Vergil's Aeneid Book I Lines 1-101

Question 1

Arma virumque cano, Trojae qui primus ab oris Italiam fato profugus Lavinaque venit litora –

Answer 1

I sing of arms and of the man who first (as) an exile from the shores of Troy, because of fate, came to Italy and the Lavinian shores –

Question 2

– multum ille et terris jactatus et alto vi superum, saevae memorem Junonis ob iram, multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem inferretque deos Latio –

Answer 2

– that man (having been) tossed about a great deal both on land and at sea by the power of the gods, on account of the unforgetting wrath of cruel Juno, and having endured much also in was, until he could found a city and bring (his) gods into Latium –

Question 3

– genus unde Latinum Albanique patres atque altae moenia Romae.

Answer 3

– whence (came) the Latin people and the Alban fathers and the walls of lofty Rome.

Question 4

Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso quidve dolens regina deum tot volvere casus insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores impulerit.

Answer 4

Muse, recall to me the reasons, with what divine power having been wounded or grieving at what did the queen of gods compel a man so outstanding in devotion to endure so many misfortunes, confront so many struggles?

Question 5

Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

Answer 5

Do the heavenly spirits possess wraths of such magnitude?

Question 6

Urbs antiqua fuit (Tyrii tenuere coloni) Karthago, Italiam contra Tiberinaque longe ostia, dives opum studiisque asperrima belli;

Answer 6

There was an ancient city (Tyrian settlers possessed it), Carthage, far opposite Italy and the mouth of the Tiber, rich in resources and most fierce in the pursuits of war;

Question 7

quam Juno fertur terris magis omnibus unam posthabita coluisse Samo:

Answer 7

which alone Juno is said to have cherished more than all (other) lands, preferred even to Samos:

Question 8

hic illius arma, hic currus fuit; hoc regnum dea gentibus esse, si qua fata sinant, jam tum tenditque fovetque.

Answer 8

here (were) her weapons, here was (her) chariot; the queen even now intends and nurtures this (place) to be the kingdom for (its) peoples, if the fates should permit (this) in any way.

Question 9

Progeniem sed enim Trojano a sanguine duci audierat Tyrias olim quae verteret arces;

Answer 9

But indeed she had heard that offspring which would one day overturn the Tyrian citadels was being produced from Trojan blood;

Question 10

hinc populum late regem belloque superbum venturum excidio Libyae: sic volvere Parcas.

Answer 10

from this would come a people ruling broadly and proud in war for the destruction of Libya: thus the fates were unrolling.

Question 11

Id metuens veterisque memor Saturnia belli, prima quod ad Trojam pro caris gesserat Argis (necdum etiam causae irarum saevique dolores exciderant animo;

Answer 11

The Saturnian, fearing this and mindful of the old war, because she had first waged (war) at Troy on behalf of her beloved Argives (and not even yet had the causes of her wraths and her cruel sorrows fallen from her mind;

Question 12

manet alta mente repostum judicium Paridis spretaeque injuria formae et genus invisum et rapti Ganymedis honores) –

Answer 12

buried in her deep mind remains the judgement of Paris and the insult to her rejected beauty and the hated people and the honours of stolen Ganymede) –

Question 13

– his accensa super jactatos aequore toto Troas, relliquias Danaum atque immitis Achilli, arcebat longe Latio, multosque per annos errabant acti fatis maria ombia circum.

Answer 13

– inflamed on account of these things, she was keeping far off from Latium the Trojans, tossed about upon the entire sea, the remnants of the Greeks and cruel Achilles, and they were wandering for many years, driven by the fates around all the seas.

Question 14

Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem.

Answer 14

Of so great a struggle was it to found the Roman people.

