Aeneid 2.370–401

Aen. 2.370Prīmus sē, Danaum magnā comitante catervā,
Androgeōs offert nōbīs, socia agmina crēdēns
īnscius, atque ultrō verbīs compellat amīcīs:
Festīnāte, virī: nam quae tam sēra morātur
segnitiēs?

First of the Greeks to meet us, with a great company of Danaans following him, is Androgeos, who unknowing takes us for an allied column and of his own accord addresses us with friendly words: 'Hurry, men: for what sloth makes you so late?

Note. Prīmus … Androgeōs: 'first … Androgeos', i.e. he is the first to meet us. Danaum magnā comitante catervā: ablative absolute. sociā agmina: predicative with crēdēns, 'believing (us to be) allied troops'. compellat: from compellō, -āre, 'address'. quae … segnitiēs: interrogative adjective.

Aen. 2.374Aliī rapiunt incēnsa feruntque
375Pergama;

Others are plundering and carrying off burning Pergamum;

Note. incēnsa … Pergama: neuter plural. rapiunt … feruntque: 'plunder and carry off', the Latin phrase ferre et rapere (or agere) for looting.

Aen. 2.375vōs celsīs nunc prīmum ā nāvibus ītis.

are you only now coming from the tall ships?'

Aen. 2.376Dīxit, et extemplō, neque enim respōnsa dabantur
fīda satis, sēnsit mediōs dēlāpsus in hostīs.

He spoke, and at once, for the answers given were not trustworthy enough, he realised that he had fallen into the midst of enemies.

Note. neque enim …: parenthesis explaining how Androgeos realised. dēlāpsus (esse) is understood in an indirect statement after sēnsit.

Aen. 2.378Obstipuit, retrōque pedem cum vōce repressit:
inprōvīsum aspris velutī quī sentibus anguem
380pressit humī nītēns, trepidusque repente refūgit
attollentem īrās et caerula colla tumentem;

He was stunned, and drew back his foot along with his voice: like a man who, treading the ground among rough briars, has stepped on a snake unawares and in alarm suddenly shrinks back as it rears up in anger and swells its dark-blue neck;

Note. The simile: velutī quī … pressit …, trepidusque repente refūgit … attollentem īrās et caerula colla tumentem. aspris = asperīs, syncopated. nītēns: 'treading'. colla tumentem: 'swelling as to its neck', accusative of respect. Meter: the spondees of attollentem īrās slow the line as the snake rears up.

Aen. 2.382haud secus Androgeōs vīsū tremefactus abībat.

just so Androgeos, shaken at the sight, was drawing away.

Note. haud secus: 'not otherwise', closing the simile. abībat: imperfect, 'was trying to get away'.

Aen. 2.383Inruimus, dēnsīs et circumfundimur armīs,
ignārōsque locī passim et formīdine captōs
385sternimus: adspīrat prīmō fortūna labōrī.

We rush in and close round them with crowded arms, and everywhere cut down men who do not know the ground and are gripped by fear: fortune favours our first effort.

Note. circumfundimur: middle sense, 'we pour round them'. ignārōs … captōs: objects of sternimus. adspīrat: 'breathes favour on', with dative labōrī.

Aen. 2.386Atque hīc successū exsultāns animīsque Coroebus,
Ō sociī, quā prīma inquit fortūna salūtis
mōnstrat iter, quōque ostendit sē dextra, sequāmur
mūtēmus clipeōs, Danaumque īnsignia nōbīs
390aptēmus: dolus an virtūs, quis in hoste requīrat?

And here Coroebus, exulting in success and in his courage, says: 'Comrades, where fortune first shows us the road to safety, and where she shows herself favourable, let us follow: let us change shields, and fit the badges of the Greeks on ourselves: trickery or courage, who would ask which in dealing with an enemy?

Note. successū … animīsque: ablatives of cause. quā prīma …, quōque …: relative adverbs, 'where … and where'. dextra: 'favourable', a sense from omens on the right. sequāmur, mūtēmus, aptēmus: jussive subjunctives. dolus an virtūs: a deliberative question with requīrat, potential subjunctive: 'who would ask, in an enemy, whether it is trickery or courage?' The plan is the Trojans' own version of the horse.

Aen. 2.391Arma dabunt ipsī.

They will give us arms themselves.'

Aen. 2.391Sīc fātus, deinde comantem
Androgeī galeam clipeīque īnsigne decōrum
induitur, laterīque Argīvum accommodat ēnsem.

So he spoke, and then he puts on the plumed helmet of Androgeos and the handsome device of his shield, and fits a Greek sword to his side.

Note. induitur: middle use of the passive with an accusative object, 'he puts on'. Argīvum: adjective agreeing with ēnsem, 'a Greek sword'. laterī: dative.

Aen. 2.394Hoc Rhīpeus, hoc ipse Dymās omnisque iuventūs
395laeta facit;

Rhipeus does this, Dymas himself does this, and all the young men gladly;

Note. Hoc … hoc: anaphora. laeta: adjective used for an adverb, 'gladly'.

Aen. 2.395spoliīs sē quisque recentibus armat.

each arms himself with the fresh spoils.

Aen. 2.396Vādimus immixtī Danaīs haud nūmine nostrō,
multaque per caecam congressī proelia noctem
cōnserimus, multōs Danaum dēmittimus Orcō.

We go on, mingled with the Greeks, under no god of our own, and meeting them we join many a fight through the blind night, and send many of the Greeks down to Orcus.

Note. haud nūmine nostrō: 'under a divine will not ours', i.e. under Greek gods, wearing Greek arms; the phrase is ominous. Orcō: dative of direction, 'to Orcus', the underworld.

Aen. 2.399Diffugiunt aliī ad nāvīs, et lītora cursū
400fīda petunt: pars ingentem formīdine turpī
scandunt rūrsus equum et nōtā conduntur in alvō.

Some scatter to the ships and run for the safety of the shore: some in shameful fear climb back into the huge horse and hide in its familiar belly.

Note. Diffugiunt aliī …, pars … scandunt: a collective noun with a plural verb. nōtā … in alvō: the familiar belly of the horse they had come out of.