Aeneid- Virgil Flashcards
At pater Aeneas audito nomine turni deserit et muros et summas deserit arces praecipitatque moras omnes
But father Aeneas, having heard the name of Turnus, both abandons the walls and abandons the lofty towers, and throws aside delays
LIT CRIT:
“Pater” is an epithet referring to Aeneas and highlights his importance of the ancestor of all roman people
“Aeneas” and “turni” both in opening line highlights their importance and foreshadows their battle
Repetition of “deserit” highlights how Aeneas would do anything to fight Turnus- further highlighted by polysyndeton with repeated “et” and polyptoton of “omnes”, “omnia” in next line
Opera omnia rumpit laetita exsultans horrendumque intonat armis
He breaks off all tasks, exalting with joy, and he thunders, dreadful in arms
LIT CRIT:
polyptoton of “omnes”, “omnia” in previous line highlights how Aeneas gives up everything to fight Turnus
“Laetita exsultans” shows how eager Aeneas was to fight
“In armis” coupled with “horrendum” means that the reader literally hears his armour= vivid
Quantus Athos aut quantas Eryx aut ipse coruscis cum fremit ilicibus quantas gaudetque nivali vertice se attollens pater Apenninus ad auras.
As great as Athos, or as great as Eryx, or as great as father Apenninus himself, he roars with waving oaks and rejoices, uplifting himself with his snowy top to the wind.
LIT CRIT:
Simile is marked by “quantas”- this and the tricolon of the three mountains highlights Aeneas’ journey from troy to Italy
“Pater” when describing the mountain links to the description of “pater Aeneas”
Far more description when talking of mount Apenninus highlights the importance of his final destination in Italy
iam vero et Rutuli certatim et troes et omnes converte oculos Itali, quique alta tenebant moenia quique imos pulsabant ariete muros, armaque deposuere umeris.
Now indeed the Rutulians also, and the Trojans, and the Italians turned their heads eagerly, both who were holding the high walls and who were beating the base of the walls with the battering ram, and they took off their arms from their shoulders.
LIT CRIT:
Tricolon of the three countries that watch highlights how thin battle will be significant to people of all races- further highlighted with polysyndeton on “et”
“Armaque deposuere umeris” and repetition of “quique” highlights how the people had to stop everything to watch the battle and had absolutely no part in it + could punt affect the outcome
Antithesis between “alta” (high) and “imos” (low) emphasises the difference between the powerful Aeneas and turnus and the weak soldiers
stupet ipse Latinus
ingentes, genitos diversis partibus orbis,
inter se coiise viros et cernere ferro.
Latinus himself is amazed at the mighty men, born in different parts of the world, come together between themselves and decide by the sword
LIT CRIT:
Emphatic positioning of “Ingentes” (huge) and “orbis” (world) at beginning and end of line emphasise how they are the most powerful men in the world
Atque illi, ut vacuo patierunt aequore campi, procursu rapido coniectis eminus hastis invadunt martem clipeis atque aere sonoro.
And they, when the spaces became cleared with an empty plain, with spears thrown from afar, like lighting they rush forward, they press on into war with shields and clanging brass
LIT CRIT:
“Campi” in the poetic plural adds vividness
Simile of “rapido coniectis eminus hastis” emphasises how quickly they moved into battle
“Martem” the god of war used instead of saying ‘war’ personifies the battle
Hendiadys of “clipeis atque aere sonoro” extends the length of time that we are exposed to the shield and makes us experience the clash of shields for longer
Dat gemitum tellus; tim crebros ensibus ictus congeminant
The earth gives a groan; the they redouble the blows repeatedly with their swords.
