The Loss of Creusa and Her Ghost's Prophecy — Virgil, Aeneid Book 2 (lines 724–804), Latin & English

724

implicuit sequiturque patrem non passibus aequis;

He clasped his hand in mine and followed his father with unequal steps;

725

pone subit coniunx: ferimur per opaca locorum;

my wife followed behind. We are borne through the dark places;

et me, quem dudum non ulla iniecta movebant

and me, whom lately no showered weapons could move

tela neque adverso glomerati ex agmine Grai,

nor Greeks massed together from the opposing army,

nunc omnes terrent aurae, sonus excitat omnis

now every breeze terrifies, every sound startles,

suspensum et pariter comitique onerique¹ timentem.

anxious as I am and fearing equally for both my companion and my burden.

730

Iamque propinquabam portis, omnemque videbar

And now I was approaching the gates, and seemed to have escaped

evasisse viam, subito cum creber ad auris

every path, when suddenly a thick sound of feet seemed

visus adesse pedum sonitus, genitorque per umbram

to be close to my ears, and my father, looking out through the darkness,

prospiciens; Nate exclamat, fuge nate, propinquant.

cried: “Son, flee, son! They are drawing near.

Ardentis clipeos atque aera micantia cerno! —

I discern glowing shields and flashing bronze!” —

735

Hic mihi nescio quod trepido male numen amicum²

Here, in my panic, some unfriendly deity or other snatched away

confusam eripuit mentem. Namque avia cursu

my confused mind. For while I pursue pathless ways at a run

dum sequor, et nota excedo regione viarum,

and depart from the familiar direction of the streets,

heu, misero coniunx fatone erepta Creüsa

alas! did my wife Creusa, snatched from miserable me by fate, halt,

substitit, erravitne via, seu lassa resedit,³

or did she wander from the path, or sit down weary?

740

incertum; nec post oculis est reddita nostris.

It is uncertain; nor was she afterward restored to our eyes.

Nec prius amissam respexi animumque reflexi,

Nor did I look back for the lost one or turn my mind toward her,

quam tumulum antiquae Cereris sedemque sacratam

until we came to the mound and sacred seat of ancient Ceres;

venimus; hic demum collectis omnibus una

here at last, when all were gathered, she alone

defuit, et comites natumque virumque fefellit.

was missing, and failed her companions, her son, and her husband.

745

Quem non incusavi amens hominumque deorumque,

Whom of men or gods did I not accuse in my madness,

aut quid in eversa vidi crudelius urbe?

or what did I see more cruel in the overturned city?

Ascanium Anchisenque patrem Teucrosque Penatis

Ascanius, my father Anchises, and the Teucrian Penates

commendo sociis et curva valle recondo;

I commend to my companions and hide in a winding valley;

ipse urbem repeto et cingor fulgentibus armis.

I myself seek the city again and gird myself in shining arms.

750

Stat casus renovare omnis, omnemque reverti

My resolve is fixed to renew every hazard, to return through

per Troiam, et rursus caput obiectare periclis.

all Troy, and again expose my head to dangers.

Principio muros obscuraque limina portae,

First, I seek again the walls and the dark portal of the gate

qua gressum extuleram, repeto, et vestigia retro

by which I had bent my steps, and trace back my footprints

observata sequor per noctem et lumine lustro.

noted through the night, and scan them with my eyes.

755

Horror ubique animo, simul ipsa silentia terrent.

Everywhere is horror in my soul, at the same time the very silence terrifies.

Inde domum, si forte pedem, si forte tulisset,

Then I return home, if by chance she had bent her steps there,

me refero: inruerant Danai, et tectum omne tenebant.

if by chance she had: the Greeks had rushed in, and held the whole house.

Ilicet ignis edax summa ad fastigia vento

Immediately the devouring fire is rolled by the wind to the highest gables;

volvitur; exsuperant flammae, furit aestus ad auras.

the flames master them, the heat rages to the heavens.

760

Procedo et Priami sedes arcemque reviso.

I go forward and revisit the palace of Priam and the citadel.

Et iam porticibus vacuis Iunonis asylo

And now in the empty porticoes, in Juno’s sanctuary,

custodes lecti Phoenix et dirus Ulixes

chosen guardians, Phoenix and dreadful Ulysses,

praedam adservabant. Huc undique Troia gaza

were keeping watch over the spoil. Hither from all sides Troy’s treasure,

incensis erepta adytis, mensaeque deorum,

snatched from burning shrines, and the tables of the gods,

765

crateresque auro solidi, captivaque vestis

and mixing bowls of solid gold, and captured raiment

congeritur; pueri et pavidae longo ordine matres

are piled together; boys and trembling mothers in a long line

stant circum.

stand around.

