Aeneid Quotes - Chapter 9

Question 1

13

Answer 1

‘What are you waiting for? This is the moment to call for your horses and chariots. Do not allow any delay. Make a surprise attack on their camp and seize it.’

Question 2

59

Answer 2

‘Like a wolf in the dead of night, lying in wait in all the wind and rain by a pen full of sheep and growling at the gaps in the fence,’

Question 3

107

Answer 3

‘And so the promised day had come and the Fates had completed the allotted time, when the violent attack of Turnus warned the Mother Goddess to defend her sacred ships from these burning brands.’

Question 4

124

Answer 4

‘Even Tiber checked his flow with a harsh roaring of his waters as he called back his current from the sea.’

Question 5

144

Answer 5

‘Look at them now, all courage and confidence because of this rampart that keeps us from them and these ditches they have dug to hold us back.’

Question 6

148

Answer 6

‘Camp of cowards’

Question 7

162

Answer 7

‘Fourteen Rutulians were chosen to keep watch on the walls, each commanding a hundred men with purple crests on their helmets and gleaming with gold.’

Question 8

176

Answer 8

‘Nisus, son of Hyrtacus, was keeper of a gate. This formidable warrior, swift to throw the spear or send the arrow flying, had been sent by Ida, the hunters’ mountain, to be the comrade of Aeneas and with him came his own comrade, Euryalus, a boy with the first signs of manhood on cheeks as yet unshaven.’

Question 9

180

Answer 9

‘There was no lovelier youth among the people of Aeneas and no lovelier youth ever put on Trojan armour.’

Question 10

182

Answer 10

‘They were one in love and side by side they used to charge into battle.’

Question 11

239

Answer 11

‘If you allow us to take this opportunity to go and look for Aeneas and the city of Pallanteum, you will soon see us coming back laden with booty and much slaughter done. We have no doubts about the way to go.’

Question 12

275

Answer 12

‘But as for you, Euryalus, although you are a boy and not so far ahead of myself in the race of life, I revere you and take wholly into my heart, embracing you as my comrade, whatever may lie before us.’

Question 13

278

Answer 13

‘Whatever I may do, I shall look for no glory that is not shared with you. In war or in peace, whatever I say or do, my whole trust will be placed in you.’

Question 14

286

Answer 14

‘As I now leave her, she knows nothing of the danger I am entering upon, whether it be great or small and I have taken no farewell of her because - and I swear it by the Night and your own right hand - I could not bear to see my mother weep.’

Question 15

316

Answer 15

‘They moved off and crossed the ditch, making their way under cover of night to the camp that would be their death, but not before they had brought death to many others.’

Question 16

332

Answer 16

‘Their heads were lolling. He cut them off. Next he removed the head of their master Remus and left the blood gurgling out of his trunk and warming the ground as the black gore soaked through the bedding.’

Question 17

340

Answer 17

‘Nisus was like a lion driven mad with hunger and ravening through pens fullof sheep, dumb with fear, while he growls from jaws dripping with blood as he mauls and champs their soft flesh.’

Question 18

346

Answer 18

‘But when Euryalus came near him, he rose and Euryalus plunged his sword to the hilt in his chest.’

Question 19

356

Answer 19

'’Let us make an end,’ he said. ‘Daylight is no friend of ours and it will soon be here. Our enemies have taken enough punishment and we have cut our path through the middle of them.’’

Question 20

357

Answer 20

‘They left behind them many pieces of men’s armour wrought in solid silver and mixing bowls besides and lovely rugs, but Euryalus took Rhamnes’ medallions and his gold-studded belt.’

Question 21

364

Answer 21

‘He also put on the helmet of Messapus with its gorgeous plumes and they left the camp and made for safety.’

Question 22

374

Answer 22

‘Euryalus had forgotten about the helmet and its glittering betrayed him, reflecting the rays of the moon in the dim shadows of the night.’

Question 23

386

Answer 23

'’Euryalus was held back by the darkness under the trees and by the weight of his booty and in his fright he lost his way.’

Question 24

390

Answer 24

'’Poor Euryalus,’ he cried. ‘Where have I left you? Where can I look for you?’’