LIT CRIT:
“Dat gemitum tellus” uses personification to highlight how strong and heavy the men were to make the earth groan
Ac velut ingenti sila summove taburno cum duo conversis inimica in proelia tauri incurrunt,
And just as on great sila or on highest taburnus when two bulls with foreheads turned against [each other] charge into hostile battles
LIT CRIT:
Extended simile- varies narrative- vivid- easier for reader to imagine- bulls are imitation of Homer
“Tauri” were sacrificial animal in Ancient Rome- emphasises that one of the men will be killed
“Sila” and “taburnus” are in Italy- highlights the importance of Italy as a final destination for Aeneas
Hostile language used eg. “Proelia”, “inimica”, “conversis”, “incurrunt” contrasts with passive language used to describe the herd
Pavidi cessere magistri, stat pecus omne metu mutum, mussantque iuvencae quis nemori imperitet, quem tots armenta sequantar
Their masters have retreated fearful; all the herd stands dumb with dread and the heifers are silent, who is to rule the Grove, who the whole herd is to follow
LIT CRIT:
Passive language used when describing the weak herd, eg. “Stat”, “cessere”, “mussant” highlights the strength of the fighting men
Alliteration in “metu mutum, mussantque” highlights the lowering status of the weak herd
Question words such as “quis” and “quem” add suspense as neither the herd nor the reader is aware of who will win the battle
Illi inter sese multa vi vulnera miscent cornaque obnixi, infigunt et sanguine largo colla armosque lavant,
They intermingle wounds between themselves with much violence, and pressing hard they thrust in deep their horns and bathe their necks and shoulders with copious blood;
LIT CRIT:
The line “cornaque obnixi, infigunt et sanguine largo” is spondaic which draws out the length and harshness of the battle
Non aliter tros Aeneas et Daunius heros concurrunt clipeis, ingens fragor aethera complet.
Just so did Trojan Aeneas and the Dauniun Hero clash shields, and a great crash filled the air
LIT CRIT:
“Tros Aeneas” and “Daunius heros” highlights the two men’s heroic nature
“Concurrunt clipeis” uses alliteration to produce the sound of the shields clashing
Iuppiter ipse duas aequato examine lances sustinet et fata imponit diversa duorum, quem damnet labor et quo vergat pondere letum
Jupiter himself holds up two Scales with the balance set equal and put in the different fates of the two men: whom the struggle may doom and whom death my oppress with its weight
LIT CRIT:
“Quem” and “quo” are question words similar to “quis” and “quem” with the cow herd- through this, Virgil continuously adds suspense by questioning who will win the battle
“Letum” (death) is emphatically positioned
emicat hic impune putans et corpore toto
alte sublatum consurgit turnus in ensem
et ferit;
Here Turnus springs forward, and with his whole body he rises onto his sword lifted high, thinking he is safe, and strikes.
LIT CRIT:
“Emicat” is emphatically positioned and is very visual language to highlight the light flashing of his sword
The line “alte sublatum consurgit turnus in ensem” has long syllables and is very spondaic to build suspense whilst turnus gets ready to attack- this is immediately contrasted with “et ferit” (and strikes) which is short and snappy as the suspense is released
At perfidus ensis
frangitur in medioque ardentem deserit ictu,
ni fuga subsidio subeat.
But the treacherous sword breaks and abandons him, burning in the middle of the blow, unless flight could come to him in rescue.
LIT CRIT:
“Perfidus ensis” is personification of the sword and thus adds vividness as the battle comes to life
“Frangitur” (“breaks”) is emphatically positioned
fugit ocior euro ut capulum ignotum dextramque aspexit intermem.
He flees, swifter than the east wind, when he noticed an unfamiliar sword-hilt and his defenceless right hand.
LIT CRIT:
“Ignotum” (unknown) comes as a surprise to both turnus and the reader as the story is explained in the following lines
fama est praecipitem, cum prima in proelia iunctos conscendebat equos, patrio mucrone relicto dim trepidat, ferrum aurigae rapuisse Metisci;
The tale is when heading into the first battle he was mounting the yoked horses, he left his father’s sword behind; as he rushed, he snatched the sword of his charioteer Metsicus;
LIT CRIT:
“Praecipitem” (haste), “trepidat” (panic stricken) and “rapuisse” (snatched) all exemplify Turnus’ character as over-zealous and impulsive (eg. He had to make the first blow)
Idque diu, sum terga dabant palantia teucri, suffecit;
And it sufficed fora long time, while the Trojans were giving their backs, scattering;
Postquam arma dei ad volcania ventum est, mortalis mucro glacies ceu futtilis ictu dissiluit, fulva resplendet fragmina harena.
