Aeneid 4.173–197

Aen. 4.173Extemplō Libyae magnās it Fāma per urbēs—
Fāma, malum quā nōn aliud vēlōcius ūllum;

At once Rumour goes through the great cities of Libya — Rumour, an evil than which none other is swifter;

Note. Fāma: Rumour personified. malum quā nōn aliud vēlōcius ūllum: 'an evil than which no other is swifter'; quā is ablative of comparison.

Aen. 4.175mōbilitāte viget, vīrēsque adquīrit eundō,
parva metū prīmō, mox sēsē attollit in aurās,
ingrediturque solō, et caput inter nūbila condit.

she thrives on movement and gains strength as she goes, small at first through fear, soon she rises into the air and walks on the ground and hides her head among the clouds.

Note. mōbilitāte viget: she thrives on movement. eundō: ablative gerund of eō. parva metū prīmō: small at first, through fear. caput inter nūbila condit: she grows from ground to sky, like a giant.

Aen. 4.178Illam Terra parēns, īrā inrītāta deōrum,
extrēmam (ut perhibent) Coeō Enceladōque sorōrem
180prōgenuit, pedibus celerem et pernīcibus ālīs,
mōnstrum horrendum, ingēns, cui, quot sunt corpore plūmae
tot vigilēs oculī subter, mīrābile dictū,
tot linguae, totidem ōra sonant, tot subrigit aurēs.

Earth her mother, provoked by anger against the gods, brought her forth, they say, as the last sister to Coeus and Enceladus, swift of foot and with nimble wings, a monster horrible and huge, who, for as many feathers as she has on her body, has as many watchful eyes beneath — a wonder to tell — as many tongues, as many mouths speaking, and pricks up as many ears.

Note. Illam … Terra … prōgenuit: Earth gave birth to Rumour last, after the Titans (Coeus) and Giants (Enceladus), out of anger against the gods who had defeated them. ut perhibent: 'as they say'. quot … tot … tot … totidem … tot: 'as many feathers … so many eyes, tongues, mouths, ears'. mīrābile dictū: supine, 'wonderful to tell'.

Aen. 4.184Nocte volat caelī mediō terraeque per umbram,
185strīdēns, nec dulcī dēclīnat lūmina somnō;

By night she flies between sky and earth through the darkness, screeching, and does not close her eyes in sweet sleep;

Note. caelī mediō terraeque: 'between sky and earth'. strīdēns: screeching like a bird of ill omen. dēclīnat lūmina: 'close her eyes' in sleep.

Aen. 4.186lūce sedet custōs aut summī culmine tēctī,
turribus aut altīs, et magnās territat urbēs;

by day she sits as a watcher on the top of a high roof or on lofty towers, and terrifies great cities;

Note. lūce: 'by day', in contrast with nocte. custōs: as a lookout.

Aen. 4.188tam fictī prāvīque tenāx, quam nūntia vērī.

as tenacious of what is false and wrong as she is a messenger of truth.

Note. tam … quam: 'as much … as'. fictī prāvīque: genitives with tenāx, 'clinging to what is invented and wrong'. nūntia vērī: she spreads truth too, which makes her more dangerous.

Aen. 4.189Haec tum multiplicī populōs sermōne replēbat
190gaudēns, et pariter facta atque īnfecta canēbat:
vēnisse Aenēān, Trōiānō sanguine crētum,
cui sē pulchra virō dignētur iungere Dīdō;

Then, rejoicing, she filled the peoples with talk of many kinds, and sang alike of what had been done and what had not: that Aeneas had come, born of Trojan blood, a man to whom lovely Dido thinks fit to join herself;

Note. facta atque īnfecta: 'things done and not done'. vēnisse Aenēān …: the accusative and infinitive gives the content of the rumour. crētum: 'sprung from' (crēscō). dignētur: subjunctive in a relative clause inside indirect speech.

Aen. 4.193nunc hiemem inter sē luxū, quam longa, fovēre
regnōrum immemorēs turpīque cupīdine captōs.

that now they are spending the winter, all its length, in luxury together, forgetful of their kingdoms and captured by shameful desire.

Note. hiemem … quam longa (est): 'the winter, as long as it is'. fovēre: 'spend comfortably' (foveō, 'keep warm'). immemorēs … captōs: Aeneas and Dido together, so masculine plural.

Aen. 4.195Haec passim dea foeda virum diffundit in ōra.

The foul goddess spreads this everywhere on the mouths of men.

Note. foeda: 'foul'. virum = virōrum, 'on the mouths of men'.

Aen. 4.196Prōtinus ad rēgem cursūs dētorquet Iarbān,
incenditque animum dictīs atque aggerat īrās.

Straightway she turns her course to King Iarbas and kindles his mind with her words and heaps up his anger.

Note. Prōtinus: 'straightway'. Iarbān: Greek accusative. aggerat īrās: 'heaps up his anger'.