Aeneid 2.438–452

Aen. 2.438Hīc vērō ingentem pugnam, ceu cētera nusquam
bella forent, nūllī tōtā morerentur in urbe.

Here truly we see a huge battle, as if there were no wars anywhere else and no one were dying in the whole city.

Note. pugnam … cernimus: the verb comes in the next sentence. ceu … forent, … morerentur: subjunctives in a comparison, 'as if there were …'. forent = essent.

Aen. 2.440Sīc Mārtem indomitum, Danaōsque ad tēcta ruentīs
cernimus, obsessumque āctā testūdine līmen.

So we see Mars untamed, and the Greeks rushing at the building, and the doorway besieged by a tortoise of shields driven up to it.

Note. testūdine: the 'tortoise', soldiers' shields locked overhead to approach a wall. āctā: 'driven forward'.

Aen. 2.442Haerent parietibus scālae, postīsque sub ipsōs
nītuntur gradibus, clipeōsque ad tēla sinistrīs
prōtēctī obiciunt, prēnsant fastīgia dextrīs.

Ladders cling to the walls, and right by the doorposts they struggle up the rungs, and, protected, they hold out their shields against the missiles with their left hands, and with their right they grasp the rooftops.

Note. parietibus: dative with haerent; in verse the word is scanned with consonantal i (par-yetibus) to fit the line. sinistrīs, dextrīs: 'with left hands', 'with right hands'.

Aen. 2.445Dardanidae contrā turrīs ac tōta domōrum
culmina convellunt;

The Dardanians in turn tear down towers and the whole roofs of houses;

Note. Dardanidae: 'descendants of Dardanus', the Trojans. turrīs: acc. pl. in -īs. contrā: adverb.

Aen. 2.446hīs sē, quandō ultima cernunt,
extrēmā iam in morte parant dēfendere tēlīs;

with these as weapons, since they see the end has come, they prepare to defend themselves now at the very point of death;

Note. hīs … tēlīs: 'with these (as) missiles', the torn-off roof pieces. quandō: 'since'. ultima: 'the end'.

Aen. 2.448aurātāsque trabēs, veterum decora alta parentum,
dēvolvunt;

and they roll down the gilded beams, the lofty glories of their ancestors;

Note. veterum decora alta parentum: in apposition to trabēs, the gilded beams that were the pride of their ancestors.

Aen. 2.449aliī strictīs mūcrōnibus īmās
450obsēdēre forēs;

others, with swords drawn, have blocked the doors below;

Note. obsēdēre: -ēre perfect. imās forēs: 'the doors below'.

Aen. 2.450hās servant agmine dēnsō.

these they guard in a close-packed column.

Aen. 2.451Īnstaurātī animī, rēgis succurrere tēctīs,
auxiliōque levāre virōs, vimque addere victīs.

Our courage was renewed, to bring help to the king's house, to relieve the men with aid, and to add strength to the conquered.

Note. Īnstaurātī (sunt) animī: then three infinitives depending on the sense 'we were resolved'. victīs: dative, the defeated Trojans.