Question 25

399

Answer 25

‘What was Nisus to do? How could he rescue his young friend? How should he attack? What weapons could he use? Should he throw himself into the thick of their swords and rush through wound upon wound to a glorious death?’

Question 26

414

Answer 26

‘He rolled over, vomiting a stream of warm blood from his chest in the chill of death and having his flanks in deep-drawn agonies.’

Question 27

420

Answer 27

‘Volcens was wild with rage, but nowhere could he see the thrower and he could not decide where to direct the fury of his assault.’

Question 28

425

Answer 28

‘This was too much for Nisus. Out of his mind with terror and unable to endure his anguish, he broke cover, shouting at the top of his voice:’

Question 29

427

Answer 29

'’Here I am! Here I am! I am the one who did it! Aim your weapons at me, you Rutulians! The whole scheme was mine. He is innocent. He could not have done it.’’

Question 30

431

Answer 30

‘He was still speaking as the sword was driven through the ribs of Euryalus, full force, shattering his white breast. He rolled on the ground in death the blood flowed over his beautiful body, his neck grew limp and the head drooped on his shoulders, like a scarlet flower languishing and dying when its stem has been cut by the plough or like poppies bowing their heads when the rain burdens them and their necks grow weary.’

Question 31

438

Answer 31

‘But Nisus rushed into the thick of the enemy, looking only for Volcens. Volcens was the only thought on his mind.’

Question 32

446

Answer 32

‘So, in the moment of his own dying, he cut off the breath of his enemy: Then, pierced through and through, he hurled himself on the dead body of his friend and rested there at last in the peace of death.’

Question 33

466

Answer 33

‘They even stuck the heads of Euryalus and Nisus on spears - what a sight that was! - and paraded along behind them shouting.’

Question 34

477

Answer 34

‘Crazed with grief she rushed out and wailing as women do and tearing her hair, she made for the front ranks of the army on the walls. With no thought for the presence of men, with no thought of the danger of flying weapons, she stood there on the ramparts and filled heaven with her cries of mourning.’

Question 35

498

Answer 35

‘Their strength was broken. They were losing their appetite for battle and her presence was fanning the flames of their grief.’

Question 36

526

Answer 36

‘I pray to you, Calliope and to your sister muses, to breathe upon me as I sing of the death and destruction wrought by the sword of Turnus and to tell who sent down to Orcus each warrior that died. Unroll with me now the mighty scroll of war.’

Question 37

539

Answer 37

‘As everyone crowded together to take refuge on the side away from the flames, all at once the whole sky seemed to thunder and the tower toppled over in their death throes with the massive fabric following them down, impaling them on their own weapons and driving the broken timbers through their breasts.’

Question 38

559

Answer 38

‘Turnus who had been pursuing him with his javelin, came to gloat over him: ‘You fool! Did you think you could escape my hands!’’

Question 39

588

Answer 39

‘Melting in its flight, the lead bullet split his skull and stretched him full length on the sand.’

Question 40

626

Answer 40

'’All-powerful Jupiter, bless now this my first trial of arms and with my own hands I shall bring yearly offerings to your temple and set before your altar a milk-white bullock, with gilded horns and kicking up the sand with its hooves.’’

Question 41

696

Answer 41

‘Turnus instantly abandoned the work he had in hand and rushed to the Trojan gate in a savage rage to meet these arrogant brothers.’

Question 42

722

Answer 42

‘When Pandarus saw his brother stretched out in death and knew how his fortunes stood and the turn events were taking, he put his broad shoulder to the gate with all his force and heaved it shut on its hinges, leaving many of his own people cut off outside the walls with a hard battle to fight, but taking in those who came running and shutting them in with himself.’

Question 43

750

Answer 43

‘The blade went straight through the middle of the forehead and parted the smooth ,young cheeks.’

Question 44

754

Answer 44

‘As he lay dying he strewed around his nerveless limbs and armour blooded with brains and the two halves of his head hung on his two shoulders.’

Question 45

770

Answer 45

‘Stopped him short with one flashing stroke of his sword, a blow from close range that severed the head and sent it flying far from the body, helmet and all.’

Question 46

814

Answer 46

‘His lungs were heaving. He was shaking and sick with weariness. Then and only then, he dived head first into the river in full armour.’