Aeneid 2.77–104

Aen. 2.77Cūncta equidem tibi, Rēx, fuerit quodcumque, fatēbor
vēra, inquit;

'Everything, king, whatever happens, I will confess to you truthfully,' he says;

Note. fuerit quodcumque: 'whatever comes of it', future perfect. vēra: neuter plural, 'truly'. Sinon's whole speech mixes true and false; Vergil makes him a master of persuasion.

Aen. 2.78neque mē Argolicā dē gente negābō:
hoc prīmum;

'and I will not deny that I am of the Greek race: that first;

Note. hoc prīmum: supply fatēbor, 'this first (I will confess)'.

Aen. 2.79nec, sī miserum Fortūna Sinōnem
80fīnxit, vānum etiam mendācemque improba finget.

nor, if Fortune has made Sinon wretched, will she in her cruelty also make him false and a liar.

Note. Note the antithesis: Fortune has made Sinon miserum, but she will not make him vānum mendācemque, 'false and lying' — a lie told while protesting his honesty.

Aen. 2.81Fandō aliquod sī forte tuās pervēnit ad aurīs
Bēlīdae nōmen Palamēdis et incluta fāma
glōria, quem falsā sub prōditiōne Pelasgī
īnsontem īnfandō indiciō, quia bella vetābat,
85dēmīsēre necī, nunc cassum lūmine lūgent.

If by chance in conversation some report has reached your ears of the name of Palamedes, son of Belus' line, and his glory famous in story, whom the Greeks, on a false charge of treason, sent down to death though he was innocent, by an unspeakable accusation, because he opposed the war, and now that he has lost the light they mourn him:

Note. Fandō: gerund, 'by report'. aliquod … nōmen: 'some name'. Bēlīdae … Palamēdis: Palamedes, a descendant of Belus, was a Greek hero who, in later legend, was framed for treason by Ulysses and stoned. quia bella vetābat: Sinon invents a reason that would please Trojan ears. dēmīsēre necī: 'sent down to death'. cassum lūmine: 'deprived of light', i.e. dead.

Aen. 2.86Illī mē comitem et cōnsanguinitāte propinquum
pauper in arma pater prīmīs hūc mīsit ab annīs,
dum stābat regnō incolumis rēgumque vigēbat
cōnsiliīs, et nōs aliquod nōmenque decusque
90gessimus.

my father, a poor man, sent me here to the war in my earliest years as his companion and close kin, while he stood secure in his royal power and was strong in the councils of the kings, and I too bore some name and honour.

Note. Illī … comitem: 'as a companion to him (Palamedes)'. dum stābat regnō incolumis: 'while he stood secure in his kingship'. nōmen … decusque gessimus: 'we bore some name and honour'.

Aen. 2.90Invidiā postquam pellācis Ulixī—
haud ignōta loquor— superīs concessit ab ōrīs,
adflīctus vītam in tenebrīs lūctūque trahēbam,
et cāsum īnsontis mēcum indignābar amīcī.

After he left the upper world through the envy of smooth-tongued Ulysses (I speak of things not unknown), I dragged out my life, crushed, in darkness and grief, and in my heart I raged at the fate of my innocent friend.

Note. Invidiā … pellācis Ulixī: 'through the envy of smooth-tongued Ulysses' (genitive Ulixī). haud ignōta loquor: a parenthesis, 'I speak of things not unknown'. superīs … ab ōrīs: 'from the upper shores', i.e. from life. trahēbam: 'I dragged out (my life)'.

Aen. 2.94Nec tacuī dēmēns, et mē, fors sī qua tulisset,
95sī patriōs umquam remeāssem victor ad Argōs,
prōmīsī ultōrem, et verbīs odia aspera mōvī.

And, madman, I did not keep silent, but I promised, if any chance should allow it, if ever I returned victorious to my native Argos, that I would avenge him, and with my words I stirred up bitter hatred.

Note. fors sī qua tulisset: 'if any chance should allow', pluperfect subjunctive in reported thought. remeāssem = remeāvissem. prōmīsī ultōrem (mē fore): 'I promised (to be) an avenger'.

Aen. 2.97Hinc mihi prīma malī lābēs, hinc semper Ulixēs
crīminibus terrēre novīs, hinc spargere vōcēs
in volgum ambiguās, et quaerere cōnscius arma.

From this came the first slip towards ruin for me; from this Ulysses was always terrifying me with new charges, from this spreading ambiguous rumours among the crowd, and, knowing his guilt, seeking weapons against me.

Note. Historical infinitives: terrēre, spargere, quaerere describe Ulysses' repeated actions, 'kept terrifying … spreading … seeking'. cōnscius: 'knowing (his own guilt)'. arma: here 'means of attack'.

Aen. 2.100Nec requiēvit enim, dōnec, Calchante ministrō—
sed quid ego haec autem nēquīquam ingrāta revolvō?

Nor did he rest until, with Calchas as his instrument — but why am I going back over these unwelcome things for nothing?

Note. An aposiopesis: Sinon breaks off (Calchante ministrō —) and pretends he cannot bear to continue, which only makes the Trojans more curious.

Aen. 2.102Quidve moror, sī omnīs ūnō ōrdine habētis Achīvōs,
idque audīre sat est?

Or why do I delay, if you hold all Greeks to be one and the same, and it is enough to hear that I am one?

Note. omnīs … Achīvōs: accusative plural (-īs). ūnō ōrdine habētis: 'you hold (all Greeks) in one rank', i.e. all the same. sat est = satis est.

Aen. 2.103Iamdūdum sūmite poenās,
hoc Ithacus velit, et magnō mercentur Atrīdae.

Exact the punishment at once: that is what the Ithacan would want, and the sons of Atreus would pay a high price for it.'

Note. hoc Ithacus velit: 'this the Ithacan (Ulysses) would want', potential subjunctive. magnō: ablative of price, 'at a great price'. Atrīdae: the sons of Atreus, Agamemnon and Menelaus. Sinon's reverse psychology is complete: by inviting death he makes the Trojans want to hear more.