The Omen of the Serpent and the Boat Race — Virgil, Aeneid Book 5 (lines 79–161), Latin & English

purpureosque iacit flores, ac talia fatur:

and scatters purple flowers, and speaks as follows:

Salve, sancte parens: iterum salvete, recepti

”Hail, holy parent! Hail again, ye ashes

nequiquam cineres, animaeque umbraeque paternae.

rescued in vain, and paternal soul and shade!

Non licuit fines Italos fataliaque arva,

It was not permitted to seek the Italian borders and the fated fields,

nec tecum Ausonium (quicumque est) quaerere Thybrim.

nor with you the Ausonian Tiber, whatever it may be.”

Dixerat haec, adytis cum lubricus anguis ab imis

He had spoken these words, when from the deepest sanctuary a slippery serpent

septem ingens gyros, septena volumina traxit,¹

drew seven huge coils, seven foldings,

amplexus placide tumulum lapsusque per aras,

placidly embracing the mound and gliding through the altars,

caeruleae cui terga notae, maculosus et auro

whose back blue spots and a flecked splendor with gold

squamam incendebat fulgor, ceu nubibus arcus

inflamed its scales, as a rainbow in the clouds

mille iacit varios adverso sole colores.

throws a thousand various colors against the opposing sun.

Obstipuit visu Aeneas. Ille agmine longo

Aeneas was amazed at the sight. The serpent, with its long train,

tandem inter pateras et levia pocula serpens

at last creeping between the bowls and smooth cups,

libavitque dapes, rursusque innoxius imo

tasted the feast, and again harmlessly entered the bottom of

successit tumulo, et depasta altaria liquit.

the mound, and left the altars where it had fed.

Hoc magis inceptos genitori instaurat honores,

Because of this, he all the more renews the begun honors to his father,

incertus, geniumne loci famulumne parentis

uncertain whether he should think it the genius of the place or the attendant of his parent;

esse putet: caedit binas de more bidentes,

he slaughters two sheep of two years old according to custom,

totque sues, totidem nigrantis terga iuvencos;

and as many pigs, and just as many steers with black backs;

vinaque fundebat pateris, animamque vocabat

and he poured wine from the bowls, and called upon the soul

Anchisae magni Manisque Acheronte remissos.

of great Anchises and the Manes released from Acheron.

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Nec non et socii, quae cuique est copia, laeti

Moreover, his companions also, gladly, each as he has abundance,

dona ferunt, onerant aras, mactantque iuvencos;

bring gifts, heap the altars, and sacrifice steers;

ordine aena locant alii, fusique per herbam

others place bronze cauldrons in order, and scattered over the grass

subiciunt veribus prunas et viscera torrent.

put hot coals under the spits and roast the flesh.

Exspectata dies aderat, nonamque serena

The expected day had arrived, and now the horses of Phaethon

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Auroram Phaethontis equi iam luce vehebant,

were bringing the ninth serene Aurora with bright light,

famaque finitimos et clari nomen Acestae

and rumor and the name of illustrious Acestes

excierat; laeto complerant litora coetu,

had aroused the neighbors; they had filled the shores with a joyful gathering,

visuri Aeneadas, pars et certare parati.

to see the Aeneadae, and some also prepared to contend.

Munera principio ante oculos circoque locantur

First of all, the prizes are placed before their eyes and in the middle

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in medio, sacri tripodes viridesque coronae,

of the course, sacred tripods and green crowns,

et palmae pretium victoribus, armaque et ostro

and palms, the reward for the victors, and armor, and garments

perfusae vestes, argenti aurique talenta;

drenched in purple, and talents of silver and gold;

et tuba commissos medio canit aggere ludos.

and the trumpet sounds the games begun from the middle of the mound.

Prima pares ineunt gravibus certamina remis

First, four ships chosen from the whole fleet,

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quattuor ex omni delectae classe carinae.

well-matched with heavy oars, enter the contest.

Velocem Mnestheus agit acri remige Pristim,

Mnestheus drives the swift Pristis with a keen crew,

mox Italus Mnestheus, genus a quo nomine Memmi;

soon to be Italian Mnestheus, from which name comes the house of Memmius;

ingentemque Gyas ingenti mole Chimaeram,

and Gyas drives the huge Chimaera of huge bulk,

urbis opus, triplici pubes quam Dardana versu

a work like a city, which the Dardanian youth impel

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impellunt, terno consurgunt ordine remi;

with a triple bank, and the oars rise in a threefold order;

Sergestusque, domus tenet a quo Sergia nomen,

and Sergestus, from whom the Sergian house holds its name,

Centauro invehitur magna, Scyllaque Cloanthus

is carried in the great Centaur, and Cloanthus in the blue

caerulea, genus unde tibi, Romane Cluenti.

