Aeneid 2.506–525

Aen. 2.506Forsitan et Priamī fuerint quae fāta requīrās.

Perhaps you may also ask what the fate of Priam was.

Note. Forsitan … requīrās: potential subjunctive after forsitan. fuerint: perfect subjunctive in an indirect question, quae fāta fuerint, 'what the fate was'. Aeneas addresses Dido.

Aen. 2.507Urbis utī captae cāsum convolsaque vīdit
līmina tēctōrum et medium in penetrālibus hostem,
arma diū senior dēsuēta trementibus aevō
510circumdat nēquīquam umerīs, et inūtile ferrum
cingitur, ac dēnsōs fertur moritūrus in hostīs.

When he saw the fall of the captured city, and the doors of his house torn down, and the enemy in the middle of his inner rooms, the old man in vain puts his armour, long unused, round shoulders trembling with age, and girds on his useless sword, and goes, ready to die, into the thick of the enemy.

Note. utī = ut, 'when'. convolsa: older spelling of convulsa. senior: 'the old man'. dēsueta: 'long unused'. trementibus aevō: 'trembling with age'. inūtile ferrum cingitur: middle use of the passive with accusative, 'girds on the useless sword'. moritūrus: future participle, 'ready to die'.

Aen. 2.512Aedibus in mediīs nūdōque sub aetheris axe
ingēns āra fuit iūxtāque veterrima laurus,
incumbēns ārae atque umbrā complexa Penātīs.

In the middle of the palace, under the open vault of the sky, there was a huge altar, and beside it a very ancient laurel, leaning over the altar and embracing the household gods in its shade.

Note. nūdō … sub aetheris axe: 'under the bare vault of the sky', i.e. in an open courtyard. Penātīs: acc. pl. Background: the great altar was of Zeus Herkeios, the god of the house enclosure, under whose protection Priam ought to have been safe.

Aen. 2.515Hīc Hecuba et nātae nēquīquam altāria circum,
praecipitēs ātrā ceu tempestāte columbae,
condēnsae et dīvom amplexae simulācra sedēbant.

Here Hecuba and her daughters, in vain, around the altars, like doves driven headlong by a black storm, sat huddled together, embracing the images of the gods.

Note. altāria circum: anastrophe. praecipitēs … columbae: the doves driven down by a storm, in a simile describing the huddled women. dīvom = dīvōrum.

Aen. 2.518Ipsum autem sūmptīs Priamum iuvenālibus armīs
ut vīdit, Quae mēns tam dīra, miserrime coniūnx,
520impulit hīs cingī tēlīs?

But when she saw Priam himself in the arms he had put on as a young man: 'What thought so dreadful, my poor husband, has driven you to gird on these weapons?

Note. sūmptīs … armīs: ablative absolute. iuvenālibus: 'of his youth'. Quae mēns: interrogative adjective. cingī: passive infinitive used in a middle sense, 'to gird yourself'.

Aen. 2.520Aut quō ruis?

Or where are you rushing?'

Aen. 2.520inquit;

she said;

Aen. 2.521Nōn tālī auxiliō nec dēfēnsōribus istīs
tempus eget, nōn, sī ipse meus nunc adforet Hector.

'The hour does not need such help or such defenders, no, not if my own Hector were here now.

Note. tālī auxiliō nec dēfēnsōribus istīs: ablatives with eget, 'needs'. istīs: contemptuous, 'those defenders of yours'. adforet = adesset, in a contrary-to-fact condition.

Aen. 2.523Hūc tandem concēde;

Come here, at last;

Note. concēde: imperative, 'withdraw'.

Aen. 2.523haec āra tuēbitur omnīs,
aut moriēre simul.

this altar will protect us all, or you will die with us.'

Note. tuēbitur: deponent future. moriēre = moriēris, the 2nd sing. future in -re.

Aen. 2.524Sīc ōre effāta recēpit
525ad sēsē et sacrā longaevum in sēde locāvit.

So she spoke, and drew the aged man to her and set him down in the holy seat.

Note. effāta: deponent participle. longaevum: substantive, 'the aged man'.