Camilla's Exploits and Tarchon's Rally — Virgil, Aeneid Book 11 (lines 689–762), Latin & English

689

manibus hoc referes, telo cecidisse Camillae.

you shall carry this back to the shades of your fathers, that you fell by the weapon of Camilla.

690

Protinus Orsilochum et Buten, duo maxima Teucrum

Straightway she transfixed Orsilochus and Butes, two of the largest bodies of the Trojans, but Butes,

corpora, sed Buten aversum cuspide fixit

as he was turned away, she pierced with her spearpoint between cuirass and helmet, where the neck of him as he sits

loricam galeamque inter, qua colla sedentis

is exposed, and the shield hangs from his left arm;

lucent et laevo dependet parma lacerto,

fleeing Orsilochus, and pursued through a great circle,

Orsilochum fugiens magnumque agitata per orbem

she eludes him by an inner ring and pursues the pursuer;

695

eludit gyro interior¹ sequiturque sequentem,

then, rising higher, she redoubles her strong axe through both the armor and the bones

tum validam perque arma viro perque ossa securim

of him as he begs and prays for many things:

altior exsurgens oranti et multa precanti

with repeated blows; the wound wets his face with warm brains.

congeminat: vulnus calido rigat ora cerebro.

On her happened, and terrified by the sudden sight stood stock-still,

Incidit huic subitoque aspectu territus haesit

the warrior son of Aunus, an inhabitant of the Apennines,

700

Appenninicolae bellator filius Auni,

not the last of the Ligurians, while the fates allowed him to deceive.

haud Ligurum extremus, dum fallere fata sinebant.²

And he, when he sees that he can by no running now escape the fight

Isque ubi se nullo iam cursu evadere pugnae

nor turn aside the pressing queen,

posse neque instantem reginam avertere cernit,

beginning to ply his deceit with counsel and craft,

consilio versare dolos ingressus et astu

he begins these words:

705

incipit haec: Quid tam egregium, si femina forti

”What is so remarkable, if a woman trusts

fidis equo? Dimitte fugam et te comminus aequo

in a strong horse? Dismiss flight, and trust yourself on equal

mecum crede solo pugnaeque adcinge pedestri:

ground with me, and gird yourself for a pedestrian fight;

iam nosces, ventosa ferat cui gloria fraudem.

soon you will know to whom windy glory brings deceit.”

Dixit, at illa furens acrique adcensa dolore

He spoke; but she, raging and kindled with sharp resentment,

710

tradit equum comiti paribusque resistit in armis,

hands over her horse to a companion and stands her ground with equal arms,

ense pedes nudo puraque interrita parma.

on foot with naked sword and simple shield, unafraid.

At iuvenis, vicisse dolo ratus, avolat ipse,

But the youth, thinking he had won by deceit, flies away himself—

haud mora, conversisque fugax aufertur habenis

no delay—and is carried off in flight with turned reins,

quadrupedemque citum ferrata calce fatigat.

and fatigues his swift steed with his iron spur.

715

Vane Ligus frustraque animis elate superbis,

”Vain Ligurian, and fruitlessly puffed up with proud spirits,

nequiquam patrias temptasti lubricus artis,

in vain, slippery one, have you tried your native crafts,

nec fraus te incolumem fallaci perferet Auno,

nor shall deceit carry you safe to treacherous Aunus.”

haec fatur virgo et pernicibus ignea plantis

Thus speaks the maiden, and fiery with swift feet,

transit equum cursu frenisque adversa prehensis

outruns the horse in its course, and grasping the reins face to face,

720

congreditur poenasque inimico ex sanguine sumit:

clashes and takes vengeance from his hated blood:

quam facile accipiter saxo sacer ales ab alto

as easily as a hawk, sacred bird, from a high rock

consequitur pennis sublimem in nube columbam

pursues with its wings a dove high in the cloud,

comprensamque tenet pedibusque eviscerat uncis;

and holds it caught and eviscerates it with hooked feet;

tum cruor et vulsae labuntur ab aethere plumae.

then blood and plucked feathers fall from the sky.

725

At non haec nullis hominum sator atque deorum

But not with unobserving eyes does the father of men and of gods

observans oculis summo sedet altus Olympo:

sit high on supreme Olympus:

Tyrrhenum genitor Tarchonem in proelia saeva

the father rouses Tyrrhenian Tarchon into savage battles

suscitat et stimulis haud mollibus incitat iras.

and incites his wrath with no gentle spurs.

