Aeneid 4.393–415

Aen. 4.393At pius Aenēās, quamquam lēnīre dolentem
sōlandō cupit et dictīs āvertere cūrās,
395multa gemēns magnōque animum labefactus amōre,
iussa tamen dīvom exsequitur, classemque revīsit.

But dutiful Aeneas, though he longs to soothe her grief by comforting her and turn her cares away with words, groaning much and shaken in heart by his great love, still carries out the gods' commands and goes back to the fleet.

Note. pius Aenēās: the epithet is set deliberately here, against Dido's charge of impiety; for Vergil pietās is duty to gods, father and people. quamquam … cupit: 'although he longs'. lēnīre … sōlandō … āvertere: infinitives and a gerund. dolentem: 'her grief' (present participle used as a noun). multa gemēns: 'groaning deeply'. animum labefactus: 'shaken in his mind'; animum is an accusative of respect. exsequitur: 'carries out'.

Aen. 4.397Tum vērō Teucrī incumbunt, et lītore celsās
dēdūcunt tōtō nāvēs: natat ūncta carīna;

Then indeed the Trojans set to work and drag the tall ships down along the whole shore: the tarred keel floats;

Note. Tum vērō: 'then indeed'. incumbunt: 'set to work'. celsās … nāvēs: 'tall ships', from the whole shore (lītore … tōtō). natat ūncta carīna: 'the tarred keel floats'.

Aen. 4.399frondentīsque ferunt rēmōs et rōbora silvīs
400īnfabricāta, fugae studiō.

and in their eagerness for flight they carry leafy oars and unworked timber from the woods.

Note. frondentīs … rēmōs: 'oars with leaves still on them', because they are made in haste. rōbora … īnfabricāta: 'unshaped timber'. fugae studiō: 'in their eagerness for flight'.

Aen. 4.401Migrantīs cernās, tōtāque ex urbe ruentīs.

You could see them on the move and hurrying from all over the city.

Note. Migrantīs cernās … ruentīs: potential subjunctive, 'you could see them on the move … rushing out'; accusative plurals in -īs.

Aen. 4.402Ac velut ingentem formīcae farris acervum
cum populant, hiemis memorēs, tēctōque repōnunt;

As when ants plunder a huge heap of grain, mindful of winter, and store it in their home;

Note. The ant simile (402–407) makes the busy Trojans small and mechanical as seen from Dido's tower. ac velut … cum: 'and as when'. farris acervum: 'a heap of grain'. hiemis memorēs: 'mindful of winter'. tēctō: 'in their home'.

Aen. 4.404it nigrum campīs agmen, praedamque per herbās
405convectant calle angustō;

the black column goes across the fields, and they carry their plunder through the grass on a narrow track;

Note. it nigrum campīs agmen: 'the black column goes over the fields', a phrase used by Ennius of elephants; agmen is also the word for an army on the march. convectant: 'they carry together'. calle angustō: 'on a narrow path'.

Aen. 4.405pars grandia trūdunt
obnīxae frūmenta umerīs;

some push the big grains along, straining with their shoulders;

Note. pars … trūdunt: the plural verb agrees with the sense (constructio ad sensum). obnīxae: 'straining', agreeing with the ants (formīcae). grandia … frūmenta: 'large grains'.

Aen. 4.406pars agmina cōgunt
castīgantque morās;

some keep the column together and punish the slow;

Note. agmina cōgunt: 'they keep the ranks together', a military term for a rearguard. castīgant … morās: 'they punish delays'.

Aen. 4.407opere omnis sēmita fervet.

the whole path is busy with the work.

Note. opere: ablative, 'with work'. fervet: 'seethes, swarms'.

Aen. 4.408Quis tibi tum, Dīdō, cernentī tālia sēnsus?

What did you feel then, Dido, as you saw such things?

Note. Quis … sēnsus: interrogative adjective with sēnsus, 'what feelings did you have'; the verb comes in the next line. tibi … Dīdō: Vergil turns and addresses Dido directly (apostrophe). cernentī: present participle in the dative.

Aen. 4.409quōsve dabās gemitūs, cum lītora fervēre lātē
410prōspicerēs arce ex summā, tōtumque vidērēs
miscērī ante oculōs tantīs clāmōribus aequor?

or what groans did you give, when from the top of the citadel you looked out and saw the shore far and wide seething, and the whole sea before your eyes in uproar with such great shouting?

Note. quōsve dabās gemitūs: 'or what groans did you give'. cum … prōspicerēs … vidērēs: cum with imperfect subjunctive. fervere: an old third-conjugation infinitive of ferveō (short e). miscērī: 'to be in turmoil'.

Aen. 4.412Improbe Amor, quid nōn mortālia pectora cōgis?

Wicked Love, what do you not force human hearts to do!

Note. Improbe Amor: vocative; love is now the cruel god. quid nōn … cōgis!: 'what do you not force …!' An exclamation that echoes Vergil's earlier 'quid nōn mortālia pectora cōgis, aurī sacra famēs' (3.56–57).

Aen. 4.413Īre iterum in lacrimās, iterum temptāre precandō
cōgitur, et supplex animōs submittere amōrī,
415nē quid inexpertum frūstrā moritūra relinquat.

She is forced to go to tears again, again to try him by pleading, and as a suppliant to bow her pride to love, so as not to leave anything untried, if she is to die for nothing.

Note. Īre … temptāre … submittere: infinitives with cōgitur, 'she is forced to go …'. precandō: ablative of the gerund, 'by entreating'. animōs: 'her pride'. nē quid inexpertum … relinquat: purpose clause, 'so as not to leave anything untried'; quid is indefinite after nē. frūstrā moritūra: 'about to die in vain', with the future participle again.