Aeneid 12.650–696

Aen. 12.650Vix ea fātus erat: mediōs volat ecce per hostīs
vectus equō spūmante Sacēs, adversā sagittā
saucius ōra, ruitque implōrāns nōmine Turnum:
Turne, in tē suprēma salūs: miserēre tuōrum.

He had scarcely spoken these words when, look, Saces flies through the midst of the enemy, carried on a foaming horse, wounded in the face by an arrow from in front, and rushes up begging Turnus by name: 'Turnus, in you is our last hope of safety: have pity on your people.

Note. Vix ea fātus erat: 'he had scarcely spoken this'. adversā sagittā saucius ōra: 'wounded in the face by an arrow from in front'; ōra is an accusative of respect. implōrāns nōmine: 'begging by name'. miserēre: imperative of the deponent misereor, with the genitive tuōrum.

Aen. 12.654Fulminat Aenēās armīs summāsque minātur
655dēiectūrum arcēs Ītalum exscidiōque datūrum;

Aeneas is thundering in arms and threatens to throw down the highest citadels of the Italians and give them over to destruction;

Note. Fulminat: 'flashes like lightning'. dēiectūrum … datūrum: future infinitives (esse omitted) after minātur, 'threatens that he will throw down … and give over'. Italum = Italōrum. exscidiō: dative of purpose, 'to destruction'.

Aen. 12.656iamque facēs ad tēcta volant.

and now torches are flying to the roofs.

Note. facēs: 'torches'. Short sentences give the urgency of the messenger's report.

Aen. 12.656In tē ōra Latīnī,
in tē oculōs referunt;

The Latins turn their faces toward you, their eyes toward you;

Note. In tē … in tē: anaphora: all eyes turn to Turnus.

Aen. 12.657mussat rēx ipse Latīnus,
quōs generōs vocet aut quae sēsē ad foedera flectat.

King Latinus himself is muttering, unsure whom to call his sons-in-law or which treaty to turn to.

Note. mussat: 'hesitates silently'. quōs generōs vocet: indirect question, 'whom he should call his sons-in-law', i.e. whether Turnus or Aeneas should marry Lavinia.

Aen. 12.659Praetereā rēgīna, tuī fīdissima, dextrā
660occidit ipsa suā lūcemque exterrita fūgit.

Besides, the queen, most loyal to you, has died by her own hand and in terror fled the light.

Note. rēgīna: Amata. tuī fīdissima: 'most loyal to you'; tuī is the genitive of tū. dextrā … suā: 'by her own hand'. lūcem … fūgit: 'fled the light', i.e. died.

Aen. 12.661Sōlī prō portīs Messāpus et ācer Atīnās
sustentant aciem.

Alone before the gates Messapus and fierce Atinas hold up the battle line.

Note. Sōlī: 'alone'. sustentant aciem: 'hold up the line'.

Aen. 12.662Circum hōs utrimque phalangēs
stant dēnsae, strictīsque seges mūcrōnibus horret
ferrea: tū currum dēsertō in grāmine versās.

Around them on both sides the battalions stand close packed, and an iron crop bristles with drawn swords: and you wheel your chariot about on the empty grass.'

Note. seges … ferrea: 'an iron crop', a vivid metaphor for the forest of drawn swords. dēsertō in grāmine: 'on the deserted grass'. versās: 'you are turning about'.

Aen. 12.665Obstipuit variā cōnfūsus imāgine rērum
Turnus et obtūtū tacitō stetit.

Turnus was stunned, bewildered by the shifting picture of events, and stood with a silent stare.

Note. Obstipuit: 'was stunned'. variā … imāgine rērum: 'by the changing picture of events'.

Aen. 12.666Aestuat ingēns
ūnō in corde pudor mīxtōque īnsānia lūctū
et furiīs agitātus amor et cōnscia virtūs.

In one heart there surge great shame and madness mixed with grief, and love driven by furies, and courage conscious of its worth.

Note. The emotions are listed as subjects of aestuat: pudor, īnsānia, amor, virtūs. cōnscia virtūs: 'courage aware of its own worth'. furiīs agitātus: 'driven by furies'.

Aen. 12.669Ut prīmum discussae umbrae et lūx reddita mentī,
670ārdentīs oculōrum orbēs ad moenia torsit
turbidus ēque rotīs magnam respexit ad urbem.

As soon as the shadows were scattered and light returned to his mind, he turned the burning circles of his eyes towards the walls, troubled, and looked back from his wheels at the great city.

Note. Ut prīmum: 'as soon as'. discussae: supply sunt. ardentīs = ardentēs, with orbēs. ē rotīs: 'from his chariot'; ēque is ē with -que.