Question 15

Vix e conspectu Siculae telluris in altum vela dabant laeti et spumas salis aere ruebant, cum Juno aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus haec secum:

Answer 15

Scarcely out of sight of the Sicilian land the men happily were setting sail onto the deep sea and were plowing the foam of the salt with their bronze, when Juno, preserving the everlasting wound under her breast said these things with herself:

Question 16

“Mene incepto desistere victam nec posse Italia Teucrorum avertere regem? Quippe vetor fatis.

Answer 16

Am I, having been defeated, to cease from my undertaking, and to not be able to turn away from Italy the king of the Trojans? Of course, I am prevented by the fates.

Question 17

Pallasne exurere classem Argivum atque ipsos potuit summergere ponto unius ob noxam et furias Ajacis Oilei?

Answer 17

Was Minerva able to burn up the fleet of the Argives and to drown the men themselves into the sea on account of the insult and madness of one man, Ajax son of Oielus?

Question 18

Ipsa Jovis rapidum jaculata e nubibus ignem disjecitque rates evertitque aequora ventis, illum exspirantem transfixo pectore flammas turbine corripuit scopuloque infixit acuto;

Answer 18

She herself, having hurled the swift fire of Jupiter from the clouds, both scattered the ships and overturned the sea with the winds, and him she snatched up in a whirlwind as he was breathing out flames from his transfixed breast, and she impaled him on a sharp crag;

Question 19

ast ego, quae divum incedo regina Jovisque et soror et conjunx, una cum gente tot annos bella gero.

Answer 19

But I, who proceed as queen of the gods and both sister and wife of Jupiter, have been waging war with a single people for so many years now.

Question 20

Et quisquam numen Junonis adorat praterea aut supplex aris imponet honorem?”

Answer 20

And who will worship the divinity of Juno hereafter or, as a suppliant, will place an offering on her altars?”

Question 21

Talia flammato secum dea corde volutans nimborum in patriam, loca feta furentibus Austris, Aeoliam venit.

Answer 21

Pondering such things with herself in her inflamed heart, the goddess comes to the country of the clouds, a place teeming with the raging south winds, Aeolia.

Question 22

Hic vasto rex Aeolus antro luctantis ventos tempestatesque sonoras imperio premit ac vinclis et carcere frenat.

Answer 22

Here in his vast cave king Aeolus controls with authority the struggling winds and howling storms and reins them in with the restraints of his prison.

Question 23

Illi indignates magno cum murmure montis circum claustra fremunt;

Answer 23

Chafing, they rumble around the barriers with a great roar of the mountain;

Question 24

celsa sedet Aeolus arce sceptra tenens mollitque animos et temperat iras;

Answer 24

Aeolus sits on his lofty citadel holding his scepters, and he both soothes their spirits and calms their wraths;

Question 25

ni faciat, maria ac terras caelumque profundum quippe ferant rapidi secum verrantque per auras.

Answer 25

were he not to do this, the swift winds would surely carry off with themselves the seas and lands and the deep heaven, and would sweep them through the air.

Question 26

Sed pater omnipotens speluncis abdidit atris hoc metuens molemque et montis insuper altos imposuit,

Answer 26

But fearing this, the all-powerful father hid them in dark caves, and set above a mass of lofty mountains,

Question 27

regemque dedit qui foedere certo et premere et laxas sciret dare jussus habenas.

Answer 27

and gave them a king who would know both how to restrain them by means of a clear agreement and how, when ordered, to give loose reains.

Question 28

Ad quem tum Juno supplex his vocibus usa est:

Answer 28

To him then Juno as suppliant employed these words:

Question 29

“Aeole, namque tibi divum pater atque hominmum rex et mulcere dedit fluctus et tollere vento, gens inimica mihi Tyrrhenum navigat aequor Ilium in Italiam portans victosque penatis:

Answer 29

“Aeolus, since the father of gods and king of men granted to you the ability to soothe the waves and to raise them with the wind, a people hostile to me sails the Tyrrenian sea, carrying Troy and its conquered household gods into Italy:

Question 30

incute vim ventis summersasque obrue puppis, aut age diversos et disjice corpora ponto.

