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.
