Latinus's Proposal and Drances's Attack on Turnus — Virgil, Aeneid Book 11 (lines 308–381), Latin & English

308

Spem siquam adscitis Aetolum habuistis in armis,

If you had any hope in the allied arms of the Aetolians,

ponite. Spes sibi quisque, sed haec quam angusta videtis;

lay it down. Each is a hope to himself, but how narrow this is, you see;

310

cetera qua rerum iaceant perculsa ruina,

in what ruin the rest of our affairs lie shattered,

ante oculos interque manus sunt omnia vestras.

is all before your eyes and in your hands.

Nec quemquam incuso: potuit quae plurima virtus

Nor do I blame anyone: what greatest courage could

esse, fuit;¹ toto certatum est corpore regni.

exist, did exist; the struggle has been made with the whole body of the kingdom.

Nunc adeo quae sit dubiae sententia menti

Now, therefore, what is the decision of my doubtful mind,

315

expediam et paucis, animos adhibete, docebo.

I will explain, and in few words—give me your attention—I will teach you.

Est antiquus ager Tusco mihi proximus amni,

I have an ancient land close to the Tuscan river,

longus in occasum, finis super usque Sicanos;

extending far to the west, even beyond the Sicanian borders;

Aurunci Rutulique serunt et vomere duros

the Aurunci and Rutulians sow it, and with the ploughshare work

exercent colles atque horum asperrima pascunt.

the stubborn hills, and pasture the roughest of these.

320

Haec omnis regio et celsi plaga pinea montis

Let all this region and the pine-clad tract of the high mountain

cedat amicitiae Teucrorum, et foederis aequas

yield to the friendship of the Trojans, and let us declare equal

dicamus leges sociosque in regna vocemus.

laws of alliance, and invite them into our realm as partners.

Considant, si tantus amor, et moenia condant.

Let them settle, if such is their desire, and build their walls.

Sin alios finis aliamque capessere gentem

But if their mind is to seize other borders and another

325

est animus possuntque solo decedere nostro:

nation, and they are able to depart from our soil,

bis denas Italo texamus robore navis

let us build twice ten ships of Italian oak,

seu pluris complere valent, iacet omnis ad undam

or more if they have strength to fill them; all the timber

materies, ipsi numerumque modumque carinis

lies by the water; let them prescribe the number and fashion

praecipiant, nos aera manus navalia demus.

for the vessels, and let us supply the bronze, the hands, and the dockyards.

330

Praeterea qui dicta ferant et foedera firment

Moreover, to carry our words and confirm the treaty,

centum oratores prima de gente Latinos

it is my pleasure that a hundred Latin envoys of the first rank

ire placet pacisque manu praetendere ramos,

should go, and stretch forth in their hands the boughs of peace,

munera portantis aurique eborisque talenta

bearing gifts, talents of gold and ivory,

et sellam regni trabeamque insignia nostri.

and the chair of state and the trabea, the insignia of our reign.

335

Consulite in medium et rebus succurrite fessis.

Consult together for the common good, and succor our weary affairs.

Tum Drances idem infensus, quem gloria Turni

Then Drances, likewise hostile, whom the glory of Turnus

obliqua invidia stimulisque agitabat amaris,

was vexing with oblique envy and bitter goads,

largus opum et lingua melior, sed frigida bello

lavish of wealth and better in tongue, but with a right hand cold in war,

dextera, consiliis habitus non futilis auctor,

esteemed no futile counselor in debates,

340

seditione potens (genus huic materna superbum

powerful in sedition (his mother’s noble blood gave him a proud

nobilitas dabat, incertum de patre ferebat),

lineage, but from his father he bore an uncertain birth),

surgit et his onerat dictis atque aggerat iras:

rises and weighs down with these words, and piles up anger:

Rem nulli obscuram nostrae nec vocis egentem

”You consult upon a matter obscure to no one and needing no voice of ours,

consulis, O bone rex: cuncti se scire fatentur,

O good king: all confess that they know

345

quid fortuna ferat populi, sed dicere mussant.

what the fortune of our people demands, but they mutter and dare not speak.