Scylla, from which is your lineage, Roman Cluentius.

Est procul in pelago saxum spumantia contra

There is far out in the sea a rock opposite the foaming

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litora, quod tumidis submersum tunditur olim

shores, which, submerged, is sometimes beaten by the swollen

fluctibus, hiberni condunt ubi sidera cori;

waves, when the wintry north-west winds hide the stars;

tranquillo silet, immotaque attollitur unda

in calm weather it is silent, and rises from the motionless wave

campus, et apricis statio gratissima mergis.

as a level plain, a most welcome resting-place for sun-loving cormorants.

Hic viridem Aeneas frondenti ex ilice metam

Here father Aeneas set up a green mark of leafy oak

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constituit signum nautis pater, unde reverti

as a sign for the sailors, whence they might know to return,

scirent, et longos ubi circumflectere cursus.

and where to wheel their long courses.

Tum loca sorte legunt, ipsique in puppibus auro

Then they choose places by lot, and the leaders themselves on the sterns

ductores longe effulgent ostroque decori;

shine from afar, adorned with gold and purple;

cetera populea velatur fronde iuventus,

the rest of the youth is veiled with poplar foliage,

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nudatosque umeros oleo perfusa nitescit.

and glistens, their naked shoulders drenched with oil.

Considunt transtris, intentaque brachia remis;²

They sit down on the benches, and their arms are stretched to the oars;

intenti exspectant signum, exsultantiaque haurit

intently they await the signal, and throbbing fear drains

corda pavor pulsans, laudumque arrecta cupido.

their beating hearts, and the strained desire for glory.

Inde, ubi clara dedit sonitum tuba, finibus omnes,

Then, when the clear trumpet gave the sound, all from their limits,

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haud mora, prosiluere suis; ferit aethera clamor

not delaying, leapt forth; the sailors’ shout strikes

nauticus, adductis spumant freta versa lacertis.

the heavens, the waters upturned by drawn-back arms foam.

Infindunt pariter sulcos, totumque dehiscit

They cleave furrows together, and the whole sea, torn open

convulsum remis rostrisque tridentibus aequor.

by oars and three-pronged prows, gapes wide.

Non tam praecipites biiugo certamine campum

Not so headlong in a two-horse chariot race do the chariots

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corripuere, ruuntque effusi carcere currus,

seize the field and rush poured forth from the barrier,

nec sic³ immissis aurigae undantia lora

nor do the charioteers so shake the waving reins over the let-go

concussere iugis pronique in verbera pendent.

horses, and hang forward, leaning to the whip.

Tum plausu fremituque virum studiisque faventum

Then with the applause and din of men and the zeal of supporters

consonat omne nemus, vocemque inclusa volutant

all the woodland resounds, and the enclosed shores roll

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litora, pulsati colles clamore resultant.

the voice, and the hills, struck by the clamor, rebound.

Effugit ante alios primisque elabitur undis

Gyas flies out before the others and glides in the first waves

turbam inter fremitumque Gyas; quem deinde Cloanthus

amidst the crowd and din; whom then Cloanthus

consequitur, melior remis, sed pondere pinus

follows, better with oars, but the heavy pine-wood

tarda tenet. Post hos aequo discrimine Pristis

holds him back slow. After these, with equal distance, Pristis

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Centaurusque locum tendunt superare priorem;

and Centaur strive to win the prior place;

et nunc Pristis habet, nunc victam praeterit ingens

and now Pristis has it, now the huge Centaur passes

Centaurus, nunc una ambae iunctisque feruntur

the vanquished ship, now both are borne together with even

frontibus, et longa sulcant vada salsa carina.

prows, and furrow the salty shallows with long keels.

Iamque propinquabant scopulo metamque tenebant,

And now they were approaching the rock and holding the mark,

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cum princeps medioque Gyas in gurgite victor

when Gyas, foremost and victor in the middle of the flood,

rectorem navis compellat voce Menoeten:

addresses Menoetes, the pilot of his ship, with his voice:

Syntax notes3 items

5.84cum ... traxit
The construction known as "cum inversum" (inverted cum), where the conjunction cum is followed by the indicative perfect (traxit) after a main clause in the pluperfect. It is used to present a sudden and main action occurring against a background.
5.136intentaque brachia remis
The case of the noun remis is best interpreted as the dative governed by the adjective intentus ("stretched toward the oars"), which aligns with the subsequent intenti exspectant. It could also be interpreted as an ablative of instrument ("strained by the oars").
5.144Non tam... nec sic...
A comparative correlative negative construction comparing the furious speed of the ships to the intensity of a chariot race. By stating "not so headlong" (Non tam) and "nor in such a manner" (nec sic) do chariots rush, it highlights the extraordinary speed and excitement of the boat race.

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

2026-09-21 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:5.79-5.161