After it was come to the volcanian arms made by the god, the man-made blade flew apart with the blow, Like brittle ice: the fragments glittered on the yellow sand.
LIT CRIT:
Antithesis of “Arma dei” and “mortalis mucro” highlights the difference in quality between Aeneas’ sword and Turnus’
The simile of “glacies ceu futtilis” (like brittle ice) displays how weak the sword was
The spondaic, multi-sibyllic line of “fulva resplendet fragmina harena” displays how the sword lay inactive and lifeless on the ground
Ergo amens diversa fuga petit aequora Turnus et nunc huc, inde huc incertos implicat orbis;
Therefore Turnus, frantic, makes for different places in flight, and now to here, then to there, he winds about in doubtful circles;
LIT CRIT:
“Amens” highlights Turnus’ frantic panic
His panic is further emphasised by “diversa” (different) and “incertos” (aimless)
The repetition of “huc” emphasises Turnus’ panic at what to do next
Undique Enid densa teucri inclusere corona atque hinc vasta palus, hinc ardua moenia cingunt.
For the Trojans surrounded him on all sides in a crowded ring; on this side of a broad marsh, on that high walls enclose him.
LIT CRIT:
Turnus trapped foreshadows the stag
Nec minus Aeneas, quamquam tardata sagitta interdum genua impediunt cursumque recusant
insequetir trepidique pedem pede fervidus urget:
Nor any less did Aeneas pursue him, although his knees, impeded by the arrow, sometimes restrained him and held back his running, and ablaze, on foot he presses hard upon the heels of the hurrying Turnus
LIT CRIT:
“Sagitta” (arrow) is referring to an injury that Aeneas received earlier in the story. “Impediunt” (hinder) and “recusant” (deny) are also in reference to the arrow
The line “insequetur->”urget” is dactylic to emphasise the pace at Turnus is being chased
The emphatic positioning of “insequetur” and “urget” as verbs at the start and end of the line emphasise the active and physical chase
Antithesis between “trepidique”/ “panic stricken” (Turnus) and “fervidus”/ “hotly” (Aeneas)
Plosive alliteration of “pedem pede” highlight how Aeneas was hard upon his heels
Inclusum veluti si quando flumine nactus cervum aut puniceae saeptum formidine pennae
venator cursu canis et latratibus instat
Just as if when a hunting dog, having found a stag encircled by a river, or hedged in by the trap of crimson’s feathers presses upon him with running and barking
LIT CRIT:
Start of the epic simile
“Puniceae” (crimson) adds splash of colour which increases vividness
Statement of “cervum” (stag) and “canis” are delayed back in lines to add suspense as the reader is unaware of wag1
Ille autem insidiis et ripa territus alta mille fugit refugitque vias, at vividus Umber haeret hians, iam iamque tenet similisque tenenti increpuit mails morsuque elusus inani est;
While he, frightened by the trap and a high bank, flees and flees back a thousand ways. But the lively Umbrian dog, gaping, sticks close, and right now is holding and as if he is already holding has snapped with his jaws and has been fooled with an empty bite;
LIT CRIT:
Line “ille”–>”alta” represent ps the dear being trapped in the same way that Turnus was trapped
“Mille fugit refugitque vias” echoes when turnus was fleeing in different directions
Alliteration of “Haeret Hians” emphasises the panting sound if the dog
Repetition and dactyl in the line “iam”————>”tenenti” adds suspense to the speed of the chase
Tum vero exoritur clamor ripaeque lacusque responsant circa et caelum tonat omne tumultu.
Then indeed a din arises, and the banks and the lakes around reply, and all heavens thunder with an uproar.
ille simul fugiens Rutulos simul increpat omnes nomine quemque vocans notumque efflagitat ensem.
He at the same time fleeing, at the same time shouts angrily at the Rutulians, calling on each one by name, and demands his familiar sword.
Aeneas mortem contra praesensque minatur exitium, si quisquam adeat, terretque trementis excisurum urbem minitans et saucius instat.
Aeneas in return threatens death and instant destruction, if anyone should approach him, and terrifies them as they tremble, threatening to be about to tear down the city, and though wounded presses on.