Ausus quin etiam voces iactare per umbram

Nay, even venturing to cast my voice through the shadow

implevi clamore vias, maestusque Creüsam

I filled the streets with clamor, and sorrowfully calling Creusa

770

nequiquam ingeminans iterumque iterumque vocavi.

in vain, redoubled it again and again.

Quaerenti et tectis urbis sine fine furenti

To me, as I searched and raged without limit through the houses of the city,

infelix simulacrum atque ipsius umbra Creüsae

the unhappy phantom and the shade of Creusa herself

visa mihi ante oculos et nota maior imago.

appeared before my eyes, an image larger than the one I knew.

Obstipui, steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit.

I was astounded, my hair stood on end, and my voice clung to my throat.

Quid tantum insano iuvat indulgere dolori,

”What does it please you to indulge so much in mad grief,

O dulcis coniunx? Non haec sine numine divom

O sweet husband? Not without the will of the gods do these things

eveniunt; nec te hinc comitem asportare Creüsam

happen; nor is it lawful for you to carry Creusa hence as your companion,

fas, aut ille sinit superi regnator Olympi.

nor does that great ruler of high Olympus permit it.

780

Longa tibi exsilia, et vastum maris aequor arandum,

Long exile is yours, and the vast expanse of the sea must be plowed,

et terram Hesperiam venies, ubi Lydius arva

and you will come to the land of Hesperia, where the Lydian Tiber

inter opima virum leni fluit agmine Thybris:

flows with gentle course between the rich fields of men;

illic res laetae regnumque et regia coniunx

there joyful fortunes, a kingdom, and a royal bride are

parta tibi. Lacrimas dilectae pelle Creüsae.

provided for you. Banish tears for your beloved Creusa.

785

Non ego Myrmidonum sedes Dolopumve superbas

I shall not look upon the proud seats of the Myrmidons or Dolopians,

aspiciam, aut Graiis servitum⁴ matribus ibo,

nor shall I go to serve Greek mothers,

Dardanis, et divae Veneris nurus.

I, a Trojan woman, and daughter-in-law of divine Venus;

Sed me magna deum genetrix his detinet oris:

but the great mother of the gods detains me on these shores.

iamque vale, et nati serva communis amorem.

And now farewell, and guard the love of our common son.”

790

Haec ubi dicta dedit, lacrimantem et multa volentem

When she gave these words, she abandoned me weeping and wishing

dicere deseruit, tenuisque recessit in auras.

to say many things, and withdrew into the thin air.

Ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia circum:

Three times I attempted there to throw my arms around her neck;

ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago,

three times the phantom, grasped in vain, escaped my hands,

par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno.

like light winds and most similar to a fleeting dream.

795

Sic demum socios consumpta nocte reviso.

Thus at last, the night being spent, I revisit my companions.

Atque hic ingentem comitum adfluxisse novorum

And here I find with wonder that a vast number of new companions

invenio admirans numerum, matresque virosque,

have streamed in, both mothers and men,

collectam exsilio pubem, miserabile volgus.

a band gathered for exile, a miserable crowd.

Undique convenere, animis opibusque parati,

From all sides they assembled, prepared in minds and resources

800

in quascumque velim pelago deducere terras.

for whatever lands I might wish to lead them to across the sea.

Iamque iugis summae surgebat Lucifer Idae

And now Lucifer was rising over the ridges of highest Ida

ducebatque diem, Danaique obsessa tenebant

and was bringing on the day, and the Greeks held the besieged

limina portarum, nec spes opis ulla dabatur;

entrances of the gates, nor was any hope of aid offered;

cessi, et sublato montes genitore petivi.

I yielded, and, lifting my father, I sought the mountains.

Syntax notes4 items

2.729comitique onerique
Datives governed by the participle timentem. While timeo normally takes an accusative direct object, the dative is used here poetically to emphasize concern or anxiety directed toward both comiti (his companion, his son/wife) and oneri (his burden, his father). The repetition of -que... -que underscores the equal (pariter) weight of fear for both parties.
2.735male amicum
The adverb male modifies the adjective amicum (friendly, favorable), reversing its positive meaning to express 'unfriendly' or 'hostile' (non amicum or inimicum). This is a common poetic usage in Latin (sometimes related to litotes) to express an unfavorable or adverse condition indirectly or ironically.
2.738fatone erepta Creüsa substitit, erravitne via, seu lassa resedit
The entire clause functions as an indirect alternative question dependent on the adjective incertum [est] (it is uncertain) in line 2.740. The particles of disjunction -ne... -ne... seu... present multiple possibilities for Creusa's disappearance, reflecting the narrator's confusion and grief through the grammatical structure.
2.786servitum
The accusative supine (former supine) of the intransitive verb servio (to serve). Accompanying the verb of motion ibo (future of eo, 'I shall go'), it expresses the purpose of the motion: 'to serve' or 'in order to serve'.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:2.724-2.804