Answer 30

Strike violence into the winds and overwhelm the submerged ships, or drive the Trojans in different directions and scatter their bodies on the sea.

Question 31

Sunt mihi bis septem praestanti corpore nymphae, quarum quae forma pulcherrima, Deiopea,

Answer 31

There are in my possession twice seven nymphs of outstanding physical beauty, of whom Deiopea, who is most beautiful in form,

Question 32

conubio jungam stabili propriamque dicabo, omnis ut tecum meritis pro talibus annos exigat et pulchra faciat te prole parentem.”

Answer 32

I shall join to you in stable marriage and shall declare your own, so that she may live all her years with you in return for such merits and so that she may make you a father of fair offspring.”

Question 33

Aeolus haec contra: “tuus, O regina, quid optes explorare labor; mihi jussa capessere fas est.

Answer 33

Aeolus spoke these words in response: “it is your task, queen, to search out what you wish; for me it is right to undertake what has been ordered.

Question 34

Tu mihi quodcumque hoc regni, tu sceptra Jovemque concilias, tu das epulis accumbere divum nimborumque facis tempestatumque potentem.”

Answer 34

Whatever kingdom this is you win over for me, you unite the scepters and Jupiter, you grant to me to recline at the feasts of the gods and you make me the one ruling clouds and storms.”

Question 35

Haec ubi dicta, cavum conversa cuspide montem impulit in latus; ac venti velut agmine facto, qua data porta, ruunt et terras turbine perflant.

Answer 35

When these words had been said, he struck the hollow mountain against its side with his spear reversed; and the winds rush forth, just as when a battle line has been drawn up, where a gateway is given, and they blow through the lands in a whirlwind.

Question 36

Incubere mari totumque a sedibus imis una Eurusque Notusque ruunt creberque procellis Africus et vastos volvunt ad litora fluctus: insequitur clamorque virum stridorque rudentum.

Answer 36

Now they brooded over the sea, and the East wind and South wind together, and the Southwest wind thick with squalls, heave up the whole sea from its deep foundations, and roll huge waves toward the shores; the shouting of men and the grating of the ropes follows.

Question 37

Eripiunt subito nubes caelumque diemque Teucrorum ex oculis; ponto nox incubat atra.

Answer 37

Suddenly the clouds snatch both the sky and day out of the eyes of the Trojans; black night broods over the sea.

Question 38

Intonuere poli et crebris micat ignibus aether praesentemque viris intentant omnia mortem.

Answer 38

The poles thundered and the upper air flashes with frequent bursts of fires, and everything threatens the men with imminent death.

Question 39

Extemplo Aeneae solvuntur frigore membra; ingemit et duplicis tendens ad sidera palmas talia voce refert:

Answer 39

Suddently Aeneas’ limbs are loosened with cold; he groans and outstretching to the stars his two hands he says such things with his voice:

Question 40

“O terque quaterque beati, quis ante ora patrum Trojae sub moenibus altis contigit oppertere!

Answer 40

“O three and four times fortunate, those to whom it befell to encounter death before the faces of their fathers beneath the lofty walls of Troy!

Question 41

O Danaum fortissime gentis Tydide!

Answer 41

O son of Tydeus, strongest of the people of the Danaans!

Question 42

mene Iliacis occumbere campis non potuisse tuaque animam hanc effundere dextra,

Answer 42

Could I not have fallen on the Trojan plains and poured forth this soul at your right hand,

Question 43

saevus ubi Aeacidea telo jacet Hector, ubi ingens Sarpedon,

Answer 43

where fierce Hector lies because of the spear of Achilles, where huge Sarpedon lies,

Question 44

ubi tot Simois correpta sub undis scuta virum galeasque et fortia corpora volvit!”

Answer 44

where the river Simois rolls beneath its waves so many snatched shields of men, and their helmets and brave bodies!”