Aeneid 2.195–233

Aen. 2.195Tālibus īnsidiīs periūrīque arte Sinōnis
crēdita rēs, captīque dolīs lacrimīsque coāctīs,
quōs neque Tȳdīdēs, nec Lārīsaeus Achillēs,
nōn annī domuēre decem, nōn mīlle carīnae.

By such tricks and the skill of the perjured Sinon the story was believed, and we were taken by guile and forced tears, we whom neither the son of Tydeus nor Achilles of Larisa had conquered, nor ten years, nor a thousand ships.

Note. Tālibus īnsidiīs … arte: ablatives of means. crēdita (est) rēs: 'the story was believed'. lacrimīs … coāctīs: 'forced tears'. quōs neque Tȳdīdēs …: the climactic contrast: men whom ten years of war could not beat were taken by a liar's tears. Lārīsaeus: 'of Larisa', a town in Thessaly near Achilles' home.

Aen. 2.199Hīc aliud maius miserīs multōque tremendum
200obicitur magis, atque imprōvida pectora turbat.

Here another, greater and far more terrible thing is thrown in the way of us poor wretches and troubles our unsuspecting hearts.

Note. aliud maius … multōque tremendum magis: 'another, greater and much more terrible (thing)'. tremendum: gerundive, 'to be dreaded'. miserīs: dative, 'to us wretches'.

Aen. 2.201Lāocoön, ductus Neptūnō sorte sacerdōs,
sollemnīs taurum ingentem mactābat ad ārās.

Laocoön, chosen by lot as priest of Neptune, was sacrificing a huge bull at the customary altars.

Note. ductus … sorte: 'chosen by lot'. sollemnīs … ad ārās: 'at the customary altars'; sollemnīs is accusative plural.

Aen. 2.203Ecce autem geminī ā Tenedō tranquilla per alta—
horrēscō referēns— immēnsīs orbibus anguēs
205incumbunt pelagō, pariterque ad lītora tendunt;

But look: from Tenedos, over the calm deep (I shudder as I tell it), twin serpents with huge coils lean on the sea and make side by side for the shore;

Note. horrēscō referēns: a parenthesis, 'I shudder as I tell it'. per alta: 'over the deep'. immēnsīs orbibus: 'with huge coils'. The sound of the lines imitates the hissing approach of the snakes.

Aen. 2.206pectora quōrum inter flūctūs arrēcta iubaeque
sanguineae superant undās;

their breasts rise among the waves and their blood-red crests tower over the water;

Note. pectora quōrum: 'whose breasts', the relative postponed. iubae … sanguineae: 'blood-red crests'.

Aen. 2.207pars cētera pontum
pōne legit, sinuatque immēnsa volūmine terga.

the rest of them skims the sea behind, and they curve their huge backs in coils.

Note. pars cētera: 'the rest (of their body)'. pontum … legit: 'skims the sea'. pōne: adverb, 'behind'. sinuat … terga: 'curves their backs'.

Aen. 2.209Fit sonitus spūmante salō;

A roar arises from the foaming sea;

Note. spūmante salō: ablative absolute, 'as the salt sea foamed'. salum is a poetic word for the sea.

Aen. 2.209iamque arva tenēbant,
210ārdentīsque oculōs suffectī sanguine et ignī,
sībila lambēbant linguīs vibrantibus ōra.

and now they were reaching land, their blazing eyes suffused with blood and fire, and they were licking their hissing mouths with flickering tongues.

Note. ārdentīs … oculōs suffectī: 'their burning eyes suffused', accusative of respect with a passive participle. sībila … ōra: 'hissing mouths'. The s- sounds hiss throughout the line.

Aen. 2.212Diffugimus vīsū exsanguēs: illī agmine certō
Lāocoönta petunt;

Pale at the sight, we scatter: they make for Laocoön in an unswerving line;

Note. vīsū: 'at the sight'. agmine certō: 'in an unswerving course'. Lāocoönta: Greek accusative.

Aen. 2.213et prīmum parva duōrum
corpora nātōrum serpēns amplexus uterque
215implicat, et miserōs morsū dēpāscitur artūs;

and first each serpent wraps round the small bodies of his two sons, entwines them, and feeds on their poor limbs with its bite;

Note. parva duōrum corpora nātōrum: 'the small bodies of his two sons'. serpēns … uterque: 'each serpent'. morsū dēpāscitur: 'feeds on with its bite'.

Aen. 2.216post ipsum auxiliō subeuntem ac tēla ferentem
corripiunt, spīrīsque ligant ingentibus;

then they seize him as he comes to help, carrying weapons, and bind him in huge coils;

Note. post: adverb, 'afterwards'. auxiliō: dative of purpose, 'to help'. subeuntem … ferentem: present participles describing Laocoön.

Aen. 2.217et iam
bis medium amplexī, bis collō squāmea circum
terga datī, superant capite et cervīcibus altīs.

and now, twice wound round his waist, twice twining their scaly backs about his neck, they tower over him with their heads and lofty necks.

Note. medium: 'his waist'. collō squāmea circum terga datī: tmesis, circum … datī = circumdatī, 'having wound their scaly backs around his neck'; terga is accusative with a passive participle used like a middle.

Aen. 2.220Ille simul manibus tendit dīvellere nōdōs,
perfūsus saniē vittās ātrōque venēnō,
clāmōrēs simul horrendōs ad sīdera tollit:
quālēs mūgītūs, fugit cum saucius āram
taurus, et incertam excussit cervīce secūrim.

He at the same time strains with his hands to tear the knots apart, his ribbons drenched in gore and black venom, and at the same time raises horrible cries to the stars: like the bellowing when a wounded bull has fled from the altar and shaken off the ill-aimed axe from its neck.

Note. tendit dīvellere: 'strains to tear apart'. perfūsus saniē vittās: 'drenched as to his ribbons with gore', accusative of respect. quālēs mūgītūs (tollit taurus): a simile — the priest who meant to sacrifice a bull now bellows like one. fugit is present (short u); incertam … secūrim, 'the ill-aimed axe'.

Aen. 2.225At geminī lāpsū dēlūbra ad summa dracōnēs
effugiunt saevaeque petunt Trītōnidis arcem,
sub pedibusque deae clipeīque sub orbe teguntur.

But the twin serpents glide away to the high shrines and make for the citadel of fierce Tritonis, and hide beneath the goddess's feet and the circle of her shield.

Note. lāpsū: 'gliding'. Trītōnidis: genitive of Trītōnis, Pallas. The serpents take refuge with Pallas, as if she sent them — confirming, for the Trojans, Sinon's story.

Aen. 2.228Tum vērō tremefacta novus per pectora cūnctīs
īnsinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse merentem
230Lāocoönta ferunt, sacrum quī cuspide rōbur
laeserit, et tergō scelerātam intorserit hastam.

Then indeed a new fear creeps into every trembling heart, and they say that Laocoön has deservedly paid for his crime, since he wounded the sacred timber with his spear-point and hurled his wicked spear into its back.

Note. tremefacta … pectora: 'trembling hearts'. scelus expendisse merentem: 'that Laocoön had paid for his crime, deservedly'. quī … laeserit … intorserit: causal relative clause with the subjunctive, 'since he had wounded'. scelerātam: 'wicked', transferred to the spear.

Aen. 2.232Dūcendum ad sēdēs simulācrum ōrandaque dīvae
nūmina conclāmant.

'The image must be brought to its home, and the goddess's power must be entreated,' they all cry together.

Note. Dūcendum (esse) … ōrandaque (esse): gerundives in reported speech, 'that the image must be brought … and the goddess entreated'. conclāmant: 'they all shout'.