, and they do not put down their shields or spears but stand close packed.

Note. pugnae … imāgō: 'the picture of a greater battle'. Mnēsthea: Greek accusative. quō: 'to which place'. Teucrum = Teucrōrum. nec … dēpōnunt: they keep their shields and spears ready.

Aen. 12.564Celsō medius stāns aggere fātur:
565Nēqua meīs estō dictīs mora;

Standing in their midst on the high mound he speaks: 'Let there be no delay in carrying out my words;

Note. Celsō … aggere: 'on the high mound'. fātur: deponent, 'speaks'. Nē qua … estō … mora: 'let there be no delay'; estō is the future imperative of sum.

Aen. 12.565Iuppiter hāc stat,
neu quis ob inceptum subitum mihi segnior ītō.

Jupiter stands on this side; and let no one go more slowly because the plan is sudden.

Note. hāc stat: 'stands on this side', i.e. is with us. nēu quis … ītō: 'and let no one go', future imperative of eō. ob inceptum subitum: 'because of the sudden plan'.

Aen. 12.567Urbem hodiē, causam bellī, regna ipsa Latīnī,
nī frēnum accipere et victī pārēre fatentur,
ēruam et aequa solō fūmantia culmina pōnam.

Today I shall tear down the city, the cause of the war, the very kingdom of Latinus, and lay its smoking roofs level with the ground, unless they agree to accept the bridle and to obey as conquered men.

Note. Urbem … ēruam: the objects come first for emphasis. nī … fatentur: 'unless they agree'. aequa solō: 'level with the ground'.

Aen. 12.570Scīlicet exspectem, libeat dum proelia Turnō
nostra patī rūrsusque velit concurrere victus?

Am I to wait, I suppose, until it pleases Turnus to face battle with us, and he wishes to fight again although beaten?

Note. Scīlicet exspectem: sarcastic, 'Am I to wait, I suppose?' (deliberative subjunctive). dum: 'until'. victus: 'though beaten'.

Aen. 12.572Hoc caput, Ō cīvēs, haec bellī summa nefandī:
ferte facēs properē foedusque reposcite flammīs.

This, citizens, is the head, this the sum of this unspeakable war: bring torches quickly, and demand back the treaty with flames.'

Note. caput … summa: 'the head and sum' of the war: the city is the root of it. foedus reposcite flammīs: 'demand back the treaty with fire', i.e. punish the breach.

Aen. 12.574Dīxerat, atque animīs pariter certantibus omnēs
575dant cuneum dēnsāque ad mūrōs mōle feruntur.

He had spoken, and all, their spirits competing alike, form a wedge and move toward the walls in a dense mass.

Note. Dīxerat: pluperfect, 'he had spoken'. dant cuneum: 'form a wedge'. dēnsā … mōle: 'in a dense mass'.

Aen. 12.576Scālae imprōvīsō subitusque appāruit ignis.

Unexpectedly ladders and sudden fire appeared.

Note. apparuit: singular verb with two subjects, agreeing with the nearer one.

Aen. 12.577Discurrunt aliī ad portās prīmōsque trucīdant,
ferrum aliī torquent et obumbrant aethera tēlīs.

Some run to the gates and slaughter the first men they meet, others hurl their weapons and darken the sky with spears.

Note. aliī … aliī: 'some … others'. aethera: Greek accusative of aethēr, 'the sky'.

Aen. 12.579Ipse inter prīmōs dextram sub moenia tendit
580Aenēās magnāque incūsat vōce Latīnum
testāturque deōs, iterum sē ad proelia cōgī,
bis iam Ītalōs hostīs, haec altera foedera rumpī.

Aeneas himself among the first stretches out his right hand toward the walls, accuses Latinus in a loud voice, and calls the gods to witness that he is being forced into battle again, that the Italians are now enemies twice over, that this is the second treaty being broken.

Note. incūsat … Latīnum: Aeneas blames King Latinus for the broken truce. iterum sē … cōgī … rumpī: indirect statement after testātur: 'calls the gods to witness that he is forced …'. bis iam Ītalōs hostīs: supply esse, 'that the Italians are now enemies a second time'.

Aen. 12.583Exorītur trepidōs inter discordia cīvīs:
urbem aliī reserāre iubent et pandere portās
585Dardanidīs ipsumque trahunt in moenia rēgem,
arma ferunt aliī et pergunt dēfendere mūrōs.

Strife arises among the frightened citizens: some urge them to unbar the city and throw open the gates to the Trojans, and drag the king himself to the walls; others bring weapons and go on to defend the walls.

Note. Exoritur: deponent, 'arises'. cīvīs = cīvēs. reserāre: 'to unbar'. Dardanidīs: dative, 'to the Trojans'.

Aen. 12.587Inclūsās ut cum latebrōsō in pūmice pāstor
vestīgāvit apēs fūmōque implēvit amārō:
illae intus trepidae rērum per cērea castra
590discurrunt magnīsque acuunt strīdōribus īrās;

As when a shepherd has tracked bees shut away in a hollow rock and filled it with bitter smoke: they, alarmed for their state, run here and there through their waxen camp and sharpen their anger with loud buzzing;

Note. A bee simile. Inclūsās … apēs: the object stands first, 'bees shut in'. ut cum: 'as when'. trepidae rērum: 'anxious for their state' (genitive with an adjective). cērea castra: 'waxen camp', the hive, described like a besieged Roman camp.

Aen. 12.591volvitur āter odor tēctīs, tum murmure caecō
intus saxa sonant, vacuās it fūmus ad aurās.

the black smell rolls through their halls, then the rocks inside resound with a blind murmur, and the smoke goes up into the empty air.

Note. volvitur: 'rolls'. ater odor: 'black smell', the smoke. tectīs: 'through their halls'.