Aeneid 4.504–521

Aen. 4.504At rēgīna, pyrā penetrālī in sēde sub aurās
505ērēctā ingentī taedīs atque īlice sectā,
intenditque locum sertīs, et fronde corōnat
fūnereā;

But the queen, when the pyre had been raised high in the inmost part of the house under the open sky, built of pine-torches and cut oak, hangs the place with garlands and crowns it with funeral leaves;

Note. pyrā … ērēctā … sectā: a long ablative absolute, 'when the pyre had been built'. penetrālī in sēde: 'in the innermost part (of the palace)'. taedīs atque īlice sectā: 'of pine and cut oak', ablatives of material. intendit … sertīs: 'hangs with garlands'. fronde … fūnereā: cypress, the funeral tree.

Aen. 4.507super exuviās ēnsemque relictum
effigiemque torō locat, haud ignāra futūrī.

on top she lays on the bed his clothing, the sword he left behind, and his likeness, well aware of what is to come.

Note. super: adverb, 'on top'. exuviās: Aeneas' clothes, which he left behind. effigiem: an image of Aeneas, used in love magic. haud ignāra futūrī: litotes, 'well aware of what was to come'; futūrī is the genitive of the future participle used as a noun.

Aen. 4.509Stant ārae circum, et crīnēs effūsa sacerdōs
510ter centum tonat ōre deōs, Erebumque Chaosque,
tergeminamque Hecatēn, tria virginis ōra Diānae.

Altars stand around, and the priestess, her hair let loose, thunders out the names of three hundred gods, Erebus and Chaos, and three-formed Hecate, the three faces of the maiden Diana.

Note. crīnēs effūsa: 'with her hair loosed', accusative of respect with a passive participle (a Greek construction). ter centum … deōs: 'three hundred gods', a magical number. tonat ōre: 'thunders with her mouth', i.e. chants. tergeminam Hecatēn: Hecate had three forms (Luna in the sky, Diana on earth, Hecate below), hence tria virginis ōra Diānae. Hecatēn is a Greek accusative.

Aen. 4.512Sparserat et laticēs simulātōs fontis Avernī,
falcibus et messae ad lūnam quaeruntur aēnīs
pūbentēs herbae nigrī cum lacte venēnī;

She had sprinkled too waters pretending to be from the spring of Avernus, and herbs are sought, cut with bronze sickles by moonlight, downy with the milk of black poison;

Note. Sparserat: pluperfect, 'she had (already) sprinkled'. laticēs simulātōs fontis Avernī: 'waters pretending to be from the spring of Avernus', the lake near Cumae thought to lead to the underworld. falcibus … aēnīs: bronze sickles, because iron was avoided in magic. ad lūnam: 'by moonlight'. pūbentēs herbae: 'downy herbs', full of milky poisonous sap.

Aen. 4.515quaeritur et nāscentis equī dē fronte revolsus
et mātrī praereptus amor.

the love-charm too is sought, torn from the forehead of a new-born foal and snatched away before the mother could take it.

Note. quaeritur: parallel to quaeruntur in the previous sentence. amor: here a love-charm, the hippomanes, a growth said to be found on a newborn foal's forehead, which the mare would eat if she could; hence mātrī praereptus, 'snatched from the mother'.

Aen. 4.517Ipsa molā manibusque piīs altāria iūxtā,
ūnum exūta pedem vinclīs, in veste recīncta,
testātur moritūra deōs et cōnscia fātī
520sīdera;

Dido herself, with the sacred meal and with pure hands, beside the altars, one foot bared of its sandal, her dress loosened, about to die, calls the gods to witness and the stars that know her fate;

Note. molā: salted meal sprinkled on sacrifices. ūnum exūta pedem vinclīs: 'with one foot freed from its sandal-straps', accusative of respect again; magic required nothing bound. in veste recīnctā: 'in loosened dress'. moritūra: future participle, 'about to die', the word that keeps returning in this book. cōnscia fātī sīdera: 'the stars that know her fate'.

Aen. 4.520tum, sī quod nōn aequō foedere amantēs
cūrae nūmen habet iūstumque memorque, precātur.

then, if any divine power that is just and mindful has as its care lovers bound by an unequal bond, to that power she prays.

Note. sī quod … nūmen: 'if any divine power'; quod is the indefinite after sī. nōn aequō foedere amantēs: 'lovers bound by an unequal pact', where one loves more than the other. cūrae … habet: 'has as its care', a double dative construction with habeō.