Ergo inter caedes cedentiaque agmina Tarchon

Therefore, amidst the slaughters and the retreating ranks, Tarchon

730

fertur equo variisque instigat vocibus alas,

is carried on his horse and instigates the squadrons with various words,

nomine quemque vocans, reficitque in proelia pulsos.

calling each by name, and restores the beaten to the battle.

Quis metus, O numquam dolituri, O semper inertes

”What fear, O you who will never feel pain, O always sluggish

Tyrrheni, quae tanta animis ignavia venit?

Tyrrhenians, what so great cowardice has come into your minds?

Femina palantis agit atque haec agmina vertit!

A woman drives you scattered and turns these ranks!

735

Quo ferrum quidve haec gerimus tela inrita dextris?

For what do we bear iron, or why do we hold these useless weapons in our right hands?

At non in Venerem segnes nocturnaque bella

But you are not sluggish for Venus and nocturnal battles,

aut ubi curva choros indixit tibia Bacchi,

or when the curved pipe of Bacchus has proclaimed the dances:

exspectate³ dapes et plenae pocula mensae,

expect the feasts and the cups of the full table (there you are not slow)—

hic amor, hoc studium, dum sacra secundus haruspex

this is your love, this your study, until the auspicious soothsayer

740

nuntiet ac lucos vocet hostia pinguis in altos!

announces the sacred rites and the fat victim calls you into the deep groves!”

Haec effatus equum in medios, moriturus et ipse,

Having spoken these words, he himself also about to die, spurs his horse

concitat et Venulo adversum se turbidus infert

into the midst, and furiously throws himself against Venulus,

dereptumque ab equo dextra complectitur hostem

and grasping the enemy, snatched from his horse, with his right hand,

et gremium ante suum multa vi concitus aufert.

and with great force carries him off, spurred on, before his own bosom.

745

Tollitur in caelum clamor, cunctique Latini

A shout is raised to heaven, and all the Latins

convertere oculos. Volat igneus aequore Tarchon

turned their eyes. Fiery Tarchon flies through the plain,

arma virumque ferens; tum summa ipsius ab hasta

carrying weapons and the man; then from the top of his enemy’s spear

defringit ferrum et partis rimatur apertas,

he breaks off the iron and searches for the exposed parts,

qua vulnus letale ferat; contra ille repugnans

where he may deal a lethal wound; the other, resisting,

750

sustinet a iugulo dextram et vim viribus exit.

keeps off Tarchon’s right hand from his throat, and parries force with force.

Utque volans alte raptum cum fulva draconem

And as when a golden eagle, flying high, carries a snatched

fert aquila implicuitque pedes atque unguibus haesit,

serpent, and has entangled its feet and clung with its claws,

saucius at serpens sinuosa volumina versat

but the wounded serpent writhes its sinuous coils,

adrectisque horret squamis et sibilat ore,

and bristles with erect scales, and hisses with its mouth,

755

arduus insurgens; illa haud minus urget obunco

rising high; she nonetheless assails the struggling prey

luctantem rostro, simul aethera verberat alis:

with her hooked beak, at the same time beating the air with her wings:

haud aliter praedam Tiburtum ex agmine Tarchon

just so Tarchon carries his prey from the Tiburtine line,

portat ovans. Ducis exemplum eventumque secuti

exultant. Following the example and success of their leader,

Maeonidae incurrunt. Tum fatis debitus Arruns

the Etruscans rush on. Then Arruns, owed to the fates,

760

velocem iaculo et multa prior arte Camillam

with his spear and with much prior craft, the swift Camilla

circuit et quae sit fortuna facillima, temptat.

circles, and tries what may be the easiest fortune.

Qua se cumque furens medio tulit agmine virgo,

Wherever the raging maiden carried herself in the midst of the line,

Syntax notes3 items

11.695gyro interior
interior is the nominative feminine singular of the adjective interior, -ius, agreeing with the subject (Camilla), while gyro is an ablative of manner or place. Literally meaning 'interior in her circle,' it describes Camilla's equestrian maneuver of taking a smaller, inner circle to outflank and deceive Orsilochus, turning the pursuer into the pursued.
11.701fallere fata sinebant
fata (the fates) is the nominative plural subject of the verb sinebant (were allowing), while fallere (to deceive) is the complement infinitive with its object omitted. This refers to the traditional stereotype of Ligurians as deceitful, meaning 'while the fates allowed him to practice deception.'
11.738exspectate
This is the second-person plural imperative of exspecto (look for, wait for). Although some take it as a vocative plural masculine (exspectati, 'O long-awaited ones') in a Greek form, it is best read as a biting imperative: 'Wait for the feasts and full cups!' where Tarchon sarcastically goads his men for being eager only for banquets but sluggish in battle.

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-lat2:11.689-11.762