Det libertatem fandi flatusque remittat

Let him grant freedom of speech and abate his swollen pride,

cuius ob auspicium infaustum moresque sinistros

by whose ill-omened leadership and sinister ways—

(dicam equidem, licet arma mihi mortemque minetur)

indeed, I will speak, though he threaten me with arms and death—

lumina tot cecidisse ducum totamque videmus

we see that so many lights of leaders have fallen, and the whole

350

consedisse urbem luctu, dum Troia temptat

city has sunk in grief, while he attacks the Trojan camp,

castra fugae fidens et caelum territat armis.

trusting in flight, and terrifies heaven with his arms.

Unum etiam donis istis, quae plurima mitti

To those many gifts which you command to be sent and promised

Dardanidis dicique iubes, unum, optime regum,

to the Dardanids, add yet one more, O best of kings;

adicias nec te ullius violentia vincat,

nor let the violence of anyone overcome you,

355

quin² natam egregio genero dignisque hymenaeis

so as to prevent you, as a father, from giving your daughter to an illustrious son-in-law and worthy hymeneals,

des, pater, et pacem hanc aeterno foedere iungas.

and joining this peace with an eternal treaty.

Quod si tantus habet mentes et pectora terror,

But if such great terror possesses our minds and hearts,

ipsum obtestemur veniamque oremus ab ipso:

let us implore him himself, and entreat favor from him himself:

cedat, ius proprium regi patriaeque remittat.

let him yield, and restore their proper right to the king and his country.

360

Quid miseros totiens in aperta pericula cives

Why do you so often cast your wretched citizens into open perils,

proicis, O Latio caput horum et causa malorum?

O source and cause of these ills to Latium?

Nulla salus bello: pacem te poscimus omnes,

There is no safety in war; peace we all demand of you,

Turne, simul pacis solum inviolabile pignus.

Turnus, and with it the sole inviolable pledge of peace.

Primus ego, invisum quem tu tibi fingis, et esse

First I, whom you feign to be your enemy—and that I am

365

nil moror, en supplex venio. Miserere tuorum,

I do not care—lo, I come as a suppliant. Have pity on your people,

pone animos et pulsus abi. Sat funera fusi

lay aside your pride, and, beaten, go! Enough of deaths have we seen

vidimus ingentis et desolavimus agros.

as we were routed, and we have desolated immense fields.

Aut si fama movet, si tantum pectore robur

Or, if glory moves you, if you conceive such strength in your breast,

concipis et si adeo dotalis regia cordi est,

and if the dotal palace is so much at your heart,

370

aude atque adversum fidens fer pectus in hostem.

dare, and carry your breast trustfully against the foe.

Scilicet ut Turno contingat regia coniunx,

Is it indeed so that Turnus may obtain a royal bride,

nos animae viles, inhumata infletaque turba,

while we, cheap souls, a crowd unburied and unwept,

sternamur³ campis. Etiam tu, siqua tibi vis,

are strewn upon the plains? Do you also, if any strength is in you,

si patrii quid Martis habes, illum aspice contra,

if you have anything of your father’s martial spirit, look him in the face

375

qui vocat.

who calls you.”

Talibus exarsit dictis violentia Turni;

By such words the violence of Turnus flared up;

dat gemitum rumpitque has imo pectore voces

he gives a groan and breaks out these voices from the bottom of his heart:

Larga quidem, Drance, semper tibi copia fandi

”Abundant indeed, Drances, is always your abundance of speech

tum, cum bella manus poscunt, patribusque vocatis

at the time when wars demand hands, and when the fathers are summoned

380

primus ades. Sed non replenda est curia verbis,

you are the first to be present. But the senate-house must not be filled with words,

quae tuto tibi magna volant, dum distinet hostem

which fly big from you in safety, while the enemy is kept off,

Syntax notes3 items

11.312potuit quae plurima virtus esse, fuit
A construction in which the antecedent virtus (with the adjective plurima) is attracted into the relative clause quae ... potuit esse. It stands for plurima virtus, quae potuit esse, fuit ("the greatest courage which could have existed, did exist").
11.354nec te ullius violentia vincat, quin...
The conjunction quin followed by the subjunctive (des, iungas) is used after a negative expression of prevention or hindrance (nec ... vincat, meaning "let not any violence overcome you so as to prevent you from...").
11.371Scilicet ut Turno contingat... nos... sternamur
An indignant or ironic subjunctive (sternamur) introduced by scilicet and associated with the ut clause. It expresses strong sarcasm: "Is it really so that, in order for Turnus to obtain a royal bride, we should be stretched out on the fields?"

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:11.308-11.381