Virgil Flashcards
hic Hecuba et natae nequiquam altaria circum,
Here Hecuba and her daughters, in vain around sections of altar,
praecipites atra ceu tempestate columbae,
like doves driven headlong by the black storm,
condensae et divum amplexae simulacra sedbant.
were sitting huddled close together and embracing the images of the gods.
ipsum autem sumptus Priamum iuvenalibus armis
ut vidit, ‘quae mens tam dira, miserrime conuix,
But when she saw Priam himself, with his youthful arms taken up, “what intention so terrible, most wretched husband,
impulit his cingi telis? aut quo ruis?’ inquit.
drives you to put on these weapons? And where do you rush to?” she said.
‘non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis
tempus eget; non, si ipse meus nunc adforet Hector.
“The moment does not need such help nor those sort of defenders; not even if my Hector himself were now present here.
huc tandem concede; haec ara tuebitur omnis,
Yield finally to here; this altar will protect all of us,
aut moriere simul.’
or you will die together (with us).”
sic fatus senior telumque imbelle sine ictu
coniecit, rauco quod protinus aere repulsum,
Having spoken in this way the old man threw his harmless spear without force, which was immediately repelled by the raucous bronze,
et summo clipei nequiquam umbone pependit.
and it hung in vain from the surface of the boss of his shield.
cui Pyrrhus: ‘referes ergo haec et nuntius ibis Pelidae genitori. illi mae tristia facta degeneremque Neoptolemum narrare memento.
Pyrrhus (replied) to him: “and so you will take these words and as a messenger you will go to my father Pelides. Recount to him my grim deeds and remember to tell him of wicked Neoptolemus.
‘ergo age, care pater, cervici imponere nostrae;
‘Therefore come, dear father, put yourself on my neck;
ipse subibo umeris nec me labor iste gravabit;
I myself shall lift you up on my shoulders, nor will that task weigh me down;
quo res cumque cadent, unum et commune periclum,
however the situation turns out, there will be one shared danger,
una salus ambobus erit. mihi parvus Iulus
sit comes, et longe servet vestigia coniunx.
one hope of safety for both of us. Let little Iulus be my companion, and let my wife follow my footsteps at a distance.
vos, famuli, quae dicam animis advertite vestris.
You, servants, pay your attention to what I am going to say.
est urbe egressis tumulus templumque vetustum
As you go out of the city there is a mound and an ancient temple
desertae Cereris, iuxtaque antiqua cupressus
of deserted Ceres, and next to it an ancient cypress tree
religione patrum multos servata per annos;
Preserved for many years by the devotion of our forefathers;
hanc ex diverso sedem veniemus in unam.
we will come to this one place from different directions.
ferimur per opaca locorum,
We are borne through the shadows of the places,
et me, quem dudum non ulla iniecta movebant
tela neque adverso glomerati examine Grai,
and me, whom until recently not any of the weapons thrown affected nor the Greeks gathered in their swarm (from their battle-line) against me,
nunc omnes terrent aurae, sonus excitat omnis
now every breeze terrifies (me), every sound rouses me,
suspensum et pariter comitique onerique timentem.
hesitant and fearing equally both for my companion and my burden.
iamque propinquabam portis omnemque videbar
evasisse viam, subito cum creber ad auris
And now I was approaching the gates and I seemed to have emerged from every path, when suddenly to my ears the swift
visus adesse pedum sonitus, genitorque per umbram
prospiciens ‘nate,’ exclamat, ‘fuge, nate; propinquant.
sound of feet seemed to be present, and my father looking out through the darkness exclaims, “son, flee, son; they are approaching.
ardentis clipeos atque aera micantia cerno.’
I can see their shining shields and flashing bronze (weapons).”
hic mihi nescio quod trepido male numen amicum
At this point, in my nervousness, some unfriendly divine power
confusam eripuit mentem. namque avia cursu
dum sequor et nota excedo regione viarum,
snatched away my troubled mind. For indeed while I pursue pathless places at a run, and I leave the area of streets that was known to me,
heu misero coniunx fatone erepta Creusa
alas my wife Creusa, snatched away by wretched fate,
substitit, erravitne via seu lapsa resedit,
stopped, wether she strayed from the path or wether, having collapsed, she sat down,
incertum; nec post oculis est reddita nostris.
it is uncertain; and she was not later returned to my eyes.
ausus quin etiam voces iactare per umbram
In fact even daring to project my cries through the darkness,
implevi clamore vias, maestusque Creusam
nequiquam ingeminans iterumque iterumque vocavi.
I filled the streets with my shouting, and in sadness in vain repeating ‘Creusa’ again and again I called for her.
quaerenti et tectis urbis sine fine ruenti
As I was searching and rushing among the buildings of the city without end,
infelix simulacrum atque ipsius umbra Creusae
the unfortunate phantom and ghost of Creusa herself
visa mihi ante oculos et nota maior imago.
appeared to me before my eyes and her image was larger than the woman I had knew.
obstipui, steteruntque comae et uox faucibus haesit.
I was dumbstruck, and my hair stood on end and my voice stuck in my throat.
tum sic adfari et curas his demere dictis:
Then (she seemed) to speak to me in this way and to relieve my cares with these words:
‘quid tantum insano iuvat indulgere dolori,
“What good does it do to indulge so much in crazed grief,
o dulcis coniunx? non haec sine numine divum
o sweet husband? These things, without the will of the gods, do not
eveniunt; nec te comitem hinc portare Creusam
fas, aut ille sinit superi regnator Olympi.
come about; it is not divine will that you carry Creusa as your companion from here, nor does he, the ruler of high up Olympus, allow it.
longa tibi exsilia et vastum maris aequor arandum,
For you (there is) lengthy exile and the vast expanse of ocean to be ploughed,
et terram Hesperiam venies, ubi Lydius arva
inter opima virum leni fluit agmine Thybris.
and you will come to the land of Hesperia, where the Lydian river Thyber flows in a gentle stream among the rich fields of men.
illic res laetae regnumque et regia coniunx
There happy times and a kingdom and a royal wife
parta tibi; lacrimas dilectae pelle Creusae.
will be brought forth for you; drive away your tears for your beloved Creusa.