Aen. 12.672Ecce autem flammīs inter tabulāta volūtus
ad caelum undābat vortex turrimque tenēbat,
turrim, compāctīs trabibus quam ēdūxerat ipse
675subdideratque rotās pontīsque īnstrāverat altōs.

And look, a whirl of flame, rolling between the floors, was surging to the sky and had hold of a tower, the tower which he himself had built of fitted beams and set on wheels and laid with high gangways.

Note. Ecce autem: 'but look'. tabulāta: the floors of a siege tower. quam ēdūxerat ipse: Turnus had built this tower himself, so its fall strikes him personally. pontīs = pontēs, 'gangways'.

Aen. 12.676Iam iam fāta, soror, superant;

'Now, now, sister, the fates are winning;

Note. Iam iam: 'now, now'. superant: 'are winning'.

Aen. 12.676absiste morārī;

stop holding me back;

Note. absiste: imperative of absistō, 'stop'.

Aen. 12.677quō deus et quō dūra vocat Fortūna, sequāmur.

where god and harsh Fortune call, let us follow.

Note. quō … quō: 'where … where'. sequāmur: hortatory subjunctive.

Aen. 12.678Stat cōnferre manum Aenēae, stat quidquid acerbī est
morte patī;

I am resolved to fight Aeneas hand to hand, resolved to suffer whatever bitterness there is in death;

Note. Stat: impersonal, 'it is fixed', 'I am resolved'. cōnferre manum: 'to fight hand to hand'. quidquid acerbī est: 'whatever bitterness there is'; acerbī is a partitive genitive.

Aen. 12.679neque mē indecorem, germāna, vidēbis
680amplius.

nor will you see me disgraced, sister, any longer.

Note. indecōrem: 'disgraced'. germāna: 'sister'. amplius: 'any longer'.

Aen. 12.680Hunc, ōrō, sine mē furere ante furōrem.

Let me, I beg you, rage out this madness first.'

Note. sine: imperative of sinō, 'allow'. furere ante furōrem: 'to rage out this madness first', i.e. before death, to indulge my rage.

Aen. 12.681Dīxit et ē currū saltum dedit ōcius arvīs
perque hostīs, per tēla ruit maestamque sorōrem
dēserit ac rapidō cursū media agmina rumpit.

He spoke, and leapt swiftly from the chariot to the field, and rushed through the enemy, through the weapons, and left his grieving sister, and in swift running bursts through the middle of the ranks.

Note. saltum dedit: 'gave a leap', i.e. leapt. arvīs: dative of goal, 'to the field'. per … per: anaphora, giving speed.

Aen. 12.684Ac velutī montis saxum dē vertice praeceps
685cum ruit āvulsum ventō, seu turbidus imber
prōluit aut annīs solvit sublāpsa vetustās;

And as when a rock rushes headlong from the top of a mountain, torn away by the wind, whether a stormy rain has washed it loose or the years creeping under it have loosened it with age;

Note. A boulder simile, describing Turnus. āvulsum ventō: 'torn away by the wind'. annīs … sublāpsa vetustās: 'old age creeping under it with the years'.

Aen. 12.687fertur in abruptum magnō mōns improbus āctū
exsultatque solō, silvās armenta virōsque
involvēns sēcum: disiecta per agmina Turnus
690sīc urbis ruit ad mūrōs, ubi plūrima fūsō
sanguine terra madet strīduntque hastīlibus aurae,
significatque manū et magnō simul incipit ōre:
Parcite iam, Rutulī, et vōs tēla inhibēte, Latīnī;

the reckless mountain mass is carried down the steep with great force and bounds over the ground, rolling woods, herds and men along with it: so Turnus rushes through the scattered ranks to the walls of the city, where the earth is soaked most with spilt blood and the air whistles with spears, and he signals with his hand and at the same time begins in a loud voice: 'Hold back now, Rutulians, and you, Latins, check your weapons;

Note. in abruptum: 'down the steep'. mōns improbus: 'the reckless mountain', i.e. the huge rock. disiecta per agmina: 'through the scattered ranks'. Parcite: 'stop', 'hold back'.

Aen. 12.694quaecumque est Fortūna, mea est: mē vērius ūnum
695prō vōbīs foedus luere et dēcernere ferrō.

whatever the fortune is, it is mine: it is more right that I alone should atone for the treaty on your behalf and decide it with the sword.'

Note. quaecumque est fortūna: 'whatever fortune it is'. mē … ūnum … luere: 'that I alone should pay for'. dēcernere ferrō: 'decide with the sword', i.e. settle by single combat.

Aen. 12.696Discessēre omnēs mediī spatiumque dedēre.

Everyone drew back from the middle and gave them room.

Note. Discessēre = discessērunt. mediī: 'from the middle'. The stage is cleared for the duel.