Aeneid 4.553–570

Aen. 4.553Tantōs illa suō rumpēbat pectore questūs.

Such were the laments that burst from her heart.

Note. Tantōs … questūs: 'such laments'. rumpēbat: 'was bursting out with'.

Aen. 4.554Aenēās celsā in puppī, iam certus eundī,
555carpēbat somnōs, rēbus iam rīte parātīs.

Aeneas, on his high stern, already certain of going, was taking his sleep, everything now duly prepared.

Note. certus eundī: 'sure of going', certus with the genitive of the gerund. rēbus … parātīs: ablative absolute.

Aen. 4.556Huic sē fōrma deī voltū redeuntis eōdem
obtulit in somnīs, rūrsusque ita vīsa monēre est—
omnia Mercuriō similis, vōcemque colōremque
et crīnīs flāvōs et membra decōra iuventā:
560Nāte dea, potes hōc sub cāsū dūcere somnōs,
nec, quae tē circum stent deinde perīcula, cernis,
dēmēns, nec Zephyrōs audīs spīrāre secundōs?

To him the form of the god, returning with the same face, appeared in his sleep and seemed to warn him again like this, in every way like Mercury, in voice and colouring and golden hair and limbs graceful with youth: 'Son of a goddess, can you sleep at such a moment, and do you not see, madman, the dangers that will soon surround you, nor hear the favouring west winds blowing?

Note. Huic: dative, 'to him'. vultū redeuntis eōdem: 'of the god returning with the same face'. vīsa … est: 'seemed'. omnia Mercuriō similis: 'in all things like Mercury', omnia an accusative of respect; the following accusatives (vōcem, colōrem, crīnīs, membra) are also of respect. Nāte deā: 'son of a goddess', deā ablative of origin. dūcere somnōs: 'prolong sleep'. dēmēns: vocative.

Aen. 4.563Illa dolōs dīrumque nefās in pectore versat,
certa morī, variōque īrārum flūctuat aestū.

She is turning over tricks and a dreadful crime in her heart, resolved to die, and surges on a shifting tide of anger.

Note. Illa: Dido. certa morī: 'resolved to die', certus with the infinitive. variō … aestū: the tide image of line 532 repeated.

Aen. 4.565Nōn fugis hinc praeceps, dum praecipitāre potestās?

Will you not flee from here headlong, while you have the power to hurry?

Note. Nōn fugis …?: a question expecting yes, 'will you not flee?'. dum praecipitāre potestās: supply est, 'while there is power to hurry'.

Aen. 4.566Iam mare turbārī trabibus, saevāsque vidēbis
conlūcēre facēs, iam fervēre lītora flammīs,
sī tē hīs attigerit terrīs Aurōra morantem.

Soon you will see the sea churned up with ships, and cruel torches blazing, and soon the shore glowing with flames, if the Dawn finds you lingering in these lands.

Note. turbārī trabibus: 'churned up by ships' (trabs, a beam, used for a ship). sī tē … attigerit … Aurōra morantem: 'if Dawn finds you lingering'; attigerit is future perfect.

Aen. 4.569Heia age, rumpe morās.

Come, quick, break off delay!

Note. Heia age: 'come on, quick'. rumpe morās: 'break off delay', a phrase Vergil uses for decisive action.

Aen. 4.569Varium et mūtābile semper
570fēmina.

A woman is always a changeable and fickle thing.'

Note. Varium et mūtābile semper fēmina: 'a fickle and changeable thing (is) always woman'; the adjectives are neuter, making 'woman' a thing. One of the most quoted lines of the poem.

Aen. 4.570Sīc fātus, noctī sē immiscuit ātrae.

So he spoke, and vanished into the black night.

Note. Sīc fātus: 'having spoken thus', from the deponent for. noctī sē immiscuit ātrae: 'mingled with the black night', i.e